Remote Team Building for Brokerages

If there’s one thing your brokerage is missing currently, it’s that sense of community. Due to the pandemic, plus businesses leaning into remote work in general, it’s essential to still promote a sense of community across your organization. But how to go about it? It seems simple — integrate remote team building activities into your brokerage culture. 

In fact, there are massive benefits to real estate team building activities. For one, it can improve overall communication and creativity among your team. Two, it improves conflict resolution. And lastly, team building helps employees to actually take a break (yes, we all need breaks!). This helps your team to clear their heads and do something fun while collaborating and getting to know their coworkers at the same time. 

1. Weekly meetings with rewards or recognition 

Has Zoom fatigue gotten you yet? If not, we guarantee at least half of your brokerage is over the virtual meetings. These meetings, however often you utilize them, are a great opportunity to integrate remote team building. Present your team with some sort of recognition or award for their hard work. By recognizing employees, you effectively reinforce a desired behavior or outcome whether that’s an attitude or number. Here are a few ideas to keep your team connected: 

• Certificates for high achievements. Think sales, clients, personal accomplishments like fitness or family milestones, etc. to recognize success.
• Make it a fun activity by recognizing one employee each week for a behavior you desire. You can also involve the team by having them vote.  
• Monetary awards are always a hit. Present gift certificates to employees who deserve the recognition. 
  

2. Do you REALLY know your team?

We’ll start by saying this activity is a fun one that will get the team laughing. You can spend however long you want playing, 5-10 minutes at the start to an hour. Here’s how to play: 

• Before your next virtual meeting, have each team member answer three or four questions about themselves. You can use surveys, email or even Let’s Roam.  

• Make the questions fun (If you were an animal, what would you be? Favorite line from a movie? What is the oddest job you’ve ever had?)

• During your meeting, share one response at a time. Let the team try to match the response to the person. 
• After guesses, reveal the answer. Let this be an opportunity for the person to explain the answer and get everyone to know each other better. 
  

3. Virtual Happy Hour

Are you missing happy hour too? We bet your employees miss grabbing a drink after the workday. Virtual Happy Hour could be a great team bonding activity that builds communication and trust. Make it absolutely optional to attend, and let your employees unwind for that happy hour after their day ends. They can talk casually with no agenda and bond over homemade cocktails. Honestly, it’s nice to have something to look forward to when socializing options are so limited. 

4. Volunteer opportunities outside of the office

Volunteering has always been a great way for businesses to get their name out there. However, with the current state of things, volunteering in person isn’t much of an option. Luckily, virtual volunteer opportunities are on the up and up. Nearly one in four companies offer volunteer time off for employees to get out and do good. There’s a reason for that — working together for something greater than themselves is an impactful team experience.   

Maybe quarterly, or even monthly, come up with a couple virtual volunteer opportunities for the brokerage. Have the team vote on the opportunity they prefer in order to make it more meaningful and engaging to them. 

5. Live Remote Office

Of all the real estate team building activities, this one is the least like a “game.” Working remotely can be difficult especially when it comes to establishing a routine. At the beginning of the work day, start a video chat through Zoom or Google Meet — whichever platform your team uses. Send the link to your team, and give them the option to join the online work room. It mirrors the real workspace helping team members focus and get into a rhythm.  

Zipi is a cloud-based, back office and accounting platform designed for real estate brokerages. Request a demo to get in contact with one of our expert team members.