For a long time, the gap between management and staff has existed due to set boundaries so as to avoid blurring the lines between managers and their staff.
On the one hand, managers feel alienated from their staff as they put up a wall between them to make sure that their role in the workplace stays intact and respected. On the other hand, staff members are intimidated by their managers. They find it hard to initiate conversations or throw them a joke or two, thinking that they could get fired doing so.
Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic has widened this gap even further. Social restrictions forbid or limit opportunities to get together and bond as a team. If left unaddressed, the gap may further increase, affecting productivity altogether.
It’s a good thing that fun and easy virtual team building activities are available and more of them are being integrated into apps made available to the public. Virtual team building activities are a great way to close the gap between management and remote workers all over the world.
Here are 10 activities that will help you make the most of virtual meetings and happy hours to strengthen the bonds of your outsourced team from the Philippines:
Happy Hours
Happy hour does not have to involve just booze. It could be a showcase of your favourite beverages–coffee, soda, juice, or tea. Whatever you decide to sip on, make sure to keep the conversations interesting and not work-related. You can also play a game, which definitely adds the “happy” to your happy hour.
We recommend that you do this after work, preferably on a Friday, just so you’ll be more comfortable sipping on your alcoholic drinks and not worry about getting a hangover the next workday.
Trivia Time
Team trivia games are always a hit, especially with a bit of friendly competition. Build your own team trivia via available free platforms. There are trivia platforms that do require a subscription fee. However, trivia games are so fun and engaging that investing in a paid platform is worth the investment.
Your trivia questions can range from personal ones to general knowledge. Just make sure to avoid questions that are too personal or offensive. If done right, team trivia games are a great way to get to know each other in between laughs and cheers.
Gaming Galore
Contrary to what others think, gaming is not a waste of time. Incorporating multiplayer gaming in team building activities builds strong bonds between management and employees.
Gaming is all about strategising and creative thinking, which is exactly what you want yourself and your team to hone while getting recharged and relaxed. Who knows maybe when you get back to work after playing a strategy video game, you’ll be able to come up with a new and effective solution to a work-related problem or roadblock.
Music Sessions
Music is a universal language that speaks to the soul of humankind, or so they say. Whether you agree or not, music does unite us in a way, especially Filipinos. If you want to establish rapport with your Filipino remote team, music is a great way to go (aside from food, of course).
You can discuss your favourite music or watch an online concert together. Taking it a step further, you can bond over PowerPoint karaoke, virtual jam sessions, or even compose a company/team jingle together. These music sessions are also a fun way to discover and showcase your team’s talent.
Personality Quiz
Taking an online personality assessment is a unique and fun way of starting conversations and making connections within your team. Of course, these free online personality assessment tools are not 100% accurate, but they somehow provide a general idea about how a person thinks and behaves.
Remember that this is done only for fun, and should not be used as a basis for work performance assessment. It’s really about the excitement that you get over knowing who among your team members share the same personality type as you or finding a common ground. I mean wouldn’t it be fun to share the results of your personality test and see who’s similar or different from you?
Wellness Challenges
Learning to work on a common goal–that is what wellness challenges as a team building activity aims to develop in participating teams. Losing weight or gaining weight together through exercise or diet is so much more motivating than doing so alone.
Wellness challenges do not have to be physical; they can also be metal. Try meditating with your team. It’s really up to you. Just make sure to track your team’s progress every week or month, depending on what works for you. Document your progress by taking pictures or recording activity stats with a fitness app. An award or prize would also be nice at the end of every challenge.
Foodies Fest
Name someone who doesn’t enjoy food. If music is the universal language of the soul, food is the universal language of culture. Despite different dishes served in different countries, people from different parts of the world still find a way to bond over food.
This could be an effective team building activity for your team as well. You can try holding cook-offs with your team members or sharing recipes and photos of your favourite dishes. Holding a virtual potluck can also be an option.
Get-to-Know-You Icebreakers
Icebreakers really do break team tension. They reduce built-up stress and build genuinely amiable connections. Plus, they provide opportunities to get to know your team members even better. Some activities you can try are:
- Show and Tell – Share stories about a photo or an item with sentimental value to you.
- Two Truths and a Lie – Take turns telling two truths and a lie about yourself. The objective of the game is for everyone to figure out which statement is the lie.
- Who’s That Baby? – This game is guaranteed to elicit a lot of “awww” from your team. The goal is to show baby photos and have everyone guess who that baby is.
Scavenger Hunt
A good old scavenger hunt activity is a fun way of getting yourselves out of your home office chair and walking around the house. Prepare a list of items that are challenging to find around the house to make the game more exciting.
You can put a twist to your scavenger hunt activity by incorporating photos, videos, or QR codes. Get as creative as you can. If you want to take your scavenger hunt to another level, try doing an escape room activity instead.
Talent Show
Everyone in your team has something to offer when it comes to work. They also have their own unique talents to show outside of work and onstage. Encourage everyone in your team to showcase their talents on your very own virtual corporate talent show.
It will be a refreshing experience seeing your team and your team seeing you perform outside of work. Grab that microphone and sing your heart out. Do a dance break. Recite that self-composed poem. Do a magic trick. The possibilities are endless. It will be a rare opportunity to be silly and show your human side, which is always a treat for your team members.
Bridging the management-remote staff gap takes time, and even after efforts to do so, the gap may not disappear. However, a little effort from the management in making a connection with their employees can help build trust without encouraging them to overstep boundaries.
If you want to learn more ways to build a healthy relationship with a Filipino remote worker, visit www.remotestaff.com.au and schedule a callback or call us. We will also address other questions you may have about hiring and working with a Filipino remote staff.
