Why Is Virtual Team Building Important?
Virtual team building is the ultimate solution for fostering strong remote teams in today's increasingly digital world. These activities, specifically designed to enhance team dynamics, communication, and collaboration, are hosted on well known video conferencing platforms and those that support video and audio natively like Fun Country. Managers and team leaders, listen up! With the prevalence of remote work, it's time to step up your game and embrace innovative team management strategies while avoiding zoom fatigue.
This is where virtual team building comes into play. It’s a fun and engaging approach to building cohesive and high-performing remote teams. By incorporating interactive activities that encourage employee participation, you'll not only witness improved communication and trust among your remote workforce, but also find new ways to make virtual meetings fun. As a bonus, virtual team building cultivates positivity and boosts team spirit, fostering a lively environment where collaboration flourishes.
Not only does virtual team building rituals and activities enhance team performance, but it also combats the feelings of isolation often associated with remote work. By connecting employees through these exciting activities, you're nurturing a sense of belonging and camaraderie that transcends physical separation. So, dive into the world of virtual team building exercises and watch as your remote team thrives, united by trust, clear communication, and, of course, plenty of fun!
5 Steps To Prepare For Remote Team Building Activities
Ok, now that you get why virtual team building activities are important, let's get you some practical steps that describe how to prepare you for creating fun and engaging activities that bring everyone closer together.
Step 1: Set Clear Objectives
Defining the goals of your team building activity will keep everyone focused and ensure meaningful engagement throughout. So choose from several virtual team building ideas listed in this article that suit your team's interests, needs, and dynamics. Remember, variety is the spice of life, so don't forget to mix it up!
Step 2: Get Organized
Plan ahead and schedule team building activities well in advance. This will help with team member availability and any necessary preparations. Don't forget to communicate expectations. Inform your team about the purpose, agenda, and what you hope they'll gain from participating.
Step 3: Test Your Technology
Make sure all participants have the necessary tools and a stable internet connection to avoid any unwanted hiccups. Assign roles such as facilitators or timekeepers if needed to keep the activity running smoothly and efficiently.
Step 4: Encourage Participation
Foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing their unique perspectives. After all, team building is about bringing people together and valuing their individual strengths.
Step 5: Measure Success
Once your event concludes, don't forget to measure success! Evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual team bonding and remote work team building activities based on team feedback and outcomes. Continuously refine your approach to remote team building by iterating and improving based on lessons learned and valuable insights gathered.
Virtual Team Building Activities
Team building activities for remote teams play a crucial role in maintaining a strong and connected workforce. These activities can be categorized into two main types: virtual icebreakers and virtual games for teams.
Virtual team building ice breakers are designed to be a simple and straightforward way for team members to quickly get to know one another better, break down communication barriers, and create a relaxed atmosphere. They can include short, informal exercises such as sharing what everyone did over the weekend, answering random and fun icebreaker questions, or engaging in light-hearted discussions.
Icebreakers Vs Team Games
Use icebreakers if:
1. You are short on time and only have 5-10 minutes to spare but still want to create some fun
2. You haven't been able to prepare beforehand
3. Want to create a relaxed atmosphere before diving into the meeting agenda
On the other hand, virtual games for teams are more structured and goal-oriented, with a focus on improving collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills among team members. These games may involve fun collaborative team games like trivia, guess the movie, around the world or guess the logo that challenges teams to work together to achieve a common objective.
Use team games if:
1. You or your team have set aside dedicated time on a periodic basis to have fun with the rest of the team. The team could decide to have these games once a week, bi-weekly or on a monthly basis.
2. Prepare beforehand as required to ensure that the game goes smoothly
3. You want the team to play together and have enough time (30 minutes - 1 hour) to bond over a fun activity.
A simple and fun go to icebreaker activity that any team can get started with are icebreaker questions. We’ve shared 75 of our most fun icebreaker questions below for your convenience!
75 Fun Icebreaker Questions For Any Team Meeting
- What is the most ridiculous outfit you've ever worn?
- Would you rather have fingers for toes or toes for fingers?
- Would you rather put ketchup on your ice cream or mustard in your coffee?
- What would you do if you could talk to animals for a day?
- Do you prefer to have hiccups every time you laugh or sneeze every time you blink?
- What is the most bizarre food combination you've ever tried?
- Would you rather be able to speak every language fluently but only in a squirrel voice or communicate solely through interpretive dance?
- Do you prefer to have a rewind button for your life or a pause button?
- If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would you swap it with?
- Do you prefer to have a pet unicorn that can't fly or a pet dragon that can't breathe fire?
- What is the most unusual nickname you've ever had?
- Would you rather have the ability to only speak in movie quotes or song lyrics?
- Do you prefer living in a world where all music is polka or all movies are silent films?
- What would you do if you were suddenly the size of an ant?
- Would you rather have a dog with a cat's personality or a cat with a dog's personality?
- Would you rather live in a world where everyone always wore Halloween costumes or everyone dressed like they were in a 1980s workout video?
- Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet alien?
- If you could switch lives with your favorite fictional character, who would it be?
- Would you rather have a personal theme song play every time you enter a room or have your own personal announcer narrate your life?
- Do you prefer to have a conversation with your past self or your future self?
- What is the most ridiculous fact you know?
- Do you prefer to live in a world where everyone speaks in rhyme or everyone sings instead of talks?
- What food would you choose if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life?
- Would you rather have the power to change your hair color instantly or change your eye color instantly?
- How would you feel if you woke up in a world without any technology?
- Do you prefer to have a tail or horns?
- Would you rather have to laugh uncontrollably at serious moments or cry uncontrollably at funny moments?
- If you had the power to make anyone laugh on command, who would you make laugh?
- Would you rather wear a tuxedo/dress everywhere or dress up like a pirate every day?
- Do you prefer to have the power to control traffic lights or the ability to change the color of the sky?
- What holiday would you create if you could create a new holiday?
- Do you prefer to have an endless supply of popcorn or an endless supply of cotton candy?
- What is the funniest TV show or movie scene that always makes you laugh?
- Do you prefer to have your voice sound like a famous singer or speak in different accents every day?
- If you could create a new flavor of ice cream, what would it be?
- What would you say if you could only use one-word sentences for the rest of your life?
- Would you rather have a nose that lights up like Rudolph's when you're excited or have steam come out of your ears when you're angry?
- If you could star in a comedy movie with any famous actor or actress, who would it be?
- If you could have an unlimited supply of one ridiculous item, what would it be and why?
- If you could bring any cartoon character to life as your best friend, who would it be and why?
- If you could instantly become an expert in any silly or useless skill, what would it be?
- If you could have any comedian, past or present, narrate your life for a day, who would you choose and why?
- If you could have any accent, which one would it be?
- What's the funniest or most ridiculous piece of advice you've ever received?
- What's the weirdest talent you possess that always makes people laugh?
- If you could merge two animals to create the ultimate funny creature, what animals would you choose and what would you name it?
- If you were a professional wrestler, what would be your hilarious entrance theme and stage name?
- Would you rather have a tiny elephant as a pet or a giant hamster?
- Would you rather have to yell everything you say or have to mime everything you want to communicate?
- Would you rather have to high-five everyone you meet or give a dramatic bow to everyone you encounter?
- If you were a potato, how would you like to be cooked and served?
- What would you choose if you could only travel by bouncing on a giant pogo stick or riding a unicycle?
- If you could only eat one type of candy for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
- If you had to use a condiment as a perfume or cologne, which one would you choose and why?
- If you could only use one word for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- If you could have any celebrity narrate your life, who would you choose and why?
- If you could only communicate using song lyrics, which artist's songs would you use and why?
- If you could invent a new sport that combined elements from two existing sports, what would it be called and how would it be played?
- If you had to be a character from a sitcom for the rest of your life, who would you choose and why?
- If you could instantly master one dance style, which one would you choose and why?
- If you could instantly change your hairstyle and color every day, what would your first new look be?
- If you could have any movie remade with you as the main character, which movie would it be and why?
- If you could only watch movies from one genre for the rest of your life, which genre would it be and why?
- If you could only drink one type of beverage for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- If you could have any animal as a pet, but it had to be the size of a mouse, which one would you choose?
- What's the most embarrassing song on your playlist?
- If you had to choose between being able to breathe underwater or being able to fly, which one would you choose?
- What's your favorite ice cream topping?
- If you had to live without either coffee or chocolate, which one would you give up?
- If you could only watch one TV show for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- What's your favorite TV show or movie from your childhood?
- If you could have any celebrity as your best friend, who would it be and why?
- If you could only use one gif or emoji for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
- What's the most unusual thing you've ever put on a sandwich?
- If you could be any character from a Disney movie, who would you be and why?
If you feel like the above icebreaker questions have gotten too repetitive after a while using them, why not try our Ice Breaker Generator!
If icebreaker questions aren’t your thing or are looking for some variety, why not try The Change icebreaker described below instead?
The Change
The Change is a simple yet effective virtual team building icebreaker, perfect for remote teams participating in a Zoom meeting. This activity helps team members get to know each other on a more personal level and can be easily incorporated at the beginning of a meeting to set a warm and friendly tone.
How to Play:
- Ask participants to change their last name in the room: Request team members to modify their displayed last name to represent their best character trait as identified by their closest friends.
- Allow time for updates: Give everyone a few minutes to update their last names, showcasing a positive aspect of their personality.
- Introductions: Provide each participant with a brief moment to introduce themselves and share their chosen trait.
- Explain the trait's significance: Have participants explain why their friends consider their chosen trait as their best quality.
This conversation starter encourages team members to open up and share their personal experiences, enabling them to connect with each other on a deeper level. The Change is an excellent icebreaker for remote teams, as it promotes a positive atmosphere, builds trust, and allows everyone to know each other a bit better than before.
Ok, now that we’ve covered icebreakers, let’s get into longer format activities - games!
Virtual Team Games
Here’s a list of 13 remote team building games and instructions on how to play so that you can get started immediately.
1. Guess the Movie - Emoji Edition
Guess the Movie - Emoji Edition is a fun virtual team game that challenges players or teams to identify movies based on emoji clues. The objective is to be the first to correctly guess the movie title. To play, follow these steps:
- Host prepares slides with emoji characters representing different movies well in advance of the game. Feel free to use our examples below to get started.
- During the game, the host shares one slide at a time.
- Players or teams quickly type their movie title guesses in the chat.
- The first person or team to correctly guess the movie wins!
Here is a list of 40 movie emojis with answers to get your team started today.
- 🌎🐵🙈🙉🙊🐒🦧🍌 Planet of the Apes
- 🤫🐑🐑🐑🐑 Silence of the Lambs
- 🍬🍫🏃🏃🏃 Forrest Gump
- 🌊👳♂️🚣♂️🐅 Life of Pi
- 👩🧛🐺♥️✨🌗 Twilight
- 👴➡️🧔➡️👨➡️👦 Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- 🐋➡️🌊 Free Willy
- 👸🥀❤️🐻 Beauty and the Beast
- 👦🚲🌕👽ET
- 🍖🍗🥞🌮🎮🕹️Hunger Games
- 📹🏃♀️🏃🌲🌲🌲 Blair Witch Project
- ⚡🧔🔨Thor
- 🌪️🏠🐶👠🌈 The Wizard of Oz
- 🚀🤖🌌👽💬 Star Wars
- 🦸♂️🕷️🕸️🏙️💥 Spider-Man
- 🦈🌊⛵😱🚤 Jaws
- 🐟🐠🚤🌊🐠 Finding Nemo
- 🚂❄️🎅🎄🎁 The Polar Express
- 🥊🇺🇸🏆🥊🔔 Rocky
- 👻🚫🚫👻🚫 Ghostbusters
- 🦁👑🌾🐗🐒 The Lion King
- 🧪🍫🏭🎩🍭 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
- 🧙♂️🔮⚡📚🦉 Harry Potter
- 🌋💍🧙♂️🧝🏹 The Lord of the Rings
- 🦸♀️🛡️⚔️🏛️🦅 Wonder Woman
- 🕴️💼🔫🍸🚁 James Bond
- 🚗⏰🔥🕶️⌚ Back to the Future
- 🦇🌃🦸♂️🚔🃏 Batman
- 🎈🏠🐶🎒🌎 Up
- 🎃🔪🎭😱🔦 Halloween
- 🐧🎶❄️🐟🐬 Happy Feet
- 🦍🏢🚁🌆🔝 King Kong
- 🧛♂️🦇🏰🌃🩸 Dracula
- 🤠🌵🐴🚂🌟 Toy Story
- 🧊🐅🐘🌴🌏 Ice Age
- 🚢💔❄️🌊🚣 Titanic
- 🌍🌟👽🚀🚔 Men in Black
- 🐍✈️😱🆘🛩️ Snakes on a Plane
- 🐶🕵️♂️🚐👻🥪 Scooby-Doo
- 🦖🦕🏝️🚁⚠️ Jurassic Park
2. Zoomed In
Zoomed In is a game where players aim to identify objects displayed in zoomed-in photos. Here's how to play:
- The host prepares slides with close-up images of various objects.
- During the game, the host shares one slide at a time.
- Players or teams race to identify the object in the image, keeping score as they go.
- The first person or team to correctly guess the object wins!
- This engaging activity promotes observation skills and friendly competition, making it a perfect addition to virtual team events.
3. Around the World
Around the World is a game in which players strive to identify countries based on images of various locations. To play, follow these steps:
- The host prepares a slide deck featuring images of places from around the world.
- During the game, the host shares one slide at a time.
- Teams or players compete to correctly guess the country represented by the image, keeping score throughout.
- The person or team with the highest score at the end of the round wins.
4. Guess the Logo
Guess the Logo is a game that challenges players to identify company logos from displayed images. Here's how to play:
- The host prepares images of logos from various companies.
- During the game, the host presents one image at a time.
- Teams or players compete to correctly guess the company associated with the logo, keeping score as they go.
5. Fun Fact Guessing Game
The Fun Fact Guessing Game is one of the virtual meeting games aimed at getting to know team members better by guessing who each fun fact is about. Here's how to play:
- Host asks participants to send one little-known fun fact about themselves 24 hours before the activity.
- Host compiles the fun facts into a slide deck, with one fact per slide.
- During the game, participants take turns guessing who each fun fact is about, either using a round-robin approach or typing in the chat.
6. Desert Island Scenario
The Desert Island Scenario game is a thought-provoking activity that aims to explore different perspectives and foster open discussion through a hypothetical survival situation. To play, follow these steps:
- The host presents a desert island scenario where participants are stranded.
- The host lists 30 important objects on a slide deck that could be useful on the island.
- Participants are given 2 minutes to choose three critical items for survival.
- Everyone takes turns explaining why they chose their specific items.
30 Survival Items for Desert Island Scenario
- GPS device
- Fresnel lens fire starter
- Pocket sewing kit
- Flare
- Knife
- Portable mosquito repellant
- Water purification tablets
- Packable rain poncho
- Spork
- Wire saw
- Signal mirror
- Non-perishable food rations
- Tarp
- Binoculars
- Inflatable raft or life vest
- Durable clothing and footwear
- Swiss Army knife
- Hand-cranked radio
- Rope
- Flint
- Fishing line and hooks
- UV-protective sunglasses
- Stormproof matches
- Foldable solar lantern
- Packable hat with neck cover
- Collapsible bucket
- First aid kit
- Handheld water purifier
- Pot for boiling water
- Multi-function watch
7. Charades
Charades is a classic game where participants act out words or phrases while others guess what they're trying to portray. To play, follow these steps:
- Divide participants into teams.
- Have teams write down words or phrases to act out. Or you can use our starter list below.
- A player or team starts by acting out the word or phrase using gestures, facial expressions, and body movements, without speaking.
- The other players or teams guess the word or phrase by typing in the chat. The first team to guess correctly becomes the next to act it out.
20 Fun Example Words And Phrases That Are Easy To Act Out On Camera
- Typing a novel
- Spilling coffee
- Taking a selfie
- Participating in a Zoom call
- Making a toast
- Stirring a cocktail
- Playing video games
- Doing yoga
- Watching a horror movie
- Laughing at a joke
- Fixing a Wi-Fi router
- Cooking a meal
- Ordering food online
- Painting a picture
- Reading a book
- Mixing a DJ set
- Wrapping a gift
- Blowing out birthday candles
- Gardening
- Practicing meditation
8. Trivia
Trivia is a game that tests participants' knowledge on a variety of topics. To play, follow these steps:
- Choose a trivia category or let participants suggest categories. Topics could include history, pop culture, or current events.
- The host asks a series of multiple-choice or true/false questions related to the chosen category.
- Participants write their answers and submit them to the host in the chat.
- The facilitator or host announces the correct answers and keeps score. The participant or team with the most correct answers wins.
9. Two Truths and a Lie
Two Truths and a Lie is a fun game that encourages team members to get to know each other better. To play, follow these steps:
- Each participant shares three statements about themselves, with one of them being a lie.
- The other participants try to guess which statement is the lie.
- The participant reveals which statement is the lie.
This engaging activity promotes communication, connection, and helps team members learn more about each other in a lighthearted and entertaining manner.
10. Word Association
Word Association is an engaging game that challenges participants to create a chain of related words. To play, follow these steps:
- Choose a starting word.
- Take turns saying a word related to the previous word.
- Keep the chain going for as long as possible without repeating any words.
- If a participant repeats a word or says a word that doesn't fit, they are out. The last person to contribute a new word continues the chain.
- The game continues until all participants are out or until a certain amount of time has passed.
20 Starting Words for Word Association At Work
- Coffee spill
- Brainstorm
- Doughnut
- Stapler
- Watercooler
- Cubicle
- Lunch break
- Ping-pong
- Post-it
- Elevator
- Meeting
- Deskercise
- Printer jam
- Office chair race
- Deadline
- Team building
- Photocopier
- Conference call
- Casual Friday
- Office gossip
11. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Virtual Scavenger Hunt is an entertaining game that challenges participants to find and collect various items within a set timeframe. To play, follow these steps:
- Create a list of items or objects.
- Ask participants to find these items within their surroundings.
- Participants show the collected items within a certain amount of time.
- Whoever collects the most items wins.
10 Easy To Find Objects For Your Next Virtual Scavenger Hunt
- Coffee mug: This item is a staple in most home offices. The first person to show a coffee mug on their camera wins that round.
- Houseplant: This can be anything from a small succulent on a desk to a large indoor tree.
- Favorite snack: This could also lead to interesting discussions about food and personal preferences.
- Post-it notes: A common office supply that could be found in a home office.
- A souvenir from a vacation: Something that can lead to sharing of personal stories and experiences.
- A piece of sports equipment: This could be anything from a yoga mat to a set of dumbbells, or even a soccer ball.
- An umbrella: A mundane object that most people should have in their home.
- A board game or puzzle: This can also lead to discussions about hobbies and how people spend their free time.
- Something red: A color-based challenge can be fun and easy.
- A musical instrument: This could range from a professional instrument to a simple harmonica or even a child's toy instrument.
10 Hard To Find Objects For Your Next Virtual Scavenger Hunt
- A paperclip that isn't silver: Most paperclips are silver, so finding one that's a different color could be challenging.
- A foreign currency coin or note: This could lead to discussions about travels and experiences abroad.
- A vinyl record: Not everyone has vinyl records, so this could be an interesting challenge.
- A typewriter or an old technology: As these are less common, it might take some time to find.
- A signed copy of a book: Not everyone has signed copies of books, making this a challenging find.
- An item from a discontinued brand: This could be an old product or piece of merchandise, and might require some knowledge of which brands are discontinued.
- A black and white photo: With digital photography so common, finding a black and white photo might be difficult.
- A physical map (not a digital one): In the era of Google Maps, physical maps are less common.
- A magazine that's over 10 years old: This could require some digging through old belongings.
- A souvenir from the furthest place you've visited: This would require employees to have kept souvenirs from their travels, and to know which one is the furthest away.
12. Spot the Celebrity
Spot the Celebrity is a fun virtual game that tests participants' knowledge of famous people or characters. To play, follow these steps:
- Show a picture of a famous person or character to the participants.
- Ask participants to guess who the celebrity or character is.
- Keep score throughout the game.
- Whoever scores the most correct guesses wins!
13. Word Jumble
Word Jumble is a stimulating game that challenges participants to unscramble scrambled words. To play, follow these steps:
- The host prepares a list of words and scrambles the letters before the meeting.
- Participants form teams of 2-3 members.
- Teams compete to unscramble as many words as possible within a set time limit.
- Whichever team unscrambles the most words within the time limit wins.
20 Word Jumble Examples To Get Started
1. Scrambled Word: atsdabea
Clue: An electronic device for storing and processing data
Answer: Database
2. Scrambled Word: olndihsp
Clue: A marine mammal
Answer: Dolphins
3. Scrambled Word: cuiaiayclontbt
Clue: Responsibility, especially in financial matters
Answer: Accountability
4. Scrambled Word: aiistantcsfo
Clue: The state of being pleased or contented
Answer: Satisfaction
5. Scrambled Word: omictinmaunco
Clue: The act of conveying intended meanings
Answer: Communication
6. Scrambled Word: nreenrrteepu
Clue: A person who sets up a business or businesses
Answer: Entrepreneur
7. Scrambled Word: rpepiesosh
Clue: Seeing what is not yet in existence
Answer: Prophesies
8. Scrambled Word: valableia
Clue: Able to be used or obtained
Answer: Available
9. Scrambled Word: niiereggnne
Clue: The branch of science and technology concerned with the design and use of engines, machines, and structures
Answer: Engineering
10. Scrambled Word: eoggylo
Clue: The science that deals with the earth's physical structure and substance
Answer: Geology
11. Scrambled Word: nenioaltirnta
Clue: Existing, occurring, or carried on between nations
Answer: International
12. Scrambled Word: isrdeoycv
Clue: The action or process of discovering something
Answer: Discovery
13. Scrambled Word: scgpooyylh
Clue: The scientific study of the human mind and its functions
Answer: Psychology
14. Scrambled Word: arafci
Clue: A continent
Answer: Africa
15. Scrambled Word: nlaactlaiy
Clue: Pertaining to the applications of science and mathematics
Answer: Analytical
16. Scrambled Word: polsatlrh
Clue: A place where people can play sports
Answer: Sporthall
17. Scrambled Word: ehgtooycln
Clue: Study, development, and application of devices and systems
Answer: Technology
18. Scrambled Word: iehhcayrr
Clue: System where people or groups are ranked one above the other
Answer: Hierarchy
19. Scrambled Word: altcauecl
Clue: Relating to precise measurements or predictions
Answer: Calculate
20. Scrambled Word: trrsuceut
Clue: The arrangement of and relations between parts or elements
Answer: Structure
Final Thoughts
In the ever-evolving work landscape, utilizing virtual team icebreakers and team building games for remote workers will prove to be essential tools to foster strong and connected teams. Managers and team leaders who aim to build a cohesive and high-performing remote workforce should consider adopting these virtual activities to enhance team dynamics, communication, and collaboration. These fun and engaging activities are also a great way for employees to combat feelings of isolation and foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie with the rest of the team. Following practical advice like setting clear objectives, choosing appropriate activities and planning ahead is a great way to ensure that these experiences are both impactful and enjoyable for everyone. By using these remote employee engagement activities, you can create a thriving remote team culture and company culture.
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