5 Team bonding activities you can do via Zoom

Photo by Helena Lopes

Working from home doesn’t mean you cannot bond with your co-workers. If anything, it may make any bonding time even more meaningful as it means that you will actively make time to spend time together and get to know each other. One needs to overcome some challenges, such as time-zone differences, different work schedules, and physical distance. To combat this, apps such as Zoom have been created to help facilitate virtual meetings and bonding sessions. Here are a few ways to use Zoom to interact with and bond with your global teammates.

1. Virtual lunch/ dinners

Photo by Surface

Even if you work remotely, you can still enjoy lunches and dinners with your global coworkers. Schedule a time that works for all of you, and come armed with your favorite meal. Eat and chat together just as you would in person, and get to know each other’s cultures through your diverse cuisines.

2. Show & Tell

Inspired by the classic kindergarten exercise where kids bring an object to school and describe it to their fellow pupils, show and tell is ideal for getting to know the team better.

Tell your colleagues to bring an object that has a special meaning. Give each group member a few minutes to tell the rest of the group about it.

This icebreaker is ideal for small teams (or done in groups).

3. #Throwback Thursdays

Photo by Brendan Stephens

Inspired by the internet trend, this fun activity can keep your team in stitches during meetings. During bonding sessions held on Thursdays (or any other day), each participant can share a memorable photo of themselves or an event in the past through the share screen feature of Zoom. Spark conversations, chuckles, and nostalgia as everyone get to know each other better.

4. Would you rather…?

Always a fun icebreaker that gets groups of people talking, debating, and laughing, this game entails asking a group of people to answer a question starting with the words, Would you rather…? Present the players with two hypothetical options from which to choose. The questions can range from imaginative and unrealistic to more controversial.

5. Highlight of the Week/month

Carry out this short activity in recurring meetings. Members get a few minutes to share the most fascinating or memorable thing that has happened to them in the week or month. This could both be work-related or personal. Get to know your teammates better in this way as they share snippets of their lives- achievements, happy moments, and even sad situations.