I’ve spoken with plenty of people at companies who are hiring remotely. Many of them say that one of the main pain-points with growing a remote team is onboarding their new starters in a personable way.

Over the last couple of years hiring remote workers has been made easier by companies like Firstbase, who help with IT equipment provisions, and companies like Remote who help with payroll and taxes, but now managers have a new tool in their belt; Doozy. As well as hosting regular staff socials, Doozy can help companies introduce new employees to the team in an efficient and personalised way.

With Doozy, you are able to create custom events (learn how to create a custom event), however, the easiest way is with our “Meet The Team” event template which has 3 activities on the agenda perfect for introducing new employees to the team.

Introductions is a freestyle activity for introducing the new team members to the rest of the team.

After speaking with new starters and HR managers, they agreed that it is better for a supervisor or when possible the CEO to introduce them. This avoids them being intimated and coming out with boring basic information.

The classic icebreaker questions activity asks the group various questions about themselves and their hobbies. Since it's a team activity it means that the new starters also learn about their new teammates - this is often neglected and the focus is on the new starters to introduce themselves.

Games like “Pin It: Cities Edition” can spark conversations about recent holidays and family heritage which typically wouldn’t be mentioned during your average introductions, but really helps the team get a better understanding of who they are working with.

Creating personal connections with your remote team used to be difficult, and from working remotely for years I know it all too well and that is why Doozy was created. It’s a social space for teams to play, chat and bond. Great communication starts with a conversation and we’re making that happen with Doozy.

To learn more about Doozy, check out our blog or why not book a demo by getting in touch with our CEO, Milo: milo@doozy.live

Onboarding new team members? It’s a Doozy

I'll avoid going too far back in time and begin this story at the office. The office has continued to serve its purpose since the 16th century but in recent times as computers have become more portable, those working solely from a computer have begun working from all sorts of places such as coffee shops and even home, and in 2020 anyone who could work home, had too.

Not everyone's home was great for work, but since 2020 more people have seen the benefits of working away from the office either permanently or a few days per week - dubbed "hybrid working" - saying that it can help their work/life balance or improve productivity.

There has been plenty of research to back up those claims too, with some companies like Airbnb announcing that almost all staff will be allowed to work wherever they want, forever.

With the desire to get out of the office increasing, but home working still not the ideal environment for most, more people have started to seek out alternative workspaces. Third workspaces.

When Starbucks opened up shop in 1971 and became a place for people to not just hang out but also work, it was one of the first-ever third workspaces and boasted amenities that some offices could only dream of, half-decent coffee.

Many businesses have sprung up to serve the growing demand, but also for the growing variety of people who use the third workspaces for different purposes.

Some want to get away from the distraction of working at home and need a space that allows them to focus on work uninterrupted, while others are looking for a place where they can easily connect with other like-minded people.

There are spaces where you pay a membership fee and have access to a full day of office amenities, and others that have a more pay-per-use model, like renting a desk or workspace by the hour when you need it. But, there are also services like Hubble and Reef which you pay a membership for and get access to dozens of spaces all over the world. 

How do they compare to co-working spaces?

Co-working spaces like WeWork are designed for longer-term use by both freelancers and companies and don't usually sell hour passes. Co-working spaces are more like a shared office block, whereas third workspaces can also be shared with the public or non-working customers.

Third workspaces aren’t just the next big thing – they’re already here.

Summary:
In this article, you will learn about the importance and psychology behind virtual team building activities and games and why it’s essential to integrate them into modern company culture.

Imagine this: You’re leading a team. A new team. Team members: unknown. Everyone is distributed. Team Spirit? Undefined. You’re trying to organize team building activities. But, your company has a hybrid work culture, so there’s not one single day in the next months, where everyone is in the city at the same time. 

You and I know that no one wants to be forced back to the office. “Hi & goodbye” video chats are no option either. 

You look at the title of this article and figure out: let’s go virtual.

But, are virtual team building activities really any good?

The short answer is: yes. The whole picture becomes when you look at human behaviour and psychology in this context.

It turns out leaders across the globe are realizing that it’s important to invest in the development of their people. While this kind of investment might have seemed like a “nice to have” in the past, it is now a vital asset of any business that wants to create and sustain a vibrant company culture. 

According to the PWC Global Culture Survey 2021 “85% say their organization’s culture provides a competitive advantage”.

By making use of the psychology behind virtual team building activities, you can unlock the power of new ways of shaping your company culture. But keep in mind: real change requires new habits. 

Virtual team building activities aren’t just about the fun and games

“We found that teams in the Team Video Gaming treatment demonstrated a 20 percent productivity improvement in subsequent tasks (...)” - Team Building Through Team Video Games: Randomized Controlled Trial

While you may think that a company-wide scavenger hunt or virtual escape room is all about having fun, there are a number of psychological benefits you have to consider. Remember, virtual team building activities should not be a one-time event, but rather an integral part of your new company culture and habits. 

Virtual team building games exercise your mind

There’s the great benefit of mental exercise that comes from regular problem-solving and other cognitive tasks you encounter while diving into virtual team building activities like playing short games.

“Video games often require players to make rapid decisions or to memorize many items at once, all of which can provide an entertaining work-out for our minds.” - Conn Hastings in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

And like any form of exercise, this can help reduce stress and anxiety, which is especially important with the ongoing global developments.

But it’s not only about exercising the mind or body. 

It’s also about exercising relationships.

Virtual team building games and activities can improve relationships

You know how it's often a struggle to get started when you want to work out?

Well, even after you start working out, you still have to continue putting in effort in order to keep seeing progress — and the same goes for relationships between employees.

Just because you hosted one off-site team-building event doesn’t mean employees will automatically start bonding during work hours afterwards. They need an ongoing opportunity to interact with one another in order to build new friendships or strengthen existing ones.

Little side-note: at Doozy we have a growing library of great games you can jump into instantly with your team. You don’t have to worry about apps to install. You just have to think about how to beat your colleague in a round of Geo Guess or Pin it: City edition.

But there’s even more depth to discover with virtual team building activities.

Next, we will look at the benefits of a specific personality type of your team.

Virtual team building activities can take a lot of pressure off of introverts

Introverts are often stereotyped as being shy or reserved, but they're actually just less likely to seek out social interaction than their extroverted counterparts — and that's not necessarily a bad thing. There are some situations where there is an added layer of anxiety for introverts and being at the office surrounded by noise and many people is one of them.

Virtual team building games and activities can help introverts feel more comfortable and confident in the workspace by making it easier to get to know their co-workers without having to worry about being at the center of a social interaction.

For many introverts, virtual team building activities can provide the perfect outlet for socializing in a low-pressure environment where they don't have to worry about being put on the spot.

But what does this mean for your whole organization?

Virtual team building activities improve your company culture

As you have figured out by now, one of the most important things you can do as a modern leader is to integrate virtual team building activities into your company culture. 
As mentioned above, these activities are not simply for "fun” and entertainment. They're also an integral part of creating a positive company culture.

Virtual team building activities increase engagement

When you integrate regular fun virtual team building activities into your company's DNA, you're showing your employees that you care about them and their happiness at work. This investment creates a sense of loyalty and trust between management and its employees, which can in turn increase engagement at work.

Virtual team building activities improve creativity and critical thinking skills

Virtual team building activities are often a chance for employees to let their hair down and get creative while working together toward a common achievement. As they do so, they'll be able to improve their critical thinking skills and tap into their creativity in ways that they might not be able to while on the job.

There’s another important psychological aspect of team building you have to keep in mind, which researchers have known for quite some time.

Virtual team building activities help develop trust between employees

When it comes to building a close-knit team, there are many elements that come together to make it successful. While some relationships naturally happen as a result of working together, others can be strengthened through team building activities.

There's no one-size-fits-all solution for every personality or situation, but virtual team building activities are an important resource for companies looking to unite their hybrid or remote workforce. 

“A correlation has also been established between personal bonding and shared experiences and levels of trust. Initial trust among virtual team members is critical.“ - A model to develop effective virtual teams (2008).

Trust has been known to be an important aspect of virtual teams for over a decade. However, collaboration and working together doesn't happen overnight. It takes time for relationships between colleagues to develop and for them to learn how to function well together — something that virtual team building activities can help with. 

By taking part in virtual team building activities and e.g. playing games that involve cooperation and communication with each other, colleagues will begin to form bonds and build trust as they overcome challenges together. 

As the team members become familiar with each other's strengths, weaknesses, and unique personalities, they'll be able to capitalize on those strengths and grow within the workplace.

The “new world” of hybrid/remote work requires strategies and habits for preparing your team to succeed, keep this in mind as a modern leader. Virtual team building activities and virtual team building games are not simply a “fun” experience. They are a necessity that can help you and your company develop, strengthen, and spread a forward-looking company culture across all borders.

Virtual team building activities also help employees recognize the amazing qualities of their teammates, build trust within the company, and bring everyone closer together as a whole - regardless of the location. 
Embrace the new normal as an active leader by showing your team that you care.

What kind of virtual game(s) have you already tried out with your team so far?

Let me know via twitter over at @doozyhq or a tag on LinkedIn via DoozyHQ

Team Building Through Team Video Games: Randomized Controlled Trial. Keith, Dean, Gaskin, Anderson. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (https://games.jmir.org), 14.12.2021

Video games can help your team work smarter (no, seriously). Parker, atlassian.com, 01.12.2021

Most remote workers say they might quit before returning to office: poll. Ariel Zilber, nypost.com, 12.01.2022

Organizational culture: It’s time to take action 2021 Global Culture Survey of 3,200 leaders and employees worldwide, PWC

Shaping your brain with exercise, video games and more. Hastings, The Frontiers Research Topic, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 09.05.2017

A model to develop effective virtual teams. Lin, Standing, Liu, via Sciencedirect.com

Here’s Why Psychologists Recommend Playing Games To Thrive As A Team

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Doozy Blog

Onboarding new team members? It’s a Doozy

The rise of the Third Workspace

Here’s Why Psychologists Recommend Playing Games To Thrive As A Team

Xero: Launching Doozy in a pandemic

Where .css-1n50e9{background:#fdc7ff;}virtual teams come together

Connect in rooms. Play games, quizzes and icebreakers. Create your own events. Build real connections with your team.

Games

Icebreakers

Quizzes

Whiteboard

Create your own events

Build your own quiz

Fabulous experiences

Video calls

Onboarding new team members? It’s a Doozy

The rise of the Third Workspace

Here’s Why Psychologists Recommend Playing Games To Thrive As A Team

Xero: Launching Doozy in a pandemic

Where
virtual teams
come together