Team building activities at work may make or break job satisfaction, employee engagement, and organizational success. Even with the best intentions, simply gathering a group of individuals is insufficient. Team building activities may be the missing link that allows your group to feel more connected and interact more effectively at work. But how do you find the correct activity, and where do you begin when attempting to promote team bonding? We’re here to help with this collection of great and effective fun and virtual team activities for work!
What are Great Team Activities?
Team building is an action or process that helps to connect team members, form enduring bonds, and promote improved teamwork and working methods.
Running team games and activities, conducting group talks, organizing away days, or simply doing things together as a team are all examples of team-building activities. The important thing to remember is that the activity is intended to bring your team together in a fun and engaging way.
Why Team-Building Activities Are Important at Work
Great team-building activities are an essential part of work life. Any organization that is interested in producing productive employees should participate in these initiatives. These possibilities for team bonding create workplace friendship and community. As a result, worker satisfaction and happiness improve. Around 13% of employees say they are more productive when they are happy.
These great team activities at work are an ongoing effort. They are required to strengthen the bonds between employees and the firm. These are common benefits of team building in the workplace:
#1. Streamlines your onboarding procedure
Fun team activities at work are a great method to introduce new employees to their coworkers and the corporate culture. New employees appreciate getting a firsthand peek at how coworkers communicate. They quickly understand how easily supervisors and their reporters communicate.
#2. Enhances communication
Communication skills are an important asset in the workplace. When employees have the correct information, the work atmosphere thrives. When communication routes fail, efficiency and collaboration suffer.
#3. Improves morale
Employees feel valued when their personal lives are considered outside of work. A corporation sends a message when it conducts a team-building event. It demonstrates that management takes into account employees’ interests, strengths, and experiences.
#4. Improves trust
Team building is frequently done with a similar aim in mind. Observing how colleagues handle successes and setbacks fosters trust.
Character is recognized by colleagues. They identify coworkers who can be trusted to operate without continual supervision. They may also identify coworkers who may benefit from regular check-ins and assistance. Team activities at work serve as the foundation for a great team based on trust.
#5. Promotes creativity
Team activities at work enable employees to use a variety of methods to complete tasks. During group tasks, colleagues think beyond the box. Workers who break tight regulations might foster innovation in work endeavors.
Best Team Activities for Work
So, how do these great, fun work team activities look? Here are a few of our favorites.
Team-Building Activities to Do During a Work Meeting
Team building does not have to take all day. Just 20 minutes of your next group meeting’s first half can be enough to drive invention and teamwork.
#1. Complete a puzzle
This can be a physical puzzle, such as a 500-piece set (if you’re willing to spend a few dollars on Amazon), or a brain teaser that challenges you to think and brainstorm aloud. Toss one to your team and, if you’re feeling very ambitious, set a time limit for them to finish the task. The crucial point is that everyone must contribute to the project’s success.
#2. Count to twenty
This one is incredibly simple and great for spending a few minutes bonding.
Make a circle with everyone. Anyone can start the countdown or announce a number at any time, to count from one to twenty. If two persons say the same number at the same time, the count starts over. This game challenges team members to not only be aware of the group dynamic but also to work together—with little communication—to reach the finish line.
#3. Consider forming a compliment circle
There are several approaches you may take to encourage your team to express gratitude to one another. One approach is to simply spend five minutes having everyone complement each other on whatever comes to mind (if you’re the manager, you should get the ball moving!).
This can be as simple as saying, “I wanted to tell Gina I loved her proposal this week” or “Big shoutout to Danny for bringing in donuts last week when we were all heads-down trying to meet a big deadline.” Alternatively, you can go around and have each person address the coworker to their right so that everyone gets a chance to shine.
#4. Organize a brainstorming session
Team building may undoubtedly be work-focused, and it is typically the greatest type. The idea is to focus these brainstorming sessions on larger team goals rather than day-to-day results. Perhaps you might outline your KPIs for the remainder of the quarter. Perhaps you’d like to brainstorm some new campaign concepts. Maybe your team’s approach has become stale, and you’re seeking for methods to revitalize it.
Team-Building Activities to Do During the Work Day
If you want to spend an afternoon or a few hours away from your work, these fun team activities are great for longer meetings.
#5. Share your personality
Have everyone on your team take a personality test (here are some of our favorites), then meet to discuss the results. What you do with this is all up to you—the goal is for each employee to understand their coworkers’ strengths, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies. Maybe you gather people with similar personalities together and have them talk about how their attributes manifest in the workplace, or have them complete an exercise like building their “ideal” office and sharing it with the group.
#6. Make a scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts can be a great way for new hires to get to know the environment and their team, as they require them to identify items around the workplace and ask seasoned staff questions during their first week, such as “When was [Company] founded?” or “Who was our first customer?” or “How large is the marketing team? “”
#7. Untangle a “Human Knot”
This is a camp classic as well as a fun opportunity for team members to work together to solve an issue. Squeeze everyone into a circle and clasp hands with people who are not exactly next to them. Once everyone’s hands are entwined, the goal is to detangle yourself without breaking the chain.
You can make it much more difficult by not allowing individuals to speak or imposing a time limit. It takes some legroom to crawl over each other (not to mention an office atmosphere where employees feel comfortable holding hands—be cautious with this one), but it can make for a fun puzzle.
#8. Give out blind directions
Pair two team members and blindfold one of them; it’s then the other person’s job to direct them in making moves as best they can, whether that’s getting them to the other side of the office or having them accomplish a task like moving an object or sketching a picture. Allow people who don’t ordinarily work closely together to participate in this exercise, which will help them practice communication and establish trust.
#9. Perform a silent line-up
Set a timer and have individuals line up in different orders, such as height, birthday, or corporate tenure—without saying anything. While tackling an unexpected task, your team will discover more about each other.
#10. Organize lunch and learn
Your team is likely to be full of unspoken talent; harness those talents to bring everyone together. Perhaps someone is a great knitter, speaks another language, or is an Excel whiz. Allow them to conduct a “lunch and learn” event during which they teach the rest of the team a new skill during your midday break. Your staff will gain experience coaching and presenting, and your team will discover something new and intriguing about their colleagues.
Team-Building Activities to Do Outside the Office
It’s undoubtedly more difficult to persuade people to hang out outside of work, but if you can get everyone together (or take the afternoon off to go on an adventure), they can be great team-building activities.
#11. Participate in an escape-the-room challenge.
Everyone is doing them these days, and it’s easy to see why: attempting to escape when “trapped” in a room with people (for a predetermined amount of time) is a team effort. If you reside in a city where they are available, you can find a variety of escape-the-room challenges, such as a submarine, jail cell, or even an office (how ironic!). It may cost you roughly $30 per person, which is about the same as taking your team bowling or paying for a couple of drinks during happy hour.
#12. Take a cooking class
Cooking lessons are a great way for teams to bond since they aren’t just an individual activity—what you’re preparing generally takes numerous sets of hands. CourseHorse and Groupon are great locations to locate these kinds of bargains.
#13. Attend an improv class
Improv classes, which are far more participatory than cooking classes, can teach you a variety of vital business skills, such as how to communicate with others and handle diverse difficulties as a team. Furthermore, they force you to step outside of your comfort zone and laugh with your coworkers. Check out CourseHorse for ideas, or perform a fast Google search for the greatest comedy cellars near your office.
#14. Register for trivia
Who doesn’t enjoy a good game of trivia? Aside from allowing employees to flex their history and pop culture muscles, it is also extremely team-oriented. Go to a local trivia night together, or bring a host to your office and divide the department into teams to compete for the winning title.
#15. Volunteer
Consider dedicating a day to community service if your team is passionate about a particular topic or endeavor. Not only will you bond, but you’ll also leave feeling great and having made a difference in your neighborhood.
Virtual Team Activities for Work
The following is a list of the top virtual team-building activities for employees and work teams.
#1. Online office games (hosted event)
Online Office Games are a type of “Office Olympics” in which participants participate in spirited challenges, virtual team games, and activities. Fast-paced quizzes, Go Get It lightning scavenger hunts, and a communication sharpening game called “Can You Hear Me Now?” are some examples of virtual activities for employees.”.
#2. Tiny campfire (hosted – includes kits)
One of the most popular virtual team activities at work is a tiny campfire. They designed a tiny campfire to engage distant teams in a VIP experience that includes s’mores and a real small campfire.
They send your team members a s’mores kit with graham crackers, micro marshmallows, Hershey chocolate, and a tiny tealight campfire before the event. Then, on “camp day,” your team members will connect via video conference to a room for 90 minutes of camp activities, trivia, and historic ghost stories.
#3. Ultimate game show (host)
Ultimate Game Show is a fun and engaging team-based virtual game show experience. The event features game mechanics inspired by Office Feud, Jeopardy, The Price is Right, and other popular television shows. Your team will strategize, compete, collaborate, and have a great time.
#4. Virtual team building icebreakers (easy)
A simple way to begin virtual team building is to include a round of icebreaker questions at the start of video conference conversations. You should allow 30 seconds for each participant.
For your prompts, you can use this random icebreaker generator. The host should determine who is next throughout the session for good virtual icebreakers.
#5. 50-state challenge
I used to work with an American team. I challenged them to a “name the 50 states” battle. Also, I lost, but my tiny team was engrossed for 30 minutes as we fought to recall Nebraska and Wyoming.
#6. Lightning scavenger hunt activities
Lightning Scavenger Hunts are quick and fun virtual team-building activities for the sake of work. Invite your employees to a virtual meeting and start throwing off clues like “cuddle your pet,” “show a dictionary,” or “get your favorite mug” to do this exercise with remote teams.
#7. Tree or bob ross
The game mechanics of The Tree or Bob Ross are comparable to those of 20 Questions, Eye Spy, and other virtual team builders. To begin this virtual activity, one person selects an identity that can range from an object to an idea. One friend chose to be a small rubber ball on a road trip to Canada. Feel free to use your creativity and choose tough IDs.
#8. Two truths and one lie
One of the most typical virtual team-building activities for work meetings is Two Truths and One Lie. The activity is suitable for conference calls because all you need is a reliable WiFi connection and a little deception.
#9. Typing speed race (competitive)
Your coworkers will enjoy a Typing Speed Race. The race is a great way to show off your quick fingers while simultaneously developing one of the most critical remote job skills: typing swiftly and accurately.
#10. Chubby bunny
To play Chubby Bunny, have each participant place a marshmallow in their mouth and say the phrase “chubby bunny.” Then, each person adds another marshmallow until only one person can complete the challenge.
What Is a Good Team Activity?
Many team activities can help promote teamwork, collaboration, and communication among team members. Here are some examples of good team activities:
- Escape Room Challenge
- Scavenger Hunt
- Team-building Workshops
- Volunteering
- Sports or Outdoor Activities
What Kinds of Activities Are Good for Working in Groups?
Here are some examples of activities that are particularly well-suited for working in groups:
- Brainstorming Sessions
- Problem-Solving Challenges
- Group Presentations
- Group Projects
- Role-Playing Scenarios
What Are the 4 Cs of Team Building?
The 4 C’s of team building are a framework for understanding the key elements of effective teamwork. The 4 C’s are:
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Cooperation
- Conflict Resolution
What Is an Example of a Team Building Activity or Exercise?
One example of a team-building activity or exercise is the “Human Knot” game. Here are the steps to play this game:
- Ask team members to stand in a circle, facing each other, and then have everyone reach out their right hand to grab someone else’s hand across the circle.
- Then, ask everyone to reach out their left hand and grab someone else’s hand across the circle, making sure that no one is holding hands with someone standing directly next to them.
- The goal of the game is for the group to work together to untangle the “human knot” they have created, without letting go of each other’s hands.
- Encourage team members to communicate, collaborate, and work together to find a solution that will allow them to untangle themselves and form a circle once again.
How Do You Bring a Team Together?
Here are some effective ways to bring a team together:
- Set clear goals and expectations
- Foster open communication
- Build team identity
- Encourage collaboration
- Provide feedback and recognition
What Are the 5 Cs of Team Building?
The 5 C’s of team building are a framework that helps identify the key elements of effective teamwork. The 5 C’s are:
- Communication
- Cooperation
- Collaboration
- Commitment
- Conflict resolution
What Are the 4 Main Types of Team Building Activities?
The four main types of team-building activities are:
- Communication-focused activities
- Problem-solving activities
- Physical activities
- Creative activities
What Are the 5 Methods of Team Building?
Several methods of team building can be used to develop a cohesive and effective team. The five methods of team building are as follows:
- Training and Development
- Coaching and Mentoring
- Retreats and Off-Site Meetings
- Social Activities
- Gamification
What Are Six 6 Team Work Skills?
Effective teamwork requires a range of skills that enable team members to work together collaboratively towards a common goal. Here are six key teamwork skills:
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Leadership
- Flexibility
What Are the Six Types of Work Teams?
There are six main types of work teams that organizations use to achieve their goals and objectives:
- Cross-Functional Teams
- Self-Directed Teams
- Virtual Teams
- Problem-Solving Teams
- Project Teams
- Management Teams
Conclusion
It is not easy to enable improved teamwork and establish stronger, more cohesive teams. We hope that some of the approaches above can help you and your group come together and perform better work, whether you’re conducting a team-building day, a team workshop, or simply adding some great and fun team-building activities to your meetings.
What is your favorite of these team-building activities? Is there anything missing from the above list? Tell us in the comments! We’d love to hear your suggestions for how we can all improve our team-building efforts.
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