Team engagement is essential for the success of any business or company. In our modern world which relies heavily on remote work, it’s important to understand the benefits of virtual team building events and games and what companies can do to engage their teams through the screen.
This guide will provide a breakdown of different virtual events for team building that companies can offer, the benefits of virtual events for team development, and how these events nourish individual development and benefit the company as a whole.
What are virtual team-building events and games?
Virtual team-building events and games bring remote teams together and help form strong bonds between individuals.
It’s important that these events are creative and effective in order to build a more positive work environment and keep businesses successful.
Just like in-person events, the goal of virtual events is to foster relationships between employees while also providing fun social gatherings for everyone to enjoy.
What are some examples of these events?
Go beyond the Zoom happy hours and traditional icebreakers—the virtual atmosphere allows for lots of creativity!
Whether someone hosts a casual virtual lunch or streams a movie for everyone to enjoy, the opportunities for virtual events and games are endless.
Some other fun ideas include:
- Try a virtual escape room
Escaping from the virtual workplace—even if everyone stays on their computers—can go a long way in reducing “Zoom fatigue” and rejuvenating the work environment.
There are plenty of websites that offer virtual escape room team building services to give teams an easy way to enjoy a classic escape room from the comfort of their homes.
- Start a book club or music club
When people have an outlet in which to share their passions, it can promote a sense of community and give them something to look forward to.
Having general clubs of interest can also bring together people from different areas of expertise who may not usually work together.
Tip: Start a 365-day reading challenge and have your team keep track of all the books they read this year. The team member with the most books read at the end of the year gets rewarded. Here’s a list of books to get started.
- Contests or trivia nights
Add a spirit of friendly competition to the workplace by hosting virtual contests or trivia nights. They are quick and easy to create but provide an hour or two of fun that will contribute to a more positive work environment.
What are some of the benefits individuals may experience from these events and games?
- Sense of community
Team-wide virtual events and games break the cycle of loneliness and bring individuals together for something other than work.
Human interaction is perhaps more important than ever in an age where virtual has become another type of normal, so setting aside time specifically for socialization and get-togethers is essential.
- Improved communication and interpersonal relationships with people in the same position
Through virtual events, people can meet others not only in the same position but also those who they may not usually work with or otherwise see.
This helps build diverse relationships within the company or business, as well as makes it easier to connect with people across the globe.
- A boost in individual morale, creativity, and productivity
Bringing others together is often a mood booster that can lead to benefits within the workplace, as well as for individuals.
When people feel seen and supported, they will feel good about their hard work and that it has a purpose.
Social brainstorming sessions also increase creativity and help teams come up with unique solutions within their companies.
How do these events contribute to a robust and interconnected work culture?
- Build trust between employees
To foster a strong work culture and sense of teamwork, it’s important to build trust between employees.
Virtual events and games can prove beneficial in building this relationship because they welcome people to gather in casual settings, allowing them to get to know each other outside of work.
- Promote collaboration between remote employees
What’s great about virtual events and games is that they’re accessible from nearly anywhere.
Whether there are employees who work completely remotely, or there is a global team that physically can’t be in the same place together, virtual events allow individuals to socialize, brainstorm and collaborate.
When it comes time to get back to work, people who met and socialized online will feel more prepared and confident to collaborate with each other.
How do these events help HR and the company as a whole?
- Better customer experience
With all the benefits for individual employees and teams that come with virtual events, it follows that these will benefit customers as well.
When customers interact with creative, productive, and engaged employees, they have a more positive experience.
With boosted morale, better collaboration skills, and improved communication, employees will exceed customers’ expectations and handle their questions with empathy and attention.
- Decreased turnover rates
When individuals feel valued and heard inside and outside of work, they are more likely to stay with their current employer.
Decreased turnover rates allow for a stronger sense of community and trust to develop between employees, as well as allow individuals more time to become more knowledgeable in their fields.
- Higher productivity
As virtual events can boost morale, creativity, productivity, and promote employee engagement. It’s no surprise that they can lead to higher productivity in the long run—which is essential for long-term business success.
Encouraging creative, collaborative ideas helps employees take responsibility for and pride in their work and promotes more efficiency and productivity.
- Increased Profits
With higher productivity comes increased profits, an alluring prospect for any business. Furthermore, as turnover rates decrease, companies can benefit from having seasoned employees and not have to worry about paying for as many orientation or training days.
- More positive work culture
Engaged employees are more likely to contribute to a positive work environment. If they know their employer cares about them and values their work, they will want to support them by staying motivated and productive.
Teaching your team a skill like perception checking can go a long way when it comes to creating a more positive and team-friendly work environment.
Conclusion
Companies and businesses which engage in virtual team-building events and games reap numerous benefits that overall contribute to a higher rate of success in all aspects of business, from employee and customer satisfaction to higher profits and increased productivity.
With so many different and unique options for virtual events, they’re an easy and fun way to bring the community together in a way that will help both individuals and the overall company.
