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Virtual game night for employee onboarding

Relationship building while solving a murder mystery

By Raisa YogiamanPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
Virtual game night for employee onboarding
Photo by Big Potato on Unsplash

The notion of onboarding is often taken for granted. Many companies even accelerate this vital employee integration step because they want the new hires to contribute to the company's success quickly. What's the effect of doing so?

If the new workers don't receive an adequate onboarding journey, HCI predicts that 32% of them are likely to search for a new job after six months and 23% won't celebrate their one-year work anniversary with the company – but what does good onboarding consist of?

According to Zavvy, companies should shift from the traditional onboarding method to the experience-based onboarding process in today's work environment. This onboarding 2.0 focuses on employee engagement and building relationships instead of only fixating on the amount of information given.

One of the ways to foster employee relationships and happiness is by hosting a (virtual) game night. This fun team-building activity can speed up the introduction and networking phase of the new hire to the existing team – making them feel welcomed, supported, and excited about the new role. As for the team, having a virtual game night could be an effective option to bring the team closer without compromising any health issues during the pandemic.

There are many online games to choose from, and some of them are even free. Let's take a closer look at the advantages of throwing a virtual office game before we dive into some of the recommendations.

Benefits of hosting a virtual game event

Besides the very minimum preparation of a stable internet connection and a laptop/smartphone, here are some other benefits of having a virtual game night for your team:

  • Foster team-building and competitiveness (it's your chance to get to know the new talent and beat the boss at the same time)
  • Creating the medium for people to exchange jokes, goof around, and have fun. This is especially crucial as employees tend to be distanced in the remote/hybrid work culture.
  • Everyone can join from the comfort of their sofa without restrictions.
  • In-app or video instruction feature that makes following the rules easier than ever.
  • To capture memories, take a screenshot or record the screen and share it directly via Slack/emails.

5 Virtual game ideas

While it is safer to only meet virtually due to the pandemic, why not make use of this extraordinary situation to our advantage? Some of the following games are converted from their physical gameboard versions, while some are only available online.

1. Virtual scavenger hunt (video-call platforms)

Just like a real-life scavenger hunt, in this virtual version players need to scavenge some objects within their house. To start, ask one person to list all the things that will be scavenged or ask everyone to put one object to the list and decide the difficulty level. Find something as easy as a pen or ten keys in under one minute.

Plus points: unlimited players, personalized duration, and difficulty level.

2. Gartic phone (web browser)

Combine Pictionary with the Telephone game, and that is Gartic Phone. The goal for this game is simple: guess the drawn picture. One of the players will be asked to draw a picture for less than two minutes. Once it is done, the rest will have to guess. Whoever guesses the fastest will get the highest point.

Plus points: multiple players and randomized turns to keep everyone focused.

3. Settlers of Catan (web browser/app)

The digital format of Settlers of Catan has the same rules as the board game version. This strategy and resource management game's primary goal is to create settlements on the island of Catan. Players build roads and cities and expand their territories by collecting the right resources, such as wool, grain, lumber, brick, and ore – but those aren't the only things they need. Besides the right resource cards, luck must be on their side before throwing the dice.

Plus points: this game will create lots of social interactions as players need to barter/exchange cards, haggle, or even plea to others to make progress.

4. Clue(do) (web browser/app)

Who, with what weapon, and where did the crime take place? This classic mystery game allows players to channel their detective skills and solve the whodunit question by eliminating the red herrings. The 10 new themes on the latest online format could make the Clue(do) game lovers feels like playing this game for the first time again!

Plus points: a good combination of strategic thinking and problem-solving affairs will keep players on the edge of their seats.

5. Heads up! (app)

If you've watched Ellen DeGeneres' show, you may have been familiar with this game. One player needs to keep their phone on their head while trying to name the word shown on the screen. To guess the word, clues will be given by everyone else or your team members. There are 18 themed decks, varying from celebrities, animals, and movies. The fun will never stop!

Plus points: to bring everyone's involvement, play in one big group, or divide the team into groups for extra competitiveness.

Virtual game night: an entertaining way to bridge the gaps

Having a virtual game night is a clever strategy to integrate the new hire into the team and bring the team closer. In this informal event, the new talent can get to know the team quickly and engage in funny banter with their new coworkers. By experiencing this, the new employee can quickly work together and be more productive in their new role. As for the team, playing games can replace the team's lunch routine and promote stronger teamwork.

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