Help your virtual team to connect and communicate with you and each other with these 8 simple, Easy Virtual Team Building Activities >>>
#1 Host a virtual team building session with a REAL team building activity. We recommend this book of virtual games designed for remote and co-located teams -> Big Book of Virtual Teambuilding Games: Quick, Effective Activities to Build Communication, Trust and Collaboration from Anywhere! (Big Book Series)
#2 Introduce a 10 minute virtual social session prior to starting your online virtual team meetings Get creative with your virtual team meetings. Open up the online virtual conference room 10 minutes early, so the team can chat and catch-up informally. Some virtual team members may find the “chatting” a little difficult or awkward to start with, so come prepared with virtual team “ice-breakers”. Get the virtual room warmed up first, and the interaction will become easier and beneficial with time. Get virtual team “ice-breaker” ideas. Click here: 50 Digital Team-Building Games >> 50 Digital Team-Building Games: Fast, Fun Meeting Openers, Group Activities and Adventures using Social Media, Smart Phones, GPS, Tablets, and More.
#3 Establish a Virtual Team Reward and Recognition program Invite your virtual team to contribute their ideas to a reward and recognition program. Private and public recognitions should be included. Sign up with a corporate gifts online site to make sending gifts and rewards to virtual workers easy. An Amazon.com Gift Card – $25 (Classic design)
#4 Have fun virtual celebration sessions with your virtual team before or after a project starts, give your team the chance to have some fun together. Play a team team building game to “kick off” the project and give out rewards at an end-project party. Just because your team is virtual doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate together!
#5 Assign virtual “open door policy” time slots where team members can contact you during set periods via phone line, video conferencing or direct messaging (IM). Virtual workers can feel isolated and disconnected from other members and their virtual team leader. I’ve seen some virtual workers go weeks without any communication with their virtual team leader. By assigning virtual “open door policy” time slots, your team will know when they can connect with you and know you are available to them.
#6 Arrange a Personality Profiling session for members of your virtual team. Personality profiling is a fun, yet very informative way for you and your team to get to know each other. Virtual team personality profiling will help your team understand how each individual team member communicates and their preferred working style. Continue to follow-up from the sessions by discussing the strengths and weaknesses within your team and how the different personalities, communication and working styles are impacting on the virtual team performance.
#7 Provide a platform for your virtual team to interact on a DAILY basis. Encourage frequent communication to discuss wins and challenges openly without judgement. Social Media groups can be set-up for your team to interact. As a team, discuss and agree on the terms of use. There are many virtual team collaboration tools you can use to keep your team working together. The key is to make sure the platform is USED. This takes some commitment in the beginning – but once your individual team members start to use and see the benefits of the interaction, they will embrace the communication concept.
#8 Host a quarterly virtual team “happy hour” Show your virtual team and remote workers how much you appreciate their efforts. Hosting a regular happy hour will not only bring your team together, it will boost virtual team morale and help the more isolated team members feel part of your group. Click here for the plan: http://virtualteamintelligence.com/virtual-team-building-activities/celebrate-your-success-with-virtual-workers-clients/