Workshop Title

"Breaking Down Cliques and Encouraging Inclusion in Remote Teams"

Problem

Some team members form groups that exclude others.

Objective

Help foster an inclusive culture by reducing cliques, improving team dynamics, and ensuring everyone feels valued and involved.

Benefits

• Stronger team cohesion and collaboration
• Reduced feelings of exclusion or isolation
• More balanced participation in discussions and decisions
• Greater trust and openness across the team
• A more inclusive culture that values all contributions

Materials Needed

• 60 mins
• Virtual meeting platform (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
• Collaborative document (Google Docs, Miro, MURAL, etc.)
• Polling or chat function for quick engagement
• Breakout room feature for small-group discussions

Process

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Facilitator welcomes participants and introduces the topic:
  “Today, we’ll explore why cliques and exclusion form in virtual teams and how to create a more inclusive, collaborative work environment.”
• Poll question: “Have you ever felt excluded or on the outside of a group at work? (Yes/No/Not Sure—anonymous responses shared.)”
• Discuss common reasons cliques form in virtual teams, such as:
  • Natural friendships developing, leaving others feeling left out
  • Team members working in silos and not interacting across groups
  • Lack of intentional efforts to include all voices in discussions and decisions

2. The Inclusion Challenge (15 minutes)

Exercise: Recognising Exclusion

• Breakout rooms (3-4 people per group).
• Each group discusses:
  • Have you ever experienced or witnessed exclusion in a virtual team? What happened?
  • What are some subtle ways exclusion happens (e.g., inside jokes, private chats, not inviting certain people to discussions)?
  • How does exclusion impact team morale and collaboration?
• Groups return and share insights on why cliques form and how exclusion affects team dynamics.

3. Key Strategies for Encouraging Inclusion (15 minutes)

• Facilitator introduces three key strategies for breaking down cliques and fostering inclusion:
  1. Rotate collaboration groups – Regularly mix up teams to avoid fixed social circles.
  2. Ensure all voices are heard – Use inclusive meeting practices, like structured turn-taking and anonymous contributions.
  3. Encourage cross-team interactions – Create opportunities for informal networking and knowledge-sharing across groups.
• Chat question: “What’s one action your team could take to be more inclusive?”
• Participants share ideas, and facilitator highlights key themes like intentional invitations, better communication, and encouraging diverse input.

4. Practical Application: Creating an Inclusive Culture (15 minutes)

Exercise: Fixing the Gaps

• Participants write down a recent team situation where inclusion could have been improved.
• They swap examples (or facilitator selects a few).
• Each person redesigns the situation using one of the key strategies.
• Example transformations:
  • ❌ A team member was left out of an important discussion because they weren’t in a private chat group.
  • ✅ Create shared communication channels where key discussions happen transparently.
• Share responses and discuss how small, intentional actions can prevent exclusion and strengthen team cohesion.

5. Action Plan and Close (5 minutes)

• Each participant commits to one action they’ll take to foster inclusion in their team.
• Facilitator summarises key takeaways.
• Final poll: “How confident do you feel about improving inclusion and reducing cliques in your virtual team?”