By Jenny Davis

Zoom fatigue is real, but injecting just a little bit of fun into your team-building can make a huge difference. And when you’re ready to have someone take the work of planning and running games off your hands, sign up for a RemoteBridge team-building event such as a boat race, scavenger hunt, or virtual dance party. Our virtual team-building events use immersive 3D to bring your team together in an entirely new way. Still, want to D.I.Y.? Here are some virtual games for Zoom or Teams to consider:

Virtual Wine/Beer Tasting

One of the most delicious silver linings of the Covid pandemic has been the emergence of an industry devoted to letting people sip new libations together (yet apart)–in their pajamas, if they like, no designated driver necessary. Plenty of services for hire will ship boxes of seasonal beers, or flights of wine, or the makings of a fun cocktail, to your team members’ homes so you can gather on Zoom and compare notes; many even offer a professional to walk you through the tasting. Be sure to include a non-alcoholic option for non-drinkers who want to join and note that not all states will allow alcoholic beverages to be shipped by mail. (For maximum inclusivity do not make an event centered around alcohol mandatory.)

Tip: Ask your provider to send a sample so you can see the packaging and decide if it feels overly branded with the vendor’s logo.

(https://snacknation.com/blog/virtual-alcohol-tasting/)

Crafts

Learn a new skill or make something handy together, virtually! Companies like https://www.adultsandcrafts.com/ make it easy to throw a craft party for your team, with all the materials each person needs shipped directly to them, and online instruction can be provided.

Tip: Try surveying your team members for hidden expertise: If it turns out Carl in accounting is an expert knitter, maybe he’d be willing to teach a Zoom class.

Virtual Trivia

Though a lot of teams are trivia’d out by now, you can make it fresh by writing your own clues, related to either the individuals on your team or your organization. Plenty of trivia services also will host a game (https://www.geekswhodrink.com/private-events/) and provide the questions too; in any case, be sure to have a prize ready for the winner! Finally, make sure it’s collaborative and that teams have a chance to work out questions together - this isn’t just an opportunity to find the most knowledgeable member of your team.

Tip: This requires a dynamic host who can improvise humorously but respectfully. . 

Online Magic Show

These can be slightly wince-inducing, but a well-executed sleight-of-hand can be almost as impressive digitally as are in person. Consider hiring a magician who specializes in remote performances (https://funcorporatemagic.com/) to entertain your crew. This kind of event is more passive than some of our other game ideas, so it might appeal more to the introverts among your team.

Guess Who, Office Edition

Collect tidbits of information in advance of your meeting from team members, then have participants guess which of their colleagues were born in Sweden, or have double-jointed shoulders, or used to ride motorcycles cross-country. You can use Zoom’s chat function to collect everyone’s guesses. This activity is useful for making team members feel like their coworkers are whole, complete people, even outside of work hours.

Tip: When gathering funny facts about your team members, use Google Forms or Typeform (https://www.typeform.com/) to keep all the inputs organized and be sure to ask specific questions (i.e. have you ever had an unusual pet) instead of general questions (i.e. What is an unusual fact about yourself?)

Virtual Murder Mystery/Escape Room

A whodunnit or a how-do-we-do it for your team is an excellent way to let participants practice thinking outside the box with each other. See communication strategies develop in non-workplace contexts in real time as your group tries to solve a crime or imagine ways to get out of a situation together. Plenty of available online-hosted storylines to choose from, too.

(https://www.broadwaymurdermysteries.com/ or https://theescapegame.com/remote-adventures/

Tip: Make sure that no download is required that will trip-up your firewall and your I.T. department.