How do you work on team building when your team is working virtually?

 

Traditionally, team building has taken the form of fun activities done together: an excuse to have fun during work hours. While these activities have value, they’re not really building a team.

 

In order for your team building activities to do what they’re meant to do and foster teamwork, you must make sure that you understand the components that all effective team building activities need to have. Forbes has a great article on this, but we boiled it down to the nitty gritty and absolute need-to-knows:

Understand the purpose of the activity: The purpose of team building is to teach your team to work together and address their weaknesses. That is the main purpose. In order to accomplish that, team building activities should have three crucial components: socializing, collaboration/teamwork, and FUN/relevance.

 

Allow an opportunity to socialize: this is especially important for remote teams. This article on Wellable outlines just how important it is for teams to socialize and take a true mental break. Socialization can actually foster creativity…and the lack of it can cause emotional health to suffer.

 

Collaboration and teamwork: This one should be self-explanatory, but going for a fun after work dinner is not team building, it’s simply a fun dinner with the team. What’s the difference? Team building activities should foster and require collaboration in order to build the teamwork skills you want your team to have, and teach them to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as that of their peers and how to work together.

 

 

Fun and relevance: If you’re asking your employees to take time out of their day to participate in an activity, make sure it’s not only fun, but also relevant. Take some time to explain how this activity will help them work together, and make sure to make it a fun one that everyone will enjoy. Bonus: ask for their input in advance and vote on ideas. Down with the obligatory flag football games!

 

We help you build your team with our virtual wellness classes by offering an opportunity for a fun socialization experience.