The 2020 emergency that brought millions of new voices into the remote work conversation also introduced us to something that wasn’t really a thing in remote work before then. Remote Team building activities. New remote managers scrambled to find a way to keep their teams engaged and the new corporate push was that we must do team building activities. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I understand that not everyone in the newly remote gang had time to adjust. It was sprung on them all at once. It was a shock to the system. Lots of people were dealing with feelings of isolation, missing the social interaction with co-workers, some even going stir crazy because they’d grown to rely on that time away from home and …well…their families. 

According to a report from thehrdirector.com, 67% of workers aged 18-34 reported finding it harder to make friends and maintain relationships with colleagues since working remotely. 

A 2022 article from socialself.com says nearly 2/3s of people working from home feel isolated or lonely at least sometimes, with 17% feeling this way all the time.  A 2023 HBR.org article says 73% of younger adults (18-34) reported feeling isolated or lonely working at home compared to 48% of older adults. 

Love them on hate them, remote team building & virtual socialization activities do help teammates feel more connected to the team, managers & the organization. New managers running remote teams should take into account that we’re not all the same. Many may be looking for that social engagement to feel connected. I’ve been part of a remote team that didn’t really do any fun activities together & even as a grizzled old remote work vet, it did kinda suck in the beginning, not getting to know the people on my team a little better.

Remote team building activities are a good way to keep things from getting mundane, including but not limited to: 

• They can help team members feel more comfortable relying on each other, promoting a sense of unity and cohesiveness.
• They can break the monotony, keeping team members motivated and invested in their work.
• They can help practice effective communication in a casual setting often lead to better performance in formal work situations.
• Provides social interaction, reducing feelings of loneliness that can come from remote work.
• Fun activities can lead to out-of-the-box thinking, sparking innovation and fresh ideas.

Below I’ve accumulated 25 fun ideas from various sources to try with your remote teams with a brief description of the activity,  a link to  more details, and I’ve tagged them free, paid, and DIY. 

Pro Tip: Try to stay away from activities that can stir up differing opinions on politics, social issues, religion, or sensitive world events. The goal is for the team to interact. Not that they need to agree or be of the same opinion about things.