How can you make virtual team building sessions successful?

2 Plan ahead and communicate

The second step is to plan ahead and communicate clearly with your team. You need to decide on the purpose, format, duration, and frequency of your virtual team building sessions, and align them with your team's objectives and expectations. You also need to inform your team about the details of the session, such as the agenda, the rules, the materials, and the feedback process. You can use email, calendar invites, or chat messages to share this information, and remind your team before the session.

4 Be inclusive and respectful

The fourth step is to be inclusive and respectful of your team's diversity and preferences. You need to consider the different backgrounds, cultures, personalities, and communication styles of your team members, and avoid activities that might make them feel uncomfortable, excluded, or offended. You also need to respect your team's time zones, schedules, and work-life balance, and avoid scheduling sessions that might conflict with their personal or professional commitments. You can use polls, surveys, or feedback forms to get your team's input and suggestions on the activities.

5 Facilitate and participate

The fifth step is to facilitate and participate effectively in your virtual team building sessions. You need to have a clear role and responsibility as the facilitator, and ensure that the session runs smoothly, on time, and on track. You need to introduce the activities, explain the rules, monitor the progress, troubleshoot any issues, and debrief the outcomes. You also need to participate actively as a team member, and show your enthusiasm, support, and appreciation for your team. You can use video, audio, chat, or emojis to communicate and engage with your team.

6 Evaluate and improve

The sixth step is to evaluate and improve your virtual team building sessions. You need to measure the impact and effectiveness of your sessions, and see if they achieved your desired goals and outcomes. You need to collect and analyze data, such as attendance, participation, feedback, satisfaction, and performance. You also need to identify and address any gaps, challenges, or areas for improvement. You can use online tools, such as Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Typeform, to create and distribute evaluation forms to your team.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?