With remote and hybrid work environments now commonplace, virtual team building is one of the best ways to get the team together. Online team-building games are fantastic for keeping the team engaged. It also allows members of different groups to interact in one big, fun mini-event.
The goal of remote office games is to improve teamwork and skyrocket your company culture. Here are eight remote office games that can boost collaboration and make team members more connected, even if they’re away.
1. Two Truths And A Lie
Two Truths and a lie is a super fun virtual game that does require a bit of setup beforehand. It’s a good game for having team members get to know each other better while learning fun facts about one another.
To play, each team member must write down three things about themselves. Two of the three things are true, one is a lie. For instance, the lie could be that a competitor offered you a job. The truths could be that the competitor is very successful and that you admire them.
The team members then reveal all three of their statements. The team must guess which of the statements is the lie. The team member who thought correctly gets two points. If no one guesses correctly, then no points are awarded.
2. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a great way to get the team together and learn about each team member’s strengths. Building teamwork is fun because each member will be responsible for completing different tasks.
For this, you’ll need to set up different tasks, each having its assignment. A task might be to take a selfie before a landmark, get a photo of your company’s logo in another building, or find a certain number of employees.
Put all the tasks into a shared document or email. When the team members have all the required tasks, they can contact the others to get their photos or videos.
3. DIY Virtual Craft Challenges
While crafting together can be fun, a shared virtual craft challenge is a little less messy. Virtual crafts projects allow team members to work together as a creative team. They’ll also learn more about each team member’s style.
Create a list of prompts for each team member. For instance, one prompt could be to create a still-life flower arrangement using only office supplies. Another prompt is to create a colorful geometric design using everyday supplies.
The prompts can be simple or complex. The goal is to have the team members work together to build the craft. While that is happening, you can have fun learning more about their approach, creativity, and style. These DIY crafts are fantastic for a stress-free working environment, and bonding over something fun.
4. Try Virtual Escape Rooms
Escape rooms are one of the most engaging team games. They’re also ideal for remote teams because they can be played virtually. An escape room is great for building trust and teamwork among the group.
These escape rooms work for remote teams because they can be set up virtually. Most of the challenges can be started online or with tools that team members can use to create challenges. You can even set up the puzzles so that team members must communicate and work together to solve them.
You’ll want to create an escape room that will challenge your team. Start by choosing a theme, then set a series of challenges.
For instance, imagine your office is a room. Then, create a challenge where the team members have to solve a challenge, like solving a puzzle or figuring out a riddle. That challenge must be solved before the team can unlock the door to the office.
5. Pictionary
The classic game of Pictionary is lots of fun, especially for remote teams. It’s excellent when you’re working across different languages, as it helps team members get to know each other better.
Instead of drawing an image, you draw an abstract word, phrase, or emotion. Then, the other team members must guess what it is. The one who gets the most points wins.
This is also a great virtual team-building game because you can play it online. You can easily set up an online game version on a shared document. Then, the team members each share their abstract drawings.
6. Movie Night
Many teams love to watch movies together. A movie night helps teams forget about the stress of work and build closer relationships. It’s easy to host your own movie night in a virtual setting. You can use a tool like Facebook Live or YouTube Live to stream a movie night for a virtual team.
Whether it’s a team movie night or watching a presentation, live streaming your movie nights helps remote teams feel more connected. You can set up a virtual gathering area and invite the whole team.
To play, pick a genre, then watch a few movies in the same genre. For example, if you’re watching sci-fi movies, then watch a few movies in the sci-fi genre. After each film, have a discussion. Talk about what you’d like to see, what surprised you, and what could have played out differently.
7. Virtual Trivia Night
Trivia nights are a lot of fun for teams, whether local or remote. Trivia nights are great for building bonds and learning more about each team member.
Each team member will have to answer questions with a virtual trivia night. You can either host a trivia night on a shared document or set up a trivia game online.
To play, create a variety of questions and challenges. Some might be difficult, while others can be straightforward. Have the team members share their answers; whoever gets the most questions wins.
8. GeoGuessr
GeoGuessr is a virtual game that lets users explore the world virtually. It enables team members to travel worldwide and discover landmarks they’ve been to or plan to visit.
While GeoGuessr is a great way to explore and learn, it also helps to build teamwork. Since GeoGuessr is designed for players to work together, it is an excellent tool for boosting cooperation.
The game is simple. Each team member chooses a game location. Then, they explore that area until they find a match. When the match is found, they can enter it. It’s a fun game that gets members to visit new places while learning more about each other.
The Bottom Line
Virtual team building is one of the best ways for teams, incredibly remote teams, to stay connected. These games will help you learn more about each team member. You’ll learn which people are more tech-savvy, creative, or good at problem-solving. Try one of these remote team-building games, and you’ll see your team-building skills take off.