When we say virtual team building, we are talking of online activities and games that were made to raise and nurture conversations and create interactions that bring togetherness.
A demerit of working online is that it can hinder the relationship between workmates because of the lack of a shared office space which takes a negative turn in their performance. However, correctly designed team-building activities help recreate the moments that drive camaraderie by making relationships stronger, improving communication, and having fun together.
In this article, we will be providing answers to some questions that are linked to the topic of discussion, helping you achieve a broad knowledge of what virtual team building entails.
Virtual team building goal is to:
- Build trust among remote working team members
- Develop team members that are working remotely
- Bring unity to the team
- Clarify team norms
- Foster an understanding of virtual peers’ work
- Help conduct effective meetings in a virtual environment.
Why Is Virtual Team Building Important?
First, you need to understand why remote workers need to create that sense of oneness and togetherness. Building a team of online workers is important because it addresses the challenges that come with a remote work environment, providing them the opportunity to interact and connect.
The act of establishing a relationship between workers helps wade off the feeling of isolation, builds trust, and boosts the kind of collaboration that can suffer when everyone works independently.
Benefits Of Virtual Team Building
Next, we are going to look at some of the benefits of working together.
• Improved Communication and Collaboration
The activities carried out to establish relationships help boost conversations, break down communication barriers, and encourage more effective problem-solving across distances.
• Stronger Team Relationship
Just working indoors makes one a stranger, however getting to know your workmate outside of work tasks helps build trust and rapport. A strong sense of belonging makes people more connected to the company’s mission and improves their ability to work as a team.
•Boosted Morale and Reduced Isolation
Working alone can sometimes be lonely but having to work with a team adds to the fun. A good social environment at work improves employees’ creativity and mitigates absenteeism.
• Improved Overall Team Performance
The fact that whatever you do as an individual affects the team positively or negatively helps correct your stance in the game. This mindset will help boost strength and commitment which eventually leads to improved team performance.
There will also be better communication, trust, and higher morale which eventually transforms into an increase in your productivity, efficiency, and innovation.
Case Study
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology by Karatepe and Montoya Weiss examined the impact of virtual team-building interventions on teamwork processes and performance.
Their meta-analysis of 124 studies revealed that virtual team-building activities have a direct positive effect on multiple aspects of team performance including:
- Task Performance: Improved completion rates, higher quality work, and better problem-solving.
- Collective Team Efficacy: Greater belief in the team’s ability to achieve goals together
- Coordination: Enhanced ability to work seamlessly towards shared objectives.
- Communication: More effective information exchange and reduced misunderstandings.
What Are Virtual Team Building Activities?
These activities are avenues for workers to do social activities together without their physical location as a barrier. They start from a step challenge, score prediction, and online quiz night to virtual problem-solving events.
These events also act as a way to allow the employees to bond more and get familiar with one another creating a relationship that builds teamwork.
What Is The Most Effective Way For Virtual Team Building?
Another question we will be taking into consideration is this. The most effective way to create a bond. It has been observed that creating a long-term plan with at least one team-building activity each month is a viable solution. Consistency drives the best result when it comes to building relationships and trust so these activities should be part of each team’s growth strategy.
It is evident that once a particular thing becomes so frequent, it tends to be boring, that is why, it’s advisable to change activities every 1-2 months to ensure that there is active participation and the workers are excited for each turn.
Ever heard of platforms like ‘Reaction Club’, and ‘And Donut’ or airspeed for Slack? These platforms are curated specifically to automate team-building activities and also to make it easy to create new activities quickly and effectively
What Are Online Team Building Games?
These are games that are popular choices for virtual teams because they offer a sense of shared experience and lighthearted competition. Here are some options to choose from; online company trivia, score prediction games, picture-sharing challenges, and virtual escape rooms.
With games like these, workers are encouraged to work together and solve problems as a team which is our main focus.
How Do I Make Virtual Team Building A Success?
Now, let’s take this popular question of how to make these activities work in favor of your desires.
Schedule Regular Events
Consistency helps build team bonds. Build an annual plan with 12-24 activities for your team. Track the engagement of each activity to enable you to understand which one works for your team and which doesn’t
Check if the activities are something every worker is comfortable with and able to participate in. At the end of each activity, request feedback and find ways to improve on the shortcomings and make it even better for the future.
Do I Need Virtual Team Building?
If your team works remotely, it is worth investing in virtual team-building as it helps with cases like disconnected team members, workers who are struggling to collaborate, etc. If either of the above is your case, then you need to invest in virtual team-building as it helps to create a relationship and also build trust.
Do you also want to boost morale, increase engagement, or even improve cross-team communication? There are several online tools to assist you in understanding your team’s dynamic score and needs and also help you gather an actionable plan.
The Reaction team-building quiz is an example of a tool that was developed basically for creating this relationship. It would ask you questions about your team’s characteristics and provide recommendations for activities.
Conclusion
Virtual team building is a valuable tool for any social organization with remote workers. By investing in these opportunities, you can create a more connected, productive, and happy workforce regardless of where each worker is located.
Adding this to your budget is a necessity to create a strong working atmosphere for your workers and increase engagement.
