Most Recommended Virtual Team Building Activities
Introduction
In the ever-evolving landscape of remote work, where virtual interactions often replace face-to-face connections, the year is 2023, marking three years of organizations navigating the challenges and opportunities of operating as remote teams. In this digital realm, where team members may have never met in person, the specter of loneliness looms, potentially impacting the productivity and cohesion of remote teams. The solution lies in the realm of virtual team building activities – an innovative approach to fostering interpersonal relationships, fortifying company culture, and mitigating the isolating effects of remote work.
Leveraging popular video calls solutions like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, organisations seek engaging team building activities to inject excitement and connection into their virtual offices. Crafting compelling virtual team building activities requires a dash of creativity to transcend the limitations of a digital environment. To address this need, we present a curated list of 14 non-yawn-inducing virtual team building activities, offering a diverse range of options for your next team-building session.
Virtual team building activities encompass group games, challenges, and exercises facilitated through digital platforms. From icebreaker questions to virtual team building games like campfires and group fitness classes, these activities serve a crucial purpose – building relationships, enhancing communication, and boosting employee morale. Whether free or paid, these activities go by various names such as “virtual team building games,” or “online team building activities,” or “remote team building activities.” They share similarities with virtual team building games, virtual team bonding activities, team building activities for conference calls, and virtual group activities, all working harmoniously to support virtual employee engagement.
Exploring the Significance of Virtual Team Building Activities
Engaging in top-notch virtual team building activities not only offers enjoyable moments but also serves as a catalyst for nurturing connections and facilitating interaction among team members. Beyond the apparent entertainment value, these virtual team building activities bring forth a multitude of advantages in the realm of remote work. Introducing virtual team building activities can lead to:
- Enhanced communication
- Improved collaboration and cohesion within the team
- Increased productivity as remote team members develop effective teamwork skills
- Opportunities for regular check-ins with employees
- Establishment and reinforcement of trust between management and the team, as well as among team members
- Positive impacts on mental well-being, morale, and stress reduction
- Elevated employee satisfaction, presenting an opportunity to curtail turnover rates.
Exploring Diverse Options for Virtual Team Building Activities in the form of Virtual Team Building Games
The realm of virtual team building activities offers a myriad of choices, presenting a fascinating array of possibilities. Whether you prefer a laid-back and easily set-up option or wish to embark on an extravagant event, the variety is virtually limitless.
The key lies in selecting activities that resonate with your team’s interests, encourage active participation, and ultimately contribute to cultivating a more joyful and cohesive workforce—simulating the camaraderie of an in-person setting.
Here’s a curated list of engaging virtual team building activities:
1. Online Office Games (Hosted Event)
- Dynamic “Office Olympics” featuring spirited challenges and virtual team games.
- Examples include fast-paced trivia, Go Get It lightning scavenger hunts, and the communication-sharpening game, “Can You Hear Me Now?”
- Energetic and competitive, Online Office Games is designed to enhance team engagement while working remotely.
2. Tiny campfire
- Among the world’s most popular virtual team building games.
- Offers a VIP experience with s’mores and a real small campfire.
- Participants receive a premium s’mores kit before the event.
- 90 minutes of camp games, trivia, and historic ghost stories, guided by a senior facilitator.
3. Ultimate Game Show
- A fun and engaging virtual team building game show-style experience for teams.
- Game mechanics inspired by Office Feud, Jeopardy, Price is Right, and more.
- Teams strategize, compete, collaborate, and have a great time.
- Booking includes 90 minutes with a trained teambuilding.com host and more.
4. Lightning Scavenger Hunt Activities
- Fun and quick virtual team building activities designed for remote teams.
- Invite coworkers to a virtual meeting and initiate scavenger hunt clues. Clues like “cuddle your pet,” “show a dictionary,” or “get your favorite mug.”
- Points awarded to the first person or groups completing each clue.
5. Tree or Bob Ross Game
- Similar to 20 Questions or Eye Spy
- One player selects an identity (object or concept)
- Known as “The Post,” this player answers questions to reveal the identity
- Opening question: “Is it more like a tree or more like Bob Ross?”
- Subsequent questions introduce new words for clues
- Encourages imaginative and challenging identity choices
6. Virtual Werewolf
- Ideal for conference calls
- Game of speaking, careful listening, and voting
- Players draw roles: werewolf, villager, medic, or seer
- Werewolves eat, villagers vote off, medics save, and seers reveal wolf-status
- Night phase with werewolves choosing a victim, medic saving, and seer revealing
- Morning phase reveals if a villager became wolf-grub
- Eaten players become ghosts, unable to speak
- Survivors debate and vote to eliminate or skip rounds
- Repeat until only villagers or wolves remain
7. Two Truths and One Lie
- Common virtual team building activity for work meetings
- Conference call friendly, requires only a reliable WiFi connection
- Participants prepare two truths and one lie within two minutes
- Example: “I can read and write in Chinese,” “Consumed 3.5 KG of 100% cocoa during quarantine,” “Hacked into high school computer”
- Fun element in guessing the lie without keeping track of points
- Perfect for learning about each other in an engaging way
8. War of the Wizards (Live RPG Game)
- Storytelling virtual team building game designed for conference calls
- Background: Wizards at war, team members become wizards’ minions
- Develop stories, cast spells, and overcome challenges together
- 90-minute virtual team building activity on Zoom
- Expert host guides the game to a successful conclusion
- Ideal for those who enjoy role-playing games, storytelling, or a bit of nerdy fun
9. Superhero Academy (Hosted)
- Popular virtual team building activity for remote teams
- 90 minutes of mini games and challenges
- Designed to delight, bond, and occasionally challenge participants
- Entire experience led by a professionally trained host
- Ensures active participation and a fun atmosphere
10. Virtual Dance Party (High Energy)
- Quick morale booster for remote teams
- Recommendations for virtual dance activities:
- Start calls with a dance for participant involvement
- Incorporate dance breaks to boost energy during meetings
- Use dance breaks as engaging closings for virtual meetings
Playlist suggestions:
“Girls Just Want To Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
“Yeah!” – Usher
“Twist and Shout” – The Beatles
“Shake it Off” – Taylor Swift
“Footloose” – Kenny Loggins
11. Guided Meditation
- Effective for bringing remote teams together
- Ten-minute guided meditation during a busy day
- Find an online meditation exercise or contact an expert guide
- Send a video call invitation to the team
- Consider sending care packages with scented oils and candles
- Follow mindfulness activities as instructed by the guide
12. Praise Train
- Encourages positive praise and team engagement
- Different ways people respond to praise
- Start a praise train where each person compliments others in succession
- Unifies the team and enhances virtual team bonding
- Example: Complimenting work ethic, successful client calls, blog articles, etc.
13. Mister Rogers Calls (Team Favorite)
- Ideal for virtual team building during quarantine
- Goal: Get to know remote work neighbors
- Use the Donut app to randomly assign conversation partners every two weeks
- 30-minute video calls, avoiding work topics
- Encourage discussions about hobbies and interests outside of the job
14. “Who da baby?” Photo Guessing Game
- Participants share baby photos (preferably from ages 2-3).
- Compile the images in a shared Google Doc.
- Each player creates a list, guessing the identity of each baby.
- Collect and grade the answers, then announce the winners.
15. Minesweeper Online Challenge
- Initiate a friendly Minesweeper competition with your remote team.
- Discover the classic online game by searching “minesweeper” on Google.
- Challenge team members to beat the clock and achieve the best scores.
- Consider organizing an epic Minesweeper tournament to enhance team patience, precision, and strategic risk-taking skills.
- These qualities are essential for fostering a strong and cohesive remote team.
16. The Price is Almost Right
- Host a virtual conference call to facilitate “The Price is Almost Right – Digital Edition.”
- Hold up various household objects during the virtual call.
- Allow attendees to shout out their price guesses for each displayed item.
- Award 1 point to the first person who guesses within five cents of the actual retail price without going over.
- Implement a rule where participants guessing over the retail price sit out for that round.
- Enable team members to continue participating and guessing throughout the game.
Advantages of virtual team-building games
Virtual team games offer numerous benefits for the workforce, fostering a positive and collaborative remote work environment. In the modern landscape, where remote work has become more prevalent, these games play a crucial role in enhancing team cohesion and overall job satisfaction.
Virtual team-building games provide a platform for team members to interact on a personal level. This helps build stronger connections and fosters a sense of camaraderie that might be lacking in remote work settings.
1. Improving Communication:
Many virtual games require effective communication and collaboration. Through these activities, team members learn to communicate more efficiently, overcoming challenges associated with barriers to remote work communication. This improvement in communication skills is invaluable for collaborative projects and daily interactions.
2. Boosting Morale and Engagement:
Engaging in fun and interactive virtual games injects a sense of enjoyment into the work routine, boosting morale. A workforce with high morale is more likely to be motivated, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
3. Strengthening Team Dynamics:
Team-building games often involve problem-solving and decision-making, providing a platform for team members to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This insight strengthens team dynamics, promoting a collaborative environment where individuals complement each other.
4. Alleviating Stress and Burnout:
Virtual team-building games serve as stress busters, offering a brief respite from work-related pressures. This not only contributes to better mental health but also helps in preventing burnout, ensuring a more sustainable and healthy work pace.
5. Fostering Innovation and Creativity:
Many virtual team-building games involve creative thinking and innovation. Encouraging employees to think outside the box in a relaxed setting can translate into more innovative problem-solving approaches to their professional tasks.
Conclusion
Creating a cohesive and engaged virtual team building game doesn’t have to be a daunting task. The introduced virtual team building ideas offer a quick and enjoyable way to enhance engagement and productivity within your team. What’s even better is their flexibility, allowing you to seamlessly integrate different activities based on your team’s preferences and personalities.
Consider incorporating these activities into your upcoming team-building sessions. Virtual team building games not only add an element of fun to remote meetings but also contribute to boosting morale and fostering a sense of community. With a variety of free and paid options, these activities accommodate different timeframes, adhering to The 8% Rule for optimal engagement during team calls.
For more ideas, explore our extensive lists of virtual event ideas, team challenges, game nights, team outings, and Zoom-friendly games. Additionally, we offer resources tailored to free virtual team building game ideas for work, the best virtual team events, Zoom team building games, and the top virtual team games for meetings. If you’re looking for country-specific ideas, explore our recommendations for virtual team building and discover virtual team building companies to tailor your approach further.
FAQs
How can virtual team building activities benefit my team?
These activities make virtual meetings enjoyable, contribute to team bonding, and create a sense of community among remote team members. They come in various formats, both free and paid and can range from one-minute icebreakers to longer sessions. Following The 8% Rule, spending about 8% of the team call time on games and exercises enhances overall engagement.
Can I customize virtual team building activities for my team?
Absolutely! The introduced activities offer great flexibility, allowing you to choose the format that suits your team and aligns with individual personalities. For example, you can seamlessly integrate an improv session as an icebreaker and continue with other ideas to create a customized team-building experience.
How Can You Cultivate Connection in a Remote Team?
The most effective approach to strengthening connections within a remote team involves engaging in shared virtual games and activities that are far from mundane. Whether you opt for pub trivia, "get to know you" questions, or an online workshop, the primary focus is on the simple yet impactful act of spending quality time together.
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