Online team building games and activities for remote employees in New Zealand
Here are some team building games you can share with your remote employees to help them form stronger alliances. Many companies are taking advantage of opportunities presented by the global economy to build teams based around the world, including in New Zealand. However, the challenge of having geographically distant teams is that it can be difficult for people to get to know each other. As a result, things can be lost in translation and it isn’t always easy for teams to get in ‘flow’ together. When there is no water cooler for people to gather around, you need to find other ways for them to connect. A great solution is to make time for online activities and games, where everyone can come together, relax and interact in a casual environment. Here are some fun ideas to help your New Zealand team get to know their international peers: Online Q&A Sessions Sometimes, simple conversations are a great way for people to get to know each other so they can work better together. Arrange for some icebreaker sessions by getting everyone together in a zoom meeting or online chat environment and asking simple questions about hobbies, interests and passions. It can be amazing how quickly people find ways to relate to each other. Find a way to turn this activity into a game or simply ask people to answer four or five different questions within 1 or 2 minutes. As long as everyone gets to have their turn, it is a great way to start building connections. Quizzes and challenges Online team building games for remote employees can be lots of fun. Some ideas to look into include virtual escape rooms or online trivia sessions. These give people the opportunity to share their skills and have fun with their colleagues. Have a look online; you will find so many different online games for remote workers out there, from lip-sync battles to virtual Amazing Race experiences. Gift exchange Gift exchange is a lovely way for people to get to know each other. Set a dollar limit and your team can mail small gifts to each other. Hold an online meeting where everybody can open the item they have received. Another idea is to use virtual gifting platforms. You can allow people to nominate gifts that interest them, which can then be ordered online. Add to the excitement by making the gifts Anonymous. Elfster is an example of a platform you can use. Invite a guest speaker An entertaining guest speaker can be a powerful way to inspire and engage your team. This is especially the case when they have a story to share as well as a lesson. Some speakers really are memorable; they tell incredible tales and will give your team something to chat about after the session has ended. The best thing about our modern digital world is that you can find speakers from almost anywhere in the world. If time differences are a problem, record the presentation so people in satellite offices can watch it later. Tastings and ‘pub crawls’ Time zones permitting, why not have your own Friday night cocktail or wine hour? You can arrange to have ingredients sent to your team’s remote workplace so everyone can join in on the fun. Online channels Not all your online team building activities have to include games and Zoom sessions. Setting up Slack or chat channels that are dedicated to people’s pets, weekend activities, memes and silly GIFs or a joke of the day can help to improve culture and camaraderie. Your team will have a place where they can share their personalities and be a little bit less professional. Why you need online team building games and activities for remote workers Building an international team is exciting but it can lead to people feeling disconnected. By arranging some fun online team building games for remote employees and having ways for people to connect regularly online, you can create a positive workplace culture for everyone. Want to know more about hiring a remote team to work from New Zealand? Contact ANZPEO today.
Online team building games and activities for remote employees in Australia
Take a look at some online team building games for remote employees and why they are necessary when you have remote workers. The global pandemic and the shift to remote work have empowered a lot of companies to expand to new markets and draw from a global talent pool. Thanks to technology and new ways of working, it’s possible to have employees based all over the world, including in Australia. Working with remote teams has numerous benefits but it can be challenging to create a strong workplace culture. People lack the opportunity to encounter their peers in the corridors of the office and get to know them. With the ‘watercooler’ element of office life fading, how do you find ways for people to connect? One of the solutions is to host activities and online team building games for remote employees. This gives people a chance to relax, have some fun and interact in a casual environment. Check out some fun ideas to bring your team together online: Online Q&A Sessions Icebreaker-style conversations are an easy and cost-effective way for your remote team to get to know each other. Get everyone together in a Zoom meeting or other online chat environment and ask a few easy questions about favourite foods, television shows or hobbies. It can be surprising how quickly people find ways to relate to each other. You can play this as an online team building game for remote employees or start your regular meetings with some personal chatter. You may only have the time to ask a few of the people in the room some questions but eventually everyone will have their turn. Quizzes and challenges Online team building games for remote employees can be lots of fun. Ideas include putting your team in a virtual escape room and challenging them to find their way out or hosting an online quiz on a Friday afternoon. Quizzes and games give people a chance to share their skills and have some fun with their colleagues. For a quiz, you can choose a theme to match your company or the interests of your team members. There is almost no limit to the different online games for remote workers out there; from lip sync battles to Virtual Amazing Race experiences. Gift exchange You may want to wait till Christmas to plan a gift exchange, or you can do this ‘just because’. Have a dollar limit and your team can mail small gifts to each other, with the promise that nothing is to be opened until everyone can get together in a call. There are virtual platforms where you can have your team nominate a few items they like. Elfster is an example. Remind people to order ahead of your online gathering so everyone’s gift has arrived in time. Everyone can try guessing who their package has been sent by. Invite a guest speaker Guest speakers are a powerful way to inspire and engage your team, especially when they have a compelling story to share. Hearing an incredible story or a new perspective gives people a shared experience that they can talk about later. Many of the world’s best speakers are happy to present to a virtual audience. For those in tricky time zones, presentations can be recorded and watched at a more suitable hour. Tastings and ‘pub crawls’ You can even organise an online cocktail hour. Hopefully, people will be happy to work around time zones but you can arrange to have ingredients sent to your team’s remote workplace and all join in on the fun. Other ideas include virtual pub crawls, wine tasting or tea and coffee tasting for an alcohol-free experience. Online channels Not all your online team building activities have to include games and Zoom sessions. Setting up Slack or chat channels that are dedicated to people’s pets, memes and silly GIFs or a joke of the day can help to improve culture and camaraderie. Your team will have a place where they can share their personalities and be a little bit less professional. Why online team building games and activities are ideal for remote workers While being a remote worker has its perks and allows talented people to live in their city of choice, it can feel frustrating to be cut off from other team members. By arranging some fun online team building games for remote employees and having ways for people to connect regularly online, you can create a positive workplace culture for everyone. Want to know more about hiring a remote team to work from Australia? Contact ANZPEO today.