Creative Ways to Keep Teams Engaged Virtually

Almost a year into the pandemic, and we’re all getting a little “zoomed” out. With teams working remotely, it can be difficult to keep employees engaged and connected to one another. We are all feeling the absence of those “informal” get-togethers that help to foster morale and build camaraderie.  With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of creative and fun events you can hold virtually for your team.

The key is to design an experience that employees will get excited about and to keep it interactive.

• Virtual happy hour – yes, we’re all doing these and the concept may be getting a little stale, but how about inviting a DJ to host the happy hour?
• Better, yet, send an employee care package to open during the happy hour. Gift-giving isn’t limited to the holidays. It can align with a happy hour theme or be “just because.”
• For something new, invite a virtual comedian or magician who interacts with the “audience” during your online meeting.
• The company could also purchase tickets/access to a virtual concert or comedy show, which is something employees could also enjoy with their families.
• There are a wide variety of apps (including through Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime) that allow you to host a virtual watch party to view movies and shows together.
• Games are always engaging – consider virtual trivia, bingo, or even a virtual escape room. Make it competitive and offer prizes.
• Everyone must eat and those working remotely also tend to be cooking at home more than ever before. Consider inviting the team to a virtual cooking class or mixology class to make a fun cocktail.
• If you have an especially outgoing team, an office Tik Tok challenge could be great fun.
• As a substitute for those “watercooler” type chats, schedule a standing time for a virtual “coffee klatch” with no agenda other than to catch up with one another.
• Get involved in a virtual charity event.

The whole idea is to find ways to continue to build relationships and feel authentically connected to one another. It’s harder when you’re not face to face. But it’s something we need to consider, especially as remote working will continue to more often than not be the norm. The December 2020 Future Workplace Pulse Report by Upwork found that “41.8 percent of the American workforce remained fully remote” and that “the number of remote workers in the next five years is expected to be nearly double what it was before COVID-19.” That means by 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be remote, an increase of 16.8 million people from pre-pandemic rates. Remote working is here to stay. But remote doesn’t need to mean not engaged. With a little creativity, you can keep building that team spirit.