We all know the key to a successful workplace is happy employees. But how do you keep employees happy? According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you need a number of factors. One of those needs is love and belonging, and without fulfilling those needs, it’s not possible for employees to stay motivated and progress to self-actualization at work.

Now you how important team building is in the workplace. Likewise, it is even more sofor remote teams. Virtual collaboration boasts many benefits, challenges and opportunities in this globalized workplace. Since the pandemic, virtual teams are widely accepted as the new norm in the global workforce. Remote working transforms how organizations function, that employers must adopt the future of work.

Virtual teams bring better recruitment opportunities, a wider talent pool, and increased productivity. The economy is closely interlinked with human behaviour - the sooner we accept a virtual economy, the lifestyle benefits we reap are far more significant.

Needless to say, a successful virtual team requires different skills and attention in comparison to physical groups to succeed. Good communication skills, high emotional intelligence, the ability to work independently, resilience, and cultural awareness are essential traits. It is clear that team building is the key to unlock successful virtual teams.

Why is team building more important for virtual teams?

1. Team building creates Trust

Trust is crucial for group success, but even more so in virtual situations. Trust enables knowledge sharing, which generates communication and brainstorming. Due to the lack of informal relationship building, trust is harder to build in a virtual team. To foster a team conducive to trust, organizations can implement team building activities. Virtual teams should come together at the right moments - the initial meeting is essential and can lead to relationship building. Have a look at our icebreakers that you can adapt for team building activities.

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2. Team building leads to Innovation

We all know that innovation is the key to gaining a competitive advantage. Innovative ideas can come from ‘water cooler’ chats that don’t exist in the virtual sphere. Why don’t you create your own ‘water cooler’ chat with fun team building activities. Virtual discussions can stifle informal conversation and inhibit creative discussions. Without face to face interaction, meaning can be lost in virtual meetings which, in turn, can lead to miscommunication. Virtual awkwardness is tackled through effective team building. Think of any team building activities you’ve taken part in. The best conversations can come out of informal chats. Informal work discussions, rather than official meetings, motivate employees in brainstorming and knowledge sharing.

3. Team building increases Productivity

Productivity is problematic in virtual situations. Lack of structure, social cues and communicative issues can arise. But don’t worry - this is where effective team building plays its part. Group roles naturally emerge in group meetings but can take some time virtually. To ensure clarity and flow, clear roles should be assigned ahead of meetings. Team building activities allow the team to see the natural roles that emerge, which is vital for structure and productivity. Taking part in frequent team building activities encourages productivity, transparency, and collaboration.

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4. Team building enhances Culture

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”, is one of the most famous quotes in the business world. Its accuracy is undeniable and that’s the reason for its popularity. Creating a well-established corporate culture is difficult. However, regular team building has proven to enhance corporate culture. All companies, virtual or not should make a culture of teamwork a goal. And what better way to create that culture than with team building activities So why should virtual teams be any different? By holding virtual team building sessions, companies create a culture of belonging, diversity, inclusivity, and collaboration. Now you understand what benefits team building can bring to your virtual team, what’s next you ask?. Take your virtual office into the next dimension and schedule a team building morning that will have your employees buzzing for the week. Not only will the team building increase trust, innovation productivity and culture – it will be a fun virtual day in for all involved. Take a look at some of the features that you should be looking for in a virtual conferencing platform if you want to make sure your team building activities are a hit. Check out a free trial of Remo for your next team building activity and bring out the best in your virtual team.