The unfortunate aspect is that team building becomes significantly more difficult when some or all of your employees are working remotely. Despite your best efforts, trust falls cannot be done through Zoom. Furthermore, trust falls are not well-received by anyone.
We have a collection of the best virtual team building activities to share with you, which is good news.
What is virtual-team building?
Virtual team building involves establishing connections between remote team members in order to foster teamwork and enhance communication, ultimately boosting productivity.
Distributed team bonding is an important subject to us, and we have a Team Playbook with exercises and workshops that assist teams in improving their collaboration. In addition, we provide a guide to hybrid meetings for effective business discussions. We emphasize the significance of building connections and enjoying oneself during these activities. With our company spanning multiple continents and consisting of thousands of employees, we have had numerous opportunities to serve as test subjects for both virtual team-building methods.
How do you do team building virtually?
To effectively connect remote teams, it is important to provide them with opportunities to feel acknowledged and understood, both verbally and through strategies that specifically tackle the issues faced by a geographically scattered workforce.
During mid-2020, we conducted a survey concerning remote work and discovered the practical difficulties associated with distributed work that we all encounter. These challenges include feeling unnoticed in our work, dealing with new obstacles to spontaneous collaboration, and having limited interaction with our supervisors. When we conducted a similar survey in 2021, we observed that while some of the original hurdles have eased slightly, teams are still experiencing difficulties in terms of unity and coherence.
The main idea is that when working from home, there is a lack of social interaction, resulting in limited opportunities to form connections and establish trust with coworkers. This can result in feeling disconnected, leading to lower job performance.
It is not a minor matter. In reality, 94 percent of the workers we surveyed stated that mutual respect and connection were crucial for their team to succeed, and 19 percent mentioned it as the foremost factor in their work satisfaction. Being able to understand each other personally enables us to communicate more efficiently and allocate roles and responsibilities within the team more effortlessly.
Fun remote team building activities for any occasion
Based on these categories, select the suitable option for your team.
Do you require simultaneous participation, or can individuals join at their convenience?
Is the activity intentionally unproductive or does it serve the dual purpose of building social bonds and improving the way you work in a more tangible way, which is not necessarily a bad thing?
8 ideas for virtual team games and activities
1. Don’t overlook the classic: icebreaker questions
Rephrase: In real-time, for the sake of entertainment, regularly.
Please rephrase the following text: “I can’t find my phone anywhere. I remember having it with me when I left the house this morning, but now I can’t find it. I’ve looked in all the usual places, like my bag and on the kitchen counter, but it’s not there. I even retraced my steps to see if I dropped it on the way, but still no luck. I’m worried because my whole life is on that phone – contacts, photos, everything. I really need to find it.” “I am unable to locate my phone anywhere. I recall having it in my possession when I departed from home earlier this morning, but it is currently missing. I have thoroughly checked all the customary locations, such as my bag and the kitchen counter, but it is not present. I have even retraced my route to see if it was unintentionally dropped along the way, yet I have not been successful. I am apprehensive as my entire life is stored on that phone – contacts, photos, and everything. Discovering its whereabouts is genuinely imperative to me.”
To accomplish this task, you will need video conferencing tools.
Before dismissing this idea as obvious, it is important to note that certain distributed teams, including my own, engage in icebreaker activities at the beginning of our weekly team meetings. Despite having collaborated for a significant amount of time and feeling fairly connected already, there are always intriguing details to discover about one another. Here are a few recent examples that have been particularly well-received:
- Who was the last artist you searched for on your music streaming service of choice?
- What are your parents’ best qualities?
- Put these morning routine items in order: breakfast, coffee/tea, open up your laptop.
- What was something that always frightened you as a child?
2. Have an online lunch date
In real-time and on a regular basis, type the text below while maintaining the same meaning, without adding new information or removing any existing information. It’s just for fun!
The allotted period for this task is 60 minutes.
Video conferencing is necessary in order to complete the task.
The engineering team behind the Trello app for Android gathers every month for a video conference during lunchtime. They have the option to claim expenses of up to $25 to enable them to participate from their preferred cafe, by ordering delivery, or by preparing a unique meal at home (because let’s be honest, reheating leftovers becomes tiresome).
If you only have 15-30 minutes to spare, don’t worry because you can still participate in enjoyable alternatives such as virtual coffee chats and virtual happy hours.
3. Socialize over group chat
Type: asynchronous, just for fun, on a regular basis.
The time required can vary.
To complete this task, you will need access to a group chat app such as Slack or Teams.
The use of group chat is highly beneficial for distributed teams to maintain contact, but why should it be limited to solely work-related matters? Before the pandemic, Atlassian established a channel called #social-remote on Slack. In this channel, we, the remote workers (which includes nearly everyone now), engage in conversations regarding our lunch choices, exchange thoughts on standing desks, share articles about remote work, and in general talk about various subjects other than our ongoing projects.
Even specific channels for cities or states where groups of “Remote-lassians” reside exist. It can be noted that the #minnesota channel has been a hub for exchanging numerous hot-dish recipes.
4. Have a messy-desk photo contest
Type: asynchronous, for fun, regularly.
Please rephrase the text below while maintaining the same meaning, thinking step by step. You have 5 minutes to complete the task. Original text: “1. Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder. 3. Next, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add it to the dry ingredients. 4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and then pour them into the mixture. 5. Gradually add the milk while stirring continuously. 6. Once everything is well combined, pour the cake batter into a greased baking pan. 7. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 8. Allow the cake to cool before frosting or serving.” Rephrased text: “1. Initiate the process by preheating the oven to a temperature of 350°F. 2. In a substantial mixing bowl, merge the flour, sugar, and baking powder. 3. Following that, melt the butter in a small saucepan and incorporate it into the dry ingredients. 4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and subsequently introduce them into the amalgamation. 5. Gradually incorporate the milk while continuously mixing the ingredients. 6. Once all the elements are uniformly combined, transfer the cake batter into a baking pan that has been greased. 7. Position the pan inside the preheated oven and allow it to bake for a period of 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick can be removed without any residue. 8. Allow the cake to cool before applying frosting or serving.”
In order to complete the task, you will need to have access to a group chat application such as Slack or Teams. Ensure that you have these tools available before proceeding.
When working in an office, there is a sense of obligation to maintain a minimally clean desk, devoid of used tissues, cereal bowls left untouched for three days, or clusters of coffee stains.
However, since there is no social contract to follow when working from home, one way we address this issue in our #social-remote Slack channel is by having “messy desk Thursdays.” During this time, we openly admit to the terrible condition of our workstations while engaging in lots of laughter and facepalming emojis.
Additionally, it provides an opportunity for your exceptionally neat colleagues to proudly boast about their meticulously organized and aesthetically pleasing workspaces that could easily be featured in a magazine.
5. How do you make online meetings fun? Presents
Type: real-time, just for fun, one-hit wonder can be rephrased as “A genre that is enjoyed in real-time for entertainment purposes and consists of artists or songs that achieve success only once.”
Time duration: 1 hour.
In order to complete the task, the necessary tools include video conferencing and a Trello board.
You can organize a gift exchange even if you are not in a different location, whether your team prefers a white elephant style or something more considerate. Begin by copying this useful Trello board template and inviting your teammates to participate. The template includes detailed instructions in the “Rules” column, but here’s the basic idea. Each team member purchases a gift that can be shipped without difficulty. Rather than revealing the gift, you will add a card to the board containing a picture and title that offers a clue.
In the game, each person will take turns clicking on cards to discover what the gift is. When a card is turned over, it means that person has chosen that gift. Additionally, there will be opportunities to take a gift that someone else has already chosen. When the game ends, send the gift you brought to the person who ended up with it.
6. Teach people how to work with you with “My User Manual”
Type: One-hit wonder that is asynchronous, fun yet practical.
Please take your time to think and rephrase the following text step by step while keeping the meaning intact. It is important not to add any new information or remove any information. The time limit for this task is 60 minutes.
To complete this task, you will need either Keynote or PowerPoint tools.
It is beneficial to communicate your personal workstyle when a team is in its early stages or when a new member joins. Sharing your preferred communication method, such as chat or email, and the time of day when you are most productive for focused work is worth considering.
We were inspired, and that led us to create the My User Manual play. This play provides instructions on how to conduct this exercise within your team. You can schedule a meeting to go through everyone’s “user manuals” together or share the decks for people to review at their own pace. In both cases, ensure that the decks are gathered in a central repository for future team members to access.
7. Expand your professional skill sets together with “Learning Circles”
Type: regularly, in real-time, both practical and enjoyable.
The task will take between 30 and 60 minutes to complete.
In order to complete the task, you will need certain tools such as video conferencing and any necessary study materials.
When working from home without office banter, it’s easy to focus solely on your tasks and neglect the opportunity for personal growth. Moreover, if you don’t actively foster personal connections with your colleagues, remote work can feel like a lonely experience.
The issues can be addressed by our Learning Circle play. Select a topic related to your work that you would like to gain a deeper understanding of, such as SQL, leadership styles, or trends in recruiting practices. Seek out colleagues who have a similar interest and come together every month via video conference. During these sessions, you can discuss a book or article or have an individual from the group deliver a brief presentation. The greatest advantage of learning circles is that they can expand beyond your immediate team, allowing you to connect with individuals throughout the entire organization.
8. Take your team’s pulse with “Health Monitor”
Type: Regular, fun but practical, in real-time.
The text should be rephrased step by step, ensuring that the same meaning is maintained. The task should be completed within a time frame of 30 to 60 minutes. No new information should be added, and no information should be removed.
In order to complete the task, you will need to have video conferencing, Confluence, or Google Docs available as tools.
Health Monitor is a modified version of the traditional agile retrospective that focuses on evaluating teamwork rather than the tasks at hand.
After conducting extensive research, we have discovered that healthy, high-performing teams often share eight common attributes. As a result, we have created the Health Monitor as a platform for evaluating your team’s performance in each of these areas. Do you possess the correct assortment of skills within your team? Are you effectively making decisions? Do you comprehend the dependencies associated with your work?
Even though this activity was not intended for remote teams, it proves to be incredibly advantageous. When your team is not physically gathered together, it becomes more convenient to avoid confronting issues and instead hide them.
Little problems have a tendency to escalate unnoticed, eventually resulting in a crisis. Health Monitor solves this issue by prompting teams to perform regular self-assessments, preventing their weaknesses from becoming significant liabilities.
BONUS: Workflow Optimization
The use of strategies and tactics to improve the efficiency of administrative, industrial, and other processes within an organization is known as workflow optimization. By successfully optimizing workflow, costs, errors, and time required to complete tasks can be reduced.
As organizations expand, workflows become increasingly intricate and abundant. Simplifying workflows is crucial in order to prevent waste and inefficiency as it is a series of activities that breaks down the steps of different repeatable processes within an organization.
When it comes to fixing workflows, it is more common and less disruptive to make incremental fixes rather than attempting a revolutionary overhaul. To learn more about optimizing workflows, you can find information on continuous improvement models, processes, and plans that focus on making incremental improvements.
According to Dr. Lisa Lang, President of Science of Business, Inc. and Velocity Scheduling System, to sum it up, workflow optimization aids businesses in focusing on the important tasks and maximizing their resources and activities. The crucial factor is to cease doing unnecessary activities and excel at completing the essential ones. This is the ultimate measure of success.
Benefits of Workflow Optimization
In order for a business to remain competitive and achieve long-term success, it is essential to optimize workflow. This can be achieved by reducing the time spent on correcting errors or completing tasks that are not essential. By doing so, an organization can allocate more resources towards enhancing customer satisfaction and enhancing their products and services.
According to David Singletary, the Founder and CEO of DJS Digital consultancy, business, the workplace, and the workforce are being impacted by technology. In order to meet the growing need for efficiency and to cater to customer demands, businesses must strive to minimize waste. While customer satisfaction has always been important, the fast-paced nature of business requires careful management of time as a valuable resource.
The benefits of optimizing the workflow are specifically related to improving efficiency.
- Improved Customer Relationships: Customers appreciate consistent and timely responses to inquiries and concerns. By eliminating workflow problems, you open up time to focus on increasing customer satisfaction.
- Reduced Bottlenecks: A bottleneck is a congestion point in a workflow. Bottlenecks slow down production; waste time, effort, and resources; and impact profitability. Workflow optimization helps to eliminate bottlenecks.
- Decreased Waste: Activities that can be removed from a workstream without negative impacts on productivity are wasteful. Workflow optimization aims to identify and eliminate waste.
- Increased Productivity: When organizations remove bottlenecks, team members can accomplish tasks more quickly. For manufacturers, a higher level of productivity results in lower inventory and higher profitability.
- Greater Agility: Clunky, inefficient workflows make it difficult to adapt to change. Streamlined workflows better position an organization to adapt when opportunities and challenges present themselves.
- Increased Consistency: Optimized workflows provide clarity and enable all employees, including new hires, to meet a consistent standard of efficiency and quality.
- Improved Multitasking Capabilities: As a company grows and processes become more numerous and complex, optimization helps multiple workflows operate simultaneously. Workflows, from hiring to social media to product manufacturing, are easier to manage when managers streamline processes.
- Enhanced Work Culture: When all processes are well-documented and streamlined, employees spend less time correcting errors and completing nonessential tasks and more time managing and completing successful projects. In this way, workflow optimization creates a more positive work culture.
- Reinforced Compliance: Standardized processes help organizations control internal policies and meet government-mandated compliance regulations.
The Seven Workflow Optimization Strategies
High-level workflow optimization strategies, which aim to boost efficiency, include seven commonly used strategies: Agile, business process improvement, business process reengineering, Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, and total quality management.
- Agile: An Agile workflow is a visual, step-by-step representation of a workflow that emphasizes interaction, collaboration, and adaptability. Initially favored by software developers, Agile workflows have become popular in many other sectors. To learn more, see our guide to Agile project management workflows.
- Business Process Improvement: Business process improvement (BPI) is a method of optimizing workflows by identifying parts of a process that are less efficient, effective, or error-proof, and addressing them continually.
- Business Process Reengineering: Business process reengineering (BPR) is a strategy for redesigning workflows from scratch. After conducting a thorough analysis of existing workflows and reviewing customer input, managers who implement BPR will chart entirely new workflows that better achieve an organization’s goals.
- Lean: Lean is a method of optimizing workflows by repeatedly identifying opportunities for eliminating waste. Wasteful, inefficient practices include unnecessary meetings, tasks, and documentation processes, all of which decrease with proper implementation of Lean strategies.
- Six Sigma: Six Sigma is a method for identifying and removing the root causes of process deficiencies. Trained Six Sigma experts use empirical and statistical quality management methods to determine the Sigma rating of a process. This rating determines the likelihood that a process will produce a defect.
- Theory of Constraints: The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a workflow optimization technique that helps identify and address the factors that limit or prevent an organization or team from achieving its goals. Learn more about this methodology and its history in our guide to the Theory of Constraints.
- Total Quality Management: Total quality management (TQM) is a method of refining processes continually to eliminate inefficiencies and errors. With roots in manufacturing, TQM is a flexible tool that managers can adapt to the specific needs of their team or organization.
Workflow Optimization Techniques
Managers have the ability to apply workflow optimization techniques in order to consistently detect and remove waste. These techniques are valuable for identifying process inefficiencies, documenting and mapping new workflows, and promoting uniformity within a team. This ultimately results in making clear and objective decisions that effectively benefit the organization.
According to Singletary, the CEO of my client, who is a real estate developer with operations in multiple states and locations, expressed openness to a different method due to being overwhelmed by the extensive paperwork and sluggishness.
Once the business process was mapped, it became evident that the problem lay in invoicing and payments. The accounts payable procedures were conducted manually, with invoices sent via FedEx for approval and subsequent payments. After identifying this issue through mapping, we implemented automation. As a result, we experienced increased efficiency, reduced waste, and improved relations with vendors and customers. This situation teaches us that it is necessary to abandon traditional methods as we expand or even before.
How to Prepare for Workflow Optimization
To optimize workflows, it is essential to identify both the successful aspects and the shortcomings of a process. By thoroughly utilizing all available information and data, ascertain which parts of the process require enhancement.
To effectively prepare for optimizing your workflows, follow these four crucial steps.
- Review Your Goals: Why are you considering changing or refining workflows? Having clarity about your end goals will help you identify and prioritize the most essential components of your workflows.
- Conduct a Thorough Review of Your Current Workflow: What parts of your workflows produce the most errors or inefficiencies? Work through current processes, or interview the team members who are most familiar with them, and organize all of the steps into a comprehensive, chronological list.
- Determine Constraints: What’s holding you back? Consult team members and review processes to determine the most common limitations in current processes.
- Identify Bottlenecks: Where is the congestion in your current workflows? Once you’ve identified bottlenecks, you can strategize with managers and team members to eliminate waste and ease congestion.
Document Your Workflows
Properly documenting workflows can enhance visibility for the entire team, thereby facilitating the identification of areas for potential improvements.
According to Singletary, the significance of documentation lies in the fact that individuals often overlook it in order to avoid making commitments. Consequently, they develop their own unrecorded procedures. Additionally, the absence of documentation and formal workflows tends to create barriers, hindering efficiency. Singletary further states that documentation plays a crucial role in assessing future workflows and promoting employee training.
How to Document a Workflow
Before starting workflow documentation, it is important to carefully examine your existing processes. Once you have a comprehensive overview, it becomes simpler to identify areas that can be improved, substituted, relocated, or eliminated.
When documenting a workflow, it is important to consider the following crucial aspects.
- Never Lose Sight of the Goal: Each step in a workflow should lead to a clear goal.
- Know Your Scope: One workflow might be confined to a single team, while another might be cross-functional or company-wide. Understand which team members or resources are relevant to a specific workflow.
- List the Workflow Steps: Work through or interview team members familiar with the process. Compile all steps into a single, comprehensive list.
- Audit Your Workflow: Review each step, determine if each step is relevant to the project, note any repetitive tasks, and work to streamline and refine the overall process for maximum efficiency.
- Map Your Workflow: Workflow maps are helpful visual tools that clarify what is or isn’t working in a given process. Include directional arrows that indicate how a workflow should progress when creating your map. Learn how to develop your process visually with our guide to workflow mapping.
