15 team building activities during COVID to get through the pandemic

Let’s talk about team building activities during Covid-19! 

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The world is slowly adjusting to co-existing with the infamous virus: we’ve taken our work home, created the vaccine, doubled down on the crucial medical equipment, and are almost back to normal now. 

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Well, some countries are. Others are suffering more than ever (like China), and others are even working on their mandatory office returns policies (like the U.S.). 

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The corporate world has definitely changed since December 2020. But some things stayed the same — the people’s need for validation, socialization, and a healthy work environment. That’s where team building comes in.

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Choose the right Covid-friendly team building activity for you

Lockdown regulations now differ throughout the world, so there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for organizing your team bonding events. Yet, the need for some quality time with your teammates is greater than ever. So let’s talk about how to do team building during Covid! 

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Today, we’re looking into the following fun team building activities during lockdown to distract yourselves: 

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• office-friendly team building
• online team building
• outdoors team building
• post-pandemic team building 

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Virtual team building activities during lockdown

The consequences of catching the nasty might be less dramatic now, yet it is still important to take extra caution in some regions. That’s why the virtual space is perfect for social-distancing team building activities. 

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Important note: if you’re feeling brave and your local regulations allow, you can take all the ideas from below and try them offline, like in the old times. 

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1. Cook together online

Prepare in advance: select an online workshop (optional), select the recipe, buy fresh produce 

Skills you’ll be developing: positive attitude, following guidelines, time management

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Cooking together is a fun team building activity during Covid because it gives you a chance to get outside of your comfort zones while also bonding with your coworkers. Your dish might not turn out just as planned, but you’ll have dozens of stories about Dave from sales cooking the 7-leayer quesadilla.

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How it works:

1. Book the cooking workshop (optional)
2. Make sure all the produce is delivered before the D-day 
3. Hold an online session (you can use Teams, Hangouts, Veertly, or any other provider you prefer) with your team 
4. Cook and taste the final results in real-time
5. Save the recipe for later

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2. Join a virtual escape room 

Prepare in advance: book the escape room session, a stable Internet connection
Skills you’ll be developing: problem-solving, creative thinking, teamwork, decision-making, and more

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If your team enjoys a good puzzle, virtual escape room team building events are perfect for you! Spice your mundane routine up with an otherwordly adventure and get closer than ever with your coworkers over tricky riddles! 

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3. Stay sus during the Among Us session

Prepare in advance: download Among Us (it’s free on mobile and Xbox), get to know the rooms (optional)
Skills you’ll be developing: teamwork, communication, persuasion 

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One of the most popular Covid team building games, Among Us is the 21st century’s space Mafia, where you are split into the teams of 10 (or less). On the surface, all the teammates work together to keep the station working. Yet, some of you are secretly sabotaging the efforts of the others. Spot the impostor before the time runs out, but be careful — you may accidentally cast out one of the innocent players! 

The best part? The activity is fun and completely free!

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4. Hold a trivia game

Prepare in advance: agree on the topic, write down multiple-choice questions, a platform to host the game (e.g., Kahoot)
Skills you’ll be developing: test your knowledge

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Whether you want to keep things professional or if you decide to make it similar to one of the pub quizzes you loved before the pandemic — you can’t go wrong with trivia! Commonly listed among the most popular social-distancing team building activities for work, a good multiple-choice quiz is always a safe bet for a good time. 

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5. Add daily icebreakers to your standup calls

Prepare in advance: choose any of the 5 to 15-min team building activities
Skills you’ll be developing: empathy, communication, self-expression, motivation, etc. 

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Icebreakers help you get into the creative mood and feel closer to your colleagues, even if you are miles apart during the remote work. Choose the ones your team is most likely to enjoy and add a little bit of fun into your daily meetings. 

Check out the video below for some great energizers to kick off your standup calls.

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Outdoor team building activities during Covid

The days are still getting longer, and the sun is shining bright, so now is the perfect time to get outside for some team building activities with social distancing in mind.

6. Organize a scavenger hunt around your city

Prepare in advance: find local scavengers (like Let’s Roam) or prepare your own route
Skills you’ll be developing: creative thinking, teamwork, time management, problem-solving, and more

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If your team is based in one place, how about a little change to familiar scenery? Join a scavenger hunt and prepare to be amazed by how many secrets your city holds, how crafty some of the hideouts get, and how much you didn’t notice about your surroundings. 

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How it works:

1. Determine the route you’ll take
2. Agree on the number of “treasures” that will qualify for the win
3. Set the specific time frame for the hunt
4. Split into the teams
5. Download the offline map (better safe than sorry!)
6. Have fun!

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7. Hold an outdoor yoga class

Prepare in advance: hire an instructor, bring the equipment (optional)
Skills you’ll be developing: mindfulness, physical well-being

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If you’re looking for some inner peace paired with a challenging workout - nothing beats a series of yoga asanas under a watchful eye of a certified instructor! Especially if you spend 8+ hours a day sitting like a shrimp in front of your screen. 

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8. Join a workout practice in a nearby park

Prepare in advance: find a trainer (optional)
Skills you’ll be developing: physical well-being

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Yoga may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but team bonding ideas for sport may be! You can do pretty much any exercise outside in the sun, as long it doesn’t require any special equipment. 

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Office team building activities during Covid

If social distancing in your city has been lifted and you missed your office building, it’s time to organize some in-person team building activities (while staying Covid-friendly, of course!). It will be a great way to take a break from the online team building and integrate IRL!

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9. Get personal in a compliment circle

Prepare in advance: Think of something you like about each of your coworkers
Skills you’ll be developing: communication, empathy, motivation

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When was the last time someone praised you for something? Not for a particular achievement, but just because you are who you are. A compliment circle is a simple and fun team building activity that lets you share the love with your coworkers just by being honest and kind to each other. 

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How it works: 

1. Get together with your team (ideally in a circle)
2. Say something nice about one of your colleagues
3. It is then their turn to compliment another person in the circle
4. Go on until everyone has received some love 

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10. Play games

Prepare in advance: choose and bring/download the game you want to play
Skills you’ll be developing: sometimes, it’s not about skills, but just about having some good time with your teammates 

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There are lots of team building games out there. In fact, nearly every board game might become a perfect instrument for team building if approached correctly. Here are some ideas to get you started: 

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• Pictionary (you will need a real board here)
• Taboo (can be played online or IRL)
• Dixit (you will need a physical game) 
• Codenames (you will need a physical game)
• Scattergories (can be played online or IRL)
• And more! 

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11. Record The Office-style mockumentary

Prepare in advance: get a camera (your iPhone will do, too)
Skills you’ll be developing: creativity

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Do you work with a creative bunch who can’t spend a day without making a Michael Scott reference? Then this team building game is for you! Grab a camera and follow your coworkers throughout the day, asking them whatever you feel is important

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12. Share a lunch break

Prepare in advance: order food to the office or book a table at your favorite restaurant
Skills you’ll be developing: just unwind and get to know each other on a personal level

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Some companies have common lunches deeply embedded in their organizational culture. There is something special about taking an hour in the middle of your workday to just spend time with each other as ordinary people, talking about life over a juicy burger. 

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Post-Covid team building activities

Covid was so 2021, and you need to put your Moderna to good use? Then check out this list of the best post-pandemic team building ideas: 

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13. Bring a virtual activity IRL

Prepare in advance: your vaccination certificate
Skills you’ll be developing: it depends on the activity

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Did you have a chance to try some of the virtual team building ideas we wrote about, and you liked it? Now is an excellent time to do the same thing in real life! Visit a real-life escape room, sign up for a cooking workshop, attend a pub quiz — experiencing the world after a lockdown is much easier on a corporate budget! 

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14. Sign your team up for a professional training

Prepare in advance: select the topic everyone will benefit from
Skills you’ll be developing: it depends on the activity

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For almost two years, you’ve been missing out on experiencing the international conferences, workshops, and training sessions in person. It’s time to catch up! Here are some ideas for the topics you might want to work on together with your coworkers: 

• Emotional intelligence
• Time management
• Office communication
• Conflict resolution
• Leadership

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15. Volunteer together

Prepare in advance: find a cause your team is truly passionate about
Skills you’ll be developing: empathy, teamwork

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It is a great opportunity to put to good use your staff team building activities! During Covid, the negative impact on the environment has grown and the economy has dropped. As a result, by dedicating your post-pandemic team-building activities to these causes, you will be making the world a better place. 

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Here are some of the things you could team up with your colleagues for: 

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• Assemble care packages for the people in need
• Collect and donate books, furniture, clothes, pet food, etc. 
• Donate blood
• Plant some trees
• Clean your local beach or forest together
• Grow a community garden at your office 
• And anything else you can think of, as long as it’s for a good cause! 

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How to do team building during Covid

Staying and working at home during the pandemic can be really challenging. People depend on social contact; otherwise, our performance drops, and our mental health is threatened. 

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That’s why organizing crafty team building activities now is more important than ever before. Here is how you can make sure that your next team bonding experience during Covid will be successful: 

1. Check out the regulations for your area
2. Make sure everyone in your team can participate if you choose an offline activity
3. Estimate the budget and approve it with your cost center owner 
4. Hold a vote to determine which time works best for the most people
5. Show up on time and bring on the positive attitude
6. Choose the activity for your next team building session

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Consistency is the key here. You would want to organize semi-regular team bonding events to keep your team spirit high and your productivity higher. 

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But constantly thinking of something fun to do with your coworkers might be difficult. That’s why you can always trust the professionals that will organize the best team building experience during (or after) Covid for you and your team.

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