COVID-19 pandemic forced the corporate sector to adopt a remote working model worldwide. This increased the demand for employees and the workforce to stay in touch and manage their work from home. Hence came the era of virtual team building via in-app video conferencing tools
In this post, you will learn about some of the most interesting statistics and facts about virtual team building in 2021.
Why virtual team building games and exercises?
Virtual team building helps employers to create a bond amongst the employees and different departments. This collaboration while working remotely increases efficiency, productivity, and communication while your workforce continues to work from home or any other location.
Virtual team-building games will boost your employees' morale and moods while feeling valued and connected at the same time. This will translate into their increased dedication to their job-associated tasks and the company in general.
Remote work is here, and it is the future of how the corporate sector will continue to operate in the post-COVID world. Therefore, 64 percent of the companies believe that virtual team setup will become a permanent component of business operations everywhere.
Currently, 25 percent of the global workforce/teams are relying 100 percent on virtual team-building solutions. Thanks to online team building tools, they made time tracking, project management, and employees' training easier.
Countries investing the most in virtual team building
The top 5 countries leading the virtual team-building strategies are
- Singapore
- USA
- Australia
- Canada
- South Africa
Why are employers searching for virtual team building solutions
As people continue to work from home, chances are they will feel isolated at home. According to a Gallup survey, this feeling of isolation can decrease your employees’ productivity by 21 percent. Another study suggests that even when 100 percent of your team is working remotely, virtual team building can improve collaboration, communication, trust, and productivity level of the team.
Boost in socializing culture
According to a study by Harvard Business School, virtual socializing between team members can improve your communication patterns by more than 50 percent. Many of these team-building activities and games let your employees collaborate and communicate with opportunities to socialize.
Boost in performance
According to a survey report from Boston Consulting Group, 75 percent of the workers felt that their performance level has been consistent or increased during remote working settings and virtual team buildings played a role in that.
Team building activities can help improve your employees’ project management skills by helping them understand each other better. After playing an online team building game or completing a virtual team building activity together, your employees will get to know each other’s interests, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.
This mutual understanding will help them work better on future projects, which is vital for your business's productivity. As everyone on the team works in harmony and tries to contribute their best, it will promote a positive work culture.
Each employee is different, and each team has its way of working. By utilizing virtual team-building games and tasks, you will be able to identify the traits of each team member and encourage them accordingly to reach their full potential.
Virtual team building aids ongoing learning
Experts from most sectors predict that within the next decade, universities may switch to long-term learning models. According to stats, 90 percent of users find it easier to get through opinions across via video team-building activities.
76 percent of the workforce uses video conferencing for their remote working tools. The experts estimate the growth of virtual tech to reach $6.03 billion in 2021.
Statistics on Virtual Team Building in 2021
Here are some of the most promising statistics about virtual team building in 2021.
- According to research, 80 percent of the corporate work moved to a remote work policy, which pushed to move to virtual tools for online team collaboration. 64 percent of the organizations believe that although COVID-19 began the trend for virtual teamwork, it is more likely to become permanent in 2021 and onward.
- According to Bloomberg Law, even 97 percent of the courts used video meeting platforms to carry out the legal proceedings during the pandemic, and the trend continues in 2021. According to United States Courts, the justice system will continue to lean on virtual technology.
- The Video Conferencing statistics believe that the growth of virtual technology will reach a CAGR of 11.45 percent by 2026 that may come to $9 billion.
- Approximately 47 percent of users utilizing virtual technology for work have saved on their travel costs.
Workplace collaboration stats show that nearly all employees say that virtual team-building games and activities have helped them build healthier relationships with their peers. This was the opinion of 98 percent of the employees at work.
LifeSize reports that conduction video meetings apart from team building activities can also improve organizational efficiency by 50%.
5 Virtual team building games and activities in 2021
If you wish to boost your team’s cohesion while fostering long-lasting bonds, virtual team-building games can help.
1. Team lunches or one-on-one
Yes, remote working deprives your team of any coffee break chats and lunch breaks; it does not mean you cannot have them at all. You can use virtual tools such as Zoom, or Microsoft Teams to get the group members together by location and help them plan a weekly lunch meet-up once a week.
These one-to-one fun virtual lunches and coffees will help them get to know each other. If you wish to add some twist or fun into the lunches, why not make them a themed lunch. For instance, you can organize a Thai food lunch, wherever everyone orders a Thai food of their choice. That would be an icebreaker for everyone to share what they are having and form where they got it from.
2. Story time
Nominate a couple of your coworkers to tell a funny story or an engaging personal experience that happened recently while they were working remotely. This will be a great way for the team to get to know each other personally and share things their colleagues did not know about them.
For example, a colleague may be a seriously skilled accountant in your company but can play the piano. Asking everyone to share their talents, skills, hobbies, and interests can help them develop deeper, more meaningful bonds.
3. Personal passion presentation
You can do a weekly or monthly personal presentation activity, and the nominated employees give a presentation about something they are passionate about. For instance, the team member can talk about a charitable cause they support, an animal shelter close to their heart, etc.
4. Digital card games
As virtual technology evolves further, it has introduced some innovative ways to help people collaborate and have fun together. You can get some classic games such as UNO and our popular Totem, the feel good game in a digital format. This will be a great way for the employees to interact, unwind, and feel good.
5. House tour
Letting your team work remotely helps them show off their creativity. Ask one or two people from your team to volunteer and give everyone a virtual tour of their home.
Ask them to present their space just like celebrities do in reality shows, MTV Cribs-style. This is another great way for team members to learn about each other more personally.
Conclusion
Whether you are an employer or a team leader looking for virtual team engagement, virtual team-building activities and games can help you do so with ease. Adopting this revolutionary mode of interactive team meets online will give you an early bird advantage to create a collaborative working culture. Plus, you can use this facility as a hook to entice potential talent when headhunting.
