Remote work is no longer a temporary setup. For many growing companies across Southeast Asia, it is a long-term strategy that supports flexibility and wider talent access. However, this shift also brings a familiar challenge—keeping teams connected and engaged.

Without in-person interactions like coffee chats or casual conversations, it becomes harder for employees to build relationships. Collaboration may feel transactional. Engagement begins to drop. Over time, this affects not only morale but also productivity and team cohesion.

This is where virtual team building plays a crucial role. When thoughtfully implemented, it becomes more than just a social activity. It is a tool for strengthening trust, improving communication, and reinforcing company culture within distributed teams.

What Makes a Virtual Team Building Activity Effective

As remote teams become the norm, many companies experiment with online games or social sessions to keep their teams engaged. But not all virtual activities are created equal. While some energise and connect, others can feel forced or even add to screen fatigue.

To create real impact, virtual team building should feel purposeful and inclusive. It should not be a one-off initiative but part of a broader strategy to strengthen team relationships and morale.

Effective virtual team building efforts should be:

• Inclusive for team members across different time zones
• Designed to encourage real interaction and collaboration
• Aligned with your company culture and communication style
• Useful in helping team members understand each other better
• Energising, not draining, especially in busy work weeks

It is not about doing more activities. It is about doing the right ones with intention.

Recommended Virtual Activities for Remote Teams

Once the intention is clear, the next step is finding formats that work for your team. The good news is you do not need to start from zero or reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of creative ways to bring people together online, whether your team is fully remote or hybrid.

We have compiled a set of simple and effective virtual team building activities tailored to distributed teams. From casual games to collaborative challenges, each idea is designed to spark connection, foster engagement, and build familiarity across team members. These activities are particularly useful during onboarding, team transitions, or after long project cycles where social interaction may have taken a back seat.

What Remote Teams Are Struggling With (And Why It Matters)

Before designing engagement solutions, it is helpful to understand the root of the issue. Many teams face similar obstacles, but they often go unspoken because of the nature of remote work. Addressing these head-on allows leaders to build more empathetic and connected workplaces.

Here are some common challenges we see among remote and hybrid teams:

• Lack of belonging – Team members may feel like they are working with people, not as a team
• Communication silos – Departments operate in parallel, rarely interacting beyond task-based conversations
• Onboarding gaps – New hires struggle to connect socially and culturally with colleagues
• Zoom fatigue – Even well-intended social sessions can feel like yet another meeting

The result is a gradual decline in morale, collaboration, and retention—all of which affect team productivity and employer brand in the long run.

Making Virtual Team Building More Sustainable

Many companies run a few successful virtual activities, but the momentum fades quickly. This often happens when team building is treated as an isolated initiative rather than a habit or cultural practice. To build consistency, the experience needs to be easy to maintain and meaningful to participants.

Creating long-term engagement is less about scale and more about rhythm. The following principles can help teams sustain virtual team building efforts:

• Keep participation optional to encourage authentic involvement
• Rotate formats to avoid repetition and fatigue
• Choose time slots that accommodate different regions
• Collect feedback regularly to understand what works
• Link each activity back to team values and goals

The goal is not just to entertain. It is to create meaningful touchpoints that support a connected and engaged culture.

Virtual Team Culture Is Built Over Time

Virtual team building is one part of the bigger picture. For remote teams to stay aligned and motivated, it is important to support engagement across multiple dimensions—communication, recognition, and shared purpose.

High-performing distributed teams often invest in the following areas:

• Clear communication routines such as asynchronous updates and structured check-ins
• Recognition and celebration of wins and milestones to reinforce positivity
• Transparency in goals and progress to ensure alignment across teams

Culture also looks different depending on where your team is based. If you are hiring or managing tech teams across Southeast Asia, it helps to understand regional work styles and expectations. Learn more in our guide to tech work culture across Southeast Asia.

By combining these efforts with thoughtful team building, companies can build a virtual culture where trust and collaboration grow naturally.

Culture Is Built in the Small Moments

Team culture does not require grand gestures or expensive programs. Often, it is the small and consistent moments that leave the greatest impact. A five-minute check-in, a fun monthly activity, or a shout-out for great work—all these moments shape how employees experience the company.

Whether you are leading a regional team from Singapore or building a startup with team members across Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, remember that connection starts with intention. Virtual team building, when done right, helps people feel seen, heard, and valued—even through a screen.

And when people feel connected, collaboration and performance follow.

This article is brought to you by Glints TalentHub. Leading companies are actively building their borderless teams in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and beyond. However, the prospect of going borderless can be daunting due to complex regulations and cultural ambiguities. With Glints TalentHub, you’ll have a dedicated team of in-market legal, HR, and talent experts by your side at every step of the way.

Glints TalentHub offers an end-to-end, tech-enabled talent solution that encompasses talent acquisition, EOR, and talent development. We empower businesses to leverage the strengths of regional talent efficiently to build high-performing, cost-efficient teams.

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