Whether your team is suddenly working remotely due to Covid-19, or is accustomed to being apart, it’s important to continue to cultivate a sense of community and shared experience. For those workers who are new to the work-from-home routine, team building activities can help to combat loneliness and isolation during this time. But, even those who are familiar with remote work can benefit from dedicated team-building time which helps to build trust among team members and establish a connection. Not only will being more connected help team members feel happier in their jobs but it will also help team members work more effectively together.

Of course, with social distancing protocols still the order of the day, your usual go-to team building activities may not be feasible right now. So how do you bring a team together when Covid-19 is hell-bent on keeping us apart? We discuss the rise of remote team building events with Amanda Rabinowitz, owner of experiential events company, Jellybean Concept Events.

Specialising in concept design and creating experiences at private and corporate events, Jellybean Concept Events knows a thing or two about changing things up, especially now that the events industry has been turned on its head thanks to the Covid-19 lockdown. While physical events are still off the table, Rabinowitz and her team have pivoted to offering virtual interactive events experiences to clients – big and small. “The need for team building has never been more necessary than in current times,” says Rabinowitz. “Staff morale is generally low at the moment, and we are finding this is the main goal for companies wanting a virtual team building. They want colleagues to interact, have fun and have a good laugh.”

After hosting many successful virtual team building events for corporate clients, Rabinowitz has seen first hand the benefits of keeping up with team building activities even while staff work remotely. “Virtual Team building assists with colleagues connecting, like they would normally at Friday afternoon office drinks. “We create an opportunity for engagement and simple fun,” adds Rabinowitz.

The great news is, there’s almost no limit to what you can do online. If you’re lost for ideas on how to create a fun team-building experience online here are 3 virtual team building ideas to get you started. 

1. A shared experience

Whether it’s an online games night, live Zoom performance, or virtual movie night, creating a shared experience with your team is the key to building a connection among team members. While it may seem overwhelming organising a remote team building event, enlisting the help of an expert virtual event planner will ensure you choose the right activity for your team size.

Not just for small teams, virtual team building events can bring together an entire company to blow off some steam, if that’s the goal. “The ideal size of virtual team builds depends entirely on the group and what type of activity they wish to choose, explains Rabinowitz. “Virtual quizzes, online concerts and shows can be done with 200 pax – everyone can experience the same thing together all on one platform.”

For interactive games such as Minute to Win It, dance and exercise events, as well as make your own music videos Rabinowitz suggests groups under 100 people. For more interactive events like virtual cook-offs and wine tasting events she suggests smaller more intimate groups of under 30.

2. Recipe round-up:

If you’re looking for a way to bring your team together throughout the lockdown period why not try a recipe round-up? The gift that keeps on giving, this fun team activity sees each member of the team sharing their favourite recipes with the group to create a lockdown cookbook.

Give each team member a week to cook and photograph their chosen recipe before sending it to the team leader to turn into a recipe book. Use a free tool like Canva to create your recipe book. Once the recipe book has been shared with the team, take it one step further by running a challenge where team members prepare the other team members’ recipes and post photos on a shared chat group. A recipe round-up can also pivot into a virtual online cooking challenge event with the team and make for a fun evening or afternoon cooking together.

3. Virtual happy hour

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Perhaps the simplest of all is to host a virtual happy hour on Zoom, Facebook Rooms, or Google Hangouts. Prepare fun talking points for the session to help bring team members together or host a virtual (non-alcoholic) wine tasting event with the team online. Enlist the help of a professional events team like Jellybean Concept Events to help co-ordinate the wine tasting or to ensure each team member receives an individual snack pack for the event to enjoy at home during the call.

While pivoting to online team-building events is new to us all, a professional events company can help make your virtual team-building event one to remember. While Rabinowitz admits pivoting her successful events business into the unknown digital space has been nerve-wracking, the Jellybean team is relishing the challenge. “Creating the same vibe through a screen as we would achieve in person is challenging, she says. “What has been rewarding is seeing how our team has been able to adapt to running events online and doing so successfully. From kids virtual parties to corporate quizzes of over 180 pax we have been able to adapt swiftly with amazing feedback from all clients.”

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For fellow business owners facing similar challenges during the Covid-19 lockdown, Rabinowitz and her team at Jellybean Concept Events are an excellent example of how to create opportunities and innovate. Rabinowitz says, if she’s learned anything during this period it’s the importance of innovation and not being afraid to try new things. Whether you’re a business owner or a team leader looking to shake things up during lockdown, she advises “using this time to experiment with new offerings. This does not mean your business offering will change permanently, see it rather as a new product or service to add to your existing offerings.”

For information on how to host the perfect lockdown event with Jellybean Concept Events, visit their website.