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Fun Team Building Activities
That Your Coworkers Won't Hate (We Promise)
Hey there! Remember those team-building activities from back in the day, like solving puzzles with your classmates or going on scavenger hunts at summer camp? Well, guess what? Team building isn’t just for kids or those cringy office events that make everyone feel awkward!
In fact, the right team-building activities can be super fun and incredibly valuable to workplaces. Think of them as creative ways to unite colleagues and improve how your team works. No more eye rolls or forced participation – these activities get everyone really engaged and enthusiastic.
Get to know your colleagues
Now you may be wondering why you should care about team building? In addition to being a great alternative to the regular "happy hour" community (which not everyone likes), these activities have tons of benefits. Firstly, they help people get to know each other better – you will discover your colleagues' interests, strengths, weaknesses and how they communicate.
Think of your team as a professional sports team. Just as athletes train together to perform at their peak, your team needs to understand each other's moves and strategies. It goes without saying, right?
But wait, it gets even better! Team building activities also create camaraderie and trust, which are essential for a successful team. When teammates trust each other, they bring their A-games to work and tap into their full potential and personality. It's like unleashing your superpowers!
And don't forget the most valuable lesson here - the job is not only about you, but about the whole group. When you do things together, it emphasizes that your team's success is everyone's priority, and that's a powerful attitude to have.
Okay, so what are these exciting team-building exercises? Look out for some of our favorites that will have you and your colleagues cheering for more!
Team Building Made Easy: Quick Activities to Energize Your Meetings
Who says team building has to be a time-consuming affair? In just 20 minutes at the start of your next group meeting, you can ignite innovation and foster teamwork like never before.
- Puzzle It Out
Now we put the brains to work! You can go old-school with a 500-piece puzzle (yes, Amazon has your back), or challenge your team with brain teasers that require collective thinking and brainstorming. Set a time limit to add extra tension. The best part is that each person's contribution is crucial to cracking the challenge. When the puzzle is solved or time is up, take a moment to reflect together. Question: What strategies did you use to deal with it? Who played what role? Why did you make those specific decisions? Sharing one's thought patterns can reveal unique perspectives or hidden strengths and spark thought-provoking conversations. - Count to 20
Time to build camaraderie in a simple yet delightful way. Gather your team in a circle, and let the counting begin. Anyone can call out a number, but there’s a twist – if two people speak at once, the count resets! This game encourages group awareness and teamwork, pushing everyone to collaborate with minimal communication and reach the finish line together. - Compliment Circle
Spread positivity and appreciation in the room with a Compliment Circle. There are different ways to do it. You can take five minutes to allow individuals to freely praise their colleagues—whether it's praising Gina's great suggestion or praising Danny for saving the day with donuts during a stressful deadline. Alternatively, you can go around the circle, and each person addresses their colleague to the right, so everyone gets a chance to shine. It's a heartwarming way to strengthen team spirit and build strong working bonds. - Spark Creativity with a Brainstorming Extravaganza
Who says team building can’t be productive and focused on work? Actually, it can be incredibly rewarding! The trick is to turn those brainstorming sessions into epic moments where you tackle big team goals and exciting challenges. Maybe it’s time to set your KPIs for the quarter, or perhaps you need fresh ideas for that upcoming campaign. Feeling like your team’s strategy needs a boost? This is the time to revive it!
Here are some fun ways to organize your brainstorming session:
- Idea Board: Keep it simple. Share an agenda in advance and have everyone bring three to five ideas to the meeting. Then, dive into the discussions, letting people contribute additional thoughts, questions, and concerns.
- First to five: Ready to solve problems creatively? Have your team come up with solutions and rate them using a fist (not on board) to five fingers (totally love it). Let everyone explain their ratings for a lively discussion.
- Went Well, Went OK, Could Have Done Better:This one’s a Muse favorite! Use this process for quarterly retrospectives or project post-mortems. Each person writes their thoughts on Post-it notes for things that went well, went OK, or could have been improved. Then, sort and discuss, coming up with solutions for the areas that need improvement.
- Showcase Your Success with a "Show and Tell"
Time to let your team shine and show off their successes! You can call it your own version of "Sip and Send" as we do at The Muse. Once a month, our technical team holds an open meeting where everyone can look at and test our latest finished products - while enjoying something nice to drink.
You can create your own version of this, even on a smaller scale. Get your little group of two or three together and set aside a few minutes each week or once a month for a great Show and Tell session. Each member gets the opportunity to highlight their work, while the rest can ask questions, offer suggestions and offer lots of positive feedback.
Team-Building Fun Right in the Middle of Your Workday!
Who says team building has to wait for after-hours? You can infuse your workday with excitement and camaraderie by trying these awesome activities that won’t keep you away from your desk for too long!
6. Embrace Your Unique Personalities
Unleash the power of personalities! Ask each team member to take a personality test (we've got some cool ones to try), then come together to discuss the results. The possibilities are endless - let employees understand each other's strengths, weaknesses and characteristics. Group together similar personalities and explore how their qualities shine at work. Or how about a fun assignment to design their “ideal” office based on their personality type and share it with the group?
You can also have everyone create their own “user manual” to share their unique insights with the team.
7. Get Your Game On!
Who said games are just for kids? Board games are great for bringing people together and promoting teamwork. There are plenty of office-friendly options to choose from! Try "Apples to Apples" for laughs (it's a cleaner version of Cards Against Humanity), "Codename", "Pandemic" or "Jenga" - all games that require teamwork. And don't forget the non-board game options like “Celebrity” or “Heads Up” (available on iOS and Android) for quick, fun entertainment with just a phone or pen and paper.
Yes, it might feel a little odd to bring out games in the office, but trust us, it will break the ice and challenge your team to collaborate in new and creative ways.
8. Go on a Thrilling Scavenger Hunt
It’s adventure time! Scavenger hunts aren’t just for new hires; they can ignite excitement even among seasoned teams. You can plan a hunt for your employees to discover a certain number of facts or artifacts around the office by the end of the day. Or split the group into teams and see who becomes the champion of the hunt. Whatever you decide, this thrilling experience will bring your team together as they embark on a unique adventure, far from their usual tasks and colleagues.
With these fun activities, your work day will be more than just work – it will be a chance to strengthen bonds, spark creativity and ignite collaboration. Be prepared for a day full of fantastic team-building!
9. Crack the “Human Knot”
A classic camp activity that doubles as a fun problem-solving exercise for your team. Gather everyone in a circle and have them hold hands with people not sitting directly next to them. The goal is to untie the knot without breaking the chain when all hands are linked. To make it more challenging, you can add a twist, such as disallowing speech or setting a time limit. Remember that this game requires some room to maneuver around each other, and be aware of the office culture to make sure everyone feels comfortable participating. If you're in the mood for it, this puzzle can lead to a lot of laughter and camaraderie.
10. Navigate the Blindfolded Challenge
Pair up team members and blindfold one of them – the other person's job is to give directions and guide their blindfolded partner to complete tasks like moving an object or drawing a picture, or even reaching other side of the office. This exercise is especially rewarding when pairing people who don't usually work closely together, as it helps them practice communication and build trust.
11. Wordless Line-Up Fun
Set the timer and let the excitement begin as your team lines up in different orders—by age, birthday, or company seniority—without saying a word. This interesting challenge not only reveals interesting facts about each other but also promotes teamwork and cooperation.
12. Enjoy a “Lunch and Learn”
Unlock the hidden talents within your team to bring everyone closer together. Maybe someone is a master at knitting, speaks another language fluently or is a master at using Excel. Encourage them to organize a "lunch and learn" session where they teach the rest of the group a new skill during their lunch break. Not only will the presenter hone their mentoring and presentation skills, but the team will also get to learn something exciting and new about their colleagues.
13. Embrace the Hack Day
Hack days are well-known in the tech and engineering world, but their benefits extend to any team.
The idea is simple: Have everyone set aside their regular work and spend the day working on a special project that benefits the team or company. Encourage participation from multiple departments (if not the entire company) and require employees to collaborate with colleagues from different teams. The goal is to think outside the box and create something that demands fresh skills or innovative thinking. Maybe you’ll revamp your onboarding document for new hires, brainstorm a compelling sales pitch, or integrate a new feature into a product. Whatever it is, the concept should be budget-friendly and achievable within a workday.
Maybe you'll rework your onboarding documentation for new employees, brainstorm a compelling sales pitch, or integrate a new feature into a product. Whatever it is, the concept should be budget-friendly and doable within a business day.
14. Fire Up the Contest
Let the friendly competition begin! Host a department desk decorating face-off (a hit at The Muse office on Halloween), or organize a delightful cookie or guacamole-making contest where employees bring in their best recipes, and the team gets to be the ultimate judges (who doesn’t love some food during the workday?). It’s a delightful way to foster team spirit, encourage bonding, and celebrate shared passions.
Team-Building Adventures Beyond the Office Walls
Getting the team together outside of work might seem like a challenge, but if you can arrange a gathering (or even carve out an afternoon for some fun), these activities can work wonders for team building.
15. Master an “Escape Room”
Challenge “Escape-the-room” challenges are all the rage these days, and it's not hard to see why. The thrill of escaping when you are "stuck" in a room with others (within a given time frame) is a team effort. If your city offers them (check here and here), you can explore different themes, like a submarine, prison cell or even an office (ironic, right?). It can cost around $30 per person, about the same price as bowling with your team or offering a few drinks during “happy hour.
Embark on a Culinary Adventure
Cooking classes are fantastic for fostering team bonds, as they require multiple pairs of hands to create a culinary masterpiece. Look into platforms like CourseHorse and Groupon for affordable cooking class options.
17. Dive into Improv Fun
Improv classes offer an interactive and valuable learning experience for the workplace. They teach essential skills such as effective communication and overcoming challenges as a team. Plus, they push you out of your comfort zone and encourage laughter among colleagues. Check out sites like CourseHorse or perform a quick Google search to discover the best comedy venues near your office.
18. Join a Trivia Contest
Who can resist the pull of quizzes? Not only does it allow employees to demonstrate their knowledge of history and popular culture, but it's also a wonderful team activity. Participate together in a venue pub with a quiz, or invite a host to your office and divide the department into teams for an epic battle of wits.
19. Give Back Through Volunteering
If your team is passionate about a specific cause, consider dedicating a day to community service. It’s a chance to bond while making a positive impact on your community. Discover ways to bring volunteering opportunities to your office and explore various activities based on your commitment level.
20. Launch a Book Club
Select a book relevant to your field and have everyone read it over a few weeks. Then, gather for a discussion (and snacks!). This approach sparks intriguing conversations, encourages idea-sharing, and enhances everyone’s understanding of their roles within the team. Need inspiration? Check out our recommended reads.
21. Conquer a Ropes Course
A bit more adventurous, a ropes course is an excellent day trip or retreat activity that combines outdoor excitement with teamwork. Ropes courses challenge teams in various ways, from supporting a teammate through a tricky section to navigating a maze together. Ensure your team is comfortable with this idea, addressing concerns like height or mobility issues. If everyone’s onboard, this can be a memorable experience.
22. Create an Intramural League
If your team consists of sports enthusiasts, this could be the perfect option to strengthen bonds outside the office. Sports don't have to be exhausting! Many cities offer opportunities to play things like skeeball, bocce, or cornhole. If you want your efforts to go to a cause, consider signing up to run (or walk) a 5K for charity together.
With these exciting activities, you’ll find your team forging deeper connections and building lasting camaraderie beyond the confines of the office. Get ready for a dose of unforgettable team-building fun!
