Businesses have, for a large part, had to start working remotely due to the recent coronavirus pandemic. This means that staff, who used to communicate often, now have limited ways to build relationships and collaborate. All working environments have their fair share of internal politics and conflict, and working apart can only make this worse.
Virtual team-building exercises are the next step to get your staff working together effectively and improving the company culture. If you are looking for ways to switch it up and get your team excited again, here are three great virtual exercises your business can benefit from
Employee Team Games
This is fun and can be done in so many different ways. Offer your team a chance to win a day off or bragging rights for winning a general knowledge quiz. This can be done after hours or even during work when there is some free time. Set up a virtual chat room like Zoom and have each staff member answer various questions. Make sure the video is on so you watch no one cheats on the internet.
You can also try the classic Two Truths and a Lie to get staff more interactive and learning about each other. Another fun activity is friendly online gaming between staff or teams. There are many gaming options, such as poker found at rubyfortune.com. Others can be first-person shooter games or online role-playing ones where each staff member has a customised character, competing against the rest of the team.
Office Bingo
This old game has stood the test of time because it can be so fun to get into. There are variations on the internet that can help you create a work-placed bingo by making up funny occurrences or things people say. Saw a co-worker in the grocery store? You get a point. This game can be specific to any kind of environment and can be a hilarious way to get your staff communicating.
The bingo choices themselves can be so outrageous, such as the boss telling an unfunny joke, or one staff’s dog is always joining the video calls because it’s something that happens regularly. Just be sure you don’t offend anyone with something too sensitive.
“Either-Or” Choice Games
This activity aims to get your staff talking to each other and deliberating different topics. Start small and create two groups. Each group has to decide whether they would rather live without their cell phone or the internet. The groups discuss their various opinions until one group has agreed, either way, then you introduce a new dilemma.
The game can go on for hours and the longer you play, the more involved and intense the topics can get. Change it up by having each team member pick a different dilemma that is personal to them. This is a great way to open a line of communication so your team gets to know each other well.
A business needs to be productive, but that can only work if your staff are happy and effective. Sometimes just a simple surprise staff gift or lunch out can make the world of difference. Staff need to feel valued in the company, but they also need downtime so that work isn’t a constant stress of tasks and responsibilities without any good loving fun.