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Virtual team building activities also called “online team building activities”, “remote team building activities” and “virtual team bonding activities”, are fun games to play at work, challenges, and exercises via platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.
Making virtual game night a part of your company culture allows participants to take part in a lot of activities such as icebreaker questions, virtual campfires, and group fitness classes.
We’ve compiled all the information you need to find games to play at work with coworkers that both your remote and on-site teams can enjoy.
How do you play a virtual game with your team?
You want all of your employees to be more than just coworkers. You want everyone to be supportive of one another in a positive manner.
But, creating such a bond can be especially tricky when you haven’t actually interacted with some of your employees in person. Then you definitely need some fun games to play at work.
These team building games for remote workers are so important because they add a little creativity and can be engaging and keep the team spirit, even while spread out.
Having coworkers interact via a virtual game will help build a genuine human connection with remote workers and build trust and inclusion.
Plus, it will allow remote employees to have an impact on company culture – just by being involved, remote workers will feel valued and like equal members of the company. That’s why it is vital that you create time to socialize with all your employees with quick fun office games.
What game can we play virtually?
We created a list of 25 virtual games you can play with your coworkers:
Bucket List Challenge
Time: 10-15 minutes
Rules: This virtual game is pretty straightforward. Host an online/video conference and give all your coworkers five minutes to think about what would make their bucket list – what are some things they would love to do in their lifetime? Then have everyone go around and share their list. If you have coworkers who share the same activities, you can challenge them to work on it together! Like, running a marathon – if you have employees who live in the same city or have marathons at the same time in different cities or states, ask them to hold each other accountable to finish the marathon! They can push one another and can check in on each other’s progress.
Objective: Whenever you need a cool icebreaker and don’t know which games to play with coworkers, turn to the good old Bucket List Challenge! It can be fun to hear what other people want to achieve, maybe some have ticked off an item and can share their experiences with the rest of the team.
Aliens Have Landed!
Time: 30 minutes to one hour
Rules: To play this virtual game, split into groups of three or four. Tell everyone that aliens have landed on Earth and are interested in learning about your company. But, the aliens don’t speak English so you need to explain to them about the company with five symbols or pictures. The groups need to talk among themselves to come up with the five necessary images. One group member should upload the five images that best describe the company. Take a look at the images and see if you notice any common themes as this will show you if all your employees understand the company.
Objective: You don’t just need team-building games, you need fun games to play at work that will encourage communication, and build out-of-the-box thinking, and creative thinking.
The more your staff talks and creates ideas, the more at ease they will feel about your colleagues so going forward, working together won’t seem so intimidating.
Three Truths and a Lie
Time: 10-15 minutes
Rules: Host a video conference and ask each coworker to tell three truths and one lie about themselves. This is one of the most fun games to play with coworkers. Keep the lie realistic so it won’t be so easy for everyone to guess. Your other colleagues need to guess which was the lie and whoever guesses right gains points.
Objective: Playing this virtual game helps to get rid of any awkwardness as it is light and fun. Plus, it is a great way to get to know one another, especially things that aren’t common knowledge.
Virtual Games
Time: 30 minutes
Rules: There are some popular games to play with coworkers that are available online or can be adapted to be played virtually, such as:
Room Tour
Time: At your own pace
Rules: You and your team could spend some time showing off your remote workspaces. This virtual game, inspired by the team at Help Scout, is a fun way to get a look into the workspaces of your teammates.
To give it a "challenging" aspect, have team members vote on their favorite workspace at the end, and the winner can enjoy the bragging rights of having the most impressive remote work setup.
Mafia
Time: 1h+
Rules: Mafia is known by a couple of different names, and is often played by large groups. Essentially, this virtual game is a mystery-solving challenge. One of the players is a silent "killer," and it's up to everyone else to figure out the culprit.
There are a couple of roles to assign in the Mafia to keep the organizational structure, like "Doctor," "Townspeople," and "Detective."
Photo Of Your Life
Time: 15-30 minutes
Rules: Each group can share a picture of something of their life, anything that tells a story about the employee: their dog or cat, their favorite mug to drink coffee, their kids, a favorite TV show, or even the view from their apartment or house. Then ask the remote employee to share the story behind the picture they shared.
Objective: These remote team building games to play with coworkers can act as an icebreaker when you play this for the first time or a new hire joins the company. It is a fun, surprising way to get to know one another and creates a casual atmosphere.
Happy Hour
Time: 1hr+
Rules: Participants can bring any beverage they choose (tea, seltzer, or other non-alcoholic beverages should be encouraged as well), talk about what they've brought, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere.
Objective: It's an opportunity for your colleagues to get together and bond outside of work, remotely.
Revealing Quiz
Time: 10-15 minutes
Rules: Spark a conversation and complete this Revealing Quiz. Do the following exercises:
Match the fact to the colleague (the more unusual or unexpected the better)
Would you rather? (be tasteful though)
Themed trivia (base it on a tradition, celebration, Hollywood, etc.)
Objective: Keep the game clean as the purpose of team building games for remote workers is to build comradery among your staff.
Healthy Lifestyle Challenge
Time: Monthly
Rules: For one month, the challenge can be to drink a certain amount of water each day, and another month might be an “activity of choice.” There are plenty of virtual challenge ideas.
After 30 days, the person with the most “x” boxes marked on the spreadsheet wins. Really everyone wins because everyone that participates gets a little healthier and has fun with the challenge.
Typing Speed Race (Competitive)
Time: 15-30 mins.
Rules: Do a typing test against coworkers and post scores to Slack, email, or other communication channels. You can also do a Typing Speed Relay, where you add up team totals.
Objective: The race is a way to show off your lightning fingers, and also a great way to develop one of the most important remote work skills: typing quickly and accurately.
Movie Night
Time: usually an hour and a half
Rules: Have employees vote on what movie they want to watch and stream the movie through a video conference call. Be sure to keep the instant messaging open so that team members can make remarks while watching the movie.
Objective: Team members can share a joke and bond over the movie while also offering an opportunity to relax and unwind.
Virtual Show & Tell
Time: 1hr +
Rules: Ask your coworkers to prepare a quick story in advance, or do a more spontaneous “grab something within arms reaches” approach. We recommend the latter option, as it encourages quick and creative thinking.
Objective: Promotes public speaking skills and storytelling. Having each of your team members share something about their lives also builds meaningful connections.
Guided Meditation
Time: 10-20 mins.
Rules: Find a meditation exercise or contact an expert to guide the group. You can find some online games to play at work that are specifically tailored for medication purposes. Send a video call invitation to the team. Consider sending employees a care package with scented oils and candles beforehand. Perform mindfulness activities as instructed by the guide.
Objective: Ten quiet minutes during an otherwise busy day can be an effective way to bring your people together and build strong remote teams. You can achieve these results with a guided meditation session.
Praise Train
Time: 30-60 mins.
Rules: Start a praise train where each person compliments each other's work in succession and watch the employee engagement take off. For example, you could praise someone on their work ethic, and that person could praise a colleague on a successful client call, and that person could praise someone for writing a great blog article, and so on.
“Who da baby?”
Time: 15-30 mins.
Rules: All participants send you a baby photo. Photos from around 2 – 3 years old are best because you will see more distinct features and not just a 6-month bundle of joy. Post the images in a shared Google Doc. Each player makes a list guessing who the baby might be. Collect the answers, grade the scores, and announce the winners.
Never Have I Ever
Time: 30 mins.+
Rules: A team member says something they've never done before, but if those playing has done it, they lower one of their fingers. The person with the most fingers left wins the game.
If I were to host a version of the game, my first entry might be, "Never have I ever bought noise-canceling headphones."
Virtual Bingo
Time: 15-20 mins.
Rules: Prior to the Virtual Bingo activity, create bingo cards or use this People-Bingo printable template. Create a list of statements. For example, “has brown hair” or “works for the HR team”. Call out the statements and team players then have to put a cross in the box if they share that quality with someone else. The first player to get three in a row, and then the first to a full house, win.
Objective: To promote team bonding through online games to play at work.
Virtual Squid Game Experience
Time: 60-90 minutes
Rules: Compete in a series of challenges inspired by the popular show. Players are eliminated each round until only one remains. A live facilitator guides the game.
Objective: Be the last player standing. Ideal for teams seeking virtual games for work that are competitive and engaging.
Why Choose This Game? This Virtual Squid Game experience offers a unique and intense office game to play, perfect for fun games with coworkers that challenge teamwork and strategy.
Terrarium Making Workshop
Time: 60-90 minutes
Rules: Engage in a hands-on session where your team creates their own terrariums. All materials are provided, and an expert guides you through the process from start to finish.
Objective: This workshop blends creativity with relaxation, making it an excellent choice for office games to play that encourage team bonding. It's a great way to bring a touch of nature into your workspace while fostering collaboration.
Why Choose This Game? The Terrarium Making Workshop is a perfect example of fun games with coworkers that are both engaging and calming. It’s ideal for those seeking virtual games for work or games to play at work with coworkers that offer a creative break.
If you’re looking for quick fun office games that leave a lasting impression, this workshop is a top choice.
Virtual Team Trivia Battle
Time: 30-60 minutes
Rules: Teams compete in a fast-paced trivia game covering a variety of topics, from pop culture to history. A live host runs the game, presenting questions and tracking scores in real-time.
Teams collaborate in breakout rooms to come up with answers before time runs out.
Objective: Boost team spirit and knowledge while engaging in friendly competition. It’s a fun and interactive way to bring your team together, even in a virtual setting.
Why Choose This Game? The Virtual Team Trivia Battle is a perfect choice for quick fun office games that are both challenging and entertaining. It’s ideal for those looking for virtual games for work that encourage teamwork and quick thinking.
For teams seeking fun games to play with coworkers, this trivia game is a hit, combining knowledge and collaboration in an enjoyable format.
Virtual Murder Mystery
Time: 60-90 minutes
Rules: Your team plays detectives in an interactive murder mystery. Each person gets a character with clues, and together you’ll work to solve the crime by questioning suspects and examining evidence.
Objective: Solve the mystery as a team, enhancing collaboration and critical thinking.
Why Choose This Game? The Virtual Murder Mystery is a compelling virtual game for work that brings coworkers together in a fun, challenging way. It’s perfect for teams seeking games to play at work with coworkers that are both engaging and mentally stimulating.
Virtual Pictionary Showdown
Time: 30-45 minutes
Rules: Teams take turns drawing a word or phrase on a digital whiteboard while their teammates try to guess what it is within a time limit. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
Objective: Enhance communication and creativity in a fun, fast-paced environment.
Why Choose This Game? Virtual Pictionary Showdown is a light-hearted virtual game for work that encourages teamwork and quick thinking.
It's perfect for teams looking for fun games to play with coworkers that are easy to set up and highly interactive.
Virtual Codebreaker Challenge
Time: 30-45 minutes
Rules: Teams race to solve a series of codes or ciphers presented in an online format. The first team to break all the codes wins.
Objective: Enhance problem-solving skills and teamwork under time pressure.
Why Choose This Game? The Virtual Codebreaker Challenge is an engaging virtual game for work that tests your team's logic and collaboration in a competitive setting.
Virtual Art Jam
Time: 60 minutes
Rules: Participants join a live session where they are guided through creating their own artwork, whether it’s a simple sketch or a digital painting. Each person shares their work at the end of the session.
Objective: Encourage creativity and relaxation while fostering team bonding.
Why Choose This Game? Virtual Art Jam is a creative and relaxing virtual game for work that allows team members to express themselves artistically, making it a refreshing alternative to more traditional team-building activities.
Virtual Debate Club
Time: 45-60 minutes
Rules: Teams are given a topic and have a set time to prepare their arguments. They then engage in a structured debate, with points awarded for the best arguments and counterpoints.
Objective: Improve communication and critical thinking skills in a fun, competitive environment.
Why Choose This Game? Virtual Debate Club is an intellectually stimulating game to play at work with coworkers, ideal for teams looking to enhance their discussion and persuasion skills in a fun and engaging way.
Virtual Debate Club
Time: 45-60 minutes
Rules: Teams are given a topic and have a set time to prepare their arguments. They then engage in a structured debate, with points awarded for the best arguments and counterpoints.
Objective: Improve communication and critical thinking skills in a fun, competitive environment.
Why Choose This Game? Virtual Debate Club is an intellectually stimulating game to play at work with coworkers, ideal for teams looking to enhance their discussion and persuasion skills in a fun and engaging way.
Final Thoughts
While working from home, one of the best ways to foster meaningful connections with colleagues and engage in team building is by playing a virtual game that’s entertaining for everyone.
You can come up with your own team-building games to play with coworkers, play the online ones on this list, or have Teamland create a custom game according to your needs. Check out our collection of offline team-building games, fun games to play at work, and online group games as well.
Investing time in virtual games for work is crucial when it comes to online team development since work without play could result in a somewhat boring experience.
People Also Ask These Questions About Employee Games
What games to play at work online on Zoom?
Zoom offers entertaining virtual games to play at work online, including fun Zoom team building games that can be played during internet video calls. Conference Call Bingo, Guess Who?, and Lightning Scavenger Hunts are a few examples of games. Zoom elements like breakout rooms, whiteboards, screen sharing, and comments are often included in these games.
What are online virtual games for work that require guessing?
In the game Codenames, players are divided into two teams and assigned the task of determining which words in a set are linked to a clue word provided by a teammate, also referred to as the spymaster.
What are the benefits of virtual games to play with coworkers?
Getting colleagues together to play virtual games to play with coworkers is one approach to boosting morale and engagement on remote teams. Fundamentally, employee games are an enjoyable method for your team members to spend time together aside from meetings and work-related tasks.
What are some fun employee games for virtual teams?
Chair Up, Lightning Scavenger Hunts, Water Shots, and Virtual Werewolf are a few entertaining employee games that work well for virtual teams.
