15 Fun Online Event Ideas for Team Building

Here is our list of the best online event ideas.

Online event ideas are activities and games for virtual gatherings on Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Examples include recipe swaps, speed networking, and game show tournaments. The purpose of these gatherings is to build connections and promote team building.

These ideas are similar to virtual team building activities, online team games for work, and free online team building activities.

This list includes:

• online event games ideas
• online event ideas for companies
• online event ideas for students
• online corporate event ideas
• interactive online event ideas
• holiday online event ideas

Let’s get to it!

List of online event ideas

Online events are virtual meetings where employees can bond as a team. Here is our list of online event ideas to help your team become united.

1. Museum tour

A virtual museum tour is one of the most interesting online event ideas for students. During an online museum tour, students are guided through the world’s most marvelous museums. The best part about this interactive experience is that students can learn from the comfort of their homes.

​Here are a few steps to help you host a tour of your own:

1. Visit the Google Arts & Culture collection to browse museum offerings
2. Choose museums and exhibits to tour
3. Share your screen and guide students through the experience
4. Have students answer trivia questions related to the exhibits
5. Reflect on students’ favorite artwork and exhibits

Many museums have remote tours, such as The British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the Guggenheim in New York City, all offered by the Google Arts & Culture collection. This activity combines learning and sightseeing, making the experience perfect for remote learners.

2. Team prom

One of the most nostalgic online corporate event ideas is a team prom. Online proms are a great excuse to get dressed up and have fun with your team.

​Be sure to follow these steps to host a successful event:

1. Choose a theme, such as a masquerade or a fairytale theme
2. Send email invites with a Zoom meeting link
3. Provide instructions for dress code and virtual background requirements
4. Create a playlist with popular prom songs
5. Send a care package to attendees with drinks and snacks
6. Play team games, like charades and karaoke
7. Name a prom king and queen
8. Make a toast to your fun event and united team

Online proms are a great way to bond as a team and let loose for the night.

3. Pet party

If most of your team members are proud pet owners, then a pet party is one of the best online corporate event ideas.

Here are a few steps to host an unforgettable pet party:

1. Ask participants to prepare one Powerpoint slide with photos of their pets
2. Give each participant five minutes to talk about their pet
3. Ask players without pets to share pictures of their childhood pet or their dream pet
4. Distribute superlative awards, like most creative pet names or most playful dogs

At the end of your event, have each team member bring their pet on camera. Attendees will smile at the sight of so many furry friends.

4. Crafting workshop

Hosting a crafting workshop is a fun virtual event idea that allows team members to embrace their creativity. Before the activity, choose an item your team can craft together, like a birdhouse or decorative wreath. Then, find a tutorial on Youtube or Wikihow to walk participants through the process. During the event, share your screen to show all instructions to attendees. Then, walk through each step together, sharing your progress and asking any questions along the way.

To simplify the activity, we recommend mailing boxes with all supplies, materials, and instructions to each team member. Sending this package will help ensure that all participants have the necessary materials for crafting.

5. Stand-up night

A stand-up comedy night is one of the funniest online event ideas for companies.

​Here are a few steps to help you host a successful event:

1. Send email invites for your comedy night
2. Ask for five to six volunteers to perform a comedy routine
3. Ask performers to compose a five to ten-minute comedy routine
4. During the Zoom meeting, give the players the spotlight to perform
5. Vote on the funniest team comedian
6. Award the winner with a prize, such as a Starbucks gift card

Comedy routines can be about any topic that the performer chooses. However, the funniest routines are usually about common workplace issues, like sleeping through a meeting or forgetting to go off mute. A comedy event will have your entire team laughing and bonding all night.

6. Recipe swap

We suggest hosting a recipe swap as one of the best holiday online event ideas. During a recipe swap, attendees can share their favorite meals and recipes. If you are hosting this event during the holidays, we recommend putting a theme on your celebration, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year.

For your recipe swap event, ask each team member to prepare one Powerpoint slide on their favorite recipe. Participants should include step-by-step instructions as well as a picture of their meal. During your event, give each team member a maximum of three minutes to present their recipe to the group via Zoom.

If you want your team to remember this event, then we recommend sending a PDF document with each member’s recipe. Your team cookbook will be a great keepsake from your holiday event.

7. Journaling workshop

Hosting a journaling workshop is an ideal way to recharge and relax with your team. To begin this activity, give team members five to ten minutes to write freely in their journals.

Here are a few journaling prompts for your event:

• What is your biggest goal for this year?
• What makes you feel most thankful?
• What brings you joy?
• What are some skills you want to improve?
• Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Journaling is a great way to reflect on your personal and professional endeavors. In addition, hosting a journaling workshop with your team is a great way to help employees prioritize their mental health and well-being.

​Pro tip: Before the workshop, create a digital journal for each employee on Google Docs or send participants physical journals so that each attendee is ready to write.

8. Guess who

If you are looking for interactive online event ideas, then we recommend guess who. This game is excellent for team gatherings as it provides an inside look into each member’s remote workspace.

Before your event, ask each team member to take a picture of their home workspace. Be sure to encourage employees to photograph the area in their home office that best represents them, such as a messy desk or a corner with potted plants. Then, during your event, have the meeting host share their screen, showing each picture individually. With each photo, players should guess which workspace belongs to which team member.

Guess who is an excellent opportunity to get to know your teammates’ unique personalities. This game may even reveal a few skilled interior decorators on your team.

9. Photo party

Sharing photos is a great way to connect with your coworkers. We suggest hosting a photo party where all team members share the stories behind their favorite photos. Images can include family trips, throwback pictures, or selfies.

​Here are a few instructions to host a fun photo party:

1. Set up a Zoom meeting
2. Ask each attendee to paste their favorite photo on a Powerpoint slide
3. Have each member share their screen to show their pictures one by one
4. Give three to five minutes for teammates to discuss the significance behind their pictures
5. Have the team vote on their favorite picture

Before you end the meeting, snap a fun screenshot of your team that can serve as a keepsake. Photo parties allow teammates to learn more about each other and build a stronger connection.

10. Typing race

One of the most unique online event games ideas is a typing race. A typing race is a video game in which players control a vehicle, like a car or a boat, based on their typing speed. Luckily, most team members already have extensive typing experience from their jobs.

We recommend hosting a Zoom meeting where team members go head-to-head in a typing race. You can share an ongoing leadership board and watch as teammates battle it out for the first-place title. Websites like Type Rush and Nitro Type are great options when hosting a typing race championship.

11. Game of personal lists

If you are looking for virtual games to enjoy with your team, then we recommend playing the game of personal lists. The objective of this game is to have each team member share a list of different actions, items, or names based on a prompt.

​First, the meeting host should provide a prompt to the group, such as:

• Foods I would never eat
• Countries I have visited
• Drinks that I love
• My top baby names
• Jobs I have held

Players should share five list items for each prompt based on their personal experience. For example, if the prompt is “Drinks that I love,” one employee’s answer might be soda, wine, water, coffee, and orange juice. This game is a great way to learn about your teammates’ interests and experiences.

12. Ugly sweater party

One of the funniest holiday online event ideas is an ugly sweater meetup. Be sure to ask team members to attend the Zoom meeting wearing their ugliest holiday sweaters.

​Here are a few tips to help you host a festive event:

• Create a holiday music playlist
• Send hot cocoa kits to employees’ homes
• Host an anonymous gift exchange with virtual presents
• Provide a cookie-decorating tutorial
• Play a holiday trivia quiz
• Share holiday memories

The holidays are a time of joy and festivity. Hosting an ugly sweater party is a great way to get your entire team in the spirit.

13. Speed networking

One of the most popular interactive online event ideas is speed networking. This event allows team members to meet and interact with new coworkers.

​Here are a few steps to host a successful event:

1. Begin a Zoom call with all participants
2. Create several breakout rooms
3. Pair employees up and send them to breakout rooms
4. Set a timer for five minutes
5. Send team members to new rooms every five minutes
6. Continue the exercise for about 45 minutes

Like speed dating, speed networking is about getting out of your comfort zone and building new relationships with teammates.

14. Virtual trips and tours

Getting a change of scenery can be difficult in a remote work environment. Luckily, virtual city tours make it possible to see new sights from the comfort of your home. A virtual tour is an online trip showcasing different landmarks and cities.

You can create an interactive experience by polling employees on the most popular location among the team. Then, based on your poll results, you can book your virtual trip to your team’s favorite location.

​Here are a few ways to run your virtual tour:

1. Schedule a Zoom meeting
2. Ask the meeting host to share their screen
3. Log onto Google Streets to virtually walk around your desired location
4. Prepare a Powerpoint presentation with images and fun facts about your destination
5. Play a game of trivia with questions about the landmark
6. Encourage attendees to ask questions and take screenshots during the meeting

Websites like Google Street View make it easy to visit iconic landmarks like the Great Wall of China, the Sistine Chapel, and Yosemite National Park.

15. Game show tournament

A game show tournament is one of the best online event game ideas to bring out your team’s competitive side.

​To host this event, pick your desired game, such as:

• Family Feud
• Jeopardy
• Price is Right
• Minute to Win it
• Codenames
• Taboo

We recommend choosing a game that most team members know well. For the tournament, designate one to two members to serve as hosts. Your hosts should bring energy and charisma to your event. Then, split your entire team up into smaller units. These smaller teams will battle it out during the tournament. Next, place two teams head-to-head, eliminating the losing group after each round. Be sure to continue until you are left with two teams that will play for the ultimate championship title. A game show tournament is a fun way to promote friendly competition.

Conclusion

Online events have the power to increase employee engagement and boost happiness. Our list of online event ideas will surely help bring your employees together. These activities and ideas focus on team building and bonding between coworkers. In addition, hosting fun and interactive events can help you shape a positive company culture, which is vital in promoting creativity and collaboration.

Next, you can check out online team building icebreakers and Google Meet games.