Published on July 14th, 2022 | by Sunit Nandi

What are Virtual Team Building Activities? (And How to Use Them to Boost Morale)

Work environments have changed drastically in the past few years. The realities of the pandemic forced most businesses to switch to a work-from-home model. While restrictions have lifted in most corners of the world, many companies are sticking with the new model.

Working from home is more convenient for workers, and it results in more work getting done in less time. So, while there are still some professions that require workers to go to work in person, many people are working remotely full time.

Unfortunately, there are a few downsides to working from home. Notably, you are not able to build a team culture in the same way you can when everyone is in the office. Fortunately, there are many team building activities managers can create a healthy working environment.

How Many Companies Have Implemented Work From Home Models?

People have been working from home for years, but the pandemic forced more people to work from home than ever before. However, the pandemic has cooled, and as a result, many people are going back to work in the physical workplace. Still, many companies are continuing remote work or hybrid work options for employees.

According to Owl Labs, 16% of companies around the world are 100% remote. Furthermore, the same surveys found that 62% of people between the ages of 22 and 65 work from home occasionally.

The most significant reason people like working from home is they can maintain a better work-life balance, eliminating lengthy commutes to work in an office. Additionally, most workers say they are more productive working from home.

Even if you, your coworkers, or your employees are not working from home now, there’s a good chance you will in the future. Many believe that by 2028, 73% of all companies will have at least one employee working remotely.

As a result, it’s essential to know how to integrate work-from-home employees with your in-person workers. Fortunately, there are several team-building activities that help build camaraderie among your team members, whether they’re all remote or some work in the office while others work remotely.

Why is Team Building Important?

Team building is important for a variety of reasons. Notably, it helps boost productivity, but that is more of a side-effect of the main benefit. Team building exercises and activities help boost morale within your team.

By doing fun things together, team members can become friends with each other, and as a result, they will work better together.

Coworkers who are friendly with each other will communicate better, which leads to better productivity from all team members. In fact, the quality of communication can make or break a company’s success.

Choosing the Best Team Building Exercise for Your Team

There are several types of Virtual team building activities out there for you to try. However, they all have different purposes, and as a result, they are not all good options for every team. Instead of picking an activity randomly, choose one that suits your group

You should consider your overall goal before picking an exercise. Do you have several new employees, or are two departments going to work together on a project?

Something interactive and social is a good option for getting new employees to get to know each other. However, if you want to reengage long-term employees, going out for drinks might be a better option.

Additionally, it’s crucial to know whether you should be a part of the team-building exercise. It’s important to remember that as the manager, the power dynamic is not the same as it is between employees.

As a result, it might be better for your employees to participate in the exercise without you present. However, every team has unique dynamics, so you must judge the situation yourself.

The Different Types of Virtual Team Building Exercises

Fortunately, there are many different types of team-building exercises. You can do things related to entertainment, cooking, or wellness, just to name a few.

The key is knowing your employees and what types of activities they like. The best way to have a successful team-building exercise is to do something everyone will enjoy. Here are a few of the best virtual team-building categories you can choose from:

Cooking

Everyone loves food, and as a result, having a virtual team-building exercise centered around food is a great idea. Cooking is something everyone can do individually on a video call. The best way to get everyone interacting is to choose a cooking class for everyone.

A cooking class will get your team members interacting with each other, and it can put their creativity to the test. Not only that, but they will learn a few new skills that will help them at home. Additionally, they’ll have a delicious meal to eat when the class is finished.

The one thing you need to be careful with here is the dietary restrictions of your employees. Make sure you know if anyone is vegetarian or vegan. Additionally, you should ask if anyone has lactose intolerance or any allergies. Picking a meal that can easily be modified to meet unique dietary requirements is a good way to include many employees.

Creating

This category is a little vague, and that’s what makes it fun. A creating exercise is something that allows your team members to flex their creative muscles. For example, you could sign everyone up for a music class to compose a song.

Alternatively, there are several art classes you could sign your team up for, such as pottery, knitting, or painting. Art classes are great for bringing groups together because they encourage creativity and discussion.

Entertainment

Entertainment is another vague category that you can put your personal touch on. Entertainment is a very broad category, and as a result, you can use different types of entertainment that suit your group. Trivia nights are a lot of fun because you can put people in teams and build camaraderie.

Another thing you can do is take everyone to a virtual magic show. Who doesn’t love magic? The team members won’t be talking a lot during the show, but they will have a lot to discuss afterward. The same can be said for a virtual movie showing.

Shared experiences boost morale better than anything, and entertainment-based activities are great for building experiences. That’s why this is a great category for engaging new employees and giving them an opportunity to get to know their coworkers.

Games

Games are great for getting the competitive juices flowing. Everyone loves to win, and people love to win as part of a team. When you’re not able to play sports or games in person, you might think you’re out of luck. Fortunately, video games can be played remotely.

Now, we’re not suggesting that you should break out “Call of Duty” for everyone to play. Instead, we recommend playing simple games that will get everyone laughing. There are plenty of games out there that will get everyone talking, relaxing, and enjoying their coworker’s company, even if they’re hundreds of miles apart.

Holiday Themes

Another thing you can do is plan an event based on a holiday or event. What you will do depends on the time of year you need to do the exercise. Fortunately, there are plenty of things to do throughout the year.

Some months are simple, such as November and December when you can do Thanksgiving or Christmas-based events. However, there are many things you can do throughout the year.

Final Thoughts

Getting a team to work well together is not as easy as you may think. Not everyone will initially get along, and some people may never become friends. However, you can implement virtual team-building exercises to get everyone to communicate better and boost morale.

When you plan an activity, you should take into account the type of people on your team. By doing so, you can plan the best virtual team-building activity to boost morale and productivity.

Tags: boost morale, team building activities, virtual

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.