How many times have you faked an illness before team-building games? Calm down, I won’t force you to reveal this horrible truth. Let’s just admit that the majority of team-building activities suck. Those egg-dropping and hot dog eating contests… Yuck.
On the other hand, team-building activities are essential for the company’s success. In fact, the personal bonds between teammates give businesses a competitive edge. A team that can collaborate and communicate effectively is more productive, happier, and pleasant to work with. How does this work? It’s all about engagement.
Studies show that close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50 percent. At the same time, people are seven times more likely to be fully engaged if they have a best friend at work. Another report claims that engaged teams outperform competitors in terms of performance and profits.
Why do team-building activities matter?
Have you ever wondered why companies put so much effort into team-building activities? We get it—sometimes they’re a bit awkward, and not everyone is a fan. But here’s the truth: when done right, team-building activities can do wonders for your team and workplace.
The best team-building activities help employees bond through shared experiences, and those bonds have a big impact. When people connect and have fun together, they build stronger relationships that lead to better communication and teamwork. These activities help break down barriers and allow team members to feel more comfortable and open with each other, creating a more collaborative and trusting environment.
They also remind everyone that work isn’t just about meetings and deadlines. They provide opportunities for creativity, problem-solving, and, of course, a few laughs along the way. These experiences leave lasting memories and help to energize employees and boost morale.
So if your team tends to roll its eyes at the mention of team building, it’s time to change that mindset. By rethinking the way you approach team building, you’ll create a working environment where everyone truly enjoys working together and feels more connected to the team.
Team-building games and activities your team should try
It’s recommended not to stay in front of your screen the whole working day—you will be surprised to know that spending 7 hours per day looking at the screen equals 3 months per year!
Here come team-building games and activities to keep teams engaged and connected. They help colleagues learn more about each other—how the person sitting right next to you thinks, performs tasks, solves issues, and has fun.
Do your coworkers roll their eyes when you mention team games? The good news is that team-building activities don’t have to be embarrassing and dull. We’ve put together a list of fantastic team games and activities for you to enjoy. And none of them involve eggs being dropped into the stream.
1. Lava flow
“The floor is lava!” Remember that? Lava Flow, also called River Crossing, is a game where teams should cross the river of lava using a limited number of objects to move safely. If anyone touches the floor, they will get “burned,” and they should start from the very beginning. The first team to cross the lava river with all members on the board is the winner.
2. Murder mystery dinner
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The Murder Mystery Dinner is an interactive team game that usually repeats the most famous detective stories. Your colleagues will team up around the key goal—solving the mystery and finding the murderer. I bet some companies in your city will design a murder mystery for your team. You can also host your own mystery party to achieve a more intimate atmosphere. Either way, this team game is ideal for building problem-solving and critical-thinking skills within your squad. And for posting cool pics to Instagram afterward, for sure.
3. PowerPoint karaoke
This is a famous one when it comes to virtual team-building games.
If you want to check your employees for how they react in high-pressure situations, test out PowerPoint Karaoke, also called PowerPoint roulette. The rules are simple: each player gets a set of slides they haven’t seen before. Based on those slides, a player should give a presentation to an audience. This team-building game also improves the skill of shrinking from rotten vegetables. *Joking*
There is a team version of PowerPoint Karaoke. Allow a few minutes before the presentation for a group of colleagues to review the slides and prepare. Under the circumstances, they will be forced to think quickly and collaborate closely to perform a difficult task. To make it easier to get started, you can grab free PowerPoint templates that are available, which will help you save time instead of preparing the presentation from scratch.
4. Slideshow for team building
Slideshow is a PowerPoint Karaoke alternative. This is also one of the virtual team-building games. In this game, one player presents a story that describes an adventure or process in detail, anything from traveling to building a birdhouse (or traveling in a birdhouse). Other teammates should act as the slide show for the presentation, repeating the story in motion. The Slideshow game boosts creativity and motivates participants to think on the go. It also demonstrates how teammates can support each other during difficult tasks.
5. Truth and lie
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This activity fits into the “get to know each other” category. Each player comes up with three true facts and one lie about themselves. The lie should be believable (for instance, not something like “Chris Hemsworth followed me on Instagram”). After a teammate tells their facts, the players should discuss which one is a lie.
The Truth and Lie game gives both introverts and extroverts equal opportunities to reveal some information about themselves and get to know each other better.
6. GPS adventure
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The GPS Adventure game relies on following clues to find a hidden item with the help of GPS coordinates. Each group of teammates needs to have a GPS device that will help in searches. A moderator sets a period of time in which all participating groups must return to “base.” The clues hidden in specific geographic locations can be part of a larger puzzle that the teams should solve. As an alternative to GPS coordinates, you can also use QR codes placed around the office or neighborhood.
This team-building activity motivates teammates to collaborate for the achievement of a shared goal using a specific process where “close enough” is not good enough. GPS Adventure and its QR code variation also boost problem-solving skills in a fun and engaging way.
7. What’s my name
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This has to be one of my favorite team-building games.
Write down the name of a famous person or people of that type (nerd, football fan, rock star, etc.) on sticker paper. Then, place these tags on a team member so that they cannot see who they are. For a set amount of time, this person should ask the group leading questions to figure out what is written on the tag. What’s My Name is a great ice-breaker game for those companies where team members don’t know each other well yet.
This is also a great one for virtual team-building games.
8. Blind wine waiter
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Not without reason, numerous scientific studies show that nothing bonds people like sharing a bottle of red. The Blind Wine Waiter is a real treat for teams that face communication issues at the workplace and want to loosen up with each other.
In this game, a team of six should find, uncork, and pour a bottle of wine into a glass, with one person acting as the leader and the rest as waiters. The team gets one wine bottle, one glass and one corkscrew. Each waiter carries out no more than one element of the challenge and all of them are blindfolded. All elements are hidden in the room and should be discovered by the waiters. The challenge is that each team member can perform only one task with just one hand. For instance, if someone has found the bottle, they can’t go and find the glass too. The game is over when the leader drinks the served wine from the glass.
9. Let us guess
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This game is a version of the classic game of charades and one of the best for virtual team-building games. All participants are divided into small teams of 5–7 people. One person should demonstrate a random object to their group that doesn’t know what this object is, without speaking. The group guesses the name of the object and gets a point for each right answer. The team with the highest score wins.
10. “Turn over” for a fun team-building
Here’s a simple but super fun challenge! Lay a big sheet or tarp on the floor, and have everyone stand on it together. The goal is to flip the whole sheet over without stepping off or dragging anyone along with you. Sounds easy, right? But trust me, once everyone starts moving, it becomes a bit of a brain teaser!
This game really gets the team thinking and talking to each other. You’ll need to come up with a plan and coordinate your moves carefully to make sure everyone’s on the same page. It’s all about working together and having a good laugh while doing it. And when you finally pull it off, it’ll feel like a small victory for the whole team!
11. Circle of questions
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All participants form two circles, one inside the other. As the circles rotate in opposite directions, teammates face each other, responding to different questions. The questions should be open and introduced by a moderator. The questions become more difficult with each round. The ultimate role of the Circle of Questions activity is to connect employers on a personal level and bring together colleagues from different departments. And keep in mind that there is no wrong answer (forget about an electric exam atmosphere).
12. Frostbite
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Do you like role-playing? No, you won’t have to repeat the Fifty Shades of Grey scenario at the workplace because this is one of the “team building games.” Just imagine that you are an Arctic explorer who got caught in a storm. The team’s leader is suffering from frostbite in both hands and is unable to help the team physically. At the same time, the rest of the team is suffering from snow blindness.
The challenge is to build the tent within the allotted time. Speaking of equipment, at this game you will need a tent and blindfolds for each team. The motionless leader should assist the rest of the team verbally. Make sure to give each participant the ability to play the leader’s role.
Tips for making team-building activities a hit
Team-building activities are a great way to increase employee engagement and improve collaboration. However, making these activities truly effective requires more than just choosing a random game. It’s about choosing the right activities, creating a positive environment, and making sure everyone is involved. Here are some tips to make your team-building experience memorable and effective:
Make it relevant
When planning team-building activities, it’s important to focus on what’s most important to your team. Choose team-building games that enhance the skills your employees want to improve, whether it’s communication, creativity, or problem-solving. Relevant activities will ensure your team gets the most out of the experience and will have a lasting impact on their day-to-day work.
Encourage Inclusivity
To get the most out of your team-building activities, make sure everyone feels included. The best games get everyone involved, from the quieter team members to the more outspoken ones. When you create chances for everyone to get involved, it helps the whole team bond and work together in a meaningful way.
Avoid Overloading
It can be tempting to pack in as many activities as possible, but too much will overwhelm your team. Focus on quality over quantity. A few well-chosen team-building activities are often more effective than cramming in too many. This keeps your team focused and energized without making them feel like it’s just another task.
Keep It Fun
Your team will be more engaged if they enjoy what they’re doing. The most important thing is to make sure the activities are fun if you want to create an effective team-building experience. Having fun together helps your team communicate better, feel more positive, and build stronger connections with each other. Mixing things up with both virtual and in-person games keeps your team on their toes and makes sure they’ll remember the experience.
Wrap-up
To sum up, team-building games are a good way to get your team to connect, stay productive, and work better together. The best part is that the majority of these games can be played anywhere with little or no equipment, making them ideal for on-the-go virtual team-building games.
Now you’re ready to engage your team in fun team-building games without being hated. Below are some no-brainer team games that can boost teamwork, enhance problem-solving skills, and keep your teammates connected:
- Lava Flow
- Murder Mystery Dinner
- PowerPoint Karaoke
- Slideshow
- Truth and Lie
- GPS Adventure
- What’s My Name
- Outdoor activities (paintballing, sumo wrestling, etc.)
- Blind Wine Waiter
- Let Us Guess
- Turn Over
- Circle of Questions
- Frostbite
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Try experimenting to find the activity that works best for you. Which one to choose depends on your goal, the number of participants, and your preparation time. Feel free to combine serious team-building games with fun activities for the best results.
What about you? What other team games have we missed from our list?
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