Hybrid working has transformed how teams operate, but it’s also created a connection gap. Those spontaneous corridor conversations and coffee machine catch-ups that built trust and collaboration? They’ve disappeared. Many employees now work in the office two or three days a week but never cross paths with certain colleagues. New starters may have never met their team face-to-face.
Without deliberate effort, hybrid teams drift toward silos, disengagement, and miscommunication. Team building isn’t a luxury — it’s essential infrastructure for high performance in distributed organisations.
At Let’s Talk Talent, we help organisations become irresistible places to work by creating experiences where people genuinely connect and thrive. This means moving beyond one-off ‘fun’ sessions and designing consistent, purposeful rituals that drive trust, clarity, and collaboration. Learn more about our team performance consultancy.
This guide provides 33 tried-and-tested remote team building activities, organised by outcome, with clear guidance on when to use them, timings, and required tools.
Why Remote Team Building Matters in Hybrid Organisations
Effective team building addresses five key outcomes:
- Get to know each other: Build psychological safety and break down silos
- Focus on a common goal: Align teams around shared purpose and strategy
- Boost morale: Combat digital fatigue and isolation
- Improve communication: Develop active listening, feedback, and conflict resolution
- Generate energy and innovation: Spark creativity and forward thinking
Without intentional design, hybrid teams struggle with trust erosion, unclear priorities, uneven participation, and lost innovation. Regular, well-facilitated activities create the connective tissue that holds distributed teams together.
Hybrid Team Building Tips Before You Start
Set yourself up for success with these foundations:
- Test technology beforehand: Ensure cameras cover everyone, audio is clear, and screen-sharing works
- Account for time zones: Rotate meeting times or use asynchronous options
- Build in breaks: Remote participants need time away from screens
- Design for inclusivity: Consider introverts, neurodivergent colleagues, and camera comfort
- Set ground rules: Establish expectations around cameras, muting, and participation
- Connect to broader strategy: Link activities to your learning and development plans
The goal is making everyone feel included, valued, and able to contribute authentically.
Team Building Activities to Get to Know Each Other
When to use: Onboarding, cross-functional teams, after restructures, when teams lack social connection.
1. Work Style Personality Test
Send an assessment like High5 in advance. Share and discuss results during your session.
Best for: New teams | Time: 30–45 min | Group: 5–30 people
2. Guess Whose Life This Is
Team members submit two photos (not showing faces) representing themselves. Colleagues guess who they belong to.
Best for: Deeper connection | Time: 20–30 min | Group: 8–25 people
3. One Thing That’s Not On Your CV
Each person shares something significant that wouldn’t appear on their CV — hidden talents, unusual experiences, personal passions.
Best for: Any team | Time: 1–2 min per person | Group: 5–30 people
4. At Arm’s Reach
Everyone brings an object from their workspace and explains its significance.
Best for: Remote-first teams | Time: 15–25 min | Group: 5–20 people
5. Virtual Line-up
Line up virtually based on tenure or another criterion. Exchange stories about how the organisation has changed.
Best for: Culture-building | Time: 15–20 min | Group: 8–30 people
6. Music Show-and-Tell
Pick a significant song and explain why. Create a shared team playlist.
Best for: Creative teams | Time: 20–30 min | Group: 5–20 people
7. Share Your Bucket List
Share three to five bucket list items. Colleagues suggest ways to help tick them off.
Best for: Deeper relationships | Time: 25–35 min | Group: 5–15 people
Making it stick: Integrate into onboarding, run quarterly mixers, or use at project kickoffs.
Team Building Activities to Focus on a Common Goal
When to use: Strategy resets, project kickoffs, quarterly planning, when teams lack clarity.
8. Six-word Story
Describe your team’s purpose in exactly six words. Share and discuss the variation.
Best for: Strategic alignment | Time: 15–20 min | Tools: Virtual whiteboard
9. Show-and-tell Session
Regular sessions where people share progress, challenges, and upcoming work.
Best for: Transparency | Time: 30–45 min | Group: 5–20 people
10. A Look to the Future
Envision where your organisation will be in ten years. Share and discuss alignment.
Best for: Strategy sessions | Time: 25–40 min | Group: 5–25 people
11. Project Kickoffs
Dedicate time to align on objectives, roles, success measures, and communication norms.
Best for: New projects | Time: 60–90 min | Group: 5–15 people
12. Fireside Chats
Leaders hold one-to-one conversations with team members about ambitions and concerns.
Best for: Building trust | Time: 20–30 min per person | Format: 1-to-1
13. Team Charter
Agree on what you want to achieve, everyone’s role, communication norms, and expected behaviours.
Best for: New teams | Time: 90–120 min | Tools: Virtual whiteboard
14. Cover Story Exercise
Visualise the boldest future for your company. Draw how it would appear on magazine covers.
Best for: Innovation | Time: 30–45 min | Group: 10–30 people in small teams
15. Clarity Session
Put a question at the top of a virtual board. The team writes two-word answers for 15 minutes, then selects one winning answer.
Best for: Decision-making | Time: 20–25 min | Tools: Miro or Mural
These activities connect to business outcomes and team performance.
Team Bonding Activities to Boost Morale
When to use: Combating digital fatigue, celebrating wins, maintaining wellbeing during high-pressure periods.
16. Cooking Together
Send a recipe in advance and cook together over video. Turn it into a friendly competition.
Best for: Social connection | Time: 60–90 min | Note: Accommodate dietary needs
17. Recipes Roundup
Pick a theme and create a booklet. Share photos when trying each other’s recipes.
Best for: Asynchronous connection | Time: Ongoing | Note: Cultural sensitivity
18. Create a Story
Pick a genre and character. Each person tells part of the story using ‘…and then’ as the cue.
Best for: Creativity | Time: 15–25 min | Group: 5–12 people
19. Remote Coffee Breaks
Set up regular informal social time with no work agenda.
Best for: Combating isolation | Time: 15–30 min | Note: Cameras optional
20. Virtual Book Club
Set a reading list and regular meeting time for discussion.
Best for: Ongoing ritual | Time: 45–60 min monthly | Note: Advance discussion topics
21. Remote Quizzes
Use apps like Kahoot for friendly competition and laughs.
Best for: High-energy bonding | Time: 30–45 min | Group: 5–50+ people
22. Random Chat Channels
Create a channel purely for non-work discussions.
Best for: Casual connection | Format: Asynchronous | Platform: Slack or Teams
23. Charity Fundraisers
Work together on projects that contribute to community or causes.
Best for: Purpose-driven connection | Time: Varies | Outcome: Community impact
Avoiding burnout: Weekly 15-minute chats maintain connection without burden. Make participation genuinely optional. More on employee development and wellbeing.
Team Building Activities to Improve Communication
When to use: After miscommunication, during conflicts, when team dynamics feel strained.
24. Virtual Coworking
Work on individual tasks while benefiting from others’ company, or collaborate closely.
Best for: Reducing isolation | Time: 60–180 min | Group: 3–8 people
25. Joint Work Calendars
Create a shared calendar marking holidays, meetings, milestones, and birthdays.
Best for: Coordination | Format: Ongoing | Outcome: Reduced conflicts
26. Lost at Sea
Rank random objects in order of survival importance. Discussion reveals decision-making patterns.
Best for: Decision-making | Time: 30–45 min | Tip: Debrief on process
27. Stinky Fish
Address unspoken issues using the Stinky Fish exercise – an effective way of bringing issues to the surface and not letting them fester.
Best for: Resolving tension | Time: 45–75 min | Requires: Skilled facilitator
28. History Map
Reflect on shared experiences and create a collective story based on them using the History Map activity. Use after big milestones.
Best for: Retrospectives | Time: 60–90 min | Tip: Capture learnings
Making insights stick: Update team charters with new agreements. Leaders should role-model these skills. More on management and leadership skills.
Remote Team Building Activities to Generate Energy and Innovation
When to use: Opening sessions, mid-point refreshes, when teams feel stuck.
29. Give Your Energy Level
Take the pulse during long sessions. Rate energy one to ten and adapt the agenda.
Best for: Checking in | Time: 2–3 min | Frequency: Every 60–90 min
30. Appreciation Train
Each person says what they appreciate about a colleague. Everyone gives and receives feedback.
Best for: Closing sessions | Time: 15–30 min | Tip: Document for reviews
31. Future Trends Workshop
Predict next trends in your industry and discuss how to pivot.
Best for: Innovation | Time: 60–90 min | Tip: Capture into action plan
32. Inspirational External Speaker
Bring in someone energetic to provide fresh perspectives.
Best for: Quarterly events | Time: 45–60 min plus Q&A | Group: 10–100+ people
33. CEO Intro
Have your CEO join or record a message to make people feel valued.
Best for: Celebrating wins | Time: 10–20 min | Outcome: Connection to vision
More on building a culture of growth through people development.
How to Build a Remote and Hybrid Team Building Plan
One-off activities rarely create lasting change. The most effective approach combines frequencies:
- Weekly (15 min): Quick icebreaker at team meetings
- Fortnightly (30–45 min): Focused activity for current needs
- Monthly (60–90 min): Deeper workshop
- Quarterly (half to full day): Strategic team away days
Consistency matters more than perfection. Track what works using team feedback, then adapt. Link your plan to wider culture and performance strategy through facilitated workshops and ongoing programmes.
Remote Team Building Activities Don’t Have to Be Dull
These activities aren’t just for away days — they can become everyday rituals that strengthen your team. Three core principles:
- Be purposeful: Every activity should serve a clear outcome
- Design for inclusion: Consider time zones, personality types, and accessibility
- Connect to performance: Link to broader learning, development, and business goals
When done well, team building stops feeling like team building and simply becomes how your team works. That’s when you’re building an irresistible organisation.
For inspiration on what to avoid, read our guide on activities to avoid in remote team building. And if you’re planning an impactful corporate away day, we’ve got the guidance you need.
If you’d like help turning these activities into a tailored hybrid team building programme, or designing a facilitated away day where your team members feel truly connected — our performance consultants can help.
FAQs About Remote Team Building
What is remote team building?
Remote team building refers to structured activities and intentional rituals designed to build trust, communication, and collaboration among distributed or hybrid teams using video calls, digital tools, and asynchronous formats. The best remote team building addresses specific outcomes like psychological safety, strategic alignment or morale, rather than just providing entertainment.
Why is remote team building important for hybrid teams?
Hybrid teams miss informal connection opportunities that naturally build trust in co-located environments. Without deliberate design, they drift toward silos, disengagement, miscommunication, and uneven participation where remote workers become second-class team members. Consistent team building creates the connective tissue enabling high performance.
How often should we schedule remote team building activities?
Combine different frequencies: weekly quick touchpoints (10–15 minutes), fortnightly focused sessions (30–45 minutes), monthly deeper workshops (60–90 minutes), and quarterly strategic away days. Consistency matters more than intensity — regular light-touch activities build more sustainable cohesion than rare, intensive events.
How do we make remote team building inclusive?
Consider time zones when scheduling, offer asynchronous options, make cameras optional when appropriate, provide advance agendas for those needing thinking time, create multiple participation methods (verbal, written, visual), respect varying comfort levels, and design for different personality types and accessibility needs. Ask for feedback and adapt.
What tools do we need to run virtual team building activities?
Most activities need only basic video call platforms (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet). Enhance with virtual whiteboards (Miro, Mural), polling platforms (Kahoot, Slido), shared documents, breakout rooms, and team chat platforms. Choose tools your team already uses to reduce friction.
How do we know if our remote team building is working?
Look for day-to-day evidence: Are team members reaching out more? Is communication more transparent? Are conflicts resolved faster? Track participation rates, engagement in team channels, team feedback on connection, and over time, retention and performance improvements. The most powerful signal is team members saying they feel more connected and aligned.
