How We Keep Our Virtual Team Connected
Two Easy Games That Help Us Build Culture in Zoom
Building relationships and maintaining team culture isn’t easy when your team works remotely or in a hybrid model.
Without a shared lunchroom or hallway conversations, it takes intentional effort to keep people connected beyond just projects and deadlines.
At Iron House Pro, we’ve learned that making time to socialize is just as important as making time for work. That’s why we host a weekly social session on Zoom—sometimes featuring expert guest speakers, and sometimes just having fun together.
In this post, we’ll share:
Why we make space for social time
What types of activities have worked for our team
And our two favorite online games that are easy, free, and fun to play as a remote team.
Why Social Time Matters in Remote Teams
It’s easy to let team culture slip when you don’t share a physical space. But when teams feel connected, they:
Communicate better
Trust each other more
Feel more engaged with their work
Our weekly social session is a simple way to build connection that goes beyond tasks and deadlines. Sometimes we bring in guest speakers on topics like:
Mindset and mental health
Personal finance
Nutrition and wellness
But often, we just keep it light and have some fun.
Here are the two games we come back to again and again.
1. Skribbl.io — The Virtual Drawing Game That Breaks the Ice
What It Is
Skribbl.io is an online drawing and guessing game. One person draws a word, and the rest of the team tries to guess what it is.
Why We Love It
It’s free and requires no setup.
It gets everyone laughing—especially when the drawings are… less than perfect.
It’s great for loosening up after a busy week or project.
Example Scenarios
Playing after a busy project wrap-up to let the team unwind.
Welcoming a new team member with a lighthearted, low-pressure activity.
Replacing awkward icebreakers with something everyone can jump into.
How to Play
Go to Skribbl.io. Great Instructions available at : https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Skribbl.io
Start a private room and share the link with your team on Zoom.
Take turns drawing and guessing while you chat in real time.
2. Codenames on Horsepaste — A Simple Word Game for Team Strategy
What It Is
Codenames is a word association game where players give clues to help their team guess the right words on a board—without choosing the wrong ones.
Why We Love It
It’s easy to learn but gets the team thinking strategically.
It’s great for building communication skills and team problem-solving.
It’s just plain fun to see how different people make connections.
Example Scenarios
Practicing team communication in a safe, low-stakes environment.
Replacing a typical meeting with a strategy-building social session.
Strengthening team collaboration across departments or locations.
How to Play
Go to Horsepaste.com.
Create a game room and share the link in Zoom.
Split into teams and start playing right in your browser.
Final Thoughts
Whether you bring in a guest speaker or just play a quick game, the real value of team social time isn’t about what you do—it’s about making space to connect.
So next time your remote team feels a little disconnected, try adding a simple social session to your schedule.
You might be surprised how much it helps your team work better together when the pressure’s off.
Looking for more tips on building connection in virtual teams?
Check out our other [Tips from the Team] posts for more practical ideas.