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7 virtual team building activities for 2021

By Ben Madden


With the vast majority of workers continuing to work from home for the foreseeable future, it’s important to ensure that your workforce is united. Virtual team building activities help to keep people connected, as well as foster a sense of community in the workplace while people can’t physically be together. 

To help you choose the right virtual team building activity for your business, as well as learn why these activities are so important, we’ve put together a guide that showcases the benefits of taking a little time so you and your employees can get to know each other better!

What is virtual team building?

In 2021, virtual team building is one of the primary ways that workforces bond. Virtual team building is a set of activities that build trust amongst team members, as well as illuminating how each team member works best in a virtual environment. It’s a great way to supplement day-to-day interactions between your workforce, as well as ensure they’re socialising with each other.

Why are team building activities necessary?

virtual call

  • They help build team unity – team building activities help to make people feel united. If you’re looking to focus your team’s energies on a common goal, then team building activities can really help!
  • You’ll get to know people’s strengths – looking for the natural leaders in your team? Set them a task that requires the whole team’s input in the form of a team building activity. It’s a great way to see what roles people gravitate towards.
  • They allow your team to socialise – the last couple of years have meant people aren’t socialising nearly as much as normal. Team building activities get everyone talking and allow them to get to know each other.
  • They showcase how people react to different situations – if you’re wanting to be proactive and plan for the future, simulate situations that might arise during different team building activities. You’ll get to see how people react, without the real-world consequences.
  • They’re a great way to break up the workday – feel like your team is losing motivation? Set them an activity with a prize at the end. It’ll get their mind off of work for a moment or two, so their energy levels are restored.

Top 7 best ideas for virtual team building activities

  1. Campfire Stories – get people to tell a personal story people might not have heard! It’s a fun way to get a deeper insight into people’s personalities, and all it requires is a list of trigger words for people to pick from to get the conversation started. 
  2. Back of the napkin – bring a problem the workforce is facing into the activity, and split people up into groups. They’ll then have 10-20 minutes to solve the problem creatively and present their solution to the rest of the group!
  3. Office Trivia – everyone loves trivia – so make the questions based around your workforce! It’s a great way to learn fun facts about each other, as well as see who knows their colleagues best.
  4. Tea Vs Coffee – come up with a list of ‘either or’ questions, and get people to choose a side (for example, tea or coffee)? It’s an easy way for people to find common ground with one another!
  5. Sell Me This Pen – working in sales or something similar? Get your team to grab an object in their vicinity and ask them to sell it to the rest of the group. The more dramatic the better, and the points go to whoever is the most persuasive!
  6. Taboo – chances are that you know your business’ unique selling points inside and out. But what if you weren’t able to say them when talking to a prospect or customer? Write down a list of words and ask each team member to explain what they do without those words. It’ll force people to think about things in a different way!
  7. Typing Speed Race – want to see who’s got the fastest fingers in your team? Challenge them to race each other over on typingtest.com and give a prize to whoever’s able to type the fastest!

How to choose the right virtual team building activity 

boss having a virtual call with team

 
  • Be clear about your objectives – evaluate what you’re looking for out of an activity and choose accordingly. For example, if you’re looking to get people to bond as a team, don’t choose an activity where people splinter off into groups.
  • Ask for buy-in – a great way to choose an activity is to ask your team! It shows that you’re invested in their ideas, and they’re more likely to choose something that they’ll all be enthusiastic about.
  • Evaluate afterwards – choosing team building activities involves some trial and error. After every activity, work out whether it suited your workforce and what could be improved for the future!

Looking for more tips to help you boost your team’s chemistry and collaborative ability? 

Upskilled’s blog, SkillsTalk, is a space where we regularly publish articles about improving your leadership skills, including ones to help boost team collaboration. Upskilled also provides a range of nationally recognised qualifications that can help improve your leadership – like the BSB40520 – Certificate IV in Leadership and Management. 

It’s important to continue to sharpen your skills as a leader, so the range of resources available on our website can be accessed here to help you elevate your team’s chemistry and potential! 
 
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