Team building on Zoom is all about engagement.
Whether your team is partly remote or fully remote, team building activities create a support system and an atmosphere of trust between team members.
In fact, it is not only beneficial for employees.
Engaging and interactive team building activities are great for team leaders and managers too! It helps employers learn to better understand each employee’s strengths and weaknesses.
A study from Gallup revealed that a highly engaged leadership team can boost employee engagement by up to 39%.
We understand that managing remote teams can be challenging for team leaders. But it doesn’t mean that it’s unachievable.
Through the right team building ideas, managers will get everyone on the same wavelength in a smooth and hassle-free experience. Great team building activities are the ones that boost manager-employee relationships.
The activities usually involve managers and employees working together as equals to solve a problem, complete a challenge or win a game.
Here we listed team building ideas that take place live on Zoom. These interactive and live activities utilize Zoom features like breakout rooms, whiteboards, screen sharing, and reactions.
Let’s dive in!
Virtual Murder Mystery
Have the mystery party everyone will love to attend from the comfort of your house.
Solving a murder mystery can be a fun way to make your team feel bonded over Zoom. And we love this because this type of activity is convenient–since all the details are planned out and handled so you can relax and have fun.
Insights & skills gained in this activity: problem-solving, logic skills, interviewing techniques, critical thinking, collaboration, and teamwork.
Collaborate virtually to solve the murder and bring the killer to justice!
The Office Olympics Championship
If you want to incorporate brains, physical strength, and good-natured competition into your team building activities, it’s time to challenge your team in this Office Olympics Championship.
This live-hosted session is happily designed to encourage teamwork and boost engagement.
Insights & skills gained in this activity: communication, wellness, collaboration, teamwork, and trust.
Work together with your team members to claim the elusive office gold medal!
Lost in Japan
A fun and adventurous live session with a Japanese local expert. In this live virtual travel, you and your team will work together to help our guide find his location and explore the wonders of Japanese culture in the process.
Insights & skills gained in this activity: culture & diversity, decision making, teamwork, collaboration
Come with our guide on this exciting exploration of a mystery district in Tokyo!
Escape the Plague
Escape the Plague is a type of virtual escape game where teams solve riddles and complete puzzles in a fixed amount of time, with the goal of “escaping the room”. In the street of a walled city, you will work together with your team members to escape the plague-ridden city by interacting with real-world clues. Perfect for a small team of 12 or below!
Insights & skills gained in this activity: team building, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.
Get teleported into an ancient walled city for a live escape the room challenge!
Tokyo 2021 Olympics Tour
In this interactive and live virtual travel, you will explore Japanese culture, food, and history. With our expert guide, you will walk the streets of Tokyo and take a look at the Olympics Stadium where the action will be unfolding.
Insights & skills gained in this activity: culture & diversity, team building, fun office competition.
Travel virtually to mesmerize in Japanese culture and enjoy a live visit to the site of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics!
Virtual Matcha Session
If a virtual coffee session sounds so mainstream, then this virtual matcha session can be a mind-refreshing activity for your team.
In this live session, you will make & sip Matcha with a Zen tea ceremony master inside her studio in Osaka, Japan. Virtual Matcha session is a kind of experience that will leave you feeling calm, mindful, and inspired.
Insights & skills gained in this activity: Matcha 101, Zen Philosophy, Team Building, Japanese Culture
Ready to take a nice break from work and feel Zen with our life virtual exploration of Matcha and Zen philosophy?
Virtual Trivia Show
Trivia games are everyone’s favorite for a reason– answering both wrong and right helps us learn. We love this game because it’s educational, engaging, and inclusive.
Our trivia game show offers many inclusive options of your choice to celebrate diversity and learn more about your team. Categories covered include pop culture, history, geography, sports, and more.
Insights & skills gained in this activity: Diversity & Inclusion, Team Building, Universal Interests
Make the game extra fun and get extra points for sass and funny answers!
DIY Option: Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Everyone’s love a good chase! Virtual Scavenger Hunt gets people chasing items and following clues, experiencing the rush of mystery and the satisfaction of problem-solving.
It is perfect to play on Zoom and escalate fun for virtual events.
How to play:
- Divide the Zoom participants into teams
- Create a list of 10 unique items for people to find around their homes. For example: “find your favorite second-hand items”, “find an item that makes you feel happiest”, “find an item that you’ve owned for 10 years or more” or something silly like “find an item that you will use to defend yourself during a zombie apocalypse.”
- Give your teams 10 minutes or less to collect the items.
- The winner of this game is the team that has the most correct answer
- Laugh it out and have fun!
Make sure to have a reflection session after each team has finished. This is a great way to spark new conversations between team members.
Insights & skills gained in this activity: collaboration, critical thinking, and decision making.
Need more inspiration? We have collated more than 45 awesome virtual team building ideas in this post.
Closing Thoughts
Zoom team-building experiences are efficient and boost employee morale and collaboration.
It makes remote teams feel connected and valued, which in turn strengthens the company’s culture and employee’s commitment to the organization in general. Bonding is essential, especially for remote teams.
We hope these ideas will promote engagement and make you feel inspired to learn more about your team and hasten your remote team culture.
Find more virtual team building experiences that cater to your team’s interests and needs here.