8 team bonding activities you can do virtually

Working remotely has changed the way we communicate within organisations and among internal teams. From muted mics to network connectivity problems, technology can sometimes hinder relationship-building with your colleagues. But with the right attitude and a few well-timed virtual air fives, you can still create a collaborative work environment. 

As teams worked in the office before, bonding activities helped to boost team morale and performance. Now, working remotely or within a hybrid model shouldn’t stand in the way of that. Take a moment and think through some of the in-person team-building activities you’ve participated in. Now see if you can envision those same activities as a virtual experience. Untangling a human knot or passing a hula hoop around in a big circle while holding your co-worker’s clammy hand might not be possible, but here are some activities that can help keep spirits high and offer your colleagues a much-needed break.

Set up a happy hour

If you can’t go to the local bar for a drink, you can still catch up with colleagues – wherever they are. Send your team Uber Eats vouchers so that they can kick back, relax, and enjoy some appetisers as you unwind together after a long day. With Vouchers, you can stay under budget with features that let you control how much is spent and when.  

Play trivia

Who doesn’t love a friendly game of trivia? At Uber for Business, we hired Bar None Games to host a game for us and found out who had the best pop culture recall on our team. Set up a game and make it interesting by offering Uber Eats gift cards as a prize. You can also send out Vouchers so that everyone can eat while you play. 

Plan a team dinner

Virtually host a team dinner after a tough month or as a reward at the end of a quarter. Reflect on your successes and discuss your goals while sharing a meal, and cover the cost with Vouchers. By sending out Uber Eats vouchers, you can streamline expense reporting and save time. 

Run a contest

There’s nothing wrong with some healthy competition. Run a contest among your team with clear goals and guidelines, and reward your top performers. With Uber for Business, you can easily send the winners an Uber gift card that they can redeem at their leisure.  

Reward hard work

Praise for hard work can go a long way. Set up a chat room or Slack channel where your team can offer kudos to one another for tackling tough projects or being the ultimate team player. Then reward those who get the most praise at the end of the month (or week) with an Uber Eats gift card. 

Host a lunch-and-learn 

If you’re part of an international organisation, it might be hard to have face-to-face meetings with different teams on a regular basis. As an alternative, set up lunch-and-learns with different teams within the business to learn more about what projects they’re working on. Pick up the lunch tab with Vouchers. 

Schedule coffee with a teammate

Create a rotating schedule so that different people within your organisation can meet one-on-one for coffee, no matter where they’re based. Team members can use this time to cultivate stronger relationships with each other and open the lines of communication company-wide. Cover their coffee by sending them a voucher the night before, so they have it on hand to order in the morning. 

Celebrate a milestone

If you can’t meet in person to celebrate, taking the time to virtually recognise milestones with your team can still help to bring everyone together. Whether you’re celebrating a promotion, a baby shower, or your teammate’s hamster’s half-birthday, these moments can strengthen the bond among co-workers. So, create a fun Zoom background for everyone to use, and send vouchers to the team so that they can order a treat for the festivities. 

Your team is working hard and juggling a lot between their personal and professional lives as they continue to work. Cultivating strong relationships among your co-workers will help keep spirits high, and it can easily be done over a meal or a fun game. The Uber for Business platform makes offering these meals and rewards simple – giving you time back to stay focused on your team.