In the past few years, remote work has become a significant part of many companies' work environments. While this shift offers employees flexibility and convenience, it also challenges maintaining team camaraderie. Creating a unified and connected remote team is essential for enhancing productivity and employee satisfaction. We have put together some fun activities your team can implement to help remote teams bond, collaborate, and thrive.
Olympic Competition
With the Olympics just around the corner, creating a competition throughout the games is a great way to get people involved no matter where they live. This is a great chance for larger international companies to allow their employees to represent their countries. You can have employees guess the number of gold, silver, and bronze medals different countries will win, with the closest guess winning a prize. You could also use it as an opportunity to learn more about the countries that make up your employee base with virtual “cultural hours” to share norms, recipes, and other fun facts. No matter what your competition is, this time is exciting and it's an easy way to build camaraderie and spirit among your remote teams.
Company Sports Brackets
Similar to the Olympic competition, there are many big sports games and tournaments that your employees follow. Create a company-wide March Madness bracket to spark a little competitiveness among employees and get people talking about their favorite teams and players. You can do the same thing for the Super Bowl, allowing people to show their team spirit and maybe discover fellow fans throughout the company!
Virtual Art Class
Hosting a virtual art class is a unique and fun way for your employees to show off their creativity. This is an inclusive and easily accessible activity suitable for every skill level. You can make up awards for “Best Painting” or “Most Creative”. Whether you're the next Picasso or a complete beginner, everyone can participate and chat with their peers in a relaxed and fun environment. This fosters a sense of belonging and encourages everyone to contribute and communicate, enhancing team unity.
Virtual Workshops and Webinars
Offering workshops and webinars is not only an educational opportunity but also a great team-building activity. Look for topics, or allow people to send in suggestions, that interest your employees, whether they are work-related or personal development subjects. You can even have employees lead the workshops based on their experience or arrange a panel of subject matter experts. Including interactive elements makes these more engaging and fosters collaboration, allowing team members to share their insights and find people with similar thoughts and opinions.
Virtual Lunch Breaks
This is one of the simplest yet most effective team-building activities for a good reason! This informal and low-stakes way for employees to meet new people, share personal stories, discuss hobbies, and get to know each other beyond just work-related topics is invaluable. Set up a recurring meeting once a week during lunchtime and allow people to join in. Virtual coffee breaks or lunch breaks offer a welcome break from their usual work routine, which is always nice when working from home.
Building a strong remote team requires time, effort, and creativity, but the benefits are worth it. By incorporating these activities, you allow your employees to get to know each other on a deeper level, gaining insights into how each person works both personally and in the work environment. Even if not everyone is involved in these activities, having them as an option is just as important. These fun activities will not only improve morale but also enhance productivity and overall job satisfaction.