4. Virtual team building activities: Fun ways to boost morale and foster connection
Virtual team building means creating human-to-human
connections between remote and hybrid team members (Goff-Dupont,
2021). According to Aite (2024), virtual
team building and bonding activities are fun ways to strengthen interpersonal
relationships, reinforce company culture, boost morale, promote work-life
balance and remove isolation from the remote work equation. Alexis (2024) states that, virtual team
building activities are group games, challenges and exercises via platforms
like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
Why virtual team
building activities are important?
According to Aite (2024), the
best virtual team building activities are sources of entertainment and a way to
foster camaraderie and interaction between the team. When having virtual team
building activities organizations can gain advantages in the remote and hybrid workplace
such as improved communication, better team collaboration and cohesion, boosts
to productivity as remote workers learn to work together as a team,
opportunities to check in with employees, trust between management and the team
or from worker to worker, improved mental well-being, a boost to morale and
lower stress and finally happier employees and chances to reduce employee
turnover.
Virtual team building
activities and games
Icebreaker questions
activity
A simple idea to start with team building virtually is to
add a round of icebreaker questions at the beginning of video conference calls (Alexis, 2024). According to Chen (2024), can ask from an employee, questions
like “your favorite movie growing up” or “the last book you read.” These
questions help to increase participants bond over shared experiences and get
more comfortable talking with each other. Even though employees been working
together for a couple of years and feel pretty connected already, there are
always more interesting tidbits to learn about each other.
Have an online lunch
date
Alexis (2024) states that, once
a month the team can links up via video conferencing over lunchtime. Team
members can spend money as they wished, so they can join from their favorite
cafe, order delivery or cook up a little something special at home.
Where in the world
According to Forseth (2024), one
of team member can find an image of a landmark or something the region
they live in is known for. Zoom in and do a cropped close-up and post a photo
for the team to see. Whoever can guess what it is and where it is from is the
winner. The person who lives where the image was taken from is then given a chance
to tell people about the place and their culture. This is a great way to help the
team learn about where everyone is from and gives each person a chance to talk
a bit about their culture.
Lightning scavenger
hunt activities
According to Alexis (2024), lightning
scavenger hunts are designed to be fun and quick virtual team building activities.
To do this activity with remote teams need to invite coworkers to a virtual
meeting and start firing off clues like “cuddle your pet”, “show a dictionary”
or “get your favorite mug.” The first person to complete each clue gets a
point.
Guess the desk
According to Smart (2023), guess
the desk is a fun online team activity that can not only help teams get to know
one another but share best practices for remote working too. Can start by having each participant take a photo of their desk or remote working
set-up and send it to the facilitator who then puts them into a shared whiteboard
or google doc. Everyone does not tell whose desk is whose. Desk president will
decide on whose desk is who's after a group discussion. The previous desk
president elects the next. Desk owner should convince everyone that it belongs
to someone else. If the group votes incorrectly on actual owner’s desk, the actual
owner get a point. If the desk president successfully guesses the right desk he
gets a point.
Blackout truth or dare
According to Robinson (2022),
blackout truth or dare is a classic game with a modern spin. Players
follow regular truth or dare rules, except that players turn web cameras off if
not willing to answer the question or complete the dare. The host then picks a
player to complete the challenge. All players who opt for black screens must
drink.
Online Safari
According to Robinson (2022),
one of the best parts of Zoom meetings is catching a glimpse of
participants’ pets. Safari has one simple rule, when you see an animal on
screen take a drink. As the game goes on participants can add extra rules. For
instance, when they spot a shy pet, take two sips and when a cat knocks over a
cup down your drink.
Two truths and one
lie
According to Alexis (2024), two truths and one lie is one of the most common virtual team building activities for work meetings. For the remote work version, give each participant two minutes to prepare two truths and one lie. Have each participant share three facts, and guess which one is the lie. Participants don’t really have to keep track of points for this game because the fun is in learning about each other.
Aite, C. (2024, February 7). hoppier.
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https://www.hoppier.com/blog/virtual-team-building-activities#:~:text=The%2021%20Best%20Virtual%20Team%20Building%20Games%20and,Via%20a%20DIY%20Craft%20Challenge%20...%20More%20items
Alexis, M. (2024, March 29). teambuilding.
Retrieved from teambuilding:
https://teambuilding.com/blog/virtual-team-building-activities
Chen, J. (2024, February 26). teambuilding.
Retrieved from teambuilding: https://teambuilding.com/blog/icebreaker-games
Fgnc. (2021). fgnc. Retrieved from fgnc:
https://www.fgnc.com.my/event-organising-services/virtual-team-building/
Forseth, N. (2024). wheniwork. Retrieved from
wheniwork: https://wheniwork.com/blog/virtual-team-building-games
Goff-Dupont, S. (2021, December 14). atlassian.
Retrieved from atlassian:
htthttps://www.atlassian.com/blog/teamwork/virtual-team-building-activities-remote-teamsps://www.atlassian.com/blog/teamwork/virtual-team-building-activities-remote-teams
Robinson, A. (2022, August 1). teambuilding.
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Smart, J. (2023, May 3). sessionlab. Retrieved
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Weekdone. (2020, August 13). Virtual Team Building
Activities - 5 Fun Ideas for Remote Teams.
Implementing these kinds of initiatives can have a huge impact on employee retention. This will benefit both organization and the employee and reduce the stress level of the employee.
ReplyDeleteyes, work-from-home arrangements are becoming more common in workplaces, which may cause employees to interact less with their colleagues and can lead to lower team morale and productivity. Virtual team-building activities create chances for socialization and allow teams to foster stronger relationships (Indeed,2022).
DeleteThis a fun article, Sandali. I like the concepts you have introduced through virtual team building as these are awesome concepts. Particularly having ice-breakers as a tool to put the staff member at ease and to open up about him/herself (this is often used by Toastmasters in public speaking as well). Anywhere in the world exercise is great too: I once had a colleague who was joining in for a call and he near the Machu Picchu. Thank you for sharing these tips, it was a very interesting read.
ReplyDeletewow nice to see that you have done some of these activities somehow. When a group of people comes together for the first time, it can take a little time for them to get to know one another and feel comfortable in each other’s presence. Icebreaker questions and games are an effective way to speed up the process and create a safe space for people to start working together (Smart ,2024).
DeleteThese activities promote employee morale and well-being and also contribute to building a strong and cohesive organizational culture, even in dispersed work settings.
ReplyDeleteyes correct, virtual team building activities are key for remote teams to foster relationships, improve communication & boost morale. Creative virtual activities promote skill development, wellness and social connection among employees (Stojanovic,2023).
DeleteHi Sadali, Nice narrative. Online lunch dates are a low-pressure method to meet new people. Planning beforehand and following these ideas can create a fun and engaging virtual lunch.
ReplyDeleteyes, eating is a common social activity that easily bonds people, especially during lunch or dinner hours. organizing virtual team lunches to gather colleagues and accompany them during their mealtime, gives them time to relax and recharge their energy before returning to their tasks (Indeed,2022).
DeleteThis article offers a great collection of creative virtual team building activities, providing fun and innovative ways to enhance connection and morale in remote teams. Excellent resource for fostering team spirit in a virtual environment!
ReplyDeleteagreed, team-building activities are essential to building a stable remote workforce for any business. By creating a fun and collaborative virtual environment where transparent communications are encouraged, can help the team thrive and gain business profitability, even when they’re working virtually (Kumar,2024).
DeleteUnpredictable!!! issues relating to employee engagement in companies. so unpredictable
ReplyDeleteyes, work-from-home arrangements cause employees to interact less with their colleagues and can lead to lower team morale and productivity. Virtual team-building activities create chances for socialization and allow teams to foster stronger relationships (Indeed,2022).
DeleteYour latest blog post on virtual team building activities is a treasure trove of creative and practical ideas to enhance team cohesion and morale in a remote setting. The detailed examples and clear explanations make it easy to envision these activities in action. This is an excellent resource for any leader looking to strengthen their remote or hybrid team. Great work!
ReplyDeletethank you! yes virtual team building activities offer numerous benefits, ranging from increased productivity to fostering a strong remote work culture (Stojanovic,2023).
DeleteIn order to better meet the requirements and preferences of employees, HRM should also be open to employee feedback and continually evaluate the success of these initiatives. All things considered, this strategy shows a dedication to creating a supportive workplace environment and a feeling of community among remote and hybrid teams.
ReplyDeletegood suggestion, yes HRM should continually evaluate the success of these initiatives. because this serves as a chance for employees to bond and work on activities together without any work stress (Indeed,2022).
DeleteThe most common understanding of team building involves the process of leading a group of people to work together more effectively as teams, especially through special activities and events held to increase motivation and support cooperation (Zhu & Wang, 2020). Virtual team building, for the purposes of this study, involves the above activities partly, predominantly, or exclusively, online thanks to electronic communication tools, social networks, and other Internet technologies (Saviom, 2021).
ReplyDeleteyes, the proliferation of remote work has made virtual team building a crucial element in sustaining a vibrant company culture and keeping employees involved. These activities not only help to create a strong remote work culture, but also enhance communication and boost employee morale (Stojanovic,2023).
DeleteVirtual team-building activities are essential for boosting morale and fostering connection among remote teams. From virtual coffee breaks and online games to collaborative projects and virtual team-building exercises, these activities create a sense of camaraderie and teamwork despite physical distance. By engaging in fun and interactive virtual activities, teams can strengthen relationships, improve communication, and enhance overall productivity and satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteyes correct, online team-building activities allow employees to work together, giving them a chance to foster stronger relationships. This can cultivate a more creative and collaborative environment within the team as they build trust and rapport with each other (Indeed,2022).
DeleteNicely written article. Lots of information about virtual employee engagement methods which is very useful for companies specially in an era where companies tend to go for remote and hybrid environments
ReplyDeleteVirtual team-building activities serves as a chance for employees to bond and work on activities together without any work stress (Indeed,2022).
Delete