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| 10 Fun Ways to Entertain Remote Employees. |
As companies adapt to remote work, maintaining team spirit and engagement becomes a priority. Hosting fun and interactive online events can help bring employees closer, even when they’re far apart.
Whether it’s virtual workouts or cooking classes, there are countless ways to make remote work fun and social.
Maria Kornilova, a leading training and development manager at ELMA, shares some creative ideas. Her remote team consists of 300 employees across three cities—Izhevsk, Kirov, and Kazan.
Maria emphasizes that creating an environment where employees feel connected is crucial, so her company organizes weekly online events using platforms like Zoom.
They have regular classes like Spanish lessons and workout sessions, as well as spontaneous events that begin with “Let’s do something fun!”
Here are her top 10 ways to entertain remote employees:
1. Virtual Welcome Meetings for New Hires
Before the pandemic, new employees were introduced during casual in-office coffee meetups. Now, they hold virtual meetings on Zoom.
New hires share fun facts about themselves by answering pre-set questions like:
- What did you want to be as a kid?
- What’s your favorite breakfast food?
- What’s your favorite TV show right now?
2. Virtual Cooking Classes
Traveling isn’t easy, but you can still take a culinary journey! Choose a destination (like sunny Italy) and host a virtual cooking class.
Send out a list of ingredients in advance so employees can cook along. Pasta Carbonara and Italian wine make for a great Zoom night!
3. Art Workshops
After a long day of work, how about some stress-relief through art? Gather your design team to guide employees through drawing sessions.
One time, Maria’s team drew the company mascot—a cute raccoon—using colored pencils and pastels!
4. Virtual Workouts and Yoga
Working remotely can be sedentary, so staying active is key. The HR department at ELMA regularly hosts morning workouts and yoga sessions.
Sometimes, employees volunteer to lead these sessions, turning it into a fun, interactive experience.
5. Online Games and Quizzes
These activities are perfect for small groups (around 10 people). They’ve hosted trivia nights and a version of "Jeopardy!" via Zoom.
Participants guess the answers and the host tracks the scores to announce the winner. It’s a fun way to get competitive!
6. Virtual Beer Meetings
Nothing brings people together like a casual chat over beer! Gather employees on Zoom to discuss informal topics—like vegetarianism, cycling trips, or favorite music festivals.
These conversations help recreate the friendly office vibe remotely.
7. Lunch Chats
Missing those casual office lunch breaks? Host a Zoom call during lunch hours where everyone can share what they’re eating, swap recipes, or chat about their weekend plans. It’s an easy, no-pressure way to stay connected.
8. Foreign Language Courses
Have someone in your company teach a new language! At ELMA, they have a Spanish course taught by the head of their translation department.
If no one on your team can teach, you can always hire an external tutor to lead the sessions.
9. Acoustic Concerts
ELMA has its own in-house band, "ELMA MATER," made up of employees from various departments.
Pre-pandemic, they performed live at company events, but now they’ve moved their shows to Zoom! Even though they play from different locations, it’s a great way to unwind and enjoy some music with the team.
10. Cocktail Masterclass
Friday nights are perfect for unwinding! Instead of heading to a bar, ELMA’s team invited a bartender to lead a virtual cocktail-making class.
Employees learned how to make amazing cocktails from the comfort of their homes.
These online activities are not only fun but also help remote employees feel more connected, no matter how large the company is. Whether it’s a casual chat or a cooking class, virtual events like these can create a sense of togetherness, even from miles away!
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