When employees work in the same company building, it generates a sense of camaraderie and trust. But if many of them work remotely, seeing their coworkers becomes a rare occurrence. In such a case, how to do you bring the entire team together? The answer is virtual team building, which is useful in bringing remote workers a cohesive unit.
Adapting to the Modern Times
Business managers today are responsible for building successful teams and encouraging individual commitment to company projects even without conducting the traditional face to face meetings or sessions. Thanks to the advancement of technology, there are ways to develop a strong virtual team.
The following are useful tips for having a team building, taking place in a virtual environment.
Promote Good Habits
The success of a virtual team relies on how good the communication is between the employees and their superiors. Therefore, make sure that conversations and engagements are part of the daily culture of the company. Also, it is more effective if virtual team meetings are interactive and collaborative.
Use different approaches in terms of team meetings. You do not always need to do your collaboration and brainstorming in scheduled meetings. Sometimes, spontaneous meetings or briefings, whether in smaller or bigger groups, can produce great results. Do not forget to set virtual coffee or snack breaks as well.
Boost Team Spirit
As a virtual team manager, part of your job is to display genuine enthusiasm and boost the morale of the employees. Having fun and excitement without losing focus on the task at hand can help strengthen the bond. So, how do you exactly build a team spirit?
- Plan activities. Organize and initiate virtual team building to get the interest of everyone and get them involved. One idea is to host a virtual art studio to stimulate imagination and creativity. Another interesting idea is to have a virtual dance class, having your team dancing and showing off their skills on the dance floor.
- Start meaningful conversations. Initiating a meaningful group conversation is one way to develop team spirit and unity. You may inject some open-ended questions or statements during a virtual meeting. It can also be an icebreaker, as you ask the team to finish some of your sentences.
- There are many reasons to celebrate with your employees. Whether it is a national holiday, a birthday, giving-of-virtual-awards day, etc., just make an excuse to celebrate and be happy. You may ask them to share photos and stories with the group.
Bridge the Gap
Take advantage of the technology with the tools and resources online to make everyone constantly in touch. Require a regular online presence using the communication channels of your company. Also, make your employees feel important and wanted because it is easy for those people working remotely to feel alone and isolated. Encourage interactions through chatting, calling, or video calling on breaks.
Moreover, set the budget and bring people together in the same location at the same time. A simple lunch or dinner will do once in a while. Face-to-face interaction can help develop unity and make remote employees feel special.
It is possible to have real relationships even virtually. You can develop strong connections, enhance problem-solving skills, and increase team commitment. A virtual team building can make the bond stronger and build trust among one another while having fun in an online setting.
