Slack, fun, and bots

Team-building even when we’re miles apart

Have you ever thought of Slack as more than just a messaging app? We surely have!

How to manage a fully remote team – that’s the question we’re answering every day. And at Happy Team, we’ve figured out that Slack is so much more than just a messaging app. It’s our virtual hallway, coffee corner, and shared workspace, all rolled into one. With our team spread out across different projects, Slack is where we catch up – on purpose or by chance.

But let’s be honest: even the best communication tool can start feeling transactional when everyone’s deep in their own tasks. That’s why we decided to build a few simple custom Slack bots that do something more: help us stay in touch. And keep one of our core values alive – fun.

Quick overview

Remote work has plenty of benefits, but it also makes it way too easy to get lost in your own to-do list. We built our custom Slack bots as little reminders that there are real people on the other side of the screen. They help us celebrate wins, keep moving (literally), and just have a chat that’s not about user stories or deadlines. Nothing fancy, just tools that make work feel a bit more fun.

Karma – because people deserve to hear “thanks”

First came Karma. Not the cosmic kind, but a very down-to-earth way to recognise and appreciate each other’s efforts. Helping with a tricky task? Solving a problem late in the day? Jumping in when someone’s stuck? You can give a quick “plus” right in Slack.

It’s public, simple, and a little addictive – in the best way. Every quarter, the bot sums up the karma points. Whoever has the most gets a reward (and a big smile). But it’s not really about the prize. It’s about making appreciation visible. About turning “good job” into a habit. And creating a space where people notice each other’s work and say it out loud.

We’ve found that when feedback isn’t only top-down but flows sideways too, teams become more confident, connected, and open, especially when the appreciation comes with zero bureaucracy.

How it works:

Karma is a custom Slack bot. Anyone can send “karma” to a teammate with a simple message (like @anna+++ for untangling the Jenkins monster). The bot tracks points for each person and publishes quarterly results. At the end of each quarter, it’s all wiped clean and the next round begins.

Technical bit:

Our bot runs as a lightweight Node.js app, listens for “plus” mentions using Slack’s Events API, and stores the scores in a shared database. (Honestly, it’s mostly about the fun, not the tech.)

Fitness – one step, one squat, one good cause at a time

Another initiative close to our hearts (and hamstrings) is Fitness. It lives in its own Slack channel and is open to anyone who feels like moving, a little or a lot.

We track our activity: kilometres biked, hours at the gym, walks with the dog, even gardening. Each effort earns points, and regularly we set a collective goal. If we hit it, Happy Team supports a chosen non-profit – whether that’s planting a forest, supporting young astronomers, or saving the bees.

It’s not a competition. It’s a shared goal. A way to nudge each other into getting outside, taking a break, stretching our legs, and doing good while we’re at it. It’s amazing what happens when movement becomes meaningful and can be shared with your workmates.

How it works:

Team members log their activities in the channel (like +1h mountain biking or +15km run). The bot converts different activities into points using our own formula, then displays a visual progress bar – sometimes it’s a bee heading towards a flower, sometimes it’s a rocket to the moon. If we reach the target before the deadline, the bot celebrates (with a lot of emojis), and Happy Team makes a donation.

Technical bit:

Our bot is hooked up to the Slack API. All activity data is saved in a shared cloud database (Google Sheets is enough for now), and the visual tracker is sent to the channel as an emoji-based progress update.

Happuccino – connecting across projects

Remote work makes it easy to never talk to anyone outside your project. And that’s a pity. That’s why we built Happuccino.

Once a week, our bot pairs people up for a 15-minute chat over virtual coffee. The only rule? No agenda. Talk about music, bikes, dogs, the last bug you fixed, or that Netflix series that’s your latest guilty pleasure. Just… talk.

And if someone’s too busy that week, no hard feelings – you can always skip the draw. It’s opt-in by design, because team spirit isn’t something you can force. But with the right nudge, it can grow naturally.

How it works:

Every Tuesday, the Happuccino bot checks who’s in the channel, randomly pairs people, making sure the pairs do not repeat, creates a private thread for each pair, and suggests some meeting slots. Five minutes before the chat, a gentle reminder pops up, and starting a Slack huddle is just a click away.

Technical note:

The bot is built in Node.js and uses Slack’s API for user pairing, channel management, and reminders.

Time off – knowing who’s away

Nothing’s more confusing than “Is anyone around today?” The Time off bot connects directly to the timetracker built into our custom ERP system. Every morning, it posts who’s out that day – on holiday, sick, or otherwise. Once a week, it also lists upcoming absences.

How it works:

The bot syncs with our custom web-based timetracking app, checks reported absences, and posts updates in the #time-off channel.

Technical note:

It’s a simple integration – just pulling scheduled time off from our app and formatting a Slack message. No overengineering needed.

Wrapping up

What we’ve learned along the way is this: it’s not about the bot. It’s about creating small moments of connection and breaking up the daily routine of to-dos and deadlines. Our Slack apps don’t try to enforce anything – they just give us a little more room to breathe and celebrate what matters to us at Happy Team.

If you're curious or looking for ways to strengthen your remote team's spirit, we’re happy to share our experience.

Sometimes, all it takes is a thank you. Or a coffee.

FAQ

1. Do I need to be a tech wizard to make Slack bots?

Nope! Most bots start with simple ideas and basic tools. If you’re comfortable exploring Slack’s API or tinkering with a little code, you’re off to a great start. There are lots of guides out there, and the Slack community is super helpful.

2. What skills or tools do I need?

A bit of coding, curiosity, and patience. You’ll also need admin access to your Slack workspace to set up bots and permissions. Everything else is learn-as-you-go.

3. What tools can I use for building bots?

We sometimes use Bolt for JavaScript – it’s a handy framework that takes care of most of the tricky Slack integration work for you.

4. Are custom Slack bots safe?

It can be – just follow good security practices. Only ask for the permissions your bot really needs, and keep your bot’s code and tokens private. Slack has clear docs about security for bots and apps.

5. How much time does it take to build a simple bot?

You can get a basic bot up and running in a weekend, even if you’re learning as you go. Most of our bots started as little side projects and evolved along with our needs and new ideas.

6. What’s the best part about making your own bots?

You get to solve your team’s real problems and add your own flavour. And you see the impact right away!

7. Any tips for getting started?

Start small! Pick one pain point or idea, and build the simplest version that works. Don’t worry about making it perfect – half the fun is improving things together as your team starts to use it.