The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we work forever. Many companies choose to be hybrid, and about 16% of companies in the world are 100% remote already. Studies show that 74% of remote work workers are less likely to leave their company. One of the biggest reasons why people choose to work remotely is a better work-life balance. But it also comes with a major challenge- employee engagement. Team management is challenging when you have to manage remote employees. This is where virtual team-building activities come into the picture.
What is Virtual Team Building?
Virtual team-building is a process of bringing remote teams together. It helps create a collaborative and positive environment virtually and build bonds within teams.
Why are Virtual Team-Building Activities Important?
Virtual team-building activities are a great way to boost virtual employee engagement and teamwork. Online team-building exercises help your workforce adapt to remote work styles quickly. These also motivate employees by eliminating stress and loneliness.
Organizing team-building activities is not that tough and expensive as it sounds. Zoom or Teams meetings are just enough.
8 Top Virtual Team Building Activities for Remote Teams
Two Truths and a Lie
This is a simple and classic icebreaker game. A team member presents three statements about themselves, and the three statements include two truths and a lie. The other team members need to recognize what is true and what is a lie. The speaker reveals the lie at last, and those who guessed right wins points. Repeat this process with each member, and the person who has guessed the correct answers will win.
Virtual Clue Murder Mystery
Virtual Clue Murder Mystery is an online team-building activity that can be played on video-calling platforms such as Skype or Zoom. Your team needs to split into different groups to examine clues, review case files, play as detectives to identify who had the resources, motive, and opportunity to murder Neil Davidson.
This roleplay detective game brings out problem-solving skills, effective communication, and analytical skills to solve the case successfully.
Virtual Escape Room
Visual escape rooms are remote adventures that your team can go to any time from anywhere. Online escape rooms can be played on Zoom, keeping everyone entertained and engaged. Communication is key here. You can find many virtual escape room games online that hold as many players. The game is all about taking on challenges, finding clues, completing puzzles, and escaping rooms with your team. Themes like finding gold, solving an art heist, and breaking out of prison make the fun time more exciting.
Building a Storyline
Stories build emotional connections. Building a storyline is one of the most fun and oldest team-building activity. This game aims to build a complete story as a team. For example: If the first person begins the story as “On Jason’s first day at his new job, he bumped into an old friend who is…” The next person has to complete this line and add another incomplete line. Everyone gets their turn and creates a good story at the end of the game.
Building a storyline boosts collaboration, listening skills which are essential in a remote team.
Icebreaker Quiz Game
An Icebreaker Quiz is a simple game that encourages your employees to give answers about other peers. This way, it builds strong employee relationships and nurtures company culture.
In this activity, players guess answers to icebreaker questions. You can use a tool to generate questions. A simple example quiz question can be “Whose dream holiday destination is Miami – Emily or Julia?” The person with more correct guesses wins the game.
Guess the Emoji Board🤔
Emojis have become a part of our lives; everyone loves them. Guessing the emoji board is a short and fun team-building activity that you can keep for quick breaks.
Send a list of players to all participants and ask them to guess each player’s five most used emojis. After the time is up, reveal the right answers and declare the winner.
Show & Tell
You can also call this Arm’s Reach Show & Tell. Participants need to find something within their arms reach, show it, and talk about it for one minute. This is a fun game where players can share personal information like where they got the object and why they keep it.
Virtual Team Dinner
One of the best things about going to an office is being social and connecting with their peers during breaks which is an underrated team-building activity.
Virtual team dinners or coffee are the best way to relax and develop deep bonds. Ask your teams to prepare meals and connect for a Zoom call or any video call to eat together, chat, and have fun.
Remote teams are likely to feel disconnected from one another. Virtual team building activities enhance employee motivation, collaboration, and productivity. Try the above remote team-building exercises to make the most out of your remote work style.
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