Touted for its flexibility and organizational cost savings, remote work can also come with downsides. Research shows that remote employees report higher levels of loneliness and isolation. Ensuring remote team members feel engaged and connected with their organization can improve productivity, teamwide communication, and morale – among other benefits.
Virtual team building is an essential strategy for cultivating stronger, more connected teams. Knowing how to plan a virtual team building event is key. To distinguish your team building events from feeling like just another Zoom call, it’s important to have a clear and customized structure in place.
What Is a Virtual Team Building Event?
A virtual team building event is a customized, structured, and facilitated experience, allowing remote and hybrid team members to connect better and focus on strengthening their workplace relationships.
Unlike a typical video team meeting, a virtual team building event is intentionally designed around tailored engagement, not attendance alone.
How to Plan a Virtual Team Building Event in 6 Steps
Pulling off a customized and successful virtual team building event boils down to creating a solid game plan. Follow the six steps below to begin planning a tailored virtual event.
1. Define Your Goal (and Survey Your Team First)
Start by determining the goals you want participants to reach. Setting clear goals serves as a guiding light for every decision that follows–from the format and itinerary of the event to the platform to use and the timing.
The purpose and goals will also dictate the approach. For example, for onboarding or connecting new teams, virtual icebreaking activities would be ideal. For team members experiencing isolation or burnout, morale-building activities make the most sense.
Begin by creating a brief pre-event survey to identify what participants need and want to work on before locking in an itinerary of activities. Consider including the following questions in your survey:
- How connected do you feel to your hybrid and remote colleagues?
This question will help determine which types of events work best for those who feel connected versus those who feel isolated. For the latter, planning events focused on collaboration, such as the Virtual Escape Room: Save the Boss or Virtual Competition to Collaboration, will address their disconnect by guiding them through opportunities to work together.
- How would you describe your current energy and engagement levels at work?
For team members experiencing low energy or even burnout, it’s best to choose activities that are energizing, yet won’t cause additional stress. Virtual Are You Smarter Than a Sixth Grader would be an interactive, fun, and low-stress activity for them.
- Do you prefer competitive, collaborative, or social activities?
Pinpointing participants’ activity preferences will show them the organization’s commitment to improving their team experience in ways that work for them.
Some team members may enjoy more social and collaborative activities, while others may blossom more during competitive events. Determine their preferences and then customize the team building event accordingly.
- What time of day and day of the week works best for you?
If some remote team members already dread Mondays or don’t fully wake up until the afternoon, it’s best not to schedule the event during those times. Gather everyone’s preferences and then choose the most popular dates and times that work for the majority.
- Do you have any accessibility or technology constraints we should consider?
Asking whether participants have any accessibility or technological constraints is vital to ensuring they can engage fully.
- What would make this virtual event feel worthwhile to you?
Each participant needs to get the most out of any virtual team building event. Asking them what would make the event feel the most worthwhile will equip organizers with intimate knowledge, invaluable for planning a customized, employee-centered event.
2. Choose Your Format and Activity Type
Virtual team building activities fall into several major categories, including:
- Getting-to-know-you/Icebreaker activities
- Creative collaborations and competitions
- Health and wellness-centered activities
- Team competitions and games
Before selecting a specific activity and format, consider your original goals and employees’ preferences, including comfort levels.
3. Set a Budget
Before booking a single activity for the event, it’s best to set a clear budget. Costs can vary across the board depending on:
- Number of participants
- Virtual platform
- Level of facilitation
- Goals for the event
When determining the budget, consider factoring in the following:
- Fees associated with the virtual platform or technology
- Level of professional facilitation during the event
- Activity costs per participant
- Cost of materials
- Cost of prizes for the winners
In general, professionally facilitated virtual team building events cost less per participant than in-person events do. On average, organizers can expect prices starting at $50-$85 per participant for virtual team building events, with the per-person rate dropping as group size expands. That is less than half the average expected cost for in-person programs.
4. Decide on Timing, Group Size, and Format
When it comes to basic, practical constraints for any virtual event, time availability and group size are at the top of the list. Both factors will significantly inform the format you choose for the virtual event.
5. Handle the Logistics
Taking the time to consider the logistics carefully is critical when planning any virtual team bonding event. Consider the following essential pre-event logistics:
- The right technology platform for the number of participants
- Testing the platform’s and other tech capabilities
- Circulating event invites with clear instructions to sign up
- Disseminating the agenda and participant expectations in advance
- Preparing any relevant event materials and event/game links to participants
- Designating a point person to address all technical issues before and during the event
6. Follow Up and Measure Impact
Once the event ends, the real work begins. Assessing its impact will drive organizational changes and shift priorities, not to mention provide invaluable insights before planning the next event. Distribute a short, post-event survey within 24 to 48 hours of the event to capture feedback while the experience is still fresh.
To measure the event’s impact, consider the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) alongside the post-survey feedback:
- Participation rates (general attendance and individual event participation)
- Survey scores
- Whether pre-event goals were met
Use the post-event survey results to improve workplace culture and the next virtual team building event.
Types of Virtual Team Building Activities Worth Considering
With a solid planning framework ready to go, it’s time to choose the right team building activities, customized for the participants. Selecting the best virtual activities typically boils down to:
- Individual personalities and preferences
- Organizational goals
- Time (availability and constraints)
Consider the following categories of activities for your team:
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Social Icebreakers
Social icebreaker activities are ideal for remote employee onboarding or post-onboarding/early-employment-centered events. Throwing a Virtual Office Party Game or Virtual Speed Networking event is an effective way to break the ice and encourage new employees to get to know their teams naturally.
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Professional Development Activities
If some of the event goals include boosting engagement and improving employee performance in a fun and productive way, then virtual professional development activities are the answer.
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Trivia and Game Show Competitions
Healthy competition can foster improved collaboration, communication, and more. Placing Trivia Blast Live or Virtual Name That Tune on the agenda will encourage participants to think creatively and foster a team spirit that will continue long after the event.
Plan Your Next Virtual Team Building Event with Best Corporate Events
A successful and memorable online team building event begins with goal setting before moving on to careful planning, and ending with a post-event impact analysis.
A professionally facilitated virtual team building event takes the pressure off organizers. It also delivers a superior event experience for all participants. Contact the team at Best Corporate Events for a quote before your next virtual team building event.
