In today’s remote-first world, fostering team spirit is more important than ever. Virtual team building activities are an excellent way to keep remote employees engaged, improve communication, and enhance collaboration. This article explores ten fun activities, complete with rules and setup instructions, to help you create stronger connections in remote teams.
What If These Activities Feel Tacky at First?
At first glance, virtual team-building activities may feel awkward or even “tacky.” However, their true value lies in their ability to break barriers and foster authentic connections. Here’s why you shouldn’t dismiss them:
- Encourage Authenticity: Fun activities help team members relax and show their real personalities.
- Facilitate Deeper Connections: Even simple games improve collaboration and understanding over time.
- Create Positive Work Memories: Lighthearted activities leave lasting impressions and improve morale.
Funny Ice Breakers
1. Virtual Trivia Night
Setup: Use a platform like Kahoot or Quizizz to create trivia questions. Divide the team into smaller groups or let individuals compete.
Rules:
- Create 3–4 rounds of 10 questions each.
- Use a mix of general trivia (pop culture, history) and work-related questions.
- Award points for correct answers, and declare the winner at the end.
Pro Tip: Add a bonus round with funny questions about inside jokes or past team events.
2. Online Escape Rooms
Setup: Use a platform like The Escape Game or Escape Rooms Anywhere. Choose a theme (e.g., mystery, sci-fi) that appeals to the group.
Rules:
- Divide the team into groups of 4–6 participants.
- Each team must solve puzzles and riddles to “escape” within a set time (usually 60 minutes).
- Use breakout rooms in Zoom to separate teams.
Pro Tip: Have a debrief session afterward to share experiences and celebrate the winners.
3. Guess the Emoji Sentence
Setup: Collect frequently used emojis from your team’s messaging platform. Create emoji-based phrases or sentences in advance.
Rules:
- Share one emoji sentence at a time and ask participants to decode it.
- Award points for correct answers.
- Use increasingly complex phrases as the game progresses.
Pro Tip: Involve the team by asking them to create their own emoji phrases for others to guess.
4. Would You Rather
Setup: Prepare a list of “Would You Rather” questions in advance. These can be work-related or general.
Rules:
- Read each question aloud, and have participants respond in chat or via audio.
- Encourage participants to explain their choices.
- Keep the questions lighthearted, such as:
- Would you rather have unlimited coffee or unlimited snacks during work?
- Would you rather never attend another meeting or never respond to an email again?
Pro Tip: Use a poll tool to quickly gather responses for group-wide questions.
5. Online Pictionary
Setup: Use tools like Skribbl.io or Zoom’s whiteboard feature. Prepare a list of words for participants to draw.
Rules:
- Split participants into two teams.
- Each person gets 60 seconds to draw, while their team guesses.
- Award points for correct guesses; the team with the most points wins.
Pro Tip: Use work-related words for a professional twist, such as “project deadline” or “teamwork.”
6. Two Truths and a Lie
Setup: Ask participants to prepare two truths and one lie about themselves before the session. No additional tools are required.
Rules:
- Each person takes turns sharing their three statements.
- The rest of the team guesses which statement is the lie.
- Award points to participants who guess correctly.
Pro Tip: Encourage participants to make their truths surprising for added fun.
Helping People Know Each Other
7. Show-and-Tell Sessions
Setup: Schedule 5–10 minutes for each participant during a team meeting. Ask team members to prepare in advance by choosing an object, a story, or a hobby to share.
Rules:
- Limit each session to 3–4 participants to keep it concise.
- Encourage visual aids (e.g., showing a book, a painting, or a pet).
- Add a Q&A segment where other team members can ask questions.
Pro Tip: Create a theme for each week, like “Something I’m proud of” or “My weekend hobby.”
8. Guess the Team Member
Setup: Collect fun facts about your team members in advance via a survey. Compile these into a list. Use a virtual quiz tool (like Mentimeter or Kahoot) or simply read the facts aloud during a meeting.
Rules:
- Share one fact at a time and let participants guess who it belongs to.
- Award points for correct guesses, with a small prize for the winner.
- Use lighthearted and surprising facts for maximum engagement.
Pro Tip: Mix it up by adding a “wild card” fact that belongs to no one and see who guesses this correctly.
9. Virtual Cooking Classes
Setup: Send participants a simple recipe and ingredient list in advance. Hire an online chef or nominate a team member to lead the session. Use Zoom or a similar platform.
Rules:
- Choose recipes that can be completed within 60 minutes.
- Encourage everyone to turn on their cameras and show their progress.
- End the session by having everyone display their creations.
Pro Tip: Create a photo collage of the finished dishes to share in a team newsletter or Slack channel.
10. Virtual Coffee Chats
Setup: Use your team’s communication tool (Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams). Pair team members randomly using a name-drawing tool or assign them manually. Schedule 10–15 minutes per chat.
Rules:
- Pair members who don’t frequently work together.
- Provide conversation starters, such as:
- What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
- What’s your dream vacation destination?
- Rotate pairs weekly to ensure everyone gets a chance to interact.
Pro Tip: Use themes like “Bring your favorite mug” or “Show your current view” to make it more engaging.
Conclusion: Building Stronger Teams Across Distances
These virtual team-building activities, complete with detailed rules and setups, are powerful tools for strengthening relationships, improving communication, and boosting team morale in remote teams. While they don’t replace in-person interactions, they ensure remote teams stay connected and engaged every day.
Start planning your next virtual team-building activity today, and watch your team become more collaborative, motivated, and united!