Top Team Building Activities for Remote Employees to Boost Engagement

In today's distributed work landscape, fostering genuine team connection is more critical than ever. The casual conversations that once sparked ideas by the coffee machine have disappeared, leaving a gap that can impact morale, collaboration, and overall company culture. This guide moves beyond generic advice to provide a curated list of nine impactful team building activities for remote employees, designed to combat isolation and build a stronger, more cohesive team. We'll explore fresh, engaging ideas from virtual escape rooms to online cooking classes.

More importantly, we'll show you how to organize these events effortlessly. For companies that rely on both Slack for communication and Google Calendar for scheduling, coordinating events can be a major headache. With a tool like Be There, you can bridge this gap by managing everything directly within Slack. This eliminates the frustrating back-and-forth between platforms, making event creation and RSVPs seamless for managers and team members alike. The key is to make participation as simple as a single click, ensuring your efforts lead to maximum engagement, not administrative burnout.

By implementing these activities, you're not just planning events; you're investing in your team's well-being and productivity. Beyond specific activities, understanding broader strategies to improve teamwork can significantly enhance your remote team's cohesion and performance. Let's dive into the ideas that will reconnect your team and build a thriving remote culture.

1. Virtual Escape Rooms

Virtual escape rooms are one of the most immersive team building activities for remote employees, transforming a standard video call into a high-stakes adventure. In these digital experiences, your team collaborates to solve intricate puzzles, decipher clues, and "escape" a themed room before time runs out. It's a fantastic way to boost critical thinking, communication, and teamwork under pressure.

Platforms like The Escape Game and TeamBuilding.com offer a range of scenarios, from solving a murder mystery to escaping a Grimm fairytale. A live host guides your team through the experience, ensuring everyone is engaged and on track. This activity excels at breaking down departmental silos and encouraging cross-functional collaboration.

✦How to Get Started

To ensure a smooth experience, follow these best practices:

• Test Technology Early: Have everyone log in 15 minutes before the start time to resolve any technical issues.
• Mix Up the Teams: Intentionally group employees from different departments to foster new connections and diverse problem-solving approaches.
• Debrief Afterwards: Schedule a brief follow-up session to discuss what went well, how the team communicated, and what you learned about each other's working styles.

Key Insight: The true value of a virtual escape room isn't just "escaping." It's in observing how your team navigates challenges, communicates under pressure, and leverages individual strengths to achieve a common goal.

The infographic below offers a quick reference for planning your virtual escape room event.

These stats highlight that virtual escape rooms are efficient, highly collaborative activities ideal for small groups, making them a powerful choice for focused team building.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

For teams using both Slack and Google Calendar, organizing these events is simple with Be There. You can create the event directly in Slack, and it automatically syncs with your team's Google Calendar. The app sends reminders and gathers RSVPs right where your team works, eliminating the need for email chains and ensuring everyone has the event link when it's time to join.

2. Online Cooking Classes

Online cooking classes are among the most engaging team building activities for remote employees, blending hands-on creativity with casual social interaction. In these guided sessions, your team gathers on a video call to prepare the same recipe together, often led by a professional chef. This shared experience fosters communication and collaboration in a relaxed, low-pressure setting far removed from daily work tasks.

Platforms like Cozymeal and Sur La Table offer a wide variety of virtual culinary experiences, from making Italian pasta to mastering French pastries. Companies like Shopify have found success organizing quarterly "Around the World" sessions where employees share recipes from their heritage. This activity is perfect for building personal connections and celebrating the diverse cultures within your team.

✦How to Get Started

To host a delicious and successful virtual cooking class, follow these best practices:

• Plan Ahead: Send out an ingredient and equipment list at least one week in advance. Consider using a service that ships pre-portioned ingredient kits to each employee.
• Keep It Simple: Choose recipes with 6-8 ingredients to ensure the class is accessible for all skill levels and doesn't become overwhelming.
• Encourage Sharing: Invite team members to suggest or even lead a class based on a family or cultural recipe, which adds a personal touch to the event.

Key Insight: The success of an online cooking class lies in the shared, multi-sensory experience. It’s not just about the final dish; it’s about laughing at a spilled ingredient, helping each other through a tricky step, and enjoying a meal “together” from afar.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

Organizing your team’s culinary adventure is effortless with Be There, especially for teams that live in Slack and Google Calendar. You can set up the event in Slack, sending the recipe, ingredient list, and video link in one go. The app handles Google Calendar invites and sends automated reminders, so everyone has what they need without sifting through emails. Collecting RSVPs directly in Slack ensures you know exactly who is cooking along.

3. Virtual Game Show Competitions

Virtual game show competitions bring the high-energy fun of classic TV shows directly to your team's screens. These events transform a standard video conference into a lively contest where teams compete in formats like Jeopardy or Family Feud. It's a fantastic way to spark friendly competition, test knowledge, and boost morale among remote employees.

Platforms like TeamBuilding.com and The Go Game offer professionally hosted experiences, complete with buzzers, leaderboards, and custom questions tailored to your company. You can include questions about your organization's history, industry-specific trivia, or inside jokes to reinforce company culture. This makes it one of the most customizable team building activities for remote employees, ensuring the content is relevant and engaging. Learn more about creative team building event ideas to find the perfect fit for your group.

✦How to Get Started

Follow these tips to host a successful virtual game show:

• Balance the Questions: Create a mix of easy and challenging questions, including some about your company culture, to keep everyone engaged and feeling included.
• Form Diverse Teams: Intentionally mix departments and seniority levels to encourage new interactions and create well-rounded teams.
• Prepare Fun Prizes: Offer small, shippable prizes for the winning team to add an extra layer of motivation and excitement.
• Run a Tech Check: Have a dedicated person ready to provide technical support and ensure everyone's audio and video are working correctly.

Key Insight: The main goal of a virtual game show isn't just winning; it's creating a shared, positive experience that generates laughter and builds camaraderie, making even the most distant colleagues feel connected.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

Organizing a game show is easy with Be There, which bridges the gap between Slack and Google Calendar. You can create the event in your Slack channel, and it will automatically generate and sync the Google Calendar invite for your team. The app handles everything from RSVPs to sending event reminders, ensuring your entire team has the link and is ready to compete when the show starts.

4. Digital Art Creation Workshops

Digital art creation workshops are engaging team building activities for remote employees that shift the focus from analytical tasks to shared creative expression. In these sessions, team members are guided through an artistic project, whether it's a digital painting challenge, a pottery-painting session with kits sent to their homes, or a simple "sketch and share" exercise. The goal is to relieve stress, encourage a different kind of thinking, and build connections through a shared, hands-on experience.

Companies like Etsy have successfully organized remote pottery painting sessions, while others host "Creative Fridays" to teach new digital art techniques. To foster team connection through creative expression, explore these powerful group art activities. This activity is perfect for helping teams unwind, tap into their creativity, and see their colleagues in a new light, outside of their professional roles.

✦How to Get Started

To host a successful creative workshop, consider these tips:

• Emphasize Process, Not Product: Make it clear that the goal is participation and fun, not creating a masterpiece. This reduces performance anxiety and encourages everyone to join in.
• Provide Options: Offer multiple mediums if possible (e.g., digital tools, simple paper and pens, or mailed craft kits) to cater to different comfort levels and resources.
• Share Supply Lists Early: If participants need to gather their own materials, send a list well in advance so everyone can come prepared.

Key Insight: The real benefit of a creative workshop lies in the shared experience and conversation that happens during the creative process. It’s a low-pressure way to build rapport and discover new facets of your teammates' personalities.

These stats show that creative activities are a highly effective and inclusive way to reduce stress and foster genuine connections, making them a valuable addition to your team-building calendar.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

For a modern workforce using both Slack and Google Calendar, coordinating a creative workshop is effortless with Be There. You can create the event in a Slack channel, where the app will automatically collect RSVPs. The event syncs to Google Calendar, and Be There sends timely reminders, ensuring no one misses the deadline to sign up or forgets to join the creative session.

5. Online Book Club Discussions

An online book club is a structured yet informal activity where team members read the same book and meet periodically to discuss it. This is one of the most intellectually stimulating team building activities for remote employees, as it fosters deep conversations on topics like leadership, innovation, and personal growth. It encourages continuous learning and allows colleagues to connect on a more thoughtful level beyond daily work tasks.

Companies like Buffer and GitLab have seen great success with this model, reading books such as 'Radical Candor' or works on remote innovation. These discussions create a shared intellectual space, giving employees a common language to discuss complex ideas and apply new concepts directly to their work.

✦How to Get Started

To launch a successful and engaging book club, consider these tips:

• Choose Accessible Books: Select books under 250 pages to encourage higher completion rates. Offer both digital and audiobook versions to accommodate different preferences.
• Guide the Conversation: Create a simple discussion guide with open-ended questions to spark conversation. Rotate the role of discussion leader to empower different team members.
• Connect to Work: Whenever possible, relate the book's themes to current company projects or challenges to make the insights more tangible and applicable.

Key Insight: A corporate book club does more than just encourage reading; it builds a culture of shared learning and intellectual curiosity. It reveals diverse perspectives and strengthens analytical and communication skills across the team.

These stats highlight that book clubs can be a low-cost, high-impact activity that boosts engagement and fosters valuable skills.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

Coordinating your book club's meeting schedule is easy with Be There. You can set up recurring discussion sessions directly in Slack, which automatically syncs with everyone’s Google Calendar—a perfect solution for teams already using both tools. The app handles RSVPs and sends reminders, ensuring everyone knows when the next chapter discussion is happening without cluttering email inboxes.

6. Virtual Reality Team Adventures

For a truly cutting-edge experience, Virtual Reality (VR) Team Adventures transport your remote team to entirely new worlds. Using VR headsets, employees can collaborate on immersive missions, solve puzzles in fantastical landscapes, or simply connect in a shared virtual space. It's one of the most memorable team building activities for remote employees, creating powerful shared experiences that are impossible in the physical world.

Companies like PwC and Accenture use custom VR scenarios, from fantasy quests to simulated Mars missions, to enhance collaboration and training. Platforms such as Oculus for Business provide the hardware and software for teams to meet, strategize, and bond in these unique digital environments, pushing the boundaries of remote interaction and teamwork.

✦How to Get Started

To ensure your VR adventure is a success, careful planning is key:

• Host an Orientation: Before the main event, run a brief VR orientation session to help everyone get comfortable with the hardware and controls.
• Plan for Tech Support: Have a dedicated technical support person available throughout the activity to troubleshoot any issues with headsets or connectivity.
• Start with Shorter Sessions: Begin with shorter experiences (15-20 minutes) to prevent potential motion sickness and ease everyone into the virtual environment.
• Prepare a Backup Plan: Technology can be unpredictable. Have a low-tech backup activity, like a simple online game, ready in case of significant technical difficulties.

Key Insight: VR team building does more than just entertain. It places team members in a novel environment where they must rely entirely on clear communication and mutual trust to succeed, revealing core dynamics in a fresh, engaging context.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

Coordinating a high-tech event like a VR adventure requires clear communication. With Be There, you can manage the entire process within Slack, your team's central hub. Create the event, share headset setup guides, and send reminders without ever leaving the platform. The event automatically syncs to Google Calendar, and RSVPs are collected in-channel, making it a handy tool for companies that use both platforms.

7. Remote Fitness Challenges

Remote fitness challenges are structured wellness programs that unite remote employees around shared health goals, transforming individual well-being into a collective effort. These initiatives use apps and platforms to track activities like steps, meditation minutes, or healthy meals, fostering friendly competition and mutual support. It’s an excellent way to boost morale, promote a healthy work-life balance, and connect colleagues on a personal level.

Companies like Google have seen success with global step challenges, while platforms such as Fitbit Corporate Wellness make it easy to manage leaderboards and progress. The focus is less on athletic prowess and more on participation, making it one of the most inclusive team building activities for remote employees. These challenges demonstrate a company's commitment to employee well-being beyond the screen.

✦How to Get Started

To launch a successful fitness challenge, follow these best practices:

• Offer Variety: Include a mix of activities, from step counts and yoga to meditation and nutrition goals, to appeal to different interests and fitness levels.
• Create Small Teams: Group employees into small teams to foster accountability and create a stronger sense of camaraderie.
• Reward Participation: Provide prizes for milestones and consistent participation, not just for the top performers, to keep everyone motivated. Learn more about how to structure these initiatives by exploring successful workplace wellness program examples.

Key Insight: The power of a remote fitness challenge lies in its ability to build healthy habits and create connections that transcend work tasks. It shows employees that their well-being is a priority, which is a powerful driver of engagement and loyalty.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

Organizing recurring fitness check-ins or virtual workout sessions is effortless with Be There. It's especially useful for teams reliant on Slack and Google Calendar; you can set up a weekly "Wellness Wednesday" event directly in Slack, and it automatically syncs with the team's calendar. The app handles reminders and RSVPs within Slack, ensuring everyone is encouraged to participate without adding clutter to their inboxes.

8. Online Murder Mystery Games

Online murder mystery games are highly interactive team building activities for remote employees that blend storytelling, role-playing, and collaborative problem-solving. Each team member receives a unique character with secrets and objectives, working together to unmask the culprit behind a fictional crime. It’s a brilliant way to encourage communication, strategic thinking, and a bit of theatrical fun.

Companies like The Murder Mystery Co. and My Mystery Party offer a wide array of themes, from corporate conspiracies to vintage Hollywood scandals. A dedicated host guides the narrative, ensuring the plot moves forward and everyone has a chance to participate. These games are especially effective at revealing hidden leadership and negotiation skills within the team.

✦How to Get Started

To host a killer event, consider these best practices:

• Distribute Roles in Advance: Send character bios and backstories 24-48 hours ahead of time so participants can prepare.
• Encourage Immersion: Suggest that team members use themed virtual backgrounds or wear simple costumes to get into character.
• Designate a Skilled Facilitator: A good host is crucial for keeping the energy high, guiding discussions, and ensuring the story stays on track.

Key Insight: The real benefit of a murder mystery game is observing how your team members interpret information, build alliances, and use persuasion to achieve their goals. It provides a unique lens into interpersonal dynamics and communication styles.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

Coordinating all the moving parts of a murder mystery is effortless with Be There, the ideal tool for companies that organize in Slack and schedule in Google Calendar. You can create the event, share character roles, and manage RSVPs directly within a dedicated Slack channel. The event syncs automatically to Google Calendar, and Be There sends timely reminders, ensuring no one misses their cue to join the investigation.

9. Virtual Coffee Chat Roulette

Virtual Coffee Chat Roulette is a simple yet powerful activity designed to replicate those spontaneous "water cooler" moments that are often missing in a remote work environment. This activity systematically pairs team members for brief, informal video conversations, rotating the pairings regularly. It’s an excellent way to foster personal connections between colleagues who might not interact during their day-to-day tasks.

Companies like Automattic and Zapier have successfully used similar programs, often powered by Slack bots, to connect thousands of distributed employees. These casual chats help break down departmental silos, build trust, and combat the isolation that can come with remote work. It's one of the most scalable team building activities for remote employees, requiring minimal coordination for maximum impact.

✦How to Get Started

To launch a successful program, follow these best practices:

• Automate the Pairings: Use a Slack app like Donut to automatically pair employees and create a dedicated channel for the conversation. This removes the administrative burden.
• Provide Conversation Starters: Equip participants with a short list of icebreaker questions to ease any initial awkwardness and get the conversation flowing.
• Keep it Optional but Encouraged: Make participation voluntary to avoid pressure, but have leadership actively champion the initiative to demonstrate its value.
• Set a Clear Timeframe: Recommend a specific duration, like 15 or 30 minutes, to ensure the chats remain a quick, enjoyable break rather than a time-consuming meeting.

Key Insight: The magic of a coffee chat roulette lies in its consistency. A single chat is nice, but a regular, ongoing program creates a persistent sense of community and belonging that strengthens the entire organizational fabric over time.

For more ideas on keeping your team connected, check out these remote employee engagement ideas to find strategies that fit your company culture.

✦Seamless Slack Integration

Organizing a recurring Coffee Chat Roulette is effortless with Be There. It's particularly handy for teams that use Slack for chats and Google Calendar for events. You can set up a recurring event series directly in Slack, allowing you to schedule weekly or bi-weekly chats with just a few clicks. Be There syncs these automatically to Google Calendar, sends reminders, and manages RSVPs within Slack, ensuring everyone has the details they need without ever leaving their primary workspace.

Top 9 Remote Team Building Activities Comparison

Activity	Implementation Complexity 🔄	Resource Requirements ⚡	Expected Outcomes 📊	Ideal Use Cases 💡	Key Advantages ⭐
Virtual Escape Rooms	Moderate: software setup, stable internet	Medium: software, video conferencing	High engagement, teamwork under pressure	Teams seeking creative problem-solving with collaboration	Boosts communication & creative thinking; scalable for small teams
Online Cooking Classes	Moderate: ingredient prep, scheduling	Medium-High: ingredients, kitchen access	Practical skills, relaxed bonding	Teams wanting informal socializing + skill development	Tangible rewards (meals), cultural sharing, inclusive skill levels
Virtual Game Show Competitions	High: custom content, professional hosting	High: host, tech setup, production	Competitive energy, culture reinforcement	Large teams aiming for fun, knowledge-based competition	Professional production; scalable; inclusive of various personalities
Digital Art Creation Workshops	Moderate: art supplies/software needed	Medium: art materials or digital tools	Stress relief, creativity boost	Teams seeking mindfulness and creative expression	Non-competitive, inclusive; uncovers hidden talents
Online Book Club Discussions	Low-Moderate: scheduled meetings over weeks	Low: books, discussion facilitators	Continuous learning, meaningful dialogue	Teams focused on personal/professional development	Cost-effective; encourages long-term growth
Virtual Reality Team Adventures	High: VR equipment, technical support	High: VR headsets, setup space	Immersive engagement, memorable experiences	Tech-savvy teams wanting innovative shared adventures	Unique immersive experience; showcases innovation
Remote Fitness Challenges	Low-Moderate: tracking apps, coordination	Low: apps, wearables suggested	Health promotion, team support	Wellness-focused teams building healthy habits	Cost-effective; promotes wellness, accommodates fitness levels
Online Murder Mystery Games	High: character distribution, facilitation	Medium: facilitators, materials	Creative thinking, role-play engagement	Teams open to storytelling and problem-solving	Inclusive for introverts/extroverts; enhances communication
Virtual Coffee Chat Roulette	Low: pairing system setup	Low: video conferencing tools	Increased personal connections	Any size teams aiming to reduce isolation	Easy, low-cost; fosters cross-team bonding

Streamline Your Team Events: From Idea to 'I'll Be There!'

Having a curated list of engaging team building activities for remote employees is the perfect starting point, but the true challenge lies in execution. Moving from an exciting idea like a Virtual Escape Room or an Online Murder Mystery to a well-attended, seamless event is where many well-intentioned plans falter. The administrative overhead of coordinating schedules, sending invites, tracking RSVPs, and dispatching reminders can quickly overshadow the fun.

This logistical hurdle is precisely what holds many teams back from consistently investing in their culture. For companies that live in Slack and organize their lives on Google Calendar, this process often becomes a messy, manual juggling act. It involves switching between apps, creating separate calendar invites, and manually nudging people in different channels, leading to lower participation and frustrated organizers.

✦Beyond Ideas: The Power of Seamless Execution

The ultimate goal of any team-building initiative is to foster connection, not create administrative burdens. As we've explored, the quality of the activity matters, but the experience of signing up and showing up is just as crucial. A complicated process sends the wrong message; it makes participation feel like another task on the to-do list.

To truly succeed, you need to eliminate friction. The key takeaways from our list of activities are:

• Variety is Essential: Rotating between competitive games, creative workshops, and casual social chats keeps things fresh and appeals to different personalities.
• Inclusivity Matters: The best activities are accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical location, role, or skill level.
• Consistency Builds Culture: Sporadic events are nice, but regular, predictable opportunities for connection are what truly build a strong remote culture.

The most significant takeaway, however, is that simplicity drives participation. When an event is easy to discover, simple to join, and automatically appears on an employee's calendar, they are far more likely to engage.

✦Unifying Your Workflow for Maximum Engagement

This is where integrating your event management directly into your team's primary communication hub becomes a game-changer. For a company that uses Slack and Google Calendar, a unified tool is invaluable. Imagine creating a 'Virtual Coffee Chat Roulette' or a 'Remote Fitness Challenge' right inside Slack. With a few clicks, the event is created, a Google Calendar invite is automatically generated and sent, and automated reminders are scheduled to go out in the relevant Slack channel.

This isn't just about saving time; it's about building momentum and excitement. By centralizing the entire process, you transform event coordination from a logistical chore into a streamlined, engaging workflow. This empowers HR professionals, team leads, and happiness managers to focus on what really matters: designing memorable team building activities for remote employees that boost morale, strengthen relationships, and create a vibrant, connected remote workplace.

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Ready to stop juggling tabs and start building connections? Be There is the first event planner built for Slack that syncs perfectly with Google Calendar, turning your best ideas into well-attended events effortlessly. See how you can simplify your remote team building by trying Be There today.