You found our guide to virtual vs online vs remote team building.
Team building online is a broad concept inclusive of virtual, remote and online team building. For example, Online Office Games, Remote Work Bingo and Lightning Scavenger Hunts. The purpose of these activities is to provide structured fun for remote and hybrid teams.
This guide includes:
- What is virtual team building?
- What is online team building?
- What is remote team building?
- A comparison of virtual, online and remote team building.
Let’s get to it!
What Is Virtual Team Building?
Virtual team building refers to real-time, live activities that take place over video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. These activities are synchronous, meaning all participants join at the same time.
Examples of Virtual Team Building Activities:
- Live-hosted virtual trivia games
- Zoom escape room experiences
- Remote cocktail-making classes
- Interactive icebreaker games
Best for: Building real-time connections, enhancing team energy, and creating shared digital experiences.
What Is Online Team Building?
Online team building is a broader term that includes both live and asynchronous team-building activities. As long as the activity happens over the internet, it falls into this category.
Examples of Online Team Building Activities:
- Slack-based scavenger hunts
- Collaborative playlists
- Daily photo or emoji challenges
- Gamified leaderboard tasks
Best for: Flexible engagement across time zones, continuous culture-building, and mixing live and on-demand elements.
What Is Remote Team Building?
Remote team building refers to any team-building initiative designed specifically for remote or hybrid teams. It includes both virtual and online activities but focuses on addressing the unique needs of distributed teams.
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- icebreaker games
- bingo cards
- DIY guides
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Examples of Remote Team Building Activities:
- Quarterly virtual retreats
- Remote onboarding games
- Cross-time-zone team challenges
- Monthly virtual coffee pairings
Best for: Strengthening connections among remote workers and building a remote-first culture.
Comparison Chart
| Term | Real-Time | Internet-Based | Remote-Focused |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Team Building | ✔️ | ✔️ | Sometimes |
| Online Team Building | Sometimes | ✔️ | Sometimes |
| Remote Team Building | Sometimes | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Which One Should You Use?
If your goal is to create an engaging experience for a fully remote team, focus on remote team building strategies. For live, high-energy sessions, go with virtual team building. And for scalable, flexible experiences that work across time zones, consider online team building.
Often, the best solution is a hybrid of all three—giving your team the best of real-time bonding, digital flexibility, and long-term engagement.
Next, check out this list of virtual team building activities and this one with online team building games.
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