20 remote team-building activities to boost engagement and morale

What is remote team building?

Remote team building is the process of helping distributed team members feel connected, engaged, and aligned through virtual activities and intentional communication, even while they're working remotely. These team-building activities are designed to foster collaboration, build trust, and maintain strong relationships for remote employees who don’t share a physical workspace.

Unlike traditional team-building activities, which often rely on in-person interactions, virtual team-building is remote-first and can adapt across different time zones and locations. Virtual team-building activities can include anything from casual video chats and icebreaker questions to virtual scavenger hunts and structured get-to-know-you games. Virtual team building is a fun way to humanize the remote work experience and keep your team engaged. 

20 team-building activities for virtual groups

From quick virtual games to deeper bonding experiences, there's no limit to how creative you can get with virtual team-building activities. The key is to create moments of connection and shared experiences, regardless of where your team members are located.

Remote team-building games that spark competition

1. Virtual escape roomsSolve puzzles as a group to "escape" a digital scenario. Virtual escape rooms are great for problem-solving and team synergy.Team size: 4–10Tools: Platforms like The Escape Game or EnchamberedDuration: 60–90 minutes

2. Online trivia or quiz tournamentsHost a themed trivia night using Kahoot or QuizBreaker to test knowledge and spark friendly competition.Team size: AnyTools: Kahoot, Google Forms, ZoomDuration: 30–60 minutes

3. Virtual pictionary or drawing gamesTest artistic (and guessing) skills with games like Skribbl.io or Gartic Phone.Team size: 4+Tools: Skribbl.io, Zoom screen shareDuration: 20–45 minutes

4. Bingo with a twistCustomize bingo cards with work-from-home or team-specific items. Great for onboarding or a company all-hands.Team size: AnyTools: BingoBaker, Google SheetsDuration: 15–30 minutes

5. Online board game nightsPlay collaborative or competitive board games remotely like Codenames, Catan, or Jackbox.Team size: 3–8Tools: Board Game Arena, JackboxDuration: 45–90 minutes

6. Virtual JeopardyCreate your own categories and quiz your team in a fun, familiar virtual game show format.Team size: 3+Tools: Jeopardy Labs, ZoomDuration: 30–60 minutes

Remote team-building icebreakers & conversation starters

7. Two truths and a lieEach team member shares two true facts and one lie about their life. Others guess the lie.Team size: AnyTools: None (Zoom/Teams)Duration: 10–20 minutes

8. Show & tellEncourage employees to share a meaningful item, hobby, or pet from home.Team size: AnyTools: Zoom, SlackDuration: 10–30 minutes

9. Themed dress-up days or costume challengesThink high school spirit week. From Character Day to Pajama Day, dressing up for Zoom can be hilarious and energizing.Team size: AnyTools: ZoomDuration: Asynchronous or 15-minute kickoff

10. Remote team superlativesNominate team members for funny or heartfelt superlatives (e.g., Best Zoom Background).Team size: AnyTools: Google Forms, SlackDuration: 20–45 minutes

11. Guess the deskHave team members share photos of their workspaces. Others guess whose desk it is.Team size: AnyTools: Slack, ZoomDuration: 15–30 minutes

Remote team-building coffee chats & casual pair-ups

12. Virtual coffee rouletteRandomly match teammates for 15-minute informal chats.Team size: AnyTools: Donut for Slack or Microsoft TeamsDuration: 15–20 minutes

13. Donut meetings via SlackUse the Donut app to pair colleagues for recurring conversations.Team size: AnyTools: SlackDuration: Weekly or biweekly

14. Virtual coworking sessionsCreate space for remote workers to casually chat and work together with a Zoom open room.Team size: 2+Tools: Zoom, TeamsDuration: 1–2 hours

15. Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessionsHost casual Q&As with leadership or teammates to foster transparency and connection.Team size: AnyTools: Zoom, Slack, Google DocsDuration: 30–60 minutes

Remote team-building wellness & creative recharge

16. DIY wellness sessionsInvite professionals to guide breathwork, meditation, or light movement.Team size: AnyTools: ZoomDuration: 20–30 minutes

17. Online scavenger huntsCreate a list of oddball items for teammates to find around their homes.Team size: 3+Tools: Google Docs, ZoomDuration: 15–45 minutes

18. Virtual cooking classesHost a group cooking session with a simple recipe and a shared video call.Team size: AnyTools: ZoomDuration: 45–90 minutes

19. Art or DIY craft hoursPaint, draw, or make something together while chatting over a video call.Team size: AnyTools: Zoom, art suppliesDuration: 45–60 minutes

20. Remote gratitude wallCreate a shared space (Miro board, Slack channel) for team members to thank one another.Team size: AnyTools: Miro, SlackDuration: Ongoing

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Benefits of remote team-building activities

When done well, remote team-building activities aren't just fun, they're a strategic way to strengthen your workforce. Remote team-building exercises can improve communication, build trust, and keep team members aligned and energized, no matter where they’re located.

Builds meaningful connections across locations

When teammates work together from different cities or continents, they can feel like they're working alone. Virtual team-building activities provide opportunities for team bonding, enabling employees to build trust, rapport, and a sense of shared purpose regardless of their location.

Supports collaboration beyond day-to-day work

Working relationships thrive when people connect on more than just tasks. By encouraging casual conversations, icebreaker questions, and fun team-building games, virtual team-building fosters camaraderie that makes collaboration between team members smoother and more effective.

Increases employee engagement and morale

Team-building activities help remote employees feel seen and valued. Whether it’s through team games, shoutouts, or group challenges, these activities encourage teamwork and inject fun into the workday, driving motivation and long-term engagement for all team members.

Reinforces a strong remote culture

A healthy company culture doesn’t require a physical office. Virtual team-building brings company values to life by creating shared experiences between remote workers and reinforcing norms around inclusion, recognition, and communication.

Helps combat isolation and burnout

Remote work can sometimes blur boundaries and increase feelings of disconnection. Virtual team-building can be a fun way to boost morale and encourage collaboration, which are key factors in preventing burnout and promoting mental wellness.

Best practices for successful remote team-building sessions

1. Schedule with intention (not just for fun Fridays)

Be thoughtful about when and how often you schedule virtual team-building activities. Consider time zones, work schedules, and energy levels. Not every session needs to happen on a Friday. Mix things up and align activities with your team’s goals or seasonal milestones.

2. Use tools everyone already knows

To minimize friction, stick with platforms your team is already comfortable using, like Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. This makes it easier for employees to participate without worrying about learning new software.

3. Rotate hosts and formats

Give different team members a chance to lead activities. Not only does this promote engagement, but it also allows for fresh ideas and new energy. 

4. Gather feedback and iterate

After each session, collect quick feedback through a survey or informal chat. Use that input to tweak future activities. What works for one group may not work for another. Iterating helps you continuously improve your remote team-building strategy.

Streamline remote team building and management with Rippling

Managing a remote team requires more than just video calls and messaging apps. It takes the right infrastructure to keep people connected, engaged, and aligned. Rippling brings all your employee systems together, so you can support your remote employees alongside everything else that powers your workforce.

With Rippling’s global payroll and hiring software, you can:

• Automate onboarding across time zones to help remote employees feel connected from day one

• Instantly share company-wide announcements with all team members

• Roll out global wellness benefits and engagement initiatives in just a few clicks

• Schedule and manage virtual events, recognition programs, and surveys

• Track employee engagement and sentiment across teams and regions

Whether your team is fully remote, hybrid, or globally distributed, Rippling gives you the tools to build a cohesive, high-performing culture from anywhere.

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FAQs about remote team-building activities

How can you do team building for virtual teams?

Virtual team-building activities for remote workers should create space for connection outside of daily tasks. This can include online team-building games like virtual trivia, scavenger hunts, or virtual happy hour. The key is to schedule these team-building activities regularly, keep them accessible across time zones, and rotate formats to maintain engagement. Using collaboration tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Slack can make these remote team-building activities easy to organize and join.

What are the 5 things virtual games should include?

Effective virtual team-building games should be:

1. Inclusive: So everyone feels comfortable participating

2. Engaging: With a format that encourages laughter, creativity, or friendly competition

3. Simple: Requiring minimal instructions or setup

4. Flexible: So they work for both small and large groups

5. Tool-friendly: Meaning they can run smoothly on platforms your team already uses

From casual get-to-know-you games to virtual escape rooms or scavenger hunts, the best activities strike a balance between fun and functionality.

How often should remote team building happen?

There’s no one-size-fits-all cadence, but many remote teams benefit from a mix of quick team-building activities (like weekly icebreaker questions) and deeper engagement sessions (like monthly virtual game nights or book club. The goal is consistency and building a habit of connection that supports long-term collaboration between remote employees. Gather feedback regularly to refine your frequency and approach.

What tools help with remote team building?

Popular platforms for virtual team-building activities include:

• Zoom and Microsoft Teams for video-based games and challenges

• Slack with integrations like Donut for casual meetups

• Kahoot and Jackbox for fun, interactive virtual games

• Miro for collaborative whiteboarding or creative tasks

• Google Workspace for quizzes, polls, and shared docs

These tools support everything from spontaneous icebreaker games to structured virtual team-building activities for remote employees.