At the core of a great team is the ability to have strong working relationships, trust, and support. While these attributes seem easier to maintain when coworkers work in the same building, it can still be accomplished with a remote team. Strengthen the bond of your remote employees with these 5 team building activities.
Welcome the chit-chat.
Remote teams are not able to take advantage of interpersonal communication like break room chats and shouting over cubicles. These little moments help build relationships between employees.
But the same can be accomplished with a quick twist to your normal virtual meeting layout.
To help foster relationships with your remote team, consider using the first or last 10-15 minutes of a meeting to chat about non-work related things. If you use a platform like Zoom, take advantage of using breakout rooms to allow for small group chatter.
This increase in communication can help your team feel more personal and less distant.
Use group email.
With all the high-tech apps out there today, using email almost seems like a thing of the past. However, email is a great form of communication. When looking for innovative ways for team building, consider using a group email for fun activities that help everyone get to know each other better.
Ask ice breaker questions and invite everyone to “reply all” so everyone can see and engage in the answers.
Questions asked can range from personal (“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”) to extra-curricular related (“Where is your favorite vacation spot?”). The idea of the form of communication is to enhance relationship building and support.
Play games together.
Who says it has to be all work and no play? If you’re looking to build an amazing team of people who trust and support one another, try incorporating a little fun through the use of online games.
Playing together can help enhance communication, motivation, and make for a more relaxed virtual culture when it’s time to work.
Have coffee breaks.
It may seem awkward having a virtual coffee break, but it’s a unique way to practice team building for your remote team. Send them virtual gift cards to a place like Starbucks that can be found in most towns. Give each of your members enough to purchase a beverage of their choice.
Then, set up a designated coffee break-style meeting time to enjoy the hot cup of Joe together. Use this time for chit-chat or business as usual.
This is also a great way to show your team that you appreciate them and their hard work to keep the business going strong.
Have a specific team building session.
This type of session is geared toward exactly what it’s called – team building. These are times when your remote team comes together for brainstorming, reaching specific goals, or to partake in an activity that focuses on working cohesively together.
The basis of these sessions is not to focus so much on actual work, but on skills that will enhance the team working together.
Remote teams can face challenges when it comes to team engagement and fostering a sense of “company culture.” However, this doesn’t have to be the case for your team. Use the suggestions in this article to get your remote team on a strong foundation by building relationships, trust, and support.
