Best Virtual Team Building Activities for Remote Teams

Virtual team-building activities are a significant part of running a successful business, especially post-COVID, as most companies have kept their flexible work-from-home policy. 

Team building is a process that helps employees strengthen their bonds and increase camaraderie. This leads to them working more efficiently towards the organization’s collective goals. No company can afford to overlook team building. It has many advantages for the business and gives employees a better workplace in which to do their jobs.

Read more for team-building ideas!

Here are a few virtual team-building activities that you can follow:

Virtual Art Sessions for Remote Team

Looking to energize your virtual meetings with a creative twist? Try hosting art sessions for your team! These sessions are perfect for large groups and offer a unique way to destress and bond together. Simply message your team the supplies list, create a dedicated Slack channel for sharing artwork, and watch creativity flourish. You don’t need fancy materials – basic art supplies sent as company swag will do. Team members can express themselves freely while connecting through Slack, making it an engaging remote activity that combines relaxation with team building. Drop photos of your creations in the channel and watch the positive vibes spread across your virtual workspace.

Host a Virtual Trip for Remote Employees

Transform your video conferences into exciting virtual adventures! Invite your remote employees to explore world-famous cities together through immersive virtual trips. From the bustling streets of Tokyo to the charm of Paris, these video-call excursions bring your team together while discovering global cultures. Make it more authentic by shipping local snacks from each destination to team members before the tour – imagine savoring New York bagels while virtually strolling through Times Square! This unique approach to team building creates shared experiences even when physically apart. Cap off the journey by surprising your remote employees with themed souvenirs, turning a simple video conference into an unforgettable cultural expedition.

Virtual Games with Gifts: Best Team Activities

There is a child in each of us who likes to hide the entire day but comes out when we talk about games and gifts. Everybody, no matter how old or young, loves to play games, especially if gifts are involved. Conducting fun virtual games that will allow your employees to win exciting gifts is a good team building activity. The games can be as simple as trivia and as complicated as virtual murder mysteries. This is a great chance to help the team members feel comfortable with each other and enjoy the corporate swag they win through these fun games. 

You can include absolutely anything for this virtual event, such as corporate swag. Give out complimentary swag to all the participants even if they don’t win. You can send T-shirts or jackets branded with your logo to all the participants to show them their presence is appreciated. This activity has ample scope for creating creative corporate swag since anything can be given as a gift. Some ideas include travel accessories, apparel, hats, charging stations, power banks, ring lights, and tote bags.

Virtual Trivia Challenges

Trivia games are enjoyed by everyone, especially when they are about a famous TV show like Game of Thrones or a movie that has recently been released. Hardcore fans would know almost everything about them, including the personal details of the lives of the actors who played some prominent characters in these shows. 

Conducting trivia challenges online will excite your team, and they will be thrilled to participate in this virtual team-building activity. Branded merchandise can be sent to the team members before conducting the challenge as a token of motivation. Virtual trivia challenges are a great team-building activity as they let your employees get to know each other on a personal level. They get to know each other’s likes and dislikes, which creates strong friendships with each other. 

Open Mic Team-Building Activities

An open mic event in your virtual workspace can be one of the most engaging activities for your team members. This event can involve several fun activities. Your team members can form small groups and collaborate for activities like comedy sketches or short skits. These activities will need more interaction between coworkers and help build bonds and lasting friendships. You can even conduct poetry slams at open mic events and learn about your employees’ creative side.

An open mic activity can be conducted like a competition, and your employees can be given corporate swag towards the end. Corporate swag suitable for this event would be ring lights, work-from-home furniture, tech accessories, laptop tables, laptop sleeves, etc. You can also give your employees a Bluetooth mic and speaker set with your brand’s name and logo on it. These mics are popular now and can be used for karaoke nights with your friends.  

Virtual Holiday Celebration

Several holiday-based activities can be conducted to build a team’s spirit. Exciting games your team members can play include Halloween costume contests, Thanksgiving Trivia, Christmas Mad Libs, seasonal scavenger hunts, and 4th of July puzzles. A corporate swag of all sorts can be given before this event. Stuff like apparel and snacks are among the top choices. 

Virtual Event Campfire on Zoom 

Transform your virtual team bonding with an exciting digital campfire experience that builds communication skills through storytelling and games! Set the mood with campfire emojis and send cozy care packages to your team – think s’mores kits, customized blankets, and camping-themed swag. Gather around the “virtual fire” for ghost stories, nature mad libs, and virtual hikes that get everyone talking and sharing. Whether playing scavenger hunt or sharing tales, these activities help team members develop their communication skills while having fun. Encourage everyone to sport their custom team apparel and share snack moments, creating a warm, collaborative atmosphere even through screens!

House Tour

Bring “MTV Cribs” energy to your remote team bonding with virtual house tours! Let each team member become the star of their own home tour, showcasing their favorite spots, daily routines, and personal style. From cozy work corners to cherished collectibles, these tours offer a genuine glimpse into colleagues’ lives beyond the usual video call window. Want to add extra flair? Send home decor items as company swag beforehand – think stylish throw pillows, trendy plant pots, or chic kitchen accessories – giving everyone something special to feature during their tour. It’s a fun way to strengthen team connections while celebrating each person’s unique living space.

Virtual Escape Room

A virtual escape room is the most fun and engaging virtual team building activity. By working together to solve puzzles and mysteries, the entire team bonds while taking on exciting challenges. Even though team members may be remote, a virtual escape room provides a fun way for small teams to collaborate virtually.

Virtual Murder Mystery 

A virtual escape room is the most fun and engaging virtual team building activity. By working together to solve puzzles and mysteries, the entire team bonds while taking on exciting challenges. Even though team members may be remote, a virtual escape room provides a fun way for small teams to virtually come together.

Virtual Book Club

A virtual book club is a rewarding virtual team challenge that intellectually brings remote team members together. By having virtual team members read the same book and discuss it online, it stimulates great conversations that create team bonding opportunities. A virtual book club is a fun and engaging virtual team-building activity.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Send small teams out on virtual scavenger hunts across the internet for a fun way to build teamwork and connectivity between remote team members. This online game lets you engage remote workers creatively through a light-hearted team activity that makes virtual team building entertaining for the entire team.

Virtual Happy Hour

Transform your remote work culture with engaging virtual happy hours that unite the team after a busy day! Send mixology kits with branded glasses to each team member, then watch as everyone shares their favorite drink recipes and mixing techniques in real time. These virtual happy hours go beyond basic socializing – mix in some quick trivia games or themed celebrations to keep the energy high. It’s a relaxed way for remote teams to unwind, share laughs, and build stronger connections while enjoying their favorite beverages from home. Whether you’re hosting tropical-themed mixers or seasonal celebrations, these virtual gatherings keep team spirit flowing!

Icebreaker Questions

Energize your video calls with fun icebreaker questions that create genuine connections during remote team building. Split into breakout rooms where team members can comfortably share their hidden talents, unusual desk items, or favorite work-from-home hacks. These simple conversation starters help remote colleagues discover common interests and build stronger bonds, even from miles apart.

Team Building Online Game: Never Have I Ever

Never Have I Ever is a great online team-building game for your remote team. It lets team members take turns sharing surprising truths about themselves that others must guess lies or truth. This fun virtual team-building activity helps your team see different sides of each other.

Virtual Movie Night

Host a virtual movie night to bring your remote team together for a fun bonding activity. Have everyone watch the same movie in their virtual offices, and then discuss it as a team afterward. It’s an engaging way for your whole team to connect.

Virtual Team Building Game and Activities

Send out mystery boxes of snacks, games, or puzzles to your remote team members and facilitate team-building activities over video chat. Challenge your team to collaborate and get to know each other better through fun virtual team-building games.

Truth and Lie

Ask team members to share two truths about themselves and one lie. Then, have the rest of the team vote on what they think is the lie. This fun remote team-building activity helps your team get to know each other better.

Virtual Show and Tell

Schedule a virtual show-and-tell session and have remote team members take turns sharing something meaningful. This allows your team to appreciate what makes each member unique, and it’s a great virtual team bonding experience.

Benefits of Sending Swag Before Virtual Team Building

• Brand Awareness & Marketing
  Company swag serves as an ongoing advertisement. Employees using branded items during online team-building sessions boost brand recognition and reach. Each use subtly promotes your brand, making it an effective marketing tool.
• Strengthen Company Culture
  Branded swag fosters a sense of belonging, helping employees feel like part of a unified culture—even while they work from home. Unique, quality swag can also attract talent, enhancing both team spirit and company reputation.
• Increase Event Excitement
  Sending swag ahead of time, like custom coffee mugs for a virtual coffee break or snacks for a 5-minute team activity, motivates employees to join in. A small, personalized gesture can make them more eager to participate in the team meeting. 
• Create a Positive Remote Work Environment
  Corporate swag encourages engagement in virtual events and helps employees connect even while working remotely. A happy, engaged workforce contributes to a more positive remote work culture. 
• Boost Employee Appreciation
  Swag shows employees they’re valued, reinforcing their role in the company’s success. Feeling respected and appreciated builds a stronger, motivated team that’s invested in driving company goals. 
• Drive Productivity & Sales
  Strong team bonds often lead to higher productivity, supporting sales growth. Employees who feel connected and motivated contribute more effectively to the company’s success.

Best Virtual Team Building Activities with SwagMagic

Through SwagMagic, you can build your own swag store and allow your employees to redeem gifts they choose based on a set budget. Look at our sample stores to get a feel for what your store could look like. There are over 2000+ items to choose from, all of which can be designed based on your logo and branding. Pair your virtual activities with SwagMagic to deliver relevant swag before the event. Request a demo to learn more about how we can help you set up the perfect virtual event.

That wraps up our list of the best virtual team-building activities to unite your distributed team. As you can see, there are so many fun team games and challenges you can facilitate online to help your team bond. From virtual escape rooms to online scavenger hunts, the options are endless!

So why wait? Give your team the gift of greater connectivity and morale with these virtual team games that everyone on your team will love. Book a call today with SwagMagic to get custom recommendations for team-building activities tailored to your remote team. Our team bonding experts make it easy to build personal connections, even from afar.

The virtual team games and ideas covered today are just a fraction of what’s possible. Use this list as inspiration to create customized online team-building challenges tailored to your team’s needs. Strengthening bonds will boost productivity and retention and make work more meaningful and enjoyable for team members.