Blast from the Past: Retro Ideas for Remote Teams

Remember the good old days when we’d gather around the water cooler, swap stories, and bond over shared experiences? Though I don’t, many do miss those days. While remote work has revolutionized the way we collaborate, it’s also left many of us yearning for those personal connections. We’re about to embark on a journey back to the future with some groovy retro ideas to inject fun, nostalgia, and team spirit into your remote workforce.

1. Virtual Arcade Night Dust off those joysticks and prepare for an epic showdown! Host a virtual arcade night featuring classic games like Pac-Man, Space Invaders, or Donkey Kong. Use online emulators or retro gaming platforms to recreate the arcade experience. Encourage team members to dress up as their favorite 80s characters and award prizes for high scores and best costumes.

2. Throwback Thursday Show-and-Tell Transport your team back in time with a weekly Throwback Thursday show-and-tell session. Invite team members to share cherished items from their past – whether it’s a beloved toy, a vintage record, or an embarrassing school photo. This nostalgic activity helps colleagues connect on a personal level and sparks conversations about shared experiences.

3. Retro Movie Club Lights, camera, action! Start a retro movie club where team members take turns selecting classic films to watch together. Use a video conferencing platform with screen-sharing capabilities to recreate the movie theater experience. Follow up with a lively discussion about the film, complete with trivia and fun facts about the era it represents.

4. Digital Time Capsule Create a digital time capsule for your team to preserve memories and track growth. Encourage team members to contribute photos, videos, and written reflections about their current work life, goals, and predictions for the future. Set a date to “open” the capsule together and marvel at how far you’ve come.

5. Vintage-Inspired Virtual Backgrounds Spice up your video calls with a collection of vintage-inspired virtual backgrounds. From retro diners to 80s living rooms, these backgrounds add a fun element to meetings and spark conversations about bygone eras. Encourage team members to create their own backgrounds based on their favorite decades.

6. Old-School Talent Show Unleash your team’s hidden talents with an old-school talent show. Invite colleagues to showcase their skills – whether it’s playing a musical instrument, performing a magic trick, or demonstrating a unique hobby. Use a video conferencing platform to broadcast the performances and vote for your favorites.

7. Retro Fitness Challenge Get your team moving with a retro-inspired fitness challenge. Create a playlist of workout videos from different decades and challenge team members to complete a certain number of exercises each week. From Jane Fonda’s aerobics to Richard Simmons’ Sweatin’ to the Oldies, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

8. Virtual Escape Room: Time Travel Edition Put your team’s problem-solving skills to the test with a virtual escape room themed around time travel. Create puzzles and challenges inspired by different eras, requiring teamwork and creativity to “escape” back to the present day. This activity promotes collaboration and critical thinking while providing a fun, immersive experience.

9. Retro Recipe Exchange Satisfy your team’s culinary curiosity with a retro recipe exchange. Encourage members to share family recipes or iconic dishes from past decades. Organize a virtual cooking session where everyone prepares a dish together, sharing tips and stories along the way. Don’t forget to snap pictures of the final creations for a digital cookbook!

10. Vinyl Listening Party Bring back the magic of vinyl with a virtual listening party. Ask team members to share their favorite albums from the past or introduce younger colleagues to classic records. Use a music streaming platform to create a shared playlist, and take turns being the “DJ” to introduce each track and share fun facts about the artists.

11. Decade-Themed Trivia Nights Test your team’s knowledge of pop culture, history, and technology with decade-themed trivia nights. Rotate through different eras, from the swinging 60s to the grunge-filled 90s. Use online quiz platforms to keep score and award points for the most knowledgeable time travelers.

12. Retro Game Show Reenactments Bring the excitement of classic game shows to your remote team. Recreate popular shows like “The Price is Right,” “Family Feud,” or “Jeopardy!” using video conferencing and online tools. Rotate hosts and contestants to keep everyone engaged and laughing.

By incorporating these retro-inspired ideas into your remote team’s routine, you’ll create a sense of nostalgia, foster stronger connections, and inject a healthy dose of fun into the workday. So, fire up that flux capacitor and get ready to take your team on an unforgettable journey through time – no DeLorean required!