Many companies are slowly starting to bring employees back to the office. As this has become safer, however, it’s become clear that others will choose to continue with remote work. This is largely because remote working has proven to offer multiple benefits –– like eliminating the need to rent space and maintain equipment and allowing employees better work/life balance. But in order to prevent work relationships from deteriorating because of the lack of in-person interaction, companies have also had to start organizing online activities designed to strengthen team bonds.
Along these lines, some companies have opted to implement regular game nights (or even game breaks during lunch hours). But which games are actually best to promote bonding via video conferencing or other remote means?
1. GeoGuessr
Imagine if you were teleported to a random part of the world. How would you guess where you are? Would you look at the landscape around you, the architecture of the buildings, or the types of vehicles on the street? This is exactly the scenario GeoGuessr tries to emulate by randomly choosing a Google Maps street viewpoint from any country in the world. The players then take turns to guess the location, which is ultimately revealed with a simple click. It’s a simple game to set up and one that’s sure to spark some fun conversation and laughs.
2. Skribbl
Skribbl has a very simple interface whereby players are invited through a link to create their avatars while the host writes a list of secret words. Then someone is shown a word and has to make the others guess it by drawing on the screen. Players can see the number of letters in the word, as well as a list of incorrect guesses from their opponents. But the right word remains hidden even as some of the players get it right, increasing the pressure to guess correctly before the time runs out. It’s ultimately a lot like the popular board game Pictionary and can be played either between teams or individuals.
3. Cheat
In Cheat, each player starts with the same number of playing cards. The objective at your turn is to play a card that follows the most recently played one on the table –– and ultimately get rid of all your cards. However, players don’t actually have to show which cards they are placing. In other words, players can lie, and it’s up to the others to guess whether or not any deception is going on. If a player is called a liar, they have to show the card; if the reveal shows that they were lying, they have to pick up all their cards. But if they weren’t lying, the accuser has to pick up all of their cards. It’s a simple game full of psychological tug-of-war and a great way for people to bond remotely.
4. Poker
If a more traditional card game appeals, poker is a good option as well. Now, some see poker as a complex game that requires advanced strategies and an ability to calculate odds on the fly. But the truth is, it’s fundamentally simple, and even a brief beginners’ guide to poker will get unfamiliar employees up to speed pretty quickly. While there are different varieties of the game, most of the popular ones revolve around processes that lead to players amassing the strongest five-card hands they can (according to standard hand rankings that can be easily referenced). These games are easy to set up over a video chat but can also be coordinated through websites and apps that support free poker games between friends.
5.Baamboozle
In Baamboozle, a player chooses a trivia board and shares their screen with the rest of the players, who have to be divided into groups. In each turn, a team has to choose a numbered card that reveals an open-ended question. Depending on the host’s criteria, their answers can be considered correct, granting them points. But some cards also include hidden surprise actions, like allowing a team to steal points from another one or forcing them to lose points. Basically, it’s a trivia game, but one with enough twists to generate a lot of laughs (and some playful frustration).
Something as simple as spending 20 or 30 minutes playing a fun game can be an effective way to foster community and friendship among workers. Add levels of cooperation, strategizing, and (just-for-fun) competition and the team will also learn to respect and understand each other –– even without much if any, in-person contact.
