10 Benefits of Virtual Team Building
Welcome to 2020. The year where we don’t need to ask to work from home because the boiler is being fixed and Zoom became our most visited app. If you’ve clicked on this blog, then it’s likely you’re part of a dynamic team currently WFH, or perhaps you’re a #boss looking for ways to *virtually* send some inspiration to your peers? We predict an uplift of Virtual Team Building Workshops for the foreseeable future so today we’re going to share our top ten benefits of why virtual team building could work for you.
Boost Team Morale
Boosting your team's morale has never been so important than in the year of 2020. A kind gesture to your team, such as a virtual team building workshop, shows you appreciate their efforts and can also include a comic relief into the virtual workspace, something that many of us miss (hands up ☝️) whilst working independently.
Increase Productivity
We’ve all been there... It hits 2pm and the afternoon slump starts to settle in from our make-shift at-home desks. Our minds slowly drift off to “things I’d rather be doing” or we reach out for that final piece of chocolate to find it’s already gone. As well as being a welcomed break from the norm of 9-5, virtual team building is a great way to improve your teams productivity, giving co-workers a reminder that they are still all as one.
Unbreakable Bonds
Fun fact, the average person spends a whopping 1795 hours a year at work! Working from home inevitably creates a physical distance from our peers, but this can quickly manifest into a sense of emotional distance, too. We think it’s super important to create a team culture where virtual workers can rely on one another, so progressing those all important working relationships through a team building session can really help. We also believe it’s the perfect chance to meet with co-workers you wouldn’t usually interact with in your day-to-day, in a less formal setting.
Encourage Collaboration
Collaborating and problem-solving is a great way to build trust between team members, resulting in stronger relationships and higher employee satisfaction. Many of the workshop attendees we meet through our virtual team building sessions have never created a terrarium before, so supporting each other on this new endeavour is a humbling way to collaborate on something outside of the Trello board.
Loneliness 101
Did you know around 40% of homeworkers say they’ve felt lonely at times during their working week? This is a HUGE amount of your workforce, so crushing the stigma and bringing the team together could be a well-needed form of socialising. A virtual team building workshop will help bring people who may be feeling isolated into a group and give them the chance to connect with another human being.
Get To Know (Your Team)
Team Building Workshops are designed to do just that, build your team. You’ll be able to better understand each of your teammates strengths and weaknesses, which will help to manage and delegate tasks in a more effective way when returning to the job. It’s also a time to extend relationships between different peer groups, and learn more about your fellow co-workers achievements and mishaps.
Curiously Creative
It’s common knowledge that creativity can fall off a cliff when you’re working without your sidekicks. Most functional teams are used to bouncing ideas off of eachother, so a virtual team building workshop gives them the chance to do just that. Taking a break to get their hands dirty can open up new ideas to bring back to the table tomorrow!
Wallet Friendly
During recent times, budgets are tight for most, and we know these types of activities may not be classed as a “business essential” (although we have to disagree 😉). Virtual team building workshops hold a much lower cost due to the natural benefit of zero venue and hospitality outlay. All you’ll need is the activity, your team, and a trusty wifi connection. Winner!
Virtually Versatile
The best thing about Virtual Team Building is that most can be tailored specifically to your team. They can take place wherever you choose, at a time suited to you, and they can echo your brand message and the core achievements you want to gain from a workshop. Here at Leafage, we understand that every business is different, so we work with you to create a bespoke package suited to your team's needs.
Work-Life-Balance
We get it. Finding an ideal work-life balance can be challenging at times so this is where a virtual team building workshop can really help. With an aim to allow your team some time to unwind together, enhance wellbeing, and switch off those slack notifications.
Illustrations by @kath.nash
