It has been a while since you got your team together in the same room. It’s hard to even remember the days of happy hours, birthday breaks, and even just a simple greeting. The home has become the office and it can be hard to work in isolation. You’ve tried keeping up with email, you’ve tried morning meetings and even desperate phone calls, but you just can’t seem to stay organized. You have to find some way to support your team, boost morale, and keep on moving forward.
Human connection is crucial for productivity. Having a collaborative mindset can strengthen teamwork and lead to greater results. This is where virtual team building comes into play. With the right attitude and right activities, you can turn the doldrums of working from home into an interactive bonding experience. Everything is easier when you can work together. It is time to get on the same page and build a rock-solid foundation through virtual team building. Here are five reasons to bring your team together in a virtual space:
Improves Morale
Morale can be an overlooked aspect of any workplace. When everyone is caught up in the grind it can be so difficult to take a moment just to check in. This is even harder when you can’t gather the team in person for a quick boost. And this may be more relevant now than ever considering that Americans, in particular, are working harder than ever and getting less to show for it. Morale keeps the workflow moving by giving your team something to care about; if you can get your team to connect with their jobs in a personal way performance will improve drastically.
For a fun morale boost, try a virtual team-building game. This will give your team a set short-term goal and something to feel proud of when they finish. Try a virtual murder mystery or an in-home scavenger hunt for a fun way to keep spirits high.
Organization
As bonds begin to strengthen communication will become much easier; your team will get to know each other’s workflow and bandwidth. This knowledge of one another will make staying organized so much easier. A simple team-building exercise like 20 Questions is a great way to practice efficient communication.
After a few rounds, your team members should feel comfortable enough to discuss their schedules, make necessary changes and report back to you in full. This also applies to vacations, sick days and any other general coverage you may need.
Communication
From early mornings to late nights, sometimes it can feel like we see our co-workers more than anyone else in our lives. We spend a ton of time with our fellow team members. However, it can feel like the person who has been sitting next to you for all these years is an absolute stranger. This phenomenon becomes even more apparent when people are working from home.
Learning how to communicate and collaborate is like building a muscle, you have to work at it for it to grow. Team building exercises all require your team to talk to one another. While admittedly it can be scary at first, practicing communication skills will only further fledgling relationships.
Builds Relationships
Building tight-knit relationships between members of your team is a surefire way to keep everything flowing smoothly. By using virtual team-building activities you can help the team get to know each other a little better. Try two truths and a lie or a simple name game to break the ice and get everyone out of their shell. Once your team has gotten to talking and sharing, be sure to take a moment to let the conversation flow. While this can be hard over video chat, it is best to let relationships build as naturally as possible.
Fun
Team building exercises are actually super fun. While it can be difficult to coax everyone into a social state, a few quick games will get everyone talking. Nothing is better than being able to get up every day and know you are going to have a good time at work. If your team is enjoying their workweek, they’ll be more motivated to work with you to meet your goals.