The core benefits of virtual team building for remote teams

We can all agree that remote work is the new normal. It came as a surprise, but it won our hearts for good. And before you ask, "But what are the advantages of virtual work, really?" – it all comes down to three simple words: Work. Life. Balance. 

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Before we cover team building, let’s remind ourselves why remote work matters. There are  three main benefits of working in a virtual team:

• You save time on the commute
• Flexible hours beat 9-to-5 any day
• You can work from anywhere in the world as long as there's an Internet connection 

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Everybody wins! That is if your virtual work setup is done right. And that's where virtual team building comes to play.

Why is team building important for remote teams?

All team building activities are important, but especially for remote teams. After all, it's far too easy for virtual teams to feel lonely and disconnected! 

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Forbes outlines some of the most common challenges of remote work as follows: 

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• Mental health challenges caused by the lack of human connection, decreased levels of involvement, and a growing sense of isolation.
• Multiple distractions resulting in decreased productivity and engagement. 
• Difficulties with communication and cooperation that decrease the  level of affiliation with the organization and will to participate. 

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At the same time, virtual team building helps companies address many of these struggles effectively, offering the best of both worlds – the flexibility of working from home and the enhanced sense of connection facilitated at the office. 

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Here are the main 5 benefits of exercising team building online you shouldn’t ignore: 

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1. Virtual team building boosts employee satisfaction and engagement

A positive virtual team building experience can significantly improve employee engagement and satisfaction. 

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By actively participating in meaningful team building activities, you remind your team that their work is essential. 

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More importantly, make sure that every participant has a chance to express their concerns, fears, and plans openly – this way, they know they are appreciated and valued as individuals, not just as employees. 

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That's how you can nourish employee satisfaction and engagement during remote work. 

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To learn more about the importance of virtual employee engagement, also read: 

• The must-known employee engagement statistics 
• The best apps for employee engagement
• Top 10 employee engagement solutions to consider
• Our favorite platforms for employee engagement

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2. Regular online team building improves productivity

You can find many contradicting statistics on how remote work affects productivity. Most sources prove working from home makes you more productive, yet many bosses still believe the opposite. Online team building may be a perfect opportunity to bring everyone on the same page.  

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Here, it's important to focus on specific skills that make your team more productive, for example:

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• Time management
• Teamwork
• Creativity
• Problem-solving
• Healthy communication

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Virtual team building is a perfect opportunity to practice those from the comfort of your home and grow as professionals.

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3. Virtual team building nurtures a sense of connection 

For many of us, the definition of a fun virtual team building session is cracking some beers open in front of the screen and unwinding from the work talk. A friendly conversation - similar to the one you'd have in the office kitchen or the open space - goes a long way in the virtual environment! 

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In fact, according to Reddit, when it comes to virtual team building – the simpler, the better. 

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Reddit users list remote team building activities they like best  

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The crucial aspect of these online gatherings events is the conversation. Focus on the topics that help you get to know each other, connect on new levels, or share fears and dreams. This way, you'll nurture a sense of belonging even when your team is scattered around the globe.

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4. Doing team building online is cheaper than on-site

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There's no need to go over the top to have a meaningful team building experience. And there are plenty of ways to save money while delivering a more memorable experience to all the participants. 

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For starters, you can have an engaging activity with a professional host organized for you for minimal payment. Your team building experience needs to be about you, your team, and your struggles.  

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Here's a full list of the best team building activities for work that could help you address your team's unique needs - most of it, you can organize yourself, too!

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Moreover, "free" doesn't mean "boring! There are tons of free virtual team building activities for you to try.

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Is virtual team building effective?

The short answer is – why wouldn't it be? 

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Any effective team building activity addresses individuals' ability to work alone and as a part of the group. With most of our work being online anyway, using remote team building for some skill and relationship building seems only natural! 

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There is a small catch, though. 

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Many times, people would claim that virtual team building is ineffective because their experience was focused solely on having fun. Counterintuitive, right? 

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People generally enjoy learning by doing. That's why good team building activities must address specific needs, challenges, or projects the team will likely face. 

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Here’s how we do it at Gomada:

1. Gomada auto-generates a sequence of activities tailored to your team
2. You run a 20-30-minute activity 2-3 times per month
3. Gomada measures your team metrics so you can measure effectiveness yourself

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You can take a look at Gomada’s features below.