Month: August 2023

In today’s digital landscape, conference calls have become an integral part of remote work. However, they can sometimes feel impersonal and lack the team bonding opportunities that in-person interactions offer.

That’s why incorporating team building activities for conference calls is essential! These activities break the monotony and foster a sense of unity, collaboration, and engagement amongst your team members. 

By incorporating some of our quick team building activities for conference calls, you will help your remote team members develop a sense of connection and engagement. Even better, they break the monotony of routine conference calls, promote creativity, encourage open communication, and strengthen relationships.

It’s an investment, but investing in team building during conference calls ultimately results in a more cohesive and productive team.

If you are interested in engaging in team-building activities, book a demo with us to explore our many options. But first, let’s explore the activities you can try for your next conference call.

Fun Activities For Conference Calls

Conference calls don’t have to be all business! According to Forbes, Injecting fun and interactive activities into an otherwise dry conference call will foster team bonding, boost morale, and create a positive and engaging atmosphere. In this post are several exciting games to play on conference calls that you can incorporate into your next meeting.

Remember to adapt these activities based on your team’s preferences and the nature of your conference call. Use them to break the ice, encourage participation, and promote team building, ultimately enhancing the overall conference call experience. Read on for our list of ideas!

1. Speedy Scavenger Hunts

Speedy Scavenger Hunts are thrilling and interactive team building activities for conference calls. They challenge participants to race against the clock and find specific items in their office or immediate surroundings.

The hunts can be customized based on themes or specific item categories, and participants can be awarded points for both creativity and speed. Ensure all participants have a reliable internet connection, a device with a camera, and access to a platform that supports video conferencing, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It’s one of the most fun things to do during virtual team meetings!

First, introduce the scavenger hunt concept to all participants and explain the rules. Clarify whether creativity, speed, or a combination of both will be rewarded. According to Harvard Business Review, creativity hasn’t always been top of mind for management, however, that trend continues to shift. Designate one person as the host who will manage the game, announce the items, and keep track of progress and scores.

To play, the host should announce the first item from the scavenger hunt list and participants must race to find that item within their office or immediate surroundings. Once participants find the item, they show it to the camera, and the host verifies its presence. The host then announces the next item and the process continues until all items on the list have been announced and found. 

At the end of the scavenger hunt, tally the scores and declare the participant with the highest number of points the winner. Playing Speedy Scavenger Hunts on a conference call brings energy, excitement, and a spirit of friendly competition to your team building activities.

It encourages quick thinking, creativity, and resourcefulness as participants search for items in their surroundings. This will boost team morale and strengthen communication and camaraderie among colleagues. The best part is that this works even better in a virtual setting.

If you are interested in trying this game outside of conference calls, check out our Scavenger Quest!

2. Remote Workplace Tours

Remote workplace tours are one of the most engaging team building activities for conference calls because of the natural curiosity (shall we say nosiness?) people always have about their coworkers! This unique style of video call team building allows team members to showcase their work environments, share insights, and foster connections through video.

Participating in the team-building activity helps coworkers better understand each other’s work setups and can even provide a platform for exchanging best practices!

You will want to determine the order of the workplace tours in advance to ensure everyone gets an opportunity to present their workspace. We recommend encouraging participants to prepare so they can showcase their unique setups and work styles.

Start the conference call and invite the first participant to share their screen or take their laptop with them on a tour of their work area. The participant will guide the group through their workspace, highlighting key features, tools, and organizational systems. Encourage participants to explain the rationale behind their setup, any challenges they face, and how they have personalized their workspace to maximize productivity. After each tour, open the floor for other team members’ questions, comments, and observations. 

Remote workplace tours offer a valuable opportunity for team members to connect, gain insights, and foster a sense of community. They might also gain inspiration from their coworkers, exchange tips, and will certainly build stronger working relationships.

3. Charades

In today’s remote work environment, finding creative ways to connect and engage with your team is crucial. Charades is one of the most fun team building activities for work because the game gets people out of their shells and performing! If nothing else, it is sure to bring laughter to your conference calls, which always leaves people with good memories. It’s a classic game that can be easily adapted to the virtual setting, allowing team members to showcase their creativity and communication skills.

Before the conference call, ensure that all participants have a reliable internet connection, a device with a camera, and a platform that supports video conferencing, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. 

Set up a virtual whiteboard or a shared document where team members can keep track of the clues and scores. Then, divide the participants into teams of at least two people. Assign team names or, to really encourage team bonding and a sense of identity, let the teams come up with their own. We also recommend deciding on a theme or category for the Charades game, such as movies, books, celebrities, or common objects.

This helps focus the clues and gives the guessers something to go on. Assign one person to act as the host who will manage the game. They can keep track of the scores, choose the clues, and ensure the game runs smoothly.

When you are ready to start, briefly explain the rules of Charades to ensure everyone is on the same page. Remind participants they cannot speak or make any sounds during their turn but can only use gestures, body movements, and facial expressions to convey the clue. The host chooses a clue from the selected theme/category and privately communicates it to a player from one of the teams. The player then acts out the clue while the rest of their team guesses what it is.

They can use exaggerated gestures, miming actions, and facial expressions to convey the clue without speaking. Team members shout out their guesses during the player’s turn. They earn points if the team successfully guesses the clue within the time limit. The host can keep track of the scores on the virtual whiteboard or shared document. After each turn, rotate to the next team, ensuring that each participant gets a chance to act out clues and guess.

Playing Charades as a team building activity for conference calls encourages creativity, communication, and teamwork, even in a remote setting. So gather your team, have fun, and enjoy the exciting game of Charades!

4. What Would You Do

“What Would You Do” questions are engaging and thought-provoking team call ideas that can easily be adapted to a conference call setting. This fun virtual team building activity stimulates team members’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Participants are presented with hypothetical scenarios and encouraged to discuss and share their responses. 

To organize a “What Would You Do” game on a conference call, first decide whether coworkers will simply take turns or whether you will use a randomizer to select participants to respond. Prepare a list of hypothetical scenarios that are relevant to your team’s work environment or industry and give each participant a turn to present a scenario to the group. They can describe the situation and provide any necessary context.

After presenting a scenario, the participant can invite others to share their thoughts and responses. As the discussions progress, encourage participants to reach a consensus or collectively make decisions for each scenario. Encourage participants to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches and reflect on lessons learned.

Emphasize that the game is a safe space for sharing ideas and exploring different perspectives, and allocate a specific time limit for each scenario and discussion to keep the game moving at a reasonable pace to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to present a scenario or share their responses. 

To get to know coworkers on a deeper level, you can expand the game outside of workplace scenarios and give thought-provoking scenarios about the world, the environment, responsibility, or other dilemmas.

Whatever you choose, playing “What Would You Do” on a conference call fosters critical thinking, decision-making, and collaboration among team members. Letting team members present their ideas promotes a deeper understanding of different perspectives and encourages open dialogue in a virtual setting.

5. Video of the Day

Sharing a “Video of the Day” during a conference call is an easy and popular remote team building activity. It’s a dynamic and interactive way to enhance team building and engagement that requires minimal advance planning or effort. This activity involves selecting and presenting a short video that is inspiring, educational, or entertaining to the team.

By watching and discussing the video together, team members can connect on a deeper level, spark meaningful conversations, and strengthen their bonds. 

So that they have some context, you will want to explain to the team the purpose of sharing a “Video of the Day.” It can be to inspire, educate, entertain, or promote discussions on specific topics. Choose short videos that align with the team’s goals, such as motivational speeches, TED Talks, industry-related content, or funny clips that promote laughter and camaraderie.

Before playing the video, provide a brief introduction or context to generate interest and set the stage for discussion. Explain why you selected the video and how it relates to the team’s work, values, or goals. Share your screen or provide a link to the video, ensuring all participants can view it simultaneously.

After watching the video, open the floor for discussion! Encourage team members to share their thoughts, reactions, and takeaways from the video. Quieter team members may need a nudge to contribute such as asking directly for their input or using breakout rooms for smaller group discussions.

To involve your coworkers fully, nominate different team members to take turns selecting and sharing the “Video of the Day.” You can also use it to promote diversity in content and perspectives. Sharing a “Video of the Day” during a conference call provides a platform for shared experiences, sparks meaningful conversations, and promotes team bonding. It also allows team members to gain new perspectives, learn from each other, and collectively grow.

 6. Compliment Circle

“Compliment Circles” are powerful team building activities for conference calls because they promote positivity, appreciation, and connection among team members. This activity provides a structured opportunity for team members to express genuine compliments and acknowledgments to one another. It boosts morale, strengthens relationships, and creates a supportive and uplifting team environment.

First, explain the purpose and guidelines of the activity. Emphasize that the focus is on sincere compliments and appreciation for team members, and encourage participants to be specific, authentic, and respectful in their compliments. To keep things organized, decide on the order in which team members will give and receive compliments. It can be in a clockwise sequence or randomly assigned.

We recommend choosing someone to kick off the Compliment Circle who you know will set the right tone. Depending on the predetermined order, this person will complement the next team member. Each team member takes turns giving and receiving compliments within the designated order.

The compliments can be directed to the person on their left, right, or any team member of their choice. Genuine and heartfelt compliments have a more profound impact on team members, so be sure to coach everyone in advance to go deeper with their compliments!

Participants should pay close attention to each compliment and appreciate the kind words shared. After completing the Compliment Circle, allow some time for reflection and discussion. Participants can share how the activity made them feel and any positive impacts it had on the team dynamics. “Compliment Circles” are simple yet powerful team building activities to do during work that can foster a culture of appreciation and support within the team. 

This activity strengthens relationships and boosts morale by creating opportunities for team members to acknowledge each other’s strengths and contributions.

7. Virtual Bingo

Virtual Bingo is a popular and engaging activity that can be played during a conference call to promote team building, create a fun atmosphere, and foster connections among team members. It offers a great opportunity for friendly competition, interaction, and shared excitement. 

Distribute virtual bingo cards to each participant before the conference call and ensure that everyone has access to their own unique bingo card. You can act as the Bingo caller during the conference call yourself or designate someone to fulfill this role. Use the number generator on the virtual platform to announce the randomly selected numbers. Participants should mark off the numbers on their virtual bingo cards as they are called out.

Create opportunities for participants to interact and share their progress during the game, such as using the chat function or designated breaks to allow participants to discuss their strategies or share their excitement. When a participant achieves a winning pattern (e.g., straight line, diagonal, blackout), celebrate their success and acknowledge their accomplishment.

Afterward, encourage participants to share their thoughts on the game and how it contributed to team building and camaraderie. 

To make the event more immersive, you can even mix in meaningful words amongst the numbers! At Escapely, we sometimes include words related to special holidays or occasions, words related to company values, or even names of people playing. Playing Virtual Bingo during a conference call adds an element of excitement and interactivity to virtual meetings.

It allows team members to engage in a shared activity, fostering a sense of connection and camaraderie.

8. Virtual Office Polls

Virtual Office Polls are fun activities for conference calls and a fantastic way to promote engagement, gather feedback, and encourage collaboration. By frequently polling your team, you can create an interactive and inclusive environment that encourages active participation in decisions small and large!

It also fosters team connections by conducting short polls on random topics and discussing the results together. Check out these 25 fun poll questions to use for your next meeting.

Select a suitable polling platform that allows you to create and conduct polls in real time during the conference call. Look for platforms that offer features like multiple-choice questions, open-ended responses, and instant result sharing.

To make the most of the activity, select interesting and relevant topics that can spark conversations and capture the interest of your team members. Topics can range from work-related questions to fun and light-hearted topics that promote team bonding.

Share the poll link or access details with all the participants before the conference call begins. This is an excellent 30-minute virtual team building activity because you can give participants a specific timeframe to submit their responses – it doesn’t need to be long. Once the polling time is up, share the poll results with the participants.

Display the results visually, such as through charts or graphs, to make them easily understandable. Discuss any insights or key takeaways that emerge from the poll, relating them to the team’s goals or current projects. Point out patterns, trends, or unexpected findings in the poll results. 

Afterward, encourage participants to reflect on the poll results. You can even take it a step further by considering any actions or improvements that can be made based on the insights gathered. Virtual Office Polls provide a valuable opportunity to gather real-time feedback, foster collaboration, and create a sense of involvement during conference calls. By leveraging the insights from these polls, teams can make informed decisions, improve communication, and strengthen their working relationships!

9. Virtual Background Sharing

Hosting a virtual background-sharing session during a conference call is not only a fun use of virtual resources, but it’s also an excellent way to foster connection, engagement, and creativity among team members. This activity allows participants to personalize their virtual backgrounds and share something meaningful, fun, or inspiring about themselves. Pro tip: Include the virtual background-sharing session as part of the conference call agenda to ensure everyone is prepared and aware of the activity. 

For those who may be unfamiliar, share guidelines for creating virtual backgrounds, such as image dimensions, preferred file formats, or any specific themes or requirements. Encourage participants to choose backgrounds representing their personalities, hobbies, interests, or achievements.

If necessary, share step-by-step instructions or video tutorials to ensure everyone can successfully set up their backgrounds. Allocate time during the conference call for each participant to present their virtual background and briefly explain its significance.

Encourage participants to share stories, experiences, or anecdotes related to their virtual backgrounds, fostering conversation and connection. After each participant shares their virtual background, invite others to ask questions, share similar experiences, or even offer compliments. 

Conclude the virtual background-sharing session by expressing appreciation for everyone’s participation and creativity. Acknowledge connections made, stories shared, and the overall positive atmosphere created during the activity. Hosting a virtual background sharing session during a conference call not only adds an element of fun and personalization but also strengthens team bonds and encourages self-expression. It promotes a sense of belonging, sparks conversations, and fosters a positive and engaging remote work environment!

10. Virtual Escape Room

Virtual escape rooms are probably the most exciting and immersive team building activities for conference calls. Okay, we might be biased, but we talk to clients all the time who poll their teams and everyone loudly requests a virtual escape room! They offer a unique and challenging experience in which participants work together to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and ultimately escape. Because of the clue-solving component, which requires a lot of teamwork to solve, they are probably the most interactive activity you can add to your virtual conference call.

Unless you have a game designer on your staff, a virtual escape room is not an activity you can produce on your own. Fortunately, there are many options to choose from! For the best quality, look for a company that specializes in virtual escape rooms for team building.

To get the most out of it, you will want to choose an escape room that requires participants to talk and solve together. At Escapely, for example, our virtual escape rooms are not designed to be a video game experience but instead require personal interaction to solve the puzzles. They were designed specifically for team building to get coworkers collaborating and problem-solving.

If you like, you can allocate specific roles and responsibilities to each team member, encouraging collaboration and utilizing everyone’s strengths. Roles may include a team leader, clue gatherer, puzzle solver, and communicator. No matter what, encourage open communication and collaboration among team members throughout the game.

As your team works together to solve puzzles, decipher codes, and unlock hidden clues, be sure that everyone’s opinions and suggestions are given some thought.

After completing the virtual escape room, take time to reflect on the experience as a team. Playing a virtual escape room during a conference call provides an immersive and challenging team building experience. It encourages collaboration, problem-solving, communication, and time management skills among team members.

11. Write A Story Together

Writing a story together is an engaging and creative team building activity that can be done during a conference call. This activity encourages collaboration, communication, and imagination among team members. While collectively creating a story, participants will enhance their teamwork skills and foster a sense of shared accomplishment.

Begin by setting the scene and establishing the theme or genre of the story. Decide on a writing format that suits the conference call environment – we suggest nominating a scribe and screen sharing the writing document so that everyone can see. Participants can take turns contributing to the story orally and the scribe can write everything down. An alternative is to use a shared document where everyone can type their ideas in real-time, one after the next.

Either way, begin the story by having one participant provide the opening sentence or paragraph. That person will be responsible for setting the tone and introducing the initial setting or characters. Everyone then takes turns adding a sentence, paragraph, or dialogue exchange to continue the story. As the story progresses, team members should actively listen to each other’s contributions and find ways to connect and expand on them. Whatever is said, build on it, but don’t negate it!

To create a cohesive and engaging storyline coworkers will need to collaborate and reinforce one another. Prompt participants to describe the story’s visuals, such as settings, character appearances, or actions. Allow the participants to collectively wrap up the narrative satisfactorily and decide on a suitable endpoint for the story together. After completing the story, take a moment to reflect on the experience. 

Writing a story together during a conference call fosters creativity, teamwork, and active listening skills. It encourages participants to think on their feet, adapt to new ideas, and collectively construct a narrative. It also makes teammates feel appreciated because everyone’s ideas and input must be built upon and become integral to the story.

This activity strengthens team bonds and nurtures a shared sense of accomplishment as the team collaboratively creates something unique.

12. Guess the Song Title in Emojis

“Guess the Song Title in Emojis” is a fun and interactive game that can be played during a conference call to engage team members and spark creativity. Participants are presented with a series of emojis that represent popular song titles, and they have to guess the correct song title based on the emojis provided. This activity encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and a shared sense of enjoyment. 

If you would like to prepare this yourself, compile a list of song titles and translate them into sequences of emojis. Ensure that the emojis chosen represent key elements or words from the song titles, making them recognizable but still challenging. Share the screen or describe the emojis one by one to the participants.

After each emoji sequence is presented, allow participants to discuss their guesses and the reasoning behind their choices. If participants struggle to guess a song title, offer hints or clues to nudge them in the right direction. Clues can be in the form of additional emojis or verbal hints related to the song or artist.

After revealing the correct song title, take a moment to discuss the song, its artist, or any interesting facts related to it. 

Encourage a positive and light-hearted atmosphere throughout this virtual team building game. Emphasize that the primary goal is to have fun and engage with team members. Playing “Guess the Song Title in Emojis” for conference call team building activities not only brings joy and entertainment but also fosters creativity and collaboration among team members. It allows participants to showcase their problem-solving skills, cultural knowledge, and love for music.

13. Host A Trivial Debate

Trivial Debates are fun and interactive team building ice breakers for work that challenge participants to engage in lively discussions and critical thinking. To do this activity, you must present a trivial debate topic. Then, encourage participants to express their opinions and debate the merits of the different choices. The goal is to see if a unanimous decision can be reached to eliminate one of the choices.

Select a light-hearted and fun topic that sparks debate but does not involve sensitive or controversial subjects. Examples include “Pineapple on Pizza: Yay or Nay?”, “Coffee or Tea: Which is the Superior Beverage?” or “Cats vs. Dogs: Which Makes the Best Pet?” Share the rules of the Trivial Debate, including the objective and guidelines for participation. Clarify that the goal is to engage in a friendly debate and work towards a unanimous decision about eliminating one of the choices. Divide participants into teams or pairs, assigning them to advocate for one of the choices in the debate. 

Encourage participants to actively engage in the debate by presenting logical arguments, providing evidence or examples, and refuting opposing points of view. Someone should act as a facilitator, ensuring the discussion remains focused, respectful, and inclusive. Encourage participants to engage in collaborative problem-solving and critical thinking to find common ground. After the debate, facilitate a reflection and discussion session where participants can share their thoughts, insights, and lessons learned from the activity. Acknowledge the value of diverse perspectives and the collective effort in reaching a unanimous decision. 

Hosting a Trivial Debate during a conference call allows team members to engage in friendly debates, challenge their critical thinking skills, and practice respectful communication. It encourages active participation, collaboration, and the exploration of different viewpoints, ultimately fostering a more cohesive and intellectually stimulating team environment.

14. Before and After

“Before and After” is one of the quickest conference call team building activities. It encourages keen observation and a little bit of fun. This activity involves selecting participants to rearrange something in their background while their camera is turned off. The other teammates must guess what changed when they turn their camera back on. Randomly select a participant to be the “changer” for the round. Ensure the participant knows their role and understands the activity’s objective. Instruct the chosen participant to turn off their camera temporarily. 

During this time, they should rearrange or change something in their background without revealing it to others. Ask the participant to turn their camera back on, rejoin the conference call, and encourage other teammates to observe the participant’s background closely and identify what has been rearranged or changed.

Whenever a participant correctly identifies the change, give them a point! After each round, choose a new participant to be the “changer” and repeat the process. Depending on the size of your team and the available time, set a time limit for each round to ensure the activity remains engaging and doesn’t exceed the allocated time. 

After playing several rounds, take a moment to reflect on the activity as a team. Playing “Before and After” during a conference call adds fun and curiosity and encourages keen observation skills, teamwork, and communication. It fosters engagement, strengthens connections among team members, and brings a sense of lightheartedness to the virtual environment.

15. Today I Learned

“Today I Learned” is an interactive and educational game that can be played during a conference call to foster knowledge sharing and team engagement. Participants share interesting facts, insights, or discoveries they recently learned. These team building activities for conference calls promote continuous learning, strengthen team bonds, and encourage open communication. 

Give participants a few minutes before the call to think about what they want to share – that will ensure everyone has something interesting to contribute. As each participant takes their turn, they can share their “Today I Learned” fact with the group. Encourage participants to share unique or surprising facts, insights, or new information they have learned recently. It can be related to their work, industry, personal interests, or general knowledge.

After each sharing, open the floor for questions, comments, or discussions related to the shared fact. Encourage participants to engage in meaningful conversations, ask follow-up questions, or share their own related experiences. 

Consider keeping a shared document or chat log where participants can capture the facts shared during the call. This creates a record of knowledge gained and serves as a resource for future reference or discussions. Playing “Today I Learned” on a conference call promotes a culture of continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and team engagement. It fosters a sense of curiosity, encourages personal growth, and strengthens connections among team members.

Looking For More Conference Call Team Building Activities?

Are you looking for more team building activities for conference calls? If so, we at Escapely offer a wide range of fun virtual team activities. In addition to our virtual escape room experiences and virtual bingo discussed above, we also offer a virtual murder mystery in which teammates work together to uncover clues, interrogate suspects, and solve a crime.

If trivia is more your speed, you can test your team’s knowledge and create a competitive environment with our virtual trivia games. If you are not quite sure which activity would be best, we have a variety of options to suit different team sizes, interests, and objectives. A consultation is completely free, so please feel free to reach out for advice, more information, or a demo of our virtual offerings!

Virtual Holiday Party Ideas for Work

Is your team looking for a way to gather and celebrate the end of the year together? This list of fun virtual holiday party ideas for work will help you choose the right activity to celebrate together as an office, whether you are in person or remote. The list is stuffed full of fun virtual holiday party ideas perfect for teams of all different shapes and sizes, including holiday themes from funny to quizzical to creative so that there is something for everyone. Check out our list of ideas to find the perfect activity for your team and see how you can end up with all of your co-workers on Santa’s “nice” list this year!

1. Secret Santa

This is one of the most classic holiday party games! To do it, all coworkers will get to take part in a surprise gift exchange. Each person participating is secretly assigned another colleague to get gifts and special treats for and at the end, you can hold a Zoom meeting to open gifts and reveal who each person’s gift-giver was. To make it even more fun, have each recipient try to guess their Secret Santa before it is revealed. Secret Santa is great because you don’t need to worry about the pressure of buying gifts for every single co-worker – just the one you are assigned. Instead of selecting the perfect gift for everyone on your team, you can focus on one person.

We recommend setting a budget for the group so everyone has a range to stay within. Otherwise, gift givers won’t know how big or small to go! To draw names, check out Elfster’s Secret Santa generator. Everyone can opt-in, and then Elfster randomly assigns Secret Santas. We recommend setting a deadline for the gifts to arrive a few days in advance of your meeting date. At the meeting, you will meet on Zoom to open presents together, show off your gifts, and enjoy the holiday cheer with your team! Pro-Tip: Have everyone submit their addresses in Elfster or on a Google sheet so that nobody has to ask where to ship. The goal is to keep it anonymous until the reveal!

 2. White Elephant

Are you looking to gamify your gift exchange? A white elephant gift exchange is fun for those who want to spice things up by swapping (or stealing!) gifts! It combines the holiday spirit of gift-giving with an activity allowing coworkers to pick and choose their gifts – sometimes by stealing them from another colleague. Be warned that this game can get intense (in a fun-spirited way), and many co-workers will go after the same gifts. But it’s a great way to turn an ordinary gift exchange into a game.

You can choose to follow the standard white elephant rules or put your own fun twist on it. This game is typically played at the office or in person together, but with a few modifications, there is a convenient virtual version that makes a great virtual holiday office party! To start, everyone will need a number so that you know the order in which coworkers will open and choose their gifts. It’s easiest to have everyone draw their order ahead of time using a number generator. At the virtual white elephant, everyone will show their wrapped gift on camera. Instead of choosing someone else’s gift to open, players will choose their gift and the gift-giver will open it on camera. The chooser can either stick with that gift or “steal” from someone else. Use the renaming feature on Zoom to track who has which gift. For example, if I choose to have my coworker Nikhil open his gift, I would rename his Zoom screen to my name. Then, if Maggie steals that gift from me later on, Nikhil would rename his Zoom screen to Maggie. At the end of the game, everyone can send their gift to the appropriate person. It’s a classic game that can easily be modified to fit into the virtual world!

3. Holiday Themed Virtual Trivia

Do you think that you know more facts about eggnog or Santa’s reindeer than everyone else on your team? What better way to put it to the test than with holiday-themed virtual trivia? Coworkers are probably used to some friendly competition with their relatives over the holiday season, so it will definitely get them into the spirit to engage in some friendly competition with each other. You can find a lot of different trivia options available, from answering a set number of questions at your own pace to answering as many questions as you can in an allotted time. At Escapely, we tested a variety of methods and consistently got the best feedback on our rapid-fire rounds. So much so that now it is the only virtual trivia we offer! We recommend a wide range of questions so that everyone can participate. For example, you can include categories like holiday food, Hanukkah traditions,  Christmas songs, worldwide celebrations, or really anything else (most trivia companies can make custom categories – we do it all the time). Virtual holiday trivia is a perfect way to incorporate a fun activity into your virtual work holiday party.

 

 4. Virtual Cookie Exchange

The holiday season is wonderful, and holiday food and treats are some of the best (and yummiest) parts! Of course, some of the most delicious treats circulating around December are the various cookies people make. Before 2020, many companies held cookie exchanges to share holiday goodies with their coworkers – but these days many coworkers never go into the office! With many companies transitioning to fully remote, a virtual cookie exchange is an easy way to continue to enjoy cookies with your colleagues from the comfort of your home. To pull this off virtually, coworkers will need to send the cookies in advance. Each colleague should bake a batch of their favorite holiday cookie and send a few to each coworker. Then, all you have to do is set up a date and send out a Zoom link for everyone to hop on and enjoy delicious cookies together! Just make sure you leave some cookies out for Santa as well!

5. Gingerbread House Decorating Kit

If you want something more elaborate than a virtual cookie exchange, a gingerbread house decorating party is another yummy virtual Christmas party idea. It allows coworkers to get creative while building something delicious and bonding with their work friends. You can even have everything shipped directly to all attendees’ front doors, so you don’t have to worry about gathering the supplies yourself and shipping them or sending attendees out to shop. If that sounds appealing, check out this gingerbread house decorating event, which allows you to build a gingerbread house while listening to festive tunes. You will even get to make a warm apple cider drink to accompany your decorations! If a DIY event is more your speed, you can easily just send attendees a shopping list and ask everyone to bring their own supplies. With this approach, it is fun to let attendees choose the icings and candies they would like to use to decorate. In the end, everyone can show off their new candy creations! And of course, we at Escapely believe a little friendly competition makes all team building events more fun, so if you want to add a little competition, you can always have a contest for the best-decorated house! A gingerbread house decorating event is a sweet way to plan a yummy activity for your team and should definitely be on your list of virtual company holiday party ideas!

6. Virtual Murder Mystery

A virtual murder mystery as a virtual office Christmas party idea, you ask?! Absolutely yes, we answer. While a virtual murder mystery might be more commonly associated with a Halloween party, you would be surprised how popular these are as holiday parties. At Escapely, we see a surge of bookings for our virtual murder mystery around the holiday season. Part of it is no doubt because we offer a holiday-themed version, which gives participants a holiday tie-in with all of the fun of cracking a crime. But there are even plenty of groups who want to host a holiday party but steer clear of any holiday themes. For groups like this, a virtual murder mystery is the perfect answer!

Most teams are full of people who embrace the true crime genre and are ready to jump at a chance to play detective. There are a variety of styles of virtual murder mystery on the market, from “dinner theater” experiences to escape room-style murder mysteries that are heavy on evidence and puzzle-solving. At Escapely, we believe our customers should not have to do any prep work, so we don’t have them play characters. Instead, the suspects are all played by live actors that participants get to interrogate! It’s a great way for people to throw on their detective thinking caps and solve a “whodunnit” type of case. Whether you choose a traditional murder mystery or one with a holiday twist, this virtual holiday party idea will not disappoint. You might be surprised how seriously your team takes it!

7. End of the Year Virtual Bingo

Holiday bingo is perfect for groups because it has the flexibility to scale to any size! While virtual bingo does utilize behind-the-scenes staff, only one caller is needed whether you have a group of a few people or a few hundred. Additionally, this is an easy event to execute internally if you do not want to hire a company to run it. To play, everyone can gather on Zoom or their virtual platform of choice. Everyone gets their own bingo card (at Escapely we use Bingo Baker, but there are many options) and then an emcee calls out the numbers. To make it more fun during the holidays, we use holiday-themed words on our bingo cards, but even if you don’t have the bandwidth to create special bingo cards, you can play holiday music throughout the event. The icing on the cake is that pretty much everyone already knows how bingo works, so you will not need to waste much time explaining the rules and can get right into the fun!

 8. Virtual Decorating

If you have a creative team, consider bringing everyone together for a virtual decorating party! It is high up there on the list of great virtual work Christmas party ideas and there are a number of different ways to decorate virtually with your team. One option is to send your coworkers kits so that they can make their own seasonal holiday decor, such as a wreath or a mug. All materials they need will be included in their kit, so no one will need to go out and purchase anything, which will be much appreciated during the busy holiday season. The first part of the meeting will be dedicated to crafting and bonding with your team. At the end, you can showcase your final designs to each other. To really immerse the group in the holiday spirit, you can encourage participants to attend with fun Zoom backgrounds that go with the decorating theme. If your team loves competition, you can combine this with a virtual cookie or gingerbread house decorating contest (see the prior suggestion). You can even offer a prize! The holidays are the perfect time of year to bring your team together, and what better way than by decorating for the season?

9. Virtual Hot Chocolate Tastings

There is nothing quite as nostalgic as sipping hot chocolate while waiting for the snow to fall during the holidays. A great way to bring those fond memories back (and create new ones!) is to host a hot chocolate tasting with your coworkers. There are companies ready to host these events for you, such as this virtual chocolate tasting with an expert chocolate sommelier. There is even this hot chocolate bomb making class to mold your own chocolate bombs – all you need to do is drop them into hot milk! If you prefer to self-host this event, you can also just find time over Zoom and send everyone a hot chocolate gift set to celebrate the holiday season. After all, you likely spend more time with your coworkers than with anyone else. If you are with those over the age of 21, then you can always send your team a little cordial to add to the hot chocolate, and if budget allows, we suggest pairing this virtual hot chocolate tasting with trivia or an escape game to liven up the party. This sweet delight will always be the perfect way to end the year together!

10. Virtual Escape Game

A virtual escape game is one of the most popular team building events because it combines fun, competition, and teamwork. On top of that, it’s a challenge, so it makes everyone feel like they really accomplished something together. We have found that the holiday parties with the highest attendance rates always involve competition. People apparently jump at the chance to beat their coworkers and see how they stack up! And while any virtual escape game will be fun for a holiday party, there are some virtual escape rooms with holiday-themed games. At Escapely, we wanted to be sure that our holiday-themed game would be appropriate for everyone, so we developed Escape the Ice Palace, themed for the holidays in general rather than any particular holiday. However, if you are looking for a game to celebrate a specific winter holiday, those exist as well. No matter what you choose, your coworkers will thank you.

11. Naughty List – Never Have I Ever

Icebreakers are a great way to bond and nothing bonds people together quite like shared experiences…or in this case, shared non-experiences. To play the game of Never Have I Ever, each player takes a turn revealing something they have never done before. Maybe you’ve never traveled to a different country, or you’ve never sang karaoke, or maybe you’ve never eaten a whole gallon of ice cream (who are we kidding – we’ve all done that one!). But regardless, the way to play is that after each person states their “never,” If anyone else in the game has done it, they must join the naughty list and take a sip of hot chocolate…or, If your group is so inclined, you can also replace the hot chocolate with a Hot Toddy or Baileys and coffee! Most people on your team should have no problem coming up with things they have never done – after all, the possibilities are endless – but we suggest sending out a list like this of Never Have I Ever questions for coworkers who don’t know where to start. You will be certain to learn a lot about your team and are certain to get some laughs along the way. You might even learn more than you wanted to about your coworkers, like who cuts their own hair!

12. Holiday Family Traditions

The holidays are known as a time when family and friends come together. For a lot of families, the holidays are deeply rooted in traditions that differ from family to family. For your virtual holiday party this year, consider bringing everyone together to share their favorite holiday traditions and memories! It is always fun learning about your coworkers outside of the workplace and getting an insight into how they celebrate the holidays. Some of your coworkers may celebrate in similar ways – which is a great opportunity to bond! Some may give back to their community or have a family gift exchange or a holiday bake-off. Depending on the diversity of the group, you might even get to learn about cultural traditions you never knew about before. If you want to add another element to this party, you can ask everyone on the team to send a little bit of their family tradition (recipe, craft, or ornament) to everyone else on the team. Bringing everyone together to share their experiences in this way will certainly allow you and your colleagues to connect more personally.

13. Make Wreaths Together

Another fun and festive activity for your virtual work Christmas party is to have everyone make wreaths together. For groups who want to avoid having any food/beverage as part of their work holiday party, this is a great way to do something creative and holiday-themed without adding to the excessive eating that tends to go along with the season. Get together with your team to make a festive item that can be used time and time again throughout the holiday season. It’s easy to do yourself if you just have everyone can bring their own supplies and trade tips and tricks over Zoom. Or, if you prefer a host, there are many companies that help you build wreaths together in a class! In this guided wreath-building session, an instructor will ship everything you need right to your front door and then guide you through the activity. All your team has to do is warm up their apple cider and enjoy creating a wreath together, led by a professional. The best part is that coworkers will have a reminder of their fun work holiday activity hanging on their doors all throughout the holiday season. And for those who prefer not to hang a wreath at home, it makes a great gift!

14. Holiday Costumes and Dressing Up

One way to add an extra fun layer to any virtual work holiday party idea is dressing up! The most popular of all is of course the ugly sweater contest, in which everyone wears the most ugly and tacky holiday sweater they can find (see the dedicated item below).  But there is a lot more your group can do to add a costume element to your virtual holiday party. One suggestion is to have a costume contest in which everyone comes as their favorite holiday movie or character. One by one, you can take turns guessing which movie or character everyone chose. Your friend from accounting may dress up as Frosty the Snowman, while the HR director may come as Buddy the Elf. Another suggestion is to pick a holiday movie and have everyone dress as a character from it. Then, you can watch the movie together at the end of the party. If you have a particular “game for anything” team, everyone can put their costume suggestions into a random online generator. People will each get assigned a costume and will need to wear whatever they get!

 15. Ugly Sweater Party

If you are looking to go a more traditional route with your holiday party this year, is there anything better than a good old-fashioned ugly sweater party? The answer is no – they are timeless, hilarious, and your employees will love it!  Invite everyone to come together on Zoom or in the office and tell them to wear their best ugly sweater!  It’s fun to put some prizes on the line, too. Consider awards for things like:

• Ugliest Sweater
• Funniest Sweater
• Most Festive

On Zoom, you can place people in small groups to mingle and do some fun icebreaker activities so that everyone can interact and see the sweaters! We recommend switching up the groups every few minutes so that everyone can meet different coworkers, and of course, get a good look at the competition. In the end, ask each attendee to send in their votes and then bring everyone back together to showcase the winners! And don’t forget to play some music at the closing ceremonies.

16. Holiday Cocktail Parties

Most coworkers will all agree that the best element at work holiday parties are the cocktails. Virtual holiday cocktail parties make great events in and of themselves. There are many hosted classes in which a virtual instructor or mixologist can teach everyone how to make their virtual holiday party drink. Of course, almost all of these will send attendees everything they will need in advance. Some instructors even play holiday music or ask virtual holiday trivia questions while you are getting ready. If you have the budget for it but are low on time, these events require very little on behalf of the organizer as the company will handle shipping the kits for you. For the 21+ crowd that isn’t looking to make cocktails the focus of their event but just wants to add a fun beverage to their holiday party, you can make cocktails an addition to any virtual event. Just have everyone pour a cup of eggnog, cider, or any other beverage of their choice, get on Zoom, and enjoy some time together. If anyone has a special cocktail recipe they would like to share, it would certainly be appreciated as well. A virtual cocktail party is certain to make your virtual company holiday party memorable and fun.

17. Virtual Card Exchange

Have you ever sent a loved one gifts or cards through the mail that tragically got lost? Well, now, through virtual card exchanges, you can rest assured that your card will be delivered directly to the recipient electronically with no chance of getting lost in the mail. Get your coworkers together to send virtual cards to everyone on their list. The great thing about this virtual holiday party idea for coworkers is that it helps knock an item off of their to-do list. We recommend getting everyone on a site similar to Canva to create messages and design cards, and then you can show each other your creations. A fun twist on this activity is to add an office card exchange so that each employee must send one virtual card to someone else at the office during the event.

 18. Virtual Holiday Scavenger Hunt

There are so many exciting ways for friends, family, and even coworkers to connect this holiday season. Playing fun games together, like a virtual scavenger hunt, spreads the holiday cheer whether you’re 10 or 1,000 miles away from each other! At a time when most coworkers will be getting inundated with treats and sweets to eat, this activity gets the crowd out of their seats and moving around. Everyone will start on Zoom while one person (the host) reads off a previously compiled list of holiday items for all to collect. The list can include anything from something red and green to a menorah – and everything in between! You can execute this event one of two ways: Either give everyone the list at the beginning and a set amount of time to collect the items, or you can read them one by one and let people dash around the house as quickly as they can and return to their desk to hear the next item. You would be surprised how competitive this event gets! If your team chooses to include a prize for the most items found, this will certainly drive up the competition. There’s no better way to get those sleigh bells jingling than jumping in on all this holiday fun!

19. Virtual Cooking Classes

Want to cook up some fun, delicious recipes this winter season? Whether it’s for friends, family, or coworkers, food is always a hit at any holiday party. And if you and your coworkers learn how to make it yourselves, you can impress everyone at the other holiday parties you are invited to! This virtual holiday party idea is tasty and useful. You can select a holiday dish and learn how to cook it together, all individually from the comfort of your own kitchen. A simple Google search will reveal a wealth of options, both holiday-themed and not, and almost all companies will send you the ingredients so all you have to do is cook. Some will even send them chopped, peeled, and prepped! Some of the options you will find are chocolate candies, a cinnamon roll workshop, homemade pasta and pizza class, a chocolate bark making class, a truffle making party, donut baking class, mochi pancakes, holiday tiramisu, and so much more! Food is the key to the heart, so what are you waiting for?

 20. Virtual Painting Party

For those groups that like to have something that they leave with at the end of their virtual Christmas party, then a virtual painting party may be the thing! These activities have become increasingly popular, so chances are you and some others on your team have even done one before – but perhaps not with a holiday theme! Everyone has a chance to gather over Zoom, where you will be guided by an artist throughout the entire session. Since this is a private party, your team can feel free to add wine, snacks, or dinner to the celebration and your team can choose to have a festive painting or one unrelated to the holidays. You can check out Paint The Town’s website to get an idea of what to expect. To get into the holiday spirit, you can even have music playing in the background, and they can ship out fun holiday accessories to your entire team! Even better, all materials will arrive straight to everyone’s door, so no prep work is required from anyone. A virtual painting party is a relaxing and fun way for your colleagues to have a virtual company holiday party for your entire team. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the painting session, Picasso!

21. Holiday Show And Tell

Do you remember how fun it was in Kindergarten to bring an item to show your class for show and tell? Now you can do the same thing at a virtual work holiday party. Have everyone on your team choose an item meaningful to them and bring it to the Zoom meeting. One by one, give everyone a chance to show the item they chose, explain a little bit about it, and tell everyone why it is valuable to them. It’s a fun, low-pressure environment in which everyone gets a chance to show off what is important to them and learn more about their coworkers. We recommend telling attendees the items they choose can be holiday-related or simply anything meaningful that they would like to share – you certainly wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out if they do not celebrate winter holidays. However, if you want to add a holiday twist, check out this free printable card on Pinterest. This fun card has some prompts to share holiday information with your team which you can do after some of the sharing.

22. Tiny Tree Decorating

A really cute (and fun) virtual Christmas party idea is to decorate a tiny tree, and it works perfectly over video conference! (Of course, you do this in the office together too.) You can conveniently order a bundle of tiny trees and ship them out to everyone in advance. It’s up to you whether you would like to include ornaments and tinsel or let everyone choose and bring their own supplies. The former is less work for attendees (though more work for the organizer), but the latter will result in a wider variety of creative trees. At the virtual work Christmas party, spend some time chatting and decorating before showcasing your creations. If you want to get really festive, you can play holiday music or even pair it with some holiday cocktails (see above)!

23. Holiday Gift Wrapping Contest

If you have never heard of a holiday gift-wrapping contest, this virtual holiday party idea is sure to stir up some competition! You may not think of gift wrapping as a standard idea for virtual holiday parties, but just hear me out – it is incredibly fun! While there are a few different variations you can take on this competition, the most popular way to organize this is by shipping everyone the same shaped items that they have to wrap in an allotted amount of time. We recommend oddly shaped items and a time of only a few minutes. To determine a winner, everyone can either vote on the best wrapped gift, or you can have designated judges from your team that act as officials and rate the best-wrapped present.

24. Make Origami Ornaments

For crafty people in your group who would like to add a little creativity to your party, try making origami ornaments! There are a couple of ways to do this. One is to make this a competition: Send the folding instructions for several items to everyone without the accompanying photos so that no one knows what it is supposed to look like. Then, gather over Zoom to compare the creations and see who nailed it…and who did not! This variation is a virtual work Christmas party idea that is easy to prepare. For something a little bit more guided, you can check out instructional videos such as this instructional Youtube video. It takes your group step-by-step through all of the folds needed to make their ornament. Depending on the tone of your group, they may find the guided version to be a more fun virtual holiday party. But the best thing is that both of these options are free, so it’s a perfect way for groups on a budget to also engage in a fun craft, of course, while chatting with each other and reflecting over the past year. Even better, at the end of the session, everyone has an ornament that they can hang on their tree, not to mention the lasting memories of a fun time.

25. Gratitude Event

The holidays are a time to be thankful for a lot in life, and if you have coworkers like ours at Escapely, you will probably feel especially thankful for your work team! As the end of the year closes, it can be a stressful time for companies, and having a virtual holiday party may not be at the top of your priority list. However, it’s still always nice to let your employees know that you are grateful for them and their work. One popular gratitude event is buying everyone on your team lunch or dinner and gathering over Zoom to enjoy it together. This idea for virtual holiday parties is a yummy way to connect with everyone while showing your appreciation for the team. An alternative gratitude event is to have your team share what and/or who they are thankful for. Encourage employees to go a little deeper and explain why or tell a short story that illustrates why they feel so lucky. This exercise helps the whole team show their gratitude for one another, rather than having one person just thank everyone as a group. If your team is small or extra close, you can get a bit more personal and really dig into what the team has helped each other through in the last year. If you also want to include this in an end-of-year reflection, you can check out these questions to help guide your conversation. A gratitude event is a fantastic way to boost team morale and finish the year off strong!

BONUS: Recipe Exchange

Food is a huge part of the holiday season and really brings people together! If you are still tossing around fun ideas for a virtual holiday party this year, consider doing a recipe exchange. Rather than just submitting recipes, have all of your employees submit their favorite holiday recipe along with who they are and why they chose it. The added “flavor” will not only help them learn more about their coworkers, their family traditions, and which holiday(s) they celebrate, but they will remember a vignette about their coworker each time they make the recipe. This virtual holiday party idea can be done virtually or in person. If you meet virtually, consider combining all the recipes into a document and sharing it with your company! If you are meeting in person, you can even make it a potluck! Have everyone make and bring their favorite dish so that attendees can sample the recipes. You can even make this a bonding activity throughout the year by encouraging all employees to share pictures and stories each time they make the recipe.

Need Help Planning a Virtual Holiday Party?

It’s a lot of work to plan a virtual holiday party, especially at a time of year when most people are already stretched thin – both with year-end work and family commitments! We highly recommend hiring a company that will take all of the planning and event execution off of your plate. This is especially nice because it allows the event organizer to attend and enjoy alongside everyone else. At Escapely, for example, we have virtual holiday parties for all budgets and group sizes and our event planners will take all of the heavy lifting off of your plate. Whichever company you choose, just be sure to check the number of events they have hosted and briefly review their past clients – it will give you a great indicator of the quality to expect so that you know you are in good hands!