In today’s workplace, teams are often spread out geographically. This presents a challenge in terms of strengthening the bonds of teamwork and collaboration among team members. The following examples of virtual game night ideas can be used by managers to help overcome this challenge; they will provide opportunities for employees to connect on an emotional level.
1: Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt with clues sent via email or in chat rooms, using images and mentions from the company’s internal social media sites like Yammer. A virtual game night idea like this is ideal for employees who work remotely or travel frequently, as it allows them to take part from a distance.
2: Around the World
Create clues that encourage team members to visit different sites across your company’s social media networks. For instance, using Yammer, create different images representing areas or activities in your company’s intranet (e.g., near the cafeteria for lunch, inside the break rooms, etc.).
3: Image and video idea
Create a series of images that portray an activity or event at your company’s intranet. For example, create pictures representing departments with people standing behind desks and on chairs, and include details like their name tags. Have individuals guess what these activities are in order to move onto the next clue. The movie idea can also be used for team-building exercises geared toward objectives other than building teamwork. For instance, one objective could be to have employees brainstorm ways they could improve customer service in order or another department; this could involve creating a storyboard for a how-to video about something related to employee goals (see below). In terms of virtual game night ideas, it is also important to keep in mind that the activities you choose should be relevant to your company’s objectives and values.
4: Role play (skits, videos, advertising)
With this idea, create a series of images depicting different roles and departments with people behind desks or on chairs; one may even include employees in private offices. Have individuals guess what these activities are and why perhaps people are dressed up for the occasion. These clues lead participants into discussions about how their work relates to others’ roles. This is an ideal virtual game night idea for team-building exercises related to company culture or interdepartmental collaboration.
5: Game night
Design a variety of game-like activities on social media, using images and links to video clips. Each activity should be geared toward helping employees learn more about each other’s roles or departments. Game night can also be an opportunity for marketing teams to engage with customers while strengthening customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives. Game night can be designed to support different types of objectives, including improving customer service and developing talent in your organization. Game night is an ideal virtual game night idea for team-building exercises related to company culture or interdepartmental collaboration.
6: Game show
With this virtual game night idea, create a series of images that depict different roles or departments in your company’s intranet. Have employees guess what these activities are and the skills required to perform them.
7: Game night movie trivia challenge
This is a variation of game-show ideas, but it can be applied for team building purposes other than teamwork. For example, use the same idea to develop specifically toward a marketing objective. Game trivia questions challenge can involve creating teams that have specific objectives, where they work together to create entertaining videos. Game night movie trivia challenge is an ideal virtual game night idea for team-building exercises geared toward company culture building or customer relationship management.
8: Jeopardy
Create trivia questions and answers for an online game using a variety of images as hints. You can even use images from Twitter or video clips to help teams guess what the questions are and answers might be. Game night can be used in a variety of ways depending on the overall objective that is being pursued by your company and its employees. For instance, game night can help develop staff in your organization or help build the company culture. Jeopardy is an ideal virtual game night idea for team-building exercises geared toward improving customer service and developing talent within your organization.
9: Movie poster challenge
Challenge employees to create a movie poster based on what they think their role or department is like, and why people do what they do. Typically, teams are given a series of images or video clips as a starting point to help them with the creative process; these would include photos of their colleagues working or interacting, data about what your company does and its objectives, etc.
10: Survey challenge
With this virtual game night idea, create a list of questions and provide a series of images; each image leads teams to the next question or topic. At the end, one can compare answers and see what people think about different topics related to your company’s culture and values. It also helps if you incorporate specific questions into the game night that participants are required to answer before getting hints on the survey challenge. This helps to engage the team and create a fun experience.
