DIY Virtual Team Building and Games

An excellent way to engage staff working remotely is to host a series of team-based virtual games. Consider collating the series into a ‘Virtual Olympics’ to add competitive flavour and team-building, where teams can be assigned colours, names or themes. Teams can compete for a grand prize (e.g. donut delivery) and a Virtual Olympics “leaderboard” is updated each week.

Following are some virtual game ideas to consider that can boost morale and encourage team building in staff who are working remotely.

Pictionary

Teams can play Pictionary via Sample rules: video conferencing software, 1. Appoint one drawer for each team. using virtual whiteboards or 2. Each team has five minutes to play. Each team has 10 words to by having employees draw guess within the allocated five minutes drawing/guessing time. on post it notes. Only one team plays at a time but the other teams can watch while their opponents are playing. Game organisers can find 3. The person drawing needs to share their screen with their team suitable Pictionary words at members – they can do this by selecting the whiteboard tool in randomwordgenerator.com/ Zoom. This video shows how to use whiteboard in Zoom. 4. The game host will send the word one by one to the person drawing via the private chat function in Zoom. 5. The person drawing cannot speak to their team members while drawing. 6. The team can choose to skip a word if they are unable to guess the word. Once skipped, the word is no longer available for guessing. 7. The team scores one point for every correct guess. 8. The winning team is the team with the most points in the given time (e.g. 5 minutes).

Riddles

Teams can connect in Zoom Sample rules: breakout rooms or separate 1. All teams watch a video riddle together. meeting rooms to solve a 2. Each team goes into a breakout room for 10 minutes, riddle or problem. Video and hosts join them to monitor progress. riddles can be found in 3. The winner is the team who completes the riddle this YouTube playlist. first and is verified by the game host.

Only one riddle is required per game.

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Scavenger hunt

Teams can play virtual Sample rules: scavenger hunts in Zoom 1. The game hosts will move each team into their Zoom breakout breakout rooms. Players will room, and one host will facilitate the session for all the teams. have a set amount of time to look for things around their 2. Each team has 10 minutes to play. There is a list of house or online. 30 items that the team members are required to Assign breakout room hosts gather from around their house or from online. that will check items off their 3. Some items can be worth more points according to list and score the team. Ideas for virtual scavenger hunt the degree of difficulty (e.g. all team members find an items can be found at here. instrument and play a quick song for the host). 4. The host will check items from the team’s scavenger hunt list and will act as timekeeper for the team.

5. Either the fastest team or the team with the most amount of points in the given amount of time wins the game.

Trivia

Divide employees into teams. Sample rules: This game can be played in 1. The game hosts will move each team into their Zoom breakout Zoom breakout rooms and in room, and one host will facilitate the session for all the teams. the main Zoom meeting room. 2. Each team has 10 minutes to play. There is a list of Sample trivia bank. 30 items that the team members are required to gather from around their house or from online.

3. Some items can be worth more points according to the degree of difficulty (e.g. all team members find an instrument and play a quick song for the host).

4. The host will check items from the team’s scavenger hunt list and will act as timekeeper for the team.

5. Either the fastest team or the team with the most amount of points in the given amount of time wins the game.

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Jigsaw puzzles

Teams can connect in Zoom Sample rules: breakout rooms to work 1. The game host moves the teams into their breakout together to solve the jigsaw room. One host facilitates the session. puzzle. To access online 2. Each team has 10 minutes to put together the jigsaw puzzle. jigsaw puzzles refer to You can play multiple puzzles and the team that solves jigsawpuzzles.io the most puzzles in a given time wins the game. 3. The host sends new puzzle links to teams from their list, and times the teams. 4. Either the fastest team or the team that completes the most puzzles in a given amount of time wins.

Virtual bingo

Virtual bingo is a great way to Sample rules: connect and learn more about 1. The game organiser collates all employee unique facts your colleagues. into a bingo sheet, and sends them around. 2. Once received, the game organiser will send the bingo The game organiser should sheet with all employee unique facts collated. obtain one unique fact from 3. Teams will move into breakout rooms and will be given a set time each colleague (e.g. a strange to guess the employee for each unique fact on the bingo card. hobby, a second language 4. Teams cannot message other colleagues to find out their unique fact. spoken, a famous relative). 5. The winning team is the team with the highest number This can be done via a survey of correct guesses within the allocated time. or email to game organiser.

Virtual crosswords

Teams can play this collectively using the preferred virtual communication platform. Appoint one host to read the questions, share their screen, and fill in the crossword sheet. The winning team is the team that completes the crossword in the shortest amount of time. Virtual crosswords can be found at: thenewdaily.com.au/puzzles/quiz-crossword/

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Articulate

Teams can play ‘Articulate’ via Sample rules: video conferencing software. 1. Using the link above, the facilitator will a generate a list of words for each The objective of the game is team across the six categories. to correctly guess the word 2. Each team nominates one person to be the ‘describer’ of the words. a teammate is describing. 3. There are two suggested formats in which you can play: There are six categories: • Option 1: Each team has five minutes to guess up to 30 words Object, Nature, Random, which have been allocated by the facilitator Person, Action and World. • Option 2: Have three rounds of two minutes each; teams are given 10 words to guess in the allocated two minutes per round. To access the Articulate game go to: www.drumondpark. 4. Assign a timekeeper. The facilitator will need to send the list of words to each team’s ‘describer’ in a private message/email. The time com/articulate_cards commences once the ‘describer’ confirms they can see the list of words. 5. The team received one point for every correct guess. The winner is the team with the most points. In the event of a tie, the winner would be the team that guessed all words correctly in the shortest time. 6. When describing words, the ‘describer’ MUST NOT: • Say what letter the word starts with, or how many letters it has. • Say the word or any derivative, e.g. if the word is “post” you may not say “postage” or “postman”; for “swim” you may not say “swimmer” etc. • Use “rhymes with” or “sounds like” type clues. 7. When describing, the ‘describer’ MAY: • Choose to PASS and skip the word. There is no limit on how many times the team can skip. Once a word has been skipped the ‘describer’ cannot attempt to describe that word at a later point during the round. • Gesticulate, act, mime (NOT mouth the word).

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Ways to boost morale virtually

Use your organisation’s online communication platform to employees to post about some of the following:

1. Share a favourite recipe

2. Share what book you are currently reading

3. Share your favourite isolation projects / activities

4. Post a photo of your home office beverage holder

5. Share your fun footwear

6. Share your “Home Office Invaders” (pets and/or children)

7. Arrange a themed virtual afternoon tea, for example: a touch of pink, Mad Hatter tea party, baked goods from around the world

8. Share your favourite hat / headwear

9. Share your favourite song and build a company Working From Home Playlist

10. Share random facts with your co-workers. For example: Do you miss the random conversations with your colleagues while you’re making tea/coffee in kitchen or waiting to grab that hot cross bun? Well I hope you can share these random facts about you: • First job: • Preferred hot cross bun: • Favourite ice cream: • One movie/book/TV series recommendation • Copy and paste with your answers below! 11. Guess baby photos – get team members to submit their baby photos to one person. Compile them to one document and upload it to your company communication channel/platform.

How to use breakout rooms in Zoom Using Zoom How to use the Zoom whiteboard feature