{"id":909,"date":"2021-10-19T12:02:30","date_gmt":"2021-10-19T12:02:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/?p=909"},"modified":"2021-10-28T08:01:30","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T08:01:30","slug":"10-virtual-team-building-activities-for-conference-calls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/10-virtual-team-building-activities-for-conference-calls\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Virtual Team Building Activities Your Employees Will Actually Want To Do"},"content":{"rendered":"

Team building exercises are kind of a staple in the workplace. If you\u2019ve held a job, it\u2019s more than likely you\u2019ve taken part in ice breaker questions or a team lunch at one point or another.<\/p>\n

As it turns out, there is a right way and a wrong way to build your team\u2019s connection. This might explain why some team-building activities are met with eye rolls and groans, while others leave us feeling appreciative and bonded.<\/p>\n

Brian Scudamore said in Forbes<\/a>, \u201cActivities that overtly aim to draw in leadership lessons or practical takeaways are less powerful. Spending time together, sharing an experience or working towards a common goal allows bonding to happen more organically and far more effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n

This makes sense. It explains why many dread traditional corporate team-building activities, even though we love the people we work with.<\/p>\n

\"Team<\/p>\n

Strong social connections at work are essential<\/a> – they make people happier, less stressed, have increased engagement and loyalty, and are healthier. All of which results in better performance at work. So if you wouldn\u2019t have fun doing something with your group of friends, you probably won\u2019t enjoy it with your work colleagues. Team-building activities should be enjoyable, so you can relax, be your true self, and connect with your employees personally.<\/p>\n

However, the modern workplace is looking a lot different these days. Even before the global pandemic, remote work was becoming increasingly popular. And now that most of us have had a taste of the work from home life, it seems like it\u2019s here to stay, at least in some capacity.<\/p>\n

Remote work has a lot of benefits; for example, you save time and money on travel, and you can rock athleisure-wear most days. But there are some downsides too – more people feel lonely and less connected, which affects productivity. A study on neuro-behavioral economics in the work culture<\/a> found that companies can alleviate remote work-related stress by implementing virtual team-building activities.<\/p>\n

So with remote work more popular than ever, team-building is the most important it\u2019s ever been. Although team-building activities on conference calls pose new challenges, there are several ways to make it as productive and effective as in person.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Here are 10 fun team-building activities you can do over a video call:<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

1. Virtual Scavenger Hunt<\/h3>\n

A virtual scavenger hunt is where players scramble to complete a list of challenges before the time is up. In most cases, the participants will have to find items in their homes (such as their favorite mug) or something online (a funny work-related meme). It can also be activity-based; for example, participants may have to do ten push-ups or bake a mug cake.<\/p>\n

Here is a quick rundown of how a virtual scavenger hunt can work:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Step 1<\/strong>: Choose a theme. Make it fun and creative to get everyone excited. Some simple ideas are childhood, travel, holiday, or murder mystery.<\/p>\n

Step 2<\/strong>: Set out some rules. You\u2019ll want to break down how this will work, so set out the time limit, the list of items that the team members have to find, what the teams are, where the team will share the items, how they document them, what the prize is, and so on.<\/p>\n

This is an activity that isn\u2019t overtly related to your industry or workplace, so it gives your employees a chance to have a good time together and get creative. You could even make this a monthly activity where different departments take turns planning the scavenger hunt. Make sure you switch up the teams each time so other coworkers get to know one another.<\/p>\n

2. Team Trivia<\/h3>\n

One great way to build a genuine human connection between remote workers is to engage in regular socializing. Recreating pub night trivia on a video call can be a great way to achieve this. Use a platform like Kahoot to create your own team trivia. The trivia doesn\u2019t have to be work or industry-focused, but it can be fun to throw in a few relevant questions. Some topics you could quiz them on are pop culture, sports, history, and geography. You could also get team members to add in some personal questions to gauge how well they know one another.<\/p>\n

Mobile marketing start-up Liftoff integrated Kahoot<\/a> into their team sessions and company all-hands meetings to connect their fast-growing team. Liftoff employees found that playing Kahoot together has helped break down communication barriers, get to know one another better, and enhance the team culture across several offices. They offer prizes to the winning team, giving everyone a good reason to compete.<\/p>\n

Make your team trivia event more interesting by raising the stakes. Offer prizes such as free lunch, gift cards, wine, or even an extra day off!<\/p>\n

\"Happy<\/p>\n

3. Happy hour<\/h3>\n

Who doesn\u2019t love a good happy hour? Hosting a regular happy hour can help your team better know each other in a relaxed environment. While there are many games you can play during happy hour, it can also simply be a chance to discuss what is going on outside of work. You can combine the two as well, setting out time for a game and a chat.<\/p>\n

Set up a drinking game where you take a sip of your drink when someone says certain phrases or does something specific. Here are some examples of when everyone would have to take a sip of their drink:<\/p>\n