The pandemic was one of the most horrifying events in the recent past. It brought about so many changes in the various aspects of human life. Workplaces were no different. Offices adjusted to the never-ending pandemic with the hybrid mode of working. So, how do teams stay connected? Enter virtual team building activities for work!
No matter which side of the transactional vs transformational leadership debate you are on, you will agree that a balance of both is necessary. If you agree with what I said, you will also second this opinion: – all work and no play will make Jack a dull employee.
Let’s look at the different team building activities that will bring your team closer and improve productivity.
Why are Virtual Team Building Activities for Work Necessary?
Statistics favor that nearly 22% of the corporate workforce will operate remotely by 2025. As a leader, your leadership framework must consider this fact and prepare for the future. Let’s look at the different virtual team building activities that can bring your team closer, despite the distance.
Team building activities help improve team bonding in the workplace. This is a necessary exercise when you want a team that proactively collaborates and fosters positive relations.
Team building virtual activities for work can boost the morale of your team – especially those working from home. There are several other benefits to it, some of those are:
- Team collaboration
- Improved communication
- Boosts productivity
- It is a great way to check in with your employees
- Builds trust between team and manager as well as between employees
- Lowers stress and improves mental health
- Reduces employee turnover
These are pretty good reasons to host virtual team building activities for work, you will have a team with happy employees! The best thing about these activities is that they can be used in facilitating team development stages before a task.
7 Best Virtual Team Building Activities for Work From Home
A classic trait of a good leader is fostering team bonding. And with these virtual team building activities for work, you will surely be one such leader. So, are you ready to get your cup with the “World’s Best Boss” tag on it?
Let’s look at the exciting games that will bring your remote and on-site employees together:
1. Host a Scavenger Hunt
This is an evergreen activity that will make your team bond well. But how do you involve the team that’s working from home? We have the solution, read on to know how you can successfully host this activity.
As all the participants are not on-site, you will have to pick clues that are relevant yet not so easy to find. Here are a few examples of the things you can ask your participants to look for:
- Favorite book
- Spatula
- Company accessory
- Childhood/teenage photo
The participants shall only show the item on the screen to score a point. Whoever scores the highest points wins! Your leadership skills will be helpful here when you bring everyone to this game.
This game starts with you (the host) giving the clues and tracking the scores. When the list is over, you declare who the winner is! You may or may not keep rewards for these activities, but that’s up to you.
These games will be best played when the team is connected on a video chatting app, as it enhances the experience.
2. Engage in a Karaoke Sesh
Karaoke breaks the ice like no other activity! No matter whether you are assembling the team for a birthday or just virtual team building activities for work online. This is one of the best options for your team.
Karaoke is a simple aural session that does not require a lot of planning. There are practically no restrictions (unless there are shy people) you can either pick the songs beforehand or select them as the game proceeds.
You can have individual members sing or have the team come together for a sing-along. How can you make it work with virtual attendees? Only keep the singer’s mic on when the activity begins while others act as the audience.
Want recommendations for the karaoke list? Here’s our top pick for a fun karaoke activity with your team:
- Hello – Lionel Richie
- Dancing Queen – ABBA
- I Want It That Way – Backstreet Boys
- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
- Oh My God – Adele
- Wannabe – Spice Girls
- Hey There Delilah – Plain White T’s
- Baby – Justin Bieber
These are some of the peppiest hits that make karaoke so much fun!
3. Office Olympics – Your Office Version
By now you might have guessed that yours truly is a big fan of The Office. But if the first clue wasn’t enough, this one seals the deal. Office Olympics is a favorite team building activity for work. This was popularized in The Office and is a great activity in the spirit of the Paris Olympics.
This activity’s energetic environment will be great for fostering teamwork and collaboration between employees. The remote nature of some of your participants may feel like a barrier, but that isn’t the case. Everyone can easily participate in this activity, which will be a huge success.
Create small groups that can take part in online or trivia games. Think of trivia questions or ice-breaker games. Every time a team wins, assign them a point. You may even add any of the activities to this list!
The closing ceremony of your Office Olympic will include adding the points on a virtual whiteboard. Then declare who wins a gold, silver, and bronze medal.
4. Employee Virtual Wellness Sessions
Out of the other team building activities for work, this includes health and wellness activities. Start the session with an icebreaker and get into the activity by sharing a guide on how it will proceed.
For example, you can start a meditation session with a five-minute guided breathing session. When you start the yoga session, the expert can explain the concept of mindfulness, why it is necessary, and how they can practice it.
The following employee wellness topics can work well:
- Desk stretching for healthy posture
- Financial wellness
- Creating a new habit
- Mindfulness
- Low to moderate-intensity exercises
5. Classic Games
If your decision making framework does not allow you to host full-on Olympics, you can still play other games that are simple. Create a face-to-face forum that enables the team to connect and play games such as Charades, Pictionary, Guess Who, Two Truths, and A Lie. These are all great for team bonding and making people come together.
You can also try games such as Jeopardy! or rapid-fire trivia. Look up other games that you can play online.
Scattergories is another excellent game to add to virtual team building activities for work. It makes a great addition to your team’s non-work-related activities and boosts their creativity.
The host can share the game’s interface on the screen or make their version where you pick the letter and create a list of categories that you can choose alternatively for each round.
The time limit for this game is two minutes. So, this is a quick game where after five rounds you can declare the winner or keep the game going.
6. DIY Craft
You can divide the participants into teams or host this activity individually. Give your participants two minutes to come up with something artistic. It can be:
- Poem
- A craft using cutlery
- Finger painting
You can even ask them to buy a pre-made craft kit from Target or any superstore nearby. This can make it easier for them to follow along and feel confident within the setting.
7. Agatha Christie-fy it
Who doesn’t like murder mysteries? My bet’s only a handful of people. Steer away from typical office games and engage in murder mysteries taking some inspiration from Agatha Christie’s novels.
There are even online games that you can play together. It’ll show off your team’s problem-solving process. You can play the game in two or multiple teams. The winner is the first time to solve the murder, duh!
Wrapping It Up!
This was all the different team-building activities for work that will bring your team closer. This is also one of those ways you can get your team together and foster communication between on-site and remote workers.
You can do these activities once or twice a month or as required. Which one of the activities do you like most?
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