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Elevate Magazine
September 2, 2024

7 Virtual Team Building Ideas for HR Leaders

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What Are the Top Virtual Team-Building Ideas to Boost Remote Engagement?

In New Zealand’s fast-changing work environment, the challenge of keeping remote teams connected has landed squarely on the shoulders of HR leaders. As more Kiwis work from home or embrace hybrid roles, the familiar face-to-face team-building sessions are evolving into creative online experiences.

According to Buffer’s 2021 report, 97% of remote workers stated that team-building activities positively impacted their engagement and connection with colleagues. Similarly, 80% of employees reported higher job satisfaction levels when engaged in frequent and meaningful team-building activities, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey.

Therefore, fostering a strong remote team culture that is diverse and inclusive, while enhancing collaboration remains as vital as ever; it’s also a form of mental health care for your team. Here are some creative virtual team-building ideas tailored for Kiwi remote workers and HR managers looking to keep their teams connected, motivated, and engaged.

1. Themed Virtual Coffee Breaks

One of the simplest yet most effective virtual team-building activities is themed coffee breaks. Unlike standard meetings, these casual sessions focus on non-work-related conversations, allowing team members to connect on a personal level.

You can spice things up by introducing themes such as “Show and Tell,” where employees share something personal like their favourite books, TV shows, or share their latest outdoor adventures or rugby updates. Another fun activity for virtual coffee breaks is “Pet Parades,” where they introduce their pets to the team. This approach helps in breaking the ice and fosters a sense of community within the team.

2. Online Escape Rooms and Mystery Games

Who doesn’t love playing games? Engaging employees in problem-solving activities like virtual escape rooms or mystery games can significantly help build critical thinking and enhance team camaraderie. These activities challenge participants to work together, think critically, and communicate effectively to achieve a common goal.

For example, online platforms offer escape room experiences that simulate the urgency and excitement of physical escape rooms, making them an excellent choice for teams looking to strengthen their collective problem-solving skills. These online team-building games allow your team members to tap into their Sherlock Holmes-like deduction skills.

3. Virtual Team Challenges

Virtual team challenges can range from fitness competitions to trivia quizzes, catering to diverse interests within your team. For example, a step-counting challenge can motivate employees to stay active while encouraging friendly competition, which is a fun way for them to be active.

Similarly, hosting regular trivia nights, perhaps with a focus on New Zealand culture, the latest news, or history, can be both entertaining and educational. These challenges can be organised using various online platforms and can be tailored to suit the unique preferences of your team.

4. Virtual Wellness Sessions

Incorporating wellness into your virtual team-building strategy is crucial, especially in today’s work environment, where burnout is a significant concern. Offering virtual wellness sessions, such as guided meditation, yoga classes, or mindfulness workshops, can help employees manage stress and maintain their mental health. These sessions can be a refreshing break from work, promoting a healthy professional and personal balance and demonstrating that the organisation values its employees’ well-being.

5. Remote Cooking Classes

It’s time for your team to unleash their inner MasterChef skills. Conducting cooking classes is a fun and interactive way to bring your team together. By arranging for a professional chef to guide your team through a cooking session, employees can learn new recipes such as Pavlova or meat pie while bonding over the shared experience.

This activity can be made more engaging by incorporating a challenge element, such as a virtual bake-off or cooking competition, where team members showcase their culinary skills. It’s an excellent way to mix fun with teamwork, even when everyone is miles apart.

6. Collaborative Online Workshops

Organising online workshops that require collaboration, such as creative writing, painting, or even digital marketing, can be a great way to foster team spirit. These workshops not only allow employees to develop new skills but also encourage them to work together in a relaxed setting. Such activities can be particularly effective in breaking down silos and fostering cross-departmental collaboration.

7. Virtual Volunteer Activities

For teams interested in giving back to the community, virtual volunteering can be an excellent team-building activity. This could involve working together to raise funds for a local charity, participating in virtual charity runs, or even contributing skills to a non-profit organisation. Not only do these activities bring the team together for a good cause, but they also enhance the company’s social responsibility profile.

Conclusion

Virtual team-building activities such as themed coffee breaks, virtual mystery challenges, or online cooking classes offer HR leaders a variety of options to engage their teams, even when working remotely. By creatively adapting to the online environment, these virtual team building activities can help maintain a strong company culture, promote teamwork, and ensure that employees feel valued and connected, no matter where they are based. Embracing these virtual team-building strategies is not just about keeping the team together; it’s about fostering a resilient, cohesive, and motivated workforce for the future.