A survey by Airtasker in March 2020 reports workers spend 7% less time talking to management.
These bits of data will draw a picture of the lives remote teams supposedly lead! But proof of the pudding is in the eating.

The reality is that working remotely comes with its challenges like distractions and the disconnect among remote team members.

Distractions when working at home are numerous. With the physical absence of team mates to mentally ground you, you find distractions at every corner of your home - craving a snack every 30 minutes, scrolling through your social media every 15 minutes, etc. Next you know your entire day is gone and 60% of your workload is still left unfinished.

The second common but pressing issue for every remote team is the lack of connection with your team members. You miss out on water cooler conversations and team lunches - essential activities for bonding. In turn your productivity and motivation to work takes a definite hit.
Does that mean that team collaboration and bonding while working remotely is a dream? No, all you need to master are a number of tools and use them religiously. In fact here are few of the best of them to choose from -

1. Dive

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Ever though about playing poker at work? Dive can turn your fun-at-work thoughts into reality.

This versatile platform is the 'it' place when it comes to remote workers having fun. The platform has 50+ activities, fun games and modules. It also has hanging-out rooms that can be customized. You can watch movies together, have discussions and debates about the books that you read or celebrate your team member's birthday.

You can get quite creative with your Friday rituals and use the platform for Monday sync-ups as well. A win-win for all sides when it comes to your work!

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2. Kahoot

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If you are looking for a platform that involves learning, work and play look no further than Kahoot. This tool allows you the freedom to onboard an employee, engage with your team mates in a learning session, conduct events and presentations. Culture built while working is just one facet of the tool.

The fun part is creating games and playing them together. The platform allows you to bond with your team mates while all of you take a shot at coming up at the top in a game of trivia. You can be laughing together while guessing the answers to a quiz you and your team mates are taking.

This tool will help build your company's culture and leave no one out - including everyone is the key.
As per a study by Stanford, working from home increased productivity by 13%.

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3. Gather

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With a virtual office interface, Gather makes working and collaborating with teammates fun. Your workspace station is definitely live and meetings via the predictable Zoom and Meet can be ditched for the interactive option of Gather. What’s more - they also provide you with the space to brainstorm on whiteboards.
Using Gather will have you feeling like you are playing one of those games that are about organisation, collaboration and productivity. It is definitely a space that will boost your creativity and productivity, all the while you are enjoying it! Gather has it all!

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4. Teambuilding

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Would you trust your co-workers in a game of trust fall? Teambuilding is the answer to your doubts. It has the most exciting exercises to help you build that trust, discover their tiny quirks and fun while you are at it.

They have a 30+ set of unique events for both hybrid and in-person teams. The uniqueness of these events is like a breath of fresh air - starting from solving a murder mystery with your team while playing Murder in Ancient Egypt to getting it right in Black History Trivia.

Become lifelong partners in crime together as you navigate the booby traps in Ancient Egypt, virtually of course!

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5. Slack

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Miss the water-cooler conversations?

Reminisce about cross-meeting new team members from departments other than yours?

Donut on Slack is here to save your day. This quirky app on the Slack directory is very serious about team building. It gets the ball rolling with its funny questions. This channel also creates virtual coffee meetings, encourages peer learning and gives a whole new meaning to serendipity.

If you are using Slack, this is a great add on that provides you with valuable data like how many team members are meeting. An easy way to make sure that no team member is excluded or left alone.

You can choose any of these listed tools according to your needs and give them a try. They will make your daily work a lot easier and you can wrap up your work so much faster!
Remember, the secret sauce to finding a rhythm with your teammates ultimately lies in finding a combination of the right tools which fit your skills and needs.