How To Organise A Not-So-Boring Team Building Session During COVID-19

Team building is great, it helps bond the team and increase efficiency in the workplace...but do you find your employees (or even yourself) finding excuses to avoid team building sessions because it’s well, boring? That’s expected. Recurring sessions of “how do we solve this problem?” can only be engaging the first few rounds. Subsequently, it turns into “how fast can we solve this problem so that we can go home?”. 

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In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual team building has gotten even more uninteresting. Which sane individual will choose a dreary zoom call over their irresistibly soft bed?

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Even so, we still believe that it is not impossible to bring people together during these work-from-home times! All you need are 3 tips:

  1. A have-fun mindset is the most important

  2. Ditch the traditional team building exercises

  3. Keep the positive energy going in the office


1. A have-fun mindset is the most important. Don’t force the corporate stuff.

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We’ve all heard of the proverb ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’. And it’s true, no one enjoys the blatant “we are here to work on teamwork and efficiency” during a supposed break from work. When planning a team building session, go at it from another perspective. What does my team enjoy doing? More often than not, the most successful team building sessions are the ones that don’t feel like a day in the office (or a workday from home). 

The goal is to let bonding happen organically. Efficiency naturally increases when the team is well-bonded and comfortable with working together. Rather than forcing the team to attend leadership lessons or focusing too much on practical takeaways, let the team share a fun experience together. Heard of a quarantini?

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It’s important that bonding takes place over lighthearted activities, especially when working from home can be more stressful than in the office! You will find the team more engaged and enthusiastic about participating in such team building sessions, and the goals of team building will naturally be met. Remember, there’s no better way to bond with someone than to have fun with them! 


2. Ditch the traditional team building exercises. Novelty is very much associated with happiness!

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New experiences trigger the release of dopamine, increasing motivation to learn. With dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter, learning can be said to be closely tied with happiness. Trying new things with the team can generate good vibes among employees and make the team building session more enjoyable. Given the restrictions in physical activities due to the pandemic, this is a good chance to try out new virtual team building activities. Let the team associate team building with interesting novel experiences! Let them look forward to future team building sessions instead of dreading the same old activities.


Have a sip (or two) of whisky!

Some say alcohol brings people together. While we don’t encourage alcoholism (that’s a big no-no), having a drink or two with the team can grease the social wheels. Bond with the team over sips of whisky, each with different tasting notes, and find out who in the team is a whisky aficionado! This workshop is available both virtually and in-person, making it a suitable team building activity during COVID-19. Read more about it here


Attend a virtual cooking class!

For those that are not a fan of alcohol, why not cook together instead! Whip up Spanish or Italian cuisine over a virtual cooking class and get to know who is the masterchef in the team. Planning this team building session can’t get any easier with a full kit of ingredients, along with aprons and recipes delivered to each attendee before the workshop. Find out more here.


Still not to your liking? Check out Culturally’s full list of virtual experiences you can consider here.


3. Don’t forget to keep the positive energy going in the office!

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Team building sessions are not one-off events. The whole purpose of organising interesting team building activities is to generate good vibes among employees that can be continued even as the team returns to the workplace. It’s key to keep the excitement going. Try creating opportunities for people to connect and interact in meaningful ways, outside of regular meetings or presentations. 

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Consider having a daily huddle. At the same time each day, usually in the morning, gather the team for a short stand-up meeting to check-in on each other and celebrate achievements together. Beyond that, encourage team members to share their goals and bucket lists, which is an effective way to get to know them better and generate ideas for future team building sessions! This way, the team will look forward to the next team building session.


In summary, if your team building session contains laughter, a sense of excitement, and a few #instaworthy moments, it’s definitely not-so-boring!


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At Culturally, we customise various team building options suitable for your company. Book your Culturally experience here.

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