There’s no doubt about it — hybrid work is here to stay. According to Gallup, more than half of workers with remote-capable jobs work in a hybrid arrangement. And most say it’s making a real difference. More than 60% of employees say hybrid schedules lessen fatigue and allow them to make more efficient use of their time.
But while hybrid environments offer clear benefits, they also introduce unique challenges. Agendas and deadlines take over casual conversations. Messages replace in-person clarifications. Scheduled video calls preclude spontaneous hallway chats and shared coffee breaks. Without intentional efforts to foster connection, disengagement and burnout are bound to creep in. In other words…
Hybrid team building activities are more important than ever. You need ways to boost collaboration and reinforce a sense of belonging — whether someone’s dialing in from home or sitting in a conference room.
Here are seven hybrid team building ideas designed to enhance collaboration, prevent burnout and bridge the physical distance between hybrid team members.
1. Virtual coffee break
Coffee breaks aren’t an excuse to skip work — they make employees work better. In fact, research shows regular breaks boost productivity by 23%. In one study, 77% of participants deprived of their coffee breaks reported a significant decline in performance. In another, the top 10% most productive employees didn’t work longer hours. They simply took regular breaks.
The problem: Hybrid team members often skip these crucial breaks. They’re notorious for working harder and longer when working remotely.
The solution: Virtual coffee breaks. These informal gatherings give team members a chance to relax, chat and connect on a personal level, regardless of physical location.
The strategy: Schedule regular 15-30 minute sessions where team members join a video call with their favorite beverage. Encourage casual conversation and consider introducing icebreaker questions to spark meaningful discussions. This simple activity helps reduce feelings of isolation and fosters a genuine sense of belonging within your virtual team.
When arranging these hybrid team building activities:
- Create the right atmosphere. Help team members feel comfortable by encouraging them to choose their own settings — whether it’s the living room, a favorite coffee shop or back patio. Let them dress casually too. This informal approach helps ease tension and promotes the kind of open communication that might not happen during formal meetings.
- Keep things fresh with themes. Try a “bring your pet” day where team members introduce their furry friends. Or have a “favorite mug” day where everyone shares the story behind their go-to coffee cup.
- Try an interactive experience. Create interactive moments that let team members showcase their personalities, whether it’s a short trivia game or inviting everyone to share photos of recent travel.
2. Online team challenges
Online team challenges are great for promoting collaboration while adding a fun, competitive element to keep virtual team members engaged. These challenges can range from quizzes to problem solving activities — anything that encourages everyone to work together toward a common goal.
The problem: Most remote teams don’t learn how to face challenges together until a project stalls or critical deadlines pass.
The solution: Prepare your hybrid employees for inevitable challenges ahead of time with fun, engaging activities that help people learn how they work best together.
The strategy: Use online platforms like Kahoot! and Quizizz to create virtual team challenges that test team members’ knowledge on various topics, from company history and industry trends to personal interests. Or try a digital scavenger hunt by giving team members a list of items to find in their homes or workspaces.
When planning for these team building events:
- Set clear rules and divide into small groups. Make sure everyone understands the purpose, and consider dividing your team into smaller groups to encourage collaboration and increase engagement.
- Customize the experience. Tailor each experience to reflect your team’s unique culture and shared interests.
- Set the stage. Before the main challenge, use icebreaker questions or warm-up activities to help team members relax and connect.
3. Educational workshops
Here’s a stat that should grab every manager’s attention: 94% of surveyed employees say they’d stay at a company longer if it simply invested in helping them learn. This makes educational workshops a powerful team building opportunity.
The problem: Despite the rise of remote work, many managers still unconsciously favor employees they frequently see in person. This leads to unequal training and development opportunities.
The solution: Even the professional development playing field with digital workshops focused on skill development, providing team building exercises where your hybrid employees learn and grow together.
The strategy: Look for topics that benefit everyone, such as emerging technologies or leadership skills. Then build engaging hybrid learning sessions where everyone joins digitally.
When creating your online learning opportunities:
- Bring in outside expertise. Consider inviting guest speakers or facilitators who specialize in areas relevant to your team’s needs. This adds value to the workshop and brings fresh perspectives to spark new ideas and invigorate team dynamics.
- Make it interactive. The more involved team members are, the easier it is to retain information and feel connected to colleagues. Keep people engaged with polls, breakout sessions and other interactive elements.
- Gather feedback. After each workshop, ask participants what worked well and what needs improvement. This shows you value their opinions and plan to use feedback to plan future team building activities.
4. Celebrating milestones and achievements
Recognizing and celebrating milestones is vital for maintaining team morale and preventing disengagement. Whether it’s work anniversaries, project completions, personal accomplishments or team successes, taking time to acknowledge these moments strengthens team bonds.
The problem: In a hybrid environment, intentional celebration is critical. The casual recognition moments that happen naturally in physical offices need to be deliberately created.
The solution: Consider hosting virtual celebrations or sending personalized messages to express genuine appreciation.
The strategy: Look for opportunities to regularly praise people for jobs well done, whether that means sending quarterly roundups highlighting achievements or creating full-blown recognition events.
When designing these hybrid team building activities:
- Get creative with virtual celebrations. Use video calls to create face-to-face celebration moments, complete with virtual backgrounds, party themes or even coordinated treats delivered to remote team members’ homes. Better yet, share photos from celebrations to create lasting memories and reinforce the team’s shared experiences.
- Encourage peer recognition. Foster a culture where team members celebrate each other’s achievements. Shout-outs during team meetings, a dedicated channel on Slack or Microsoft Teams and online monthly peer nomination systems are all great options.
- Involve leadership. When leaders take time to personally acknowledge team members’ contributions, it reinforces the importance of teamwork and boosts morale across the entire hybrid team.
5. Employee well-being initiatives
Did you know fully remote workers are 40% more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression than their in-office colleagues? Or that 43% of employees worry discussing mental health issues with their employer negatively impacts work? As a hybrid team manager, it’s your job to proactively spot signs of burnout before it spirals out of control.
The problem: Hybrid employees are just as prone to burnout overwhelm as fully in-office workers. For people who work from home most days, the risk is even higher — remote workers often put in extra hours to prove they’re working hard.
The solution: Make wellness a priority. Implementing wellness initiatives shows you genuinely value your employees’ health and happiness.
The strategy: Look for opportunities to support employee well-being, without adding more stress or expectations. Think subsidized gym memberships over mandatory mindfulness sessions.
When creating wellness initiatives:
- Set a healthy example. Employees follow the lead of their managers, which means it’s important to show you respect a healthy work-life balance. Avoid sending emails and requests after hours, and create a culture of trust that supports taking regular breaks as needed.
- Encourage self monitoring. For example, if you use workforce analytics software, give people access to personal dashboards that provide suggestions on adopting healthier work habits.
- Don’t forget mental health. Provide resources like access to counseling services or stress management workshops. Encouraging open discussions about well-being helps reduce stigma and creates a supportive environment where team members feel safe seeking help when needed.
6. Virtual game days
Sometimes, the best way to boost collaboration is to step away from work altogether — and game days offer a perfect excuse. Virtual game days bring teams together in a low-pressure setting where laughter, creativity, and healthy competition take center stage. Whether it’s a quick trivia round or a full-blown tournament, these playful events help hybrid employees recharge while reinforcing team bonds.
The problem: Hybrid employees often go days without meaningful, casual interaction. This lack of social connection can lead to stress and disengagement.
The solution: Virtual game days give your team permission to relax, connect, and build relationships through fun, low-pressure activities.
The strategy: Schedule short, recurring sessions during slow work periods, with easy-to-access games that match your team’s interests and group size. Rotate formats and keep things lighthearted to create positive, lasting memories.
When hosting a virtual game day:
- Let the team choose. Send out a quick poll to see what types of games people enjoy, from Jackbox trivia to online board games to drawing competitions on Skribbl.
- Mix up the matchups. Rotate teams or pair employees who don’t often work together to spark new connections across departments or roles.
- Add incentives. Create a friendly leaderboard, hand out digital trophies or offer small prizes to keep people engaged and looking forward to the next game day.
7. Collaborative projects
While hybrid work often reduces burnout and fatigue, the number of days people work from home impacts feelings of isolation. In one survey, remote workers reported feeling isolated from their teams 34% of the time. In another, they reported feeling lonely 98% more than fully on-site workers. When hybrid teams work together on shared projects, they develop stronger bonds and a deeper sense of purpose. These projects help reduce feelings of isolation while promoting collaboration and creativity.
The problem: Remote and hybrid employees often feel disconnected from broader team goals, especially when working independently for long stretches.
The solution: Team-based projects give employees a chance to collaborate meaningfully, showcase their strengths, and feel more engaged with one another.
The strategy: Assign projects requiring input from multiple team members, and support them with clear expectations, regular check-ins, and opportunities for reflection and recognition.
When designing collaborative projects:
- Make them meaningful. Choose initiatives that align with company goals or employee values — whether it’s a new process, a shared resource, or a virtual volunteer event.
- Encourage ownership. Let team members take the lead on certain aspects of the project, so they feel personally invested in the outcome.
- Celebrate progress. Acknowledge milestones along the way with quick check-ins or shout-outs, and highlight the final result in a team-wide meeting or update.
Foster a productive hybrid work environment with ActivTrak
Building effective, engaged hybrid teams requires more than just good intentions. You need the right tools and insights to understand how your team actually works. ActivTrak provides the employee data you need to create truly impactful hybrid team building activities.
Here’s how it works:
Our hybrid workforce management software provides deep visibility into work patterns, productivity trends and employee well-being across teams and individuals. This makes it easy to identify when hybrid team members face burnout, overwork or disengagement, allowing you to intervene with targeted team building activities and support before problems escalate. Plus, our comprehensive workforce analytics allow you to measure the impact of your team building efforts. You’ll see which activities truly resonate. And you’ll have the data you need to create a more connected, productive hybrid work environment.
Whether your team is fully remote, fully in-office, or somewhere in between, our solutions provide the insights you need to keep everyone engaged, productive, and happy. Request a demo to learn how ActivTrak helps you build more engaged, high-performing hybrid teams today.
