Remote work lets you enjoy the comfort of your home, but it also means missing out on the informal, spontaneous interactions that happen in an office.

You might send messages and attend meetings, but there’s often little opportunity to truly connect with colleagues beyond the work tasks.

This is where virtual team-building activities within Slack can make a big difference. With Slack’s built-in tools and apps like Braid, you can easily organize fun activities that strengthen bonds, boost morale, and make communication feel more natural.

These activities help build trust, encourage collaboration, and bring everyone closer, no matter how far apart they are.

In this article, we’ll share simple and fun Slack ideas to help your team feel more connected, even while working remotely.

Why Virtual Team Building Is Essential

Remote work has changed the way teams interact. Without casual conversations or shared moments, it’s easy for team members to feel disconnected and less engaged.

Virtual team-building activities help bring teams together by giving them chances to connect and work with each other.

With tools like Braid, embedded directly in Slack, you can organize games and activities that help employees build trust and work together more effectively.

These activities are essential for creating a productive and positive work environment while building trust among team members. During virtual games, employees can learn about each other and strengthen their working relationships through fun activities.

Virtual activities that require teamwork promote open and consistent communication and improve teamwork. Encouraging each team member to share ideas and engage with one another during a game can prompt them to do so during a business meeting, too.

Adding fun and interactive activities during the workday helps employees feel valued and stay engaged. It can lift team spirit and keep everyone motivated. Slack activities also bring back a bit of that office vibe, making team members feel connected and part of a group.

Types of Team-Building Activities

Slack provides the tools to organize virtual team-building activities that align with your team’s goals.

Here are different types of activities you can implement:

• Communication activities: Use Slack to foster open discussions and strengthen connections. Activities like team trivia or shared story-building improve collaboration.

• Problem-solving activities: Engage your team with tasks that require creative thinking and teamwork. Host virtual scavenger hunts or puzzles in dedicated Slack channels.

• Trust-building activities: Strengthen trust by encouraging team members to connect on a deeper level. Use Slack tools like Donut to facilitate casual one-on-one conversations.

• Icebreaker activities: Help team members bond with quick, engaging games. Slack threads are ideal for Two Truths and One Lie or meme-sharing sessions.

• Creative activities: Inspire fresh ideas with brainstorming sessions or shared digital vision boards. Slack provides a flexible space to explore creative solutions together.

Virtual Team-Building Ideas to Try With Your Team

The Slack app makes it easy to organize engaging activities that bring remote employees together.

With Braid, you can launch games directly within Slack to connect your team, inspire creativity, and improve collaboration.

Check out some fun and interactive games you can try with your team:

1. Wordsmith

Wordsmith is a fun word game where players create as many words as they can from a set of letters. The more words, the better! It’s a great way to spark quick thinking, teamwork, and some friendly competition.

As your team comes up with new word combinations, they’ll improve communication and work together more effectively. It’s a creative and fun activity that helps bring teams closer.

Whether you’re looking to build connections or break the ice, Wordsmith is perfect for remote teams who want to mix things up and have a good time.

How to set up Wordsmith:

• Start the game in Slack by entering /braid wordsmith in a channel 

• Start the game once everyone in the channel who wants to play has joined the game 

• Use Braid’s leaderboard to track and display scores automatically.

Sample gameplay:

Your team receives the letters R, C, A, T, G, E, I, N
Words created: Cat, Car, Cart, Care, Rain, Caring, Creating, Catering

The game continues until the timer runs out, and the leaderboard displays the top wordsmiths. Celebrate the winners or discuss the most creative words found for a fun wrap-up.

2. Typing Test

This game challenges you to type a given text faster and more accurately than your teammates. It’s perfect for those looking to showcase their typing skills, improve speed, or simply have fun competing.

Players are given a random passage of text and must type it out as quickly as possible without errors. Typing Test is great for anyone who spends a lot of time typing, whether it’s software engineers or other remote workers and office teams.

It’s not just about testing your typing skills—it adds a fun, competitive twist that’s perfect for team building. It’s a simple way to improve focus, practice typing faster, and bond with your teammates while having some fun.

How to set up Typing Test:

• Start the game in Slack by entering /braid typingtest in a channel.

• Start the game once everyone in the channel who wants to play has joined.

• Track the scores using Braid’s live scoring system.

Sample gameplay:

3. Picture Puzzle

Picture Puzzle is a fun game where participants guess the image or concept based on provided visual clues.

Each round features an image that’s partially obscured, and players must figure out what it is by carefully observing the clues. This game is perfect for testing your team’s attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.

Whether it's a company-related image, a pop culture reference, or something completely abstract, Picture Puzzle challenges individual players to think critically and creatively. It can be played alone or as part of a team challenge, making it a flexible option for various team sizes.

How to play Picture Puzzle:

• Start the game through Braid, and share the visual puzzle in a Slack channel.

• Participants submit their guesses, with live scoring to track performance.

• Celebrate the winners at the end of each round.

Sample gameplay:

4. Word Link

Word Link is an exciting word association game where participants create links between words in a chain.

Each player is given a word, and they must come up with a related word to continue the chain. The next player must then find a word linked to the previous one, and so on, creating an ongoing sequence of words.

This game encourages creative thinking, quick associations, and effective communication. It’s a fun way to challenge your team’s verbal skills and teamwork while keeping the energy high.

Word Link works great in both small and large groups, and it adds a unique element to your team-building activities by promoting quick thinking and collective participation.

How to set up Word Link:

• Start the game in Slack by entering /braid wordlink in a channel.

• Choose the number of turns and the channel for the game.

• Track the progress using Braid’s scoring system.

Sample gameplay:

ImaginatioN ➡️ NarratioN ➡️ NoteworthY ➡️ YesterdaY ➡️ YellowisH ➡️ HistoricaL ➡️ LandmarK

The game continues until all turns are complete or someone can't think of a new word.

5. This or That

This or That is a quick and fun game where participants choose between two options, such as books or movies, early bird or night owl, or pizza or burgers.

The game gets players to make quick choices, making it a fun icebreaker. It’s a simple way to learn more about your teammates and start conversations.

Whether you’re looking for a short break between meetings or want to spark some fun discussion, This or That is a perfect game for keeping energy high and building rapport among your team.

How to play This or That:

• Post a series of A or B choices in the Slack thread using Braid.

• Team members reply with their preferences in real time.

• Highlight interesting or popular answers to spark conversation.

Sample gameplay:

6. Trivia

Trivia is a fast-paced game where team members compete to answer questions on a variety of topics, ranging from science facts to nature, history, or general knowledge.

The goal is simple: answer as many questions correctly as possible in the shortest time. This game sparks friendly competition, promotes learning, and provides an entertaining way for teammates to bond over shared interests.

Trivia is great for encouraging quick thinking and teamwork, especially when players collaborate on tougher questions. It’s a fun and interactive way to challenge your team while adding a bit of excitement to the day.

How to set up Trivia:

• Start the game in Slack by entering /braid trivia in a channel.

• Choose categories and difficulty levels for the trivia questions.

• Track the scores using Braid’s live leaderboard.

Sample gameplay:

Team-Building Activities on Slack: Best Practices

Follow these tips to make sure your Slack-based team-building activities are effective and engaging:

• Create a dedicated space: Set up specific Slack channels (e.g., #team-bonding or #fun-friday) to organize activities and keep conversations focused.

• Be clear and concise with instructions: Share straightforward directions for each activity, using pinned messages or threads to keep everything accessible.

• Keep activities inclusive: Choose activities that cater to different interests and schedules to make everyone feel comfortable participating.

• Schedule strategically: Plan activities during times that won’t disrupt work, avoiding peak hours or important deadlines.

• Leverage Slack integrations: Use apps like Braid to automate reminders, organize games, and track progress, making activities hassle-free.

• Encourage voluntary participation: Let team members join activities at their discretion to keep the atmosphere relaxed and engaging.

• Recognize contributions: Highlight participation, creativity, or standout efforts with a simple shoutout or direct message in Slack.

• Gather feedback: Use polls or feedback apps to ask for suggestions after activities and refine future team-building efforts.

Make Team Building Fun and Easy With Braid

Keeping remote teams connected requires more than just meetings and emails. Remote team-building Slack activities include trivia games, scavenger hunts, and coffee breaks. These activities bring your team together by adding fun and creating stronger connections.

Braid takes this further with games you can play right in Slack. With just a few commands, your team can join activities that spark creativity, build teamwork, and create lasting bonds—all within Slack.

With features like live scoreboards and games for any team size, Braid makes team building simple and meaningful.

Slack helps team members connect on a personal level, while Braid enhances engagement and interaction. Together, these tools create a collaborative and connected remote work environment.

Ready to bring your team closer? Schedule a demo now!

FAQs About Virtual Team-Building Slack

How do you do team building with remote teams?

Team building for remote teams involves organizing activities that foster collaboration, trust, and communication. With tools like Slack, you can run engaging online games like trivia, scavenger hunts, or emoji-based challenges.

What is an example of virtual team building?

A great example of a virtual team-building activity is a Slack trivia game powered by Braid. Team members take turns answering fun questions about company facts or pop culture. It’s an easy way to add a little friendly competition and a perfect conversation starter.

How do you create a virtual team?

To create a virtual team, start by bringing together skilled people and giving them the tools they need to communicate and work together. Platforms like Slack make it easy for remote and hybrid teams to communicate through channels, messages, and shared activities.

How can you develop good teamwork when working remotely?

To develop strong teamwork remotely, focus on building trust, encouraging communication, and promoting collaboration. Use Slack apps for team-building activities like show and tell or scavenger hunts, and create a company culture of openness with channels dedicated to sharing ideas or celebrating achievements.

Can a video conference support virtual team building?

Yes. A Slack video call can make virtual team-building activities more engaging by allowing team members to interact directly. Seeing faces and hearing voices in real time makes it easier to connect with team leaders and members.