In the age of social distancing, many in-person meetings have been replaced by virtual conference calls, but that doesn’t mean that team building has to be put on the backburner. Here are some of the best ways to bond as a team while continuing to social distance.
Meet For Coffee
Maybe the breakroom won’t be where you enjoy some coffee and conversation, but you can still schedule time with your colleagues by setting up some virtual coffee breaks throughout the day where people can check in with each other and chat about their current projects. By setting aside a few minutes each day to relax and catch up with coworkers, you’ll be able to regain some sense of normal office socialization and continue to build stronger relationships with your team.
Try Active Video Calls
While virtual team building can easily be done from the comfort of your work area, it can be nice to switch things up by taking a more active approach to your online meetings. Consider hosting a meeting where everyone goes for a walk around their neighborhoods or sits outside to enjoy some fresh air. By changing the typical scenery in which these meetings occur, virtual team building will continue to feel new and exciting.
Schedule a Show and Tell
Show and tell is not reserved just for children, in fact it can be a great way to learn more about your colleagues particularly if they’re still working remotely. Encourage everyone on your team to bring something to the meeting that they find unique, interesting, or exciting. You can even raise the stakes by creating a panel of judges and turning it into a friendly competition.
Create Themed Days
You can make your virtual conference calls more engaging and fun for yourself and your colleagues by creating themed days once a week where everyone can dress up, whether it’s a wacky hat or a college sweatshirt day. You can divide the responsibility by having each person on the team come up with their own idea for a themed day so each person has the opportunity to feel involved. Not only will this add some more excitement to your day, but it’s also a great way to get to know your coworkers better and to share a laugh.
By incorporating some of these team building activities into your next virtual conference call, you can help your team maintain a balanced and positive attitude at work while continuing to get to know each other better.
If you’re managing a remote team, then you may have experienced some challenges as a result of the distance. Check out this preview for Smead’s latest podcast on how to effectively manage remote teams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1JGJhM225A
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