05 May Remote Team Building Activities to Maintain Connection and Culture
Many businesses turned to remote work almost two months ago. While remote work started off feeling like a perk, many workers are now feeling stir-crazy and desperate to return to office life (who would have thought?)
Modern technology like video chats and messaging tools have kept communication open between teams, but there is still a definite feeling of disconnect after so many weeks of working remotely.
Company culture can fall through the cracks when everyone is working from home for months on end. It’s important to keep your teams connected, not only through emails about projects and deadlines, but also on a more human level. Remote team building activities can help keep your employees connected and maintain company culture, even while the office doors are temporarily closed.
Remote work will very likely become more common post-pandemic. The virus has shown us that businesses can stay afloat while working remotely, and due to health concerns and other factors, it may become the norm wherever possible. That means that your company needs a plan in place for remote work, not only short-term during COVID-19, but for the potential long-term.
Virtual Team Building Activities To Improve Morale
The American Psychological Association has stated that “research shows that communication and shared identity within a team can mediate the effects of physical separation”. Use these remote team building activities to keep your employees connected and supported.
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- Virtual Happy Hours and Coffee Breaks
- Remote Book Club
- Paid Games
- Quizzo or Jeopardy
- Fitness Challenges
- Slack Channels
- Recipe Chain
- Meditation or Yoga
- Ice Breakers
Virtual Happy Hours and Coffee Breaks
One of the easiest ways to get together while working remotely is to socialize via virtual happy hours or coffee breaks. Scheduling time to video chat with coworkers without discussing work can keep everyone connected – whether it’s early for a coffee break, after work happy hour, or even shared lunch breaks.
Remote Book Club
Give employees the option of joining a remote book club. Many people are reading books in their free time while social distancing anyway, and a book club can give employees a chance to connect and discuss their recent reads together. You can choose books relating to your industry or any fun read. Create a schedule for keeping up with chapters and discuss via video chat!
Quizzo or Jeopardy
Set up a remote game of quizzo, jeopardy, or another quiz game to share with your team. Employes can play as individuals or you can create teams to play against one another. If you’re using technology like Zoom to video chat, you can set up breakout rooms so that teams can discuss their answers before rejoining the whole group.
There are online platforms for games like Jeopardy and Quizzo, as well as plenty of trivia questions you can use!
Fitness Challenges
A fitness challenge can keep your remote team connected and physically healthy. You can set goals based on specific workouts, hours of exercise, or weight goals. Employees can even work out together by sharing workout videos or taking classes together online. However you choose to set up your fitness challenge, it can be a healthy way to improve morale among employees.
Slack Channels
Many businesses use Slack as a messaging tool to stay on top of projects. While Slack may be used for work, it can also be used to stay in touch. Create Slack channels to share icebreakers, pet photos, recipes, or just to discuss anything non-work related. Many companies have made a “water cooler” channel for this type of content. This is an easy, casual way to keep in touch and connect with coworkers.
Recipe Chain
With everyone working at home and many restaurants closed, most people are spending more time in the kitchen. Create a recipe chain among coworkers to try new recipes and share favorites! You can use Slack channels like we mentioned above, create an email chain, or create a folder on Google Drive or Sharepoint.
Group Meditation or Yoga Classes
Mental health is important while socially isolating, and another way to maintain your mental wellbeing is through exercises like meditation or yoga. Use online guided videos or even live classes to encourage employees to decompress.
Paid Games
There are plenty of free team building activities, but if you’re looking to mix it up there are also paid games. Platforms like The Offsite Co. offer various games, there are virtual scavenger hunts, virtual learning experiences, and much more. Consider working team building costs into your budget, especially if your employees are working from home long-term.
Ice Breakers
Traditional ice breakers are another good way to engage with employees working remotely. Whether it’s on a Slack channel, video chat, or before the start of a meeting, there are lots of online ice breakers to stay connected with your team on a more personal level.
Final Thoughts
Working remotely can be isolating. Use these remote team building activities to support remote teams and keep company morale high.
Do you have any team building activities that work well virtually? Tell us in the comments!