Team Building
Remote work

Thanksgiving Team Building Activities

Weljo Blog
12 min read

Nowadays, many of us have more opportunities to work online even if we have no intention of becoming freelancers and instead employed workers. Even though this can bring a variety of advantages to us, it also created some disadvantages.

Yes, we're able to work in the comfort in our homes, however, it's often the case that such an environment can lower the productivity of workers, create the feeling of being lonely in all the jobs performed by the individual and also reduce the feeling of community, something that is crucial to a lot of workers around the world.

So, it is beneficial for companies to incorporate online adult team-building activities into their company culture so that both the employees and their managers can maintain powerful relationships with one the other.

Weljo bot is a powerful instrument that businesses can use as a source of one-on-one time breaks, team-building activities and even fun. Its free trial version is available to download now to test how beneficial the Weljo bot could be for your employees!

Gaming for Corporate Teams: Why Should Use Them?

Everyone would rather see only the good side of online workplaces for example, the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world and not needing to spend a lot of time getting to and from the workplace, but we should not ignore the negative side as well, especially when it can easily be enhanced by the use of group-building games on platforms like Weljo.

Thanksgiving Team Building Activitieswith Weljo

Lots of companies have discovered that online workplaces have created some issues to their employees, including:

  • No distinction between the workplace and home. When you are working from home, it is very difficult to define boundaries for yourself break as you did prior the pandemic and keep between your family time and your job time.
  • There is no social network.
    While working at home, you normally carry out all the chores on your own, leaving little room for informal communication between colleagues. There's not much opportunity to engage in small-talk like we did in the corridors of our workplaces. We are unable to create workplace friends, which leaves people isolated from each other and feeling lonely for the majority hours of their lives.
  • The issue of trust between employees and their managers.
    If we don't interact with someone face-to-face and we do not hear their tone it is often difficult to understand the the message improperly. It's now more difficult for you to figure out if your subordinates have issues with the way they work and this is especially in the case of new members to the business. Along with that since there isn't a sufficient communication between employees, there is too limited space for brainstorming creativity, brainstorming, and learning to collaborate;
  • A higher strain upon health.
    Even though you no longer visit your office it is likely that you sit at your desk a lot more. As a result, you move much less, creating tension on your neck and decreasing your eyesight. This is why not only psychological problems can arise during an online job, but the physical issues too.

Luckily, the majority instances of these concerns can be easily resolved with help of team-building games. They can be played to begin and end your day or in between, to take short breaks. This is an excellent way to let your employees know that they're never alone and they have other employees that they can rely on! Additionally, it will inspire them to take better care of themselves given that the company itself organises activities that make them aware of that they are important to have breaks during work.

Thanksgiving Team Building Activities - Weljo

If you're equipped with an easy platform like Weljo, the process of infusing fun breaks, team-building activities or games within your corporate culture can be made much simpler! Weljo's platform lets you offer a variety of energizing breaks, including one on one and team options that are made to accommodate employees to their interests and preferences. With a variety of games to choose from it is easy to find an activity that best suits your mood, and create stronger bonds with your coworkers.

Easy Team Building Games Are they Free?

Some of them are, while some of them are not. Depending on your budget and the requirements you set for yourself various types of enjoyable game for team building are possible.

A free team-building activity is a great way to engage those work group members that are just beginning to transition to an online work format, and they will let you know the preferences of the team members, work out any issues that you might encounter, and pick the platform that you're most comfortable on. For instance some might be more comfortable using Zoom against MS Teams, and it is also possible for certain team members to take part in the games of team building constructed in a 1-to-1 team member format. Not for an entire team of workers.

The problem with almost any team-building game is that it usually comes with only a free trial period. Once you have completed the trial you need to pay money in order to use it. And when you have large numbers of employees that you want to participate to any team building activities it is not enough to garner the attention of your team members, however it generally happens the free games are on various platforms, which is not a good choice in the case of those wanting to incorporate team building activities within their routine.

So, you are able to switch to the paid version of these games which are easily accessible within a user-friendly and user-friendly platform, such as Weljo after each issue is resolved and your preferences are agreed upon by your team. Research conducted by business professionals shows that more than half of the team's leaders saw an improvement in communication abilities and the work relationships between their employees after participating in team building games.

How to Take the Most out of Funny Team Building Games?

The first thing you must accomplish to ensure that everyone can enjoy taking part in a team-building exercise which you've stumbled across is making plans.

So here's some useful info you can make use of to plan your next team-building activity:

  1. Different games were created for different purposes. Some might help to increase communication among team members, or to create a little break at work or improve the productivity of your colleagues. Therefore, it is important to decide on the goal of your team-building exercise first;
  2. Do not ignore to keep in mind the schedules of every person you plan to invite. This would be very unlucky for all of your efforts to go unnoticed just as you failed to synchronize everyone's schedules;
  3. The length of your session is also to be considered. If it's initially designed solely to facilitate team-building activities, you can pick any team-building game you want. If, however, the game is simply a part of the meeting you're going to have, it is important to think about its length and scope, so that it would not end up being a miserable waste of time for anyone in the team;
  4. The platforms you're using are a further important factor to consider. There can be games that your whole team would have to participate in using a third-party platform or games that can be integrated into Zoom, Google Meet, and the like. Of course the latter choice is the best but it is essential to consider that playing a great game on a different platform is much better than a dull game that is integrated into Zoom.

Start off with some fun and free common team-building games you can give your colleagues to test If the group activity is great, move up to more thrilling paid alternatives such as virtual escape rooms that are excellent for improving creativity, communication and problem-solving.

If you've done it correctly, your efforts to improve collaboration and communication will be appreciated by everyone. Additionally, with the help of Weljo You can make organizing your schedule: fun games for breaks can be selected based on the needs that the employees have, team participants can be automatically matched according to their work schedules, and the duration of the break can be personalized.

Thanksgiving Team Building Activities

The Best Team Building Games of Today

Let's talk about great games for team-building that are fun to play right now, along with colleagues. There is a wide variety this is the reason the reason you'll find this piece very enjoyable, because we will help you to sort through the plethora of choices and help you choose the best group-building game to test out with your team members.

We'll segment our collection into two distinct subgroups, i.e. the games that you can play using different platforms, and the games that you could include into Zoom. Let's start with the initial team of games.

Third-Platform Based Games
1. Skribbl

This is a great team-building game in which you divide your team players into two groups that consist of players. every team member makes a sketch of a scene through which all team members have to guess the word they think is encoded. The team with the highest points takes the lead in the game!

One drawback to this type of game is the requirement for players to draw using their cursors it is an aspect that not every member will appreciate. The platform, however, is very comfortable, even permitting you to select the amount of time each participant is required to draw their picture, and also the number of rounds you take, making it possible to modify the game to the requirements of your team.

2. Words With Friends

The game is similar to Skribbl in that it also relies on words, however it does not require anyone to draw. The basic idea is that each player has seven letter tiles they are able to use to create words on the board. Each new word they draw must be connected to a letter already laid upon the board previously by other group members.

By playing this game, you will improve teamwork and the individual contribution of each worker and at the same moment, so that the team members can improve their problem-solving skills both collectively and individually. You could also offer gifts to the person or team who filled the entire board.

3. Playing Cards

It is not a distinct game however, it is a whole platform in which more than 60 games are located so that you could find a plethora of games to pick from depending on the demands of your group. You can choose classic games like Chess or Rummy or go for some less-known options.

The Playing Cards game can also be personalized so that big and smaller groups of workers could be set up for different types of games. All you need to do is choose games, build a video conference room that allows everyone to come together and then use a room ID that allows players access to the game.

4. Sudoku

And lastly, but certainly not least, is Sudoku which is a very popular game nowadays. Even though it's ideal for team-play, you can use some of your creativity in order to use it to create a bonding game. You can, for instance, create breakout rooms in Zoom or even provide your teams with sudokus they must solve.

The great thing about this game is that it has various levels of difficulty, so you can pick the same level, and even game for all teams, so that everyone's capability to participate can be roughly equal. Exchanging team members might also be beneficial so that everyone could get to understand each other.

The advantage of third-party games lies in the fact they help you save moment needed to plan the game, since all the equipment is already available with the game.

Thanksgiving Team Building Activities

Games Incorporated into Video Platforms

Games incorporated in Zoom or any other platforms for video have their own advantages. For instance, you would be able to play without using your browser or other applications in order to participate. Furthermore, games that are integrated are great for demonstrating to children all the features of the application which you normally use at work.

Here's a list of some games that you can enjoy without any other platforms.

1. Trivia

It is a great option whenever you aren't sure what to pick for your team. Rules of Office Trivia are known by everyone and you can pick whatever topic that you want according to the interests of your team. So, you can improve the team's abilities to think on their feet, as well as also your team's expertise, since they will gain different details on the topic they choose. Small and large teams can participate in this game.

2. Scavenger Hunt

Although there's not the ability to physically pick off different items from a menu, you can make use of this tool to search for some interesting facts in the web. This is a particularly good sport for team members who are new by making people search for data that are relevant to the company's mission statement. And in the end winners will receive a corporate gift.

3. Sponge Game

It is among our top games, as many businesses enjoy playing it too. The rules are fairly simple the players have 30 seconds to look for an item nearby, and 30 seconds to create an interesting tale about the item. After that, each member of the team reads their tale for 60 minutes. What matters is whether you pick basketballs, post-it notes or a plastic bag everyone must tell their own story!

4. Two Truths, and a Lie

A great game for any kind of team is in yours! Whatever the situation, whether you have joined your business for the first time, or there are just some new members added as members of the organization, it is fun to discover which funny facts about your co-workers are actually factual! The team building exercises are sure to help to unite the team.

5. Zoom Games

Similar to Slack, Zoom has recently created its own platform for apps which makes all team-building more simple since it doesn't require members to use any third-party platforms! For instance, you can play games such as Heads Up! or #AskAway, with your remote team.

Frequently Asked Question -- FAQs

Why does business need group-building games or exercises?

Since most of us work online this makes it much difficult to connect with colleagues in a proper manner, as that it is difficult to establish work-related friendships and set boundaries during the everyday life between work and play. And as office team building and in-person team meetings are no longer feasible group building games may be used to help connect your new employees with the teams around them, and also improve their communication. By monitoring the well-being level of team members', companies can determine and rectify any issues that are affecting employee morale, job satisfaction or productivity. This leads to a more engaged and healthier employees.

How do you organize team building?

Gamification is certainly a trend that can help you achieve that. One of the most popular activities for team building is ones that have a connection to engaging games that all of us are familiar with. In other words, it could play a version of one of the games that office workers had participated in previously. Hence, simply plan an appointment to discuss the game with your IT department or another team and let the games rules do the job for you!

How to plan team-building meetings?

The first step is to decide on the purposes of your team exercise, such as to improve communication within the group or to improve the mood of colleagues after a hard week, or stimulate brainstorming on the topic. Then, check everybody's schedule and invite them to a group meeting which will include team-building initiatives included.

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Weljo Blog
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