Modern work requires teams from different parts of the world to form a team. In 2022, FlexJobs recorded a 12 percent increase in remote job postings and a 52 percent increase in hybrid job postings. This worldwide shift to remote work then brings on a challenge. How can you foster meaningful connections among team members across different locations?
One of the key strategies in achieving a high closeness level involves implementing engaging activities. Just like you can physically have fun team-building games for your staff, several activities are tailored to the virtual environment. These activities enhance team collaboration and boost morale, leading to a more productive and harmonious remote work environment.
As much as success is a goal in every remote work environment, good work relationships are also important in keeping your employees with you and one another longer. At the end of this article, your team will become more robust and high-performing, provided that you carry out these activities.
Coffee Breaks
Although not new, Coffee break is a fun activity to introduce to your remote team workers. It is a great way to enhance team bonding between your employees. You can imagine grabbing coffee with your co-worker and engaging in interesting conversations outside work. The goal is the same with virtual environments.
Such breaks should facilitate bonding between managers and employees and help them de-stress before returning to work. As a manager, you could provide gift cards for a coffee shop close to each employee’s location so that they can enjoy a free drink during these breaks.
Tips
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Firstly, create a schedule which could be in the morning or afternoon. It could match with regular breaks or you could choose a time peculiar to your team.
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Then, develop a format to stick to. Your coffee break could be as a team or by dividing your team into groups. Allow your employees to engage in random conversations as groups or as a whole.
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Next, choose the tool to use. Uses productivity apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams or video call tools to recreate the feeling of being in the same room.
Photos of the Week
Another remote work activity is a weekly photo sharing from team members. Remember that this isn’t work-related, so ask your team members to exchange snaps of random but essential things. It could be personal photos, photos with family, pet photos, views of places you visit, and other fun photos.
Make it even more fun and create a contest out of it. Think of enticing prizes for contest winners to inspire everyone to enter the contest. The contest could be quarterly, across six months, or yearly. At the end of the year, each member will know each other’s families, pets, favorite hangout areas, and coffee mugs.
Tips
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Set a day of the week, preferably a Friday, where each employee can share a photo with the rest of the team.
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Announce the theme for the week early into the week for some direction.
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Next, direct each member to talk about their photo and comment on other photos from team members.
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Then, set up a little committee to organize the contest. They will coordinate the contest and select the winners at the end of 4 months, 6 months, or a year.
Bucket List Challenge
It’s not a popular challenge, but a bucket list challenge is one of the best fun team-building activities you should try. This activity requires that each team member share their bucket list with about 5 achievements they seek to accomplish in the future. It should be professional or social achievements. Your team members will feel comfortable knowing that you have interests in their goals and aspirations.
Tips
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Ask each team member to share their bucket lists on your team platform.
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After sharing, team members can compare their bucket list activities to find common items.
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If you have members with the same goals, they can form a sub-team and try accomplishing a common bucket list activity together. Now, ensure that each member is comfortable with this decision.
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Then, select a dedicated social media platform to keep track of each member’s progress. Participants can share their experiences and challenges in achieving these goals.
Dynamic Team Conversations
Virtual systems differ from physical offices, where you can discuss with people from other teams over the water cooler. That is why we suggest that you introduce dynamic team conversations. Having dynamic conversations can be a remote team morale booster for members. When members get to discuss issues ranging from work to politics and entertainment, they feel united with one another.
Slack remote tool has a donut extension that allows virtual team-building opportunities outside employees’ regular teams. Donut randomly pairs team members, pairing different persons weekly to get employees to discuss anything outside work. Pairing members across teams will help to strengthen company bonds and collaboration. You can try it out, as Slack mentions that it has helped over 20,000 remote teams build stronger relationships.
Tips
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Select a remote tool for dynamic chats. You can go for Donut on Slack or Google Chat.
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Discuss and converse away. You can set timers for the social conversations to ensure each employee is still focused and productive.
Online Team Workout
As remote workers, you are most likely sitting behind a computer in your homes for most of your work hours. Online workout is a remote team icebreaker not only for fun but also healthy in preventing a sedentary lifestyle.
Regular exercise is healthy, and when done in groups, you encourage your employees to participate consistently. Each member feels together and even accountable to one another.
Tips
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Schedule a time for regular fitness sessions, such as yoga, meditation, or group workouts. It could be before, during breaks, or after work hours.
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Then, invite professional trainers to take each session. Or head to YouTube for online video tutorials.
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Encourage participation and provide a platform like Zoom to host these sessions.
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Also, create a shared calendar to notify team members of upcoming sessions.
Conclusion
Whether you’ve successfully managed a remote team for a long time or not, remote team building is necessary. These remote activities are not only for fun but are also strategic remote work tools to boost team performance in the virtual workspace.
Implementing these activities fosters a sense of belonging among team members while breaking down the digital barriers often accompanying remote work. Embrace these initiatives, adapt them to your team’s preferences, and watch your team become much more productive than ever.
