Looking for the ultimate virtual team building game for your virtual team? Firstly, a lot of “virtual team games” are just that, virtual games. They’re designed for you and your team to simply have some fun. They are not necessarily designed as real virtual team building activities. Having some fun with your team is a definite plus and will go a long way to boosting team morale, but if you’re looking for real long-term team building benefits, you need to look for more than fun.
What about the virtual games that promote some healthy competition between team members? Agreed, a little competition can also be a lot of fun and an exciting break from the usual virtual working day. But, think about this? Is it competition you want to inspire with your team OR do you want a virtual team that is working together with one united purpose to achieve? To achieve that, you need give your virtual team a more united, harmonizing experience. One that will help your virtual team truly “gel” together and WANT to achieve their missions and goals together as one united group (even though their offices are dotted across the globe).
Many virtual team games aren’t designed to REALLY help your virtual team come together with one united purpose. They are not designed to help your virtual team make long-term improvements to your virtual team working dynamics.
So what are some of the key elements or factors you should be looking for in your ultimate virtual team building activities?
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1. The Virtual Team Activity promotes collaboration NOT competition
For virtual team building activities to be truly effective they need to be an activity that will reflect how the virtual team is really working together. It needs to promote collaboration, not competition.
2. The virtual team building Activity incorporates real learnings with long-term benefits to your virtual working team dynamics
Your virtual team building activity should help you to identify the strengths and weaknesses within your team. You need to come away with a better team with real learnings to implement, not just a team that has had a fun time together then goes back to the same old habits, miscommunications and mismanagement.
3. The Virtual Team Activity needs to be FUN while MIRRORING or PARALLELING your virtual team workplace
When conducting your virtual team building activity you should have as many parallels as possible back to the workplace. One key parallel is … if your team is working virtual, then the game or activity needs to be executed virtually with everyone playing together as they usually would work in the team. Allowances need to be made for different locations, technology and timezones. The game should require your team to use the skills they need to work effectively as part of a virtual team.
Some of the virtual team skills that should be challenged in a virtual team building activity include: virtual team leadership skills, remote team communication and collaboration skills, remote team consensus building, priority setting, decision making and problem solving.
Having a virtual team with members working remotely from one another does present some unique challenges. But by introducing team building activities that promote the fun factor and a real team building experience you will ensure your team comes together, strong and united. The key is to select your team building activity wisely – one that is especially designed for the virtual team environment and one that will deliver real long-term benefits to you and your team members.
For more Virtual Team Building Activities click here to read our article “Easy Virtual Team Building Activity for Remote Teams”