Team Building

The importance of team building is widely recognised, with managers seeing benefits such as improved communication, increased collaboration and improved productivity. Before the coronavirus pandemic, team building was often about bringing people together physically and activities were out-of-the-ordinary tasks that attendees could get stuck into. They not only achieved a practical purpose but also created memories, helped forge friendships and ultimately laid the foundations for brilliant working relationships.

Unsurprisingly, the need for team building has increased dramatically since the shift to remote working in 2020. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a 900% increase in online searches for ‘virtual team building’ and a 200% increase in searches for ‘online team building’ (Google Trends, 2021).

But what exactly should employers be looking to get out of virtual team building activities? Is it exactly the same as before? Or are there different priorities that need to be considered to ensure both employers and employees get maximum value?

Welcome New Starters

Perhaps the hardest thing for anyone to get used to is the idea of having a new team member (or being a new team member!) that nobody has met face-to-face. It’s never easy starting a new job and a virtual team building event can be the perfect way for team members to meet informally and start getting to know one another.

Kick-Start New Projects

For a new team beginning work on a project together, communication and trust is essential. A virtual team building activity can be a great way for team members to break the ice and learn a bit about each other before embarking on a new project.

Generate New Ideas

Virtual team building events give employees who don’t often work together the chance to get creative and bounce ideas off one another. It gives employees variety which they aren’t exposed to in the every day online working environment and as a result, creativity can flourish and new ideas can be generated.

Reinforce Company Culture and Values

One of the hardest parts of managing a remote working team can be cultivating culture and reminding employees of company values. Virtual team building events are a great opportunity to highlight what’s important to your company and remind employees of the pivotal role they play in helping the company succeed.

Build Relationships

Relationship building is central to any team building activity it’s even more important for remote working employees. Virtual team building events can help break down communication barriers and build rapport between team members which are critical for effective working relationships.

These are just a few of the brilliant benefits that can be harnessed from virtual team building events. If you’d like to find out more, speak to a member of the Inconnection team now or visit our Ready Made Events Gallery where you’ll find team building activities such as Murder Mystery, Virtual Escape Room and more.