Courses For Remote Team Building: 4 Steps To Success

Working with a remote team can feel a little disconnected sometimes, right? You might struggle to get everyone on the same page or keep spirits up when you’re all miles apart.

The good news is there’s a bunch of great online courses and fun virtual activities that’ll help you turn that distant team into an awesome squad—no awkward icebreakers needed!

Stick around, because you’ll soon see how easy it can be to choose the perfect course and pick up handy tips to get your remote team thriving.

1. Discover Top Online Courses for Remote Team Building

If you’re managing a remote team, you probably already know keeping everyone connected and motivated can be challenging.

Here’s a stat — did you know 73% of remote workers actually look forward to social interactions and group activities with their teammates?

That means there’s a pretty high chance your own team would enjoy some structured, interactive experiences to feel more connected.

There are tons of great remote team-building courses out there, but here are a few crowd favorites:

• LinkedIn Learning’s Remote Team Management: These quick, practical videos teach remote team management and collaboration tips that aren’t too heavy or corporate-feeling.
• Coursera’s Leading Remote Teams: This course covers the essentials—communication, trust-building, and productivity, with some real-world examples.
• General Assembly Online Team Workshops: Not exactly a traditional course, but super interactive and ideal if your team needs hands-on collaboration exercises.

Not every online course is right for every team, though, which is why it’s smart to compare online course platforms to see which one offers the best experience for your specific team’s needs and budget.

A solid team-building course not only boosts morale but can actually help cut down feelings of isolation, which research shows can negatively affect productivity by as much as 21%.

2. Engage with Proven Virtual Team Building Activities

Of course, online courses aren’t the only way to tighten up your remote team’s bond.

Since COVID-19 hit, there’s been a crazy 2500% increase in companies investing in virtual team-building activities, indicating that a lot of businesses realize the value here.

Some easy activities you can try include virtual trivia nights, online escape rooms, or even quick weekly icebreaker questions in your Slack channel.

For example, platforms like teambuilding.com offer virtual events designed specifically for remote teams—think cooking classes, team karaoke sessions, or even murder mystery parties that people actually look forward to joining.

Don’t underestimate simple things, either; even regular virtual coffee chats or lighthearted AMA (ask-me-anything) sessions can build real connections.

3. Select the Right Course or Activity for Your Remote Team

Selecting the perfect team-building course or activity isn’t about randomly jumping on what’s popular, but rather focusing on what genuinely fits your team’s personality and dynamics.

Highly-educated remote workers, which includes almost 43% of employees with advanced degrees, might prefer intellectually stimulating challenges or educational-focused activities, like webinars or professional skill-building workshops.

On the flip side, if your team spans a wide range of roles and educational backgrounds, it might be smarter to lean towards more casual and inclusive activities—virtual game sessions or cooking competitions.

Not sure where your team falls? It’s totally fine to ask them directly through a quick survey or informal poll in Slack.

You can also trial a few different low-commitment activities first to see what gets the best reaction before investing in anything larger-scale.

And whatever you pick, make sure you’re considering your remote team’s timezone differences, personal needs, and the technology they’re comfortable using.

If your team is excited about creating something together (maybe a fun video, or a mini-course to showcase their skills), you can check out some tips on how to create educational video content that’s engaging and easy to follow.

4. Use Tips to Maximize Remote Team Building Success

To effectively build connections within your remote team, try making team-building a regular habit rather than a rare event.

Instead of only scheduling large activities quarterly, include smaller events, like quick daily check-ins or weekly team shout-outs, to consistently foster the team’s bond.

Stick to one platform your team already uses, be it Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, to avoid confusion or the frustration of learning yet another tool.

Ensure everyone actually participates by inviting quieter team members directly, maybe by asking for their input on a recent achievement or fun fact.

Don’t overdo it, though—be thoughtful about team-member burnout. A crowded calendar can feel overwhelming, especially for introverted teammates.

Also, be ready to really listen—feedback from your team about past events can guide you significantly to shape better experiences in the future.

For newbies joining the team remotely, pair them with an established teammate as a casual “buddy” for at least the first month—that’ll reduce isolation and help new hires quickly feel at home.

5. How to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Remote Team Activities

Wondering if your team-building efforts are even working? Here’s how to find out:

1. Directly ask your team through quick, anonymous surveys after each activity—try tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey.
2. Keep track of attendance—if fewer and fewer people participate, that’s your first signal something needs to change.
3. Note changes in team interaction—more activity in team chats or more collaboration on projects can show improved relationships.
4. Observe productivity levels—remember, isolation can reduce productivity by as much as 21%, so improvements here can indicate your team-building is successful.

Make sure to actually review results and share them transparently with your team, so everyone understands their feedback matters and influences future activities.

6. Avoid These Common Remote Team-Building Mistakes

Even teams with good intentions might accidentally trip on these common mistakes:

• Ignoring time zones—nothing demotivates remote teammates faster than finding events scheduled late at night or way too early in the morning.
• Failing to include everyone—ensure activities, like quizzes or trivia, reflect diverse cultures and experiences.
• Overly structured or rigid formats—let folks relax and socialize at least partially without agenda or forced conversation.
• Forgetting follow-up—remote bonds fade fast if you don’t remind teammates of enjoyable past activities or memorable shared experiences.

Avoid these pitfalls, and you’ll have happier, more engaged team members over time.

7. Remote Team-Building Trends You Should Know About

The demand for remote team-building has skyrocketed, growing nearly 2500% since COVID-19 arrived—making it a big business that keeps evolving fast.

A big trend right now is personalizing activities: rather than standard virtual happy hours, companies are experimenting with tailored sessions like hobby-sharing (think gardening classes or coding workshops) and niche fan trivia (hello, Harry Potter devotees!).

Another growing area is using technology to energize teams. Platforms are offering engaging, collaborative games that integrate smoothly with your team’s existing tools like Slack — no new installations needed.

Since so many U.S. employees (around 22.8%) now work remotely at least part of the time, understanding these trends can help you effectively meet your team’s needs, ensuring your team-building efforts aren’t left behind.

8. Budget-Friendly Options for Team-Building Activities and Courses

Remote team-building doesn’t have to hemorrhage money—especially if your company keeps a careful eye on budgets.

Quick, low-cost activities like virtual coffee chats, creative contests, or casual game nights using free online platforms can foster genuine connections at minimal expense.

Sites like Kahoot! or Quizlet make crafting quizzes completely free, so hosts can keep teammates engaged, informed, and entertained without financial strain. Need help getting started? Check out tips on how to make a quiz for students—just adapt it slightly to fit your team’s vibe.

Even structured training like courses or masterclasses doesn’t need to be expensive. Many online platforms have affordable pricing models for eLearning that offer big discounts for groups.

9. Tools to Simplify Organizing Your Remote Team-Building Efforts

Managing remote activities doesn’t have to feel chaotic—keeping organized is easier than you probably imagine.

Pick an existing tool your team’s already familiar with, whether Slack (for quick appreciation messages and informal check-ins), Trello (to keep an engagement calendar simple), or shared calendars like Google Calendar (to clearly mark events).

Platforms like Eventbrite or Meetup can also help manage invitations easily, especially when your activity involves outside facilitators and multiple participants.

If your organization is really spread out, tools like Timezone.io and World Time Buddy can remove the headache of scheduling across multiple time zones.

10. Prepare Your Remote Team for Long-Term Success

With experts predicting nearly 36.2 million Americans will be virtual workers by 2025—a huge increase compared to pre-COVID numbers—building and maintaining effective remote team relationships is clearly a necessity, not an option.

Invest in onboarding activities and courses right from an employee’s start date to encourage open communication, nurture friendships, and quickly make even remote hires feel integrated with the team.

Offering ongoing opportunities for skill development also keeps your team sharp and motivated, whether it’s through webinars, online group mentoring, or even creating your own customized masterclass.

If you haven’t yet considered creating internal educational content, here’s how to create educational video materials which can enrich your team’s professional growth and promote collaboration.

The future is remote, and consistently strong team-building can ensure your employees stay happier, more productive, and loyal over the long haul.

FAQs