team building activities for critical thinking

10 Critical Thinking Team Building Activities for Work

Are you looking for some critical thinking team building activities ?

Employees who can think critically and solve complex problems are valuable assets to any company. With this skill, they can objectively analyze data and make informed decisions.

This will ease your job as a leader, right?

In this article, let’s see 10 critical thinking activities for your employees.

What are the Main Benefits of Critical Thinking in the Workplace?

Critical thinking helps employees to assess situations accurately and make sound decisions. When it is incorporated into the workplace, it can help teams become more collaborative and productive. Moreover, they can think strategically under pressure.

Here are 10 activities that will help your teams develop their critical thinking skills:

#1. Debate It Out

This activity requires teams to debate a controversial topic and come to a consensus.

Time: You decide

Materials: None

Participants: 3-10 people per group

Instructions

• Break the participants into small groups and assign each group a controversial topic to debate.

• Give them some time to research their topics and discuss possible arguments.

• During the debate, encourage all group members to participate and cooperate while developing their arguments.

• Finally, each group should come up with a consensus.

Discuss how the groups reach a consensus. Ask them how they overcame disagreements to come to an agreement.

#2. The Challenge Quest

This activity requires employees to answer questions and solve puzzles to reach a common goal.

Materials: Questions, puzzles, and clues about the given subject.

Participants: 3-10 people in a team

• Break the participants into teams and give each one a set of questions, puzzles, and clues related to a given topic. For example, the topic could be sustainability in the workplace.

• Give the teams time to discuss and answer each question or puzzle.

• Once they’ve answered all the questions, they must come up with a plan to reach a common goal.

During the debrief, see how each team worked together and what strategies they used to solve the puzzles. Encourage them to think strategically and in an orderly manner.

#3. Fishbowl

This team building activity requires employees to come up with solutions to a given problem.

Materials: Questions, topics, and discussion prompts

Participants: 5-15 people per group

• Choose a person to be in the center of the circle that everyone else can see. Everyone else stands around them in a circle.

• Ask the group a question or provide a discussion prompt, and allow the person in the center to begin discussing their thoughts.

• Everyone else takes turns providing input and suggestions, helping the individual in the center reach a solution or conclusion.

Discuss how the group worked together to come up with ideas and solutions. Talk about what strategies were used, how people communicated, and any key points that came up during the discussion.

#4. Elimination Match

This exercise requires employees to use their strategic planning skills. Here groups must complete tasks quickly in order to win the game.

Time: 15-30 minutes

Materials: Cards with various tasks, such as creating a budget or developing a marketing plan

Participants: 5-10 people divided into teams of 2-3

• Ask teams to pick one card from the deck and assign each team the task indicated.

• Give them some time to complete their tasks.

• After the time is up, ask each team to present their results.

• Award points to the teams based on how well they completed the task, and choose the winner!

Discuss how each group planned and worked together to complete the task. Also, talk about the importance of thinking critically and strategically under pressure.

#5. Quick Brainstorming

In this activity, employees must quickly brainstorm ideas in order to come up with solutions.

Time: 5 minutes

Materials: Problem and discussion prompts

Participants: 4-10 people per team

• Initially, present a problem to the group. Next, give them 2-3 minutes to brainstorm as many solutions as possible.

• Have each team present their ideas.

• Ask the teams to discuss each solution and vote on the best one.

Have employees reflect on the ideas that were generated during the activity. Discuss how open and honest communication can help groups come up with creative solutions in a short amount of time.

#6. Creative Writing

This team building exercise encourages employees to think creatively while crafting a story.

Materials: Story prompts and writing utensils

Participants: 4-10 people in a group

• Give each group a short story or scenario to work with.

• Have the groups discuss potential plot points, character traits, and other creative aspects of the story.

• Each group should write the completed story collaboratively.

Evaluate the effectiveness of teamwork and recognize any biases or patterns noticed while writing the stories. Talk about how important it is to communicate openly and consider different perspectives while solving problems.

#7. The Exchange

This exercise requires teams to work together by exchanging and reallocating items.

Time: 10-20 minutes

Materials: Any items needed to complete the task such as cards, balls, puzzles, etc.

Participants: At least two teams of any size

• Give each team a different task to complete. For example, building the highest tower or creating the most complex puzzle.

• Provide a set of items to each team.

• Allow them to exchange items with the other teams until they have created their final product.

Evaluate the team members’ problem-solving abilities and recognize any biases that may have impacted their decisions. Also, assess what they learned about communication and collaboration during the exercise. ​​​ ​​

#8. Idea Generation Game

This team building activity encourages groups to think creatively by generating ideas for a particular challenge.

Time: 5-10 minutes

Materials: Any items needed to complete the task such as construction paper, tape, scissors, etc.

Participants: 3-10 members in a team

• Assign each team a set of items and ask them to come up with an innovative idea or invention using the materials provided.

• Encourage them to brainstorm and generate ideas with their team members.

• Allow each team to create prototypes or models of their idea if desired.

Evaluate the creative problem-solving skills displayed by team members. Also, identify any potential areas for improvement.​​ ​​

#9. The Case Study

This activity encourages employees to collaborate and think critically in order to solve a case study.

Materials: Case study, research materials, and discussion prompts

Participants: Any number of members per group

• Present the groups with a case study that requires critical thinking to solve.

• Provide them with research materials and discussion prompts to come up with solutions.

• Each group should present their findings and solutions to the other groups.

Assess how well the teams worked together, and evaluate their strategies for problem-solving. Also, discuss which solution was the most effective.​​​ ​​​ ​​

#10. Desert Survival

This exercise encourages employees to work together and think critically in order to survive in the desert.

Materials: A list of items, paper, and pen

Participants: Teams of 3-8 members

• Each team should assume that they are stuck in a desert. Their goal is to come up with solutions for survival.

• Now, provide a list of 10 items to each team. Some of the items can be food, shelter, water, etc.

• Instruct them to choose five items from the list that they value the most.

• After a few minutes, ask each team to present their solution.

• Award points to the teams based on how effectively they used the items to survive.

Discuss how the teams used their problem solving skills to come up with solutions and ask them what other strategies they could have used in this situation. Also, talk about the importance of being able to think critically and strategically under pressure.

Want Unique Team Building Exercises?

If you want some unique team building exercises for your employees, you can get my new e-book:

The Busy Leader’s Guide of Unique Team Building Activities: 30 Fully Customizable Exercises That You Can Conduct with Any Group of Employees, Anywhere

Final Words

Teams can enhance their critical thinking skills by taking part in the above-mentioned activities in a fun and collaborative environment. Since everyone has varying viewpoints, you must exercise patience and respect while exchanging ideas. Finally, conducting a debrief after each activity is essential to help everyone gain insight from the experience and incorporate it into future scenarios.

FAQ: Critical Thinking Team Building Activities

You might have these questions in mind.

What are critical thinking activities?

These are exercises that can help your teams to think outside the box and solve complex problems. They will help your employees work under pressure and make the right decisions.

What are some critical thinking 5-minute team building activities?

Some 5-minute activities that can help your employees think critically are Idea Generation Game, Quick Brainstorming, and The Challenge Quest.

How does improving critical thinking skills increase workplace performance?

Having good critical thinking skills helps employees think strategically and analyze data efficiently. They also become better problem solvers and are able to generate innovative solutions more quickly. All of this helps to improve overall workplace performance and productivity.

Like this article on “10 Critical Thinking Team Building Activities for Work”? Feel free to share your thoughts.

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22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Problem-solving is a critical skill for professionals and with team building problem-solving activities, you can sharpen your skills while having fun at the same time.  

Updated: March 1, 2024

In the professional world, one thing is for sure: problem-solving is a vital skill if you want to survive and thrive. It’s a universal job skill that organizations seek in new potential employees and that managers look for when considering candidates for promotions.  

But there’s a problem. 

According to Payscale, 60% of managers feel that new grads entering the workforce lack problem-solving abilities – making it the most commonly lacking soft skill.  

Problem-solving skill needs to be practiced and perfected on an ongoing basis in order to be applied effectively when the time comes. And while there are tons of traditional approaches to becoming a better problem-solver, there’s another (much more interesting) option: team building problem-solving activities. 

The good news? This means learning and having fun don’t have to be mutually exclusive. And you can create a stronger team at the same time. 

16 In-Person Team Building Problem Solving Activities for Your Work Group  

1. cardboard boat building challenge, 2. egg drop , 3. clue murder mystery, 4. marshmallow spaghetti tower  , 5. corporate escape room, 6. wild goose chase, 7. lost at sea  , 8. domino effect challenge, 9. reverse pyramid  , 10. ci: the crime investigators, 11. team pursuit, 12. bridge builders, 13. domino effect challenge, 14. hollywood murder mystery, 15. code break, 16. cardboard boat building challenge, 6 virtual team building problem solving activities for your work group  , 1. virtual escape room: mummy’s curse, 2. virtual clue murder mystery, 3. virtual escape room: jewel heist, 4. virtual code break  , 5. virtual trivia time machine.

• 6. Virtual Jeoparty Social

There are a ton of incredible team building problem solving activities available. We’ve hand-picked 16 of our favorites that we think your corporate group will love too. 

Split into teams and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided: cardboard and tape. Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats to test their durability! Nothing says problem-solving like having to make sure you don’t sink into the water!

Every day at work, you’re forced to make countless decisions – whether they’re massively important or so small you barely think about them.  

But your ability to effectively make decisions is critical in solving problems quickly and effectively.  

With a classic team building problem solving activity like the Egg Drop, that’s exactly what your team will learn to do. 

For this activity, you’ll need some eggs, construction materials, and a place you wouldn’t mind smashing getting dirty with eggshells and yolks.  

The goal of this activity is to create a contraption that will encase an egg and protect it from a fall – whether it’s from standing height or the top of a building. But the challenge is that you and your team will only have a short amount of time to build it before it’s time to test it out, so you’ll have to think quickly! 

To make it even more challenging, you’ll have to build the casing using only simple materials like: 

• Newspapers 
• Plastic wrap
• Rubber bands
• Popsicle sticks
• Cotton balls

Feel free to have some fun in picking the materials. Use whatever you think would be helpful without making things too easy! 

Give your group 15 minutes to construct their egg casing before each team drops their eggs. If multiple eggs survive, increase the height gradually to see whose created the sturdiest contraption.  

If you’re not comfortable with the idea of using eggs for this activity, consider using another breakable alternative, such as lightbulbs for a vegan Egg Drop experience. 

With Clue Murder Mystery, your team will need to solve the murder of a man named Neil Davidson by figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime.

But it won’t be easy! You’ll need to exercise your best problem-solving skills and channel your inner detectives if you want to keep this case from going cold and to get justice for the victim.

Collaboration is critical to problem solving. 

Why? Because, as the old saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This expression reflects the fact that people are capable of achieving greater things when they work together to do so. 

If you’re looking for a team building problem solving activity that helps boost collaboration, you’ll love Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower.  

This game involves working in teams to build the tallest possible freestanding tower using only marshmallows, uncooked spaghetti, tape, and string.  

The kicker? This all has to be done within an allotted timeframe. We recommend about thirty minutes.  

For an added dimension of challenge, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower to make it a little more top heavy.  

Whichever team has the highest tower when time runs out is the winner! 

If you’ve never participated in an escape room, your team is missing out! It’s one of the most effective team building problem solving activities out there because it puts you and your colleagues in a scenario where the only way out is collaboratively solving puzzles and deciphering clues.  

The principle is simple: lock your group in a room, hide the key somewhere in that room, and have them work through challenges within a set time frame. Each challenge will lead them one step closer to finding the key and, ultimately, their escape.    

At Outback, we offer “done-for-you” escape rooms where we’ll transform your office or meeting room so you don’t have to worry about:

• Seeking transportation for your team 
• Capacity of the escape rooms  
• High costs 
• Excessive planning  

That way, you and your team can simply step inside and get to work collaborating, using creative problem solving, and thinking outside the box.   

In this smartphone-based scavenger hunt team building activity , your group will split into teams and complete fun challenges by taking photos and videos around the city. Some examples of challenges you can do in this activity are:

• Parkour:  Take a picture of three team members jumping over an object that’s at least waist-high.
• Beautiful Mind:  Snap a photo of a team member proving a well-known mathematical theorem on a chalkboard.
• Puppy Love:  Take a photo of all of your team members petting a stranger’s dog at the same time.

It takes a ton of critical thinking and problem-solving to be crowned the Wild Goose Chase Champions!

Can you imagine a higher-pressure situation than being stranded at sea in a lifeboat with your colleagues? 

With this team building problem solving activity, that’s exactly the situation you and your group will put yourselves. But by the time the activity is over, you’ll have gained more experience with the idea of having to solve problems under pressure – a common but difficult thing to do. 

Here’s how it works. 

Each team member will get a six-columned chart where: 

• The first column lists the survival items each team has on hand (see the list below) 
• The second column is empty so that each team member can rank the items in order of importance for survival  
• The third column is for group rankings  
• The fourth column is for the “correct” rankings, which are revealed at the end of the activity 
• The fifth and sixth columns are for the team to enter thee difference between their individual and correct scores and the team and correct rankings 

Within this activity, each team will be equipped with the following “survival items,” listed below in order of importance, as well as a pack of matches:  

• A shaving mirror (this can be used to signal passing ships using the sun) 
• A can of gas (could be used for signaling as it could be put in the water and lit with the pack of matches) 
• A water container (for collecting water to re-hydrate ) 
• Emergency food rations (critical survival food) 
• One plastic sheet (can be helpful for shelter or to collect rainwater) 
• Chocolate bars (another food supply) 
• Fishing rods (helpful, but no guarantee of catching food) 
• Rope (can be handy, but not necessarily essential for survival) 
• A floating seat cushion (usable as a life preserver)  
• Shark repellant (could be important when in the water) 
• A bottle of rum (could be useful for cleaning wounds) 
• A radio (could be very helpful but there’s a good chance you’re out of range) 
• A sea chart (this is worthless without navigation equipment) 
• A mosquito net (unless you’ve been shipwrecked somewhere with a ton of mosquitos, this isn’t very useful) 

To get the activity underway, divide your group into teams of five and ask each team member to take ten minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance in the respective column. Then, give the full team ten minutes as a group to discuss their individual rankings together and take group rankings, listed in that respective column. Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with those of the group as a whole. 

Finally, read out the correct order according to the US Coast Guard, listed above.  

The goal of this activity is for everyone to be heard and to come to a decision together about what they need most to survive.  

If your team works remotely, you can also do this activity online. Using a video conferencing tool like  Zoom , you can bring your group together and separate teams into “break-out rooms” where they’ll take their time individually and then regroup together. At the end, you can bring them back to the full video conference to go through the answers together. 

Many problems are intricately complex and involve a ton of moving parts. And in order to solve this type of problem, you need to be able to examine it systematically, one piece at a time.  

Especially in the business world, many problems or challenges involve multiple different teams or departments working through their respective portions of a problem before coming together in the end to create a holistic solution. 

As you can imagine, this is often easier said than done. And that’s why it’s so important to practice this ability.  

With a collaborative team building problem solving activity like Domino Effect Challenge, that’s exactly what you’ll need to do as you and your group work to create a massive, fully functional chain reaction machine. 

Here’s how it goes. 

Your group will break up into teams, with each team working to complete their own section of a massive “Rube Goldberg” machine. Then, all teams will regroup and assemble the entire machine together. You’ll need to exercise communication, collaboration, and on-the-fly problem solving in order to make your chain reaction machine go off without a hitch from start to finish. 

Being a great problem-solver means being adaptable and creative. And if you’re looking for a quick and easy team building problem solving activity, you’ll love the reverse pyramid. 

The idea here is simple: break your group out into small teams and then stand in the form of a pyramid.  

Your challenge is to flip the base and the peak of the pyramid – but you can only move three people in order to do so.  

Alternatively, rather than doing this activity with people as the pyramid, you can do another version –  the Pyramid Build  – using plastic cups instead.   

This version is a little bit different. Rather than flipping the base of a pyramid to the top, you’ll need to build the pyramid instead–but in reverse, starting from the top cup and working down. 

With this version, you’ll need 36 cups and one table per group. We recommend groups of five to seven people. Give your group 20 to 30 minutes to complete the activity. 

To get started, place one cup face down. Then, lift that cup and place the subsequent two cups underneath it. 

The real challenge here? You can only lift your pyramid by the bottom row in order to put a new row underneath – and only one person at a time can do the lifting. The remaining group members will need to act quickly and work together in order to add the next row so that it will balance the rest of the pyramid. 

If any part of your pyramid falls, you’ll need to start over. Whichever team has the most complete pyramid when time runs out will be the winner!  

The value of being able to approach problems analytically can’t be overstated. Because when problems arise, the best way to solve them is by examining the facts and making a decision based on what you know. 

With CI: The Crime Investigators, this is exactly what your team will be called upon to do as you put your detective’s hats on and work to solve a deadly crime. 

You’ll be presented with evidence and need to uncover and decipher clues. And using only the information at your disposal, you’ll need to examine the facts in order to crack the case. 

Like many of our team building problem solving activities, CI: The Crime Investigators is available in a hosted format, which can take place at your office or an outside venue, as well as a virtually-hosted format that uses video conferencing tools, or a self-hosted version that you can run entirely on your own.  

Each member of your team has their own unique strengths and skills. And by learning to combine those skills, you can overcome any challenge and solve any problem. With Team Pursuit, you and your team together to tackle challenges as you learn new things about one another, discover your hidden talents, and learn to rely on each other.

This team building problem solving activity is perfect for high-energy groups that love to put their heads together and work strategically to solve problems as a group.

Collaborate with your colleague to design and build different segments of a bridge. At the end, see if the sections come together to create a free-standing structure!   

Together as a group, see if you and your colleagues can build a gigantic “chain-reaction” machine that really works!

In smaller groups, participants work together to solve the challenge of creating sections of the machine using miscellaneous parts, and at the end, you’ll have to collaborate to connect it all together and put it in motion.

The case is fresh, but here’s what we know so far: we’ve got an up-and-coming actress who’s been found dead in her hotel room following last night’s awards show.

We have several suspects, but we haven’t been able to put the crime on any of them for sure yet. Now, it’s up to you and your team of detectives to crack the case. Together, you’ll review case files and evidence including police reports, coroners’ reports, photo evidence, tabloids, interrogations, and phone calls as you determine the motive, method, and murderer and bring justice for the victim.

You’ll need to put your problem-solving skills to the test as you share theories, collaborate, and think outside the box with your fellow investigators.

Using Outback’s app, split up into small groups and put your heads together to solve a variety of puzzles, riddles, and trivia. The team who has completed the most challenges when time is up, wins!

Can you stay afloat in a body of water in a boat made entirely of cardboard? Now that is a problem that urgently needs solving.

With this team building problem solving activity, you and your colleagues will split into groups and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided – cardboard and tape.

Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats across the water!

If you and your team are working remotely, don’t worry. You still have a ton of great virtual team building problem solving options at your disposal.

In this virtual escape room experience, your team will be transported into a pyramid cursed by a restless mummy. You’ll have to work together to uncover clues and solve complex challenges to lift the ancient curse.

You’ve probably never heard of a man named Neil Davidson. But your group will need to come together to solve the mystery of his murder by analyzing clues, resolving challenges, and figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit a deadly crime. 

This activity will challenge you and your group to approach problems analytically, read between the lines, and use critical thinking in order to identify a suspect and deliver justice.  

If you and your team like brainteasers, then Virtual Escape Room: Jewel Heist will be a big hit.  

Here’s the backstory.

There’s been a robbery. Someone has masterminded a heist to steal a priceless collection of precious jewels, and it’s up to you and your team to recover them before time runs out.

Together, you’ll need to uncover hidden clues and solve a series of brain-boggling challenges that require collaboration, creative problem-solving, and outside-the-box thinking. But be quick! The clock is ticking before the stolen score is gone forever.

With Virtual Code Break, you and your team can learn to be adaptive and dynamic in your thinking in order to tackle any new challenges that come your way. In this activity, your group will connect on a video conferencing platform where your event host will split you out into teams. Together, you’ll have to adapt your problem-solving skills as you race against the clock to tackle a variety of mixed brainteaser challenges ranging from Sudoku to puzzles, a game of Cranium, riddles, and even trivia. 

Curious to see how a virtual team building activity works? Check out this video on a Virtual Clue Murder Mystery in action. 

Step into the Outback Time Machine and take a trip through time, from pre-pandemic 21st century through the decades all the way to the 60’s. 

This exciting, fast-paced virtual trivia game, packed with nostalgia and good vibes, is guaranteed to produce big laughs, friendly competition, and maybe even some chair-dancing. 

Your virtual game show host will warm up guests with a couple of “table hopper rounds” (breakout room mixers) and split you out into teams. Within minutes, your home office will be transformed into a game show stage with your very own game show buzzers! 

And if your team loves trivia, check out our list of the most incredible virtual trivia games for work teams for even more ideas.

6.  Virtual Jeoparty Social

If your remote team is eager to socialize, have some fun as a group, and channel their competitive spirit, we’ve got just the thing for you! With Virtual Jeoparty Social, you and your colleagues will step into your very own virtual Jeopardy-style game show—equipped with a buzzer button, a professional actor as your host, and an immersive game show platform! Best of all, this game has been infused with an ultra-social twist: players will take part in a unique social mixer challenge between each round. 

With the right team building problem solving activities, you can help your team sharpen their core skills to ensure they’re prepared when they inevitably face a challenge at work. And best of all, you can have fun in the process. 

Do you have any favorite team building activities for building problem-solving skills? If so, tell us about them in the comments section below! 

Learn More About Team Building Problem Solving Activities  

For more information about how your group can take part in a virtual team building, training, or coaching solution, reach out to our Employee Engagement Consultants.     

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I love how this blog provides a variety of problem-solving activities for team building. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to foster teamwork and collaboration!

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A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

• Matt Plummer

Critical thinking isn’t an innate skill. It can be learned.

Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess critical thinking skills and most managers don’t know how to provide specific instruction to team members in need of becoming better thinkers. Instead, most managers employ a sink-or-swim approach, ultimately creating work-arounds to keep those who can’t figure out how to “swim” from making important decisions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To demystify what critical thinking is and how it is developed, the author’s team turned to three research-backed models: The Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, Pearson’s RED Critical Thinking Model, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Using these models, they developed the Critical Thinking Roadmap, a framework that breaks critical thinking down into four measurable phases: the ability to execute, synthesize, recommend, and generate.

With critical thinking ranking among the most in-demand skills for job candidates , you would think that educational institutions would prepare candidates well to be exceptional thinkers, and employers would be adept at developing such skills in existing employees. Unfortunately, both are largely untrue.

• Matt Plummer (@mtplummer) is the founder of Zarvana, which offers online programs and coaching services to help working professionals become more productive by developing time-saving habits. Before starting Zarvana, Matt spent six years at Bain & Company spin-out, The Bridgespan Group, a strategy and management consulting firm for nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropists.  

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Skill-based team building

5 critical thinking team building activities for adults [research-based]

This just in: Critical thinking is one of the top 10 job skills of the future.

While that's not entirely shocking, most leaders aren't sure how to develop critical thinking. If you're one of those people, we've compiled five activities that will sharpen your team's skills and bring them closer together.

Dive deeper:   Reverse-engineering Google - Team building for high-performance teams.

How employers see critically thinking employees 

Thanks to critical thinking, you can stand out during the recruitment process and excel throughout your career. But what makes a powerful workplace critical thinker?

In 2020, the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues (JESI) published a phenomenography study dedicated to an average employer's expectations from their workers . 

It identified 3 most-valued "categories" of critical thinking at the workplace : 

• Decisions to act here and now. Quick decision-making makes problem-solving and crisis management easier. To master this type of critical thinking, you need to take responsibility for your actions and opinions. 
• Verified and assured decisions to act. Here, team players driven by the company's values stand out. Learn to manage conflicts, highlight each others' strengths, and work as a team for the good of the organization. 
• Innovative decisions for operational improvement. This aspect of critical thinking encourages you to work with others and socialize, finding solutions that will improve the existing processes in your company. 

As you can imagine, it's pretty difficult to come up with a training that would cover all three specifics at once. Instead, work on each of the critical thinking categories on their own.

Anna Kvasnevska

Team Building Expert & Writer

Large groups

Prep required

Share fun facts and bond with a team quiz

Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.

share-fun-facts-and-bond-with-a-team-quiz

Run a guided recognition activity

run-a-guided-recognition-activity

Organize a virtual cooking class

Hire a professional chef to help your team cook a delicious lunch or dinner. May be difficult for co-workers with families. To find providers and get tips, read our blog about virtual cooking classes.

organize-a-virtual-cooking-class

Hire a stand-up comedian

hire-a-stand-up-comedian

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Table of contents

Stop googling ideas. Get a long-term team building plan.

Critical thinking team building games to practice acting here and now.

According to the JESI research, this type of critical thinking directly relates to your internal inspiration and courage. You need to believe that what you decide is right and act accordingly . 

Classical team building activities like survival simulation and escape rooms are perfect for this practice. 

1. Take part in survival simulation activities

Survival simulation challenges your on-the-spot decision-making. This type of exercise puts you in situations where you need to think fast as if your life depends on it. 

2. Go to an escape room

Carefully scripted challenges of modern escape rooms work similarly to the survival simulations. It forces you to act here and now, knowing that your decisions will affect the rest of the team.

This kind of team building is perfect for remote teams , as you can do the most sophisticated escape rooms online ! 

Critical thinking team building activities for adults who want to make verified decisions

This type of employer-oriented critical thinking helps you understand professional activities better. Here, it's not just about finding the right solution. Instead, it's about discovering as many solutions as possible and justifying them . 

Try team building activities dedicated to research and group problem-solving, like the timely classics: SWOT analysis or group debates. 

3. Make a SWOT analysis together

SWOT analysis is a popular marketing framework for analyzing a project's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It encourages research, outside-of-the-box reasoning, and teamwork. So it also makes a fruitful critical-thinking team building experience! 

4. Hold a debate

Another great way to practice making verified decisions is by holding a debate-style team building event. This way, you'll get valuable experience backing up your statements with facts. Also, you will practice public speaking and argumentation - the other two highly-valued professional skills.

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Critical thinking team building activities to promote innovation.

You can use critical thinking to drive innovation and change. Innovators feel safe sharing their ideas and are ready to become leaders . For this, focus on team building activities that promote communication , creativity, and empathy . 

There are many team building activities for work that promote these behaviors. But today, we wanted to share the one that encourages innovation particularly well:

5. Create a vision board with your team

Think of a company you'd be proud to represent. Brainstorm the values it stands for. Present the opportunities it opens for the employees and the clients. Highlight the good things you already have. And think about what you could do as a team to turn it into reality. 

This powerful team building exercise works on many levels:

• It allows you to appreciate the benefits you may be taking for granted ;
• It demonstrates what goals and values you share with your team ;
• It creates a sense of direction for the positive impact you could have on the company;
• It promotes creativity, critical thinking, and trust among the participants. 

All these critical thinking team building activities work for remote teams as well as the on-site ones and are affordable ! All you need is a reliable virtual conference platform (like Veertly !) and some of the must-have software to make your online team building feel like a face-to-face one. 

Have fun and drive the change you want to see! 

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5 Team Building Games For Adults That Teach Critical Thinking Skills

Team building games are not only fun; they break the monotony of daily routines and help us to develop valuable skills. Some games help us to acquire critical thinking skills, which make us productive and increase our output in the workplace. Corporate training through critical thinking games is beneficial for both small and established organizations because it fosters trust and problem-solving skills among the employees. Brain training activities are quite common; however, critical thinking games are much better if you want to teach skills faster.

So keep reading on and learn if you want to learn a 5 new games for boosting critical thinking in your team.

Why Team Building Activities are Important

The leading organizations know the importance of corporate training. A business can either succeed or fail, depending on the ability of its employees. Regular training inculcates relevant skills and knowledge to the workers who in turn use it to boost production.

Team building activities improve work relations, therefore creating a conducive working environment. Working together to solve different problems shows the employees that they need each other to reach their organization’s goals. This knowledge is applied in the office as each one understands how to work with different individuals and talents.

Team building activities also allow employees to socialize, network, and get to know each other. Making friends in the workplace is the first step to increasing productivity. Employees can work together to solve problems. This is the moment when critical thinking games step in: a common goal to achieve in a playful format brings out each team members’ stregths.

When employees work together in team building games, they celebrate and have fun together, which inspires them to work harder and win more. Cheering and supporting each other in these activities promotes team bonding and motivates them to rise to the next level. Working together also promotes creativity and innovation. This is why critical thinking activities for employees need to be planned ahead and implemented withing your company.

Create games, self-guided and audio tours, team building events and educational content that captures peoples' attention.

Teaching critical thinking through team building games for adults

The good thing about corporate training and team building games is that they equip you with knowledge in and out of office. The following team building games will teach you critical thinking skills while having fun:

1. If You Build It

This critical thinking game for adults is not only simple, but it’s also flexible – this means that anybody can participate. The game starts when the teams are divided into small groups, given equal amounts of different materials, such as building blocks, pipes, or even marshmallows. The teams are assigned a task that involves construction. This can either be to build the tallest structure, for instance, a castle. The groups should work together until they come up with the required structure. This game inculcates problem-solving and communication skills.

Zoom is an exciting game that can be used both in the classroom and to foster cooperation in the workplace. The team sits or stands in a circle, and each is given a unique picture of an animal, object, or other items. To make it more exciting, the instructor starts a unique story then the next member continues the story following the picture provided. This team building game inculcates creative collaboration skills for adults and children alike. You can get more critical thinking and other games for Zoom here.

3. Shrinking Vessel

Critical thinking can be difficult to master with brain training; however, with fun team building games such as shrinking vessel, it becomes effortless. The activity starts with dividing members into small teams. Each group has to work together to fit into a shrinking space until; there is no room in between. The boundary can be made of cones or a rope. This game equips you with teamwork and problem-solving skills .

4. It’s a Mystery

Many people love a good mystery, and this can be exciting when people work in groups. In this critical thinking game for adults, each team member is given a numbered clue. In order to solve this mystery, for instance, if you are told to find the missing eggs, teams must work together following the clues in order. Solving this case might require the groups to move around to uncover more clues to solve the mystery. This game is important because it teaches you problem-solving and communication.

5. The Worst-Case Scenario

The objective of this activity is to foster teamwork. In this case, every team has to collaborate to come up with a list of must-have items in extreme circumstances. The members are divided into smaller groups; then the instructor explains an example of the worst scenario. For instance, one group could have a scenario where they are stuck in a burning house or a hijacked plane. Each group has to decide on 5 or 10 must-have items to get them to safety. The decision to choose the items must be unanimous. Among critical thinking games this activity draws out everyone’s personalities, expert knowledge and helps to prioritize.

Some managers don’t give them the attention they deserve, choosing to concentrate only on work itself, however, team building activities are important because they break the monotony and equip employees with relevant skills. Especially in the form of critical thinking games for adults, which are created with the purpose of training participants into making better decisions. These activities are beneficial to both the workers and the organization, and this boosts the output and productivity.

Waiting game for virtual meetings is a bonus in our list of games for critical thinking. This game needs input from people with different skills and knowledge base. Common goal to clean the gameboard and reveal hidden picture gets everyone talking. Logical puzzles promote discussion and breaks silence!

We hope you enjoyed this list of critical thinking team building activities and manage to implement some of them in your organization!

Authors Bio Hazel is an entrepreneur at heart and has built a regionally recognized and successful multi-million dollar businesses – Biz Group , starting the company in 1993 with just $700. The group now employs 62 professionals and provides services in the fields of design and delivery of corporate training, teambuilding, meeting facilitation and organizational health through culture and engagement.

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10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

Students may improve their capabilities in critical thinking and other skills that will help them be successful in the contemporary job by participating in Team-building games for critical thinking. Students who value collaboration (and who will go on to become employers!) have higher levels of motivation and creativity.

It is common knowledge that kids like collaborating in groups very lot. Why don’t we make it into a game instead? Games are often a better option than brain training activities for helping children develop lateral thinking. However, brain training activities may be employed. Implementing these strategies in your classes can help students become more critical thinkers and more successful collaborators.

Here are 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking;

1. minefield.

Minefield Team-building games for critical thinking is a time-honored exercise that has been shown to foster better communication and a sense of trust among participants of all ages. It requires the construction of an obstacle course as well as the grouping of the students into different teams. Students take turns navigating the “minefield” while wearing blindfolds and relying only on the support of their classmates to find their way. You might also encourage kids to use certain terms or hints in order to make it more challenging for them or to utilize information that is related to the topic in order to make it more interesting to them.

2. If You Build it

This exercise in establishing teams may easily be adapted to fit your needs. To get started, separate the children into teams and give each group an equal quantity of a certain substance. Some examples of this material are pipe cleaners, bricks, dried spaghetti, and marshmallows.

After that, you should assign them a project to work on. The challenge may take on a variety of forms, such as “which team can build the biggest castle that is also structurally sound?” Which side has the capacity to build the greatest number of castles in the least period of time? You may recycle this exercise throughout the year by modifying the challenge or the resources to correspond to other subject areas in the curriculum.

3. It’s a Mystery

Since many children, especially younger ones, like a good mystery, why not challenge them to solve it in a way that encourages them to collaborate with one another? It would be helpful to offer each child a numbered clue. The youngsters need to cooperate in order to find the answers to the clues in order to allow themselves enough time to solve the mystery, such as the case of the missing mascot. It’s possible that in order to solve the “case,” they’ll need to go about the room and look in other areas for additional clues.

Zoom team-building games for critical thinking is an old standby when it comes to games for constructing teams, and the many advantages that come with playing the game make it even more interesting. The children are seated in a circle, and one child gives each child an image of an item from Zoom.

The game begins with one child relating a story based on the image that they are holding, and the next student continues the story from where the previous student left off. The game helps youngsters improve their creativity, critical thinking, and communication abilities by compelling them to create the tales on the spot and challenging them to think critically about what they’ve written.

5. Save the Egg

During this team-building games for critical thinking, each team of three or four persons will have the opportunity to drop their egg from a certain height. They need to devise strategies that will prevent the egg from cracking while it is in the air. They are free to use whatever items or apparatus of their choosing to effect a soft landing for the egg or to guarantee that it settles in an unharmed state.

Because this one has the potential to get ugly, it is essential to choose a site that is risk-free and where no one will be worried about hurting valuable school property.

6. marshmallows-game

7. Go for Gold

The teams compete to achieve the same objective in this Team-building games for critical thinking, which is similar to the game “If you create it,” but rather than having the same resources, the teams have access to a huge quantity. For instance, the objective may be to construct, consisting of pipes, rubber tubing, and cardboard, a machine that, with the only assistance of gravity, can move a marble from point A to point B in a certain number of stages.

Although learning through textbooks is essential, teachers also have a responsibility to ensure that pupils can interact effectively with one another. Exercises that focus on fostering a sense of teamwork are an effective way to do this, and there is no sign that this fad will ever die out.

8. Keep it Real

Because it is founded on a straightforward concept that encourages conversation and problem-solving, this open-ended model functions as an efficient examination tool for students. Give the students the mission to identify and address a genuine issue that exists in their own schools or communities. For the purpose of assisting youngsters in defining their own boundaries, some restrictions, such as time limits, material limits, and physical limitations, might be put on them.

9. Shrinking Vessel

Critical thinking may be tough to understand after undergoing brain training, but after participating in exciting Team-building games for critical thinking like the shrinking vessel, it quickly becomes second nature. The participants will first be split up into smaller groups to begin the exercise. Every group is going to have to coordinate their efforts so that they can fit into a smaller and smaller area until there is no more room. Cones or a rope might be used to define the perimeter of the area. Playing this game will teach you how to collaborate with others to find solutions to challenges.

10. The Worst-Case Scenario

Students are split up into two or more groups, and each of those groups is given a tough scenario to solve. Some examples of these scenarios include being abandoned on a barren island or becoming lost at sea. They are then given the instruction to collaborate with one another within their teams in order to find a solution to the challenge and ultimately emerge triumphant. The children have to come up with a strategy in order to guarantee that everyone will live through the worst-case scenario.

In this particular situation, the students may be quizzed about the things that they will need in order to do the task, in addition to any other passages that they may come across. The fact that youngsters are required to cooperate with one another helps in the development of their ability to solve problems and teaches them the importance of working together as a team through Team-building games for critical thinking.

Bottom line

To achieve the highest productivity at work, Team-building games for critical thinking are conducted in distinct corporate games. However, these games can boost efficiency in the study if undertaken in a classroom atmosphere. They help students to break the monotony in the learning environment. We hope our blog helped you to get new ideas regarding Team-building games for critical thinking. You can implement them in your next session within the classroom.

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Games Promoting Collaborative Critical Thinking: Top 10

Fun Team Building Games To Improve Team Collaboration

While working in a business organization, employees have to come together, collaborate their efforts, indulge in critical thinking and ensure meeting common goals. Like any other organization, a business or a company is basically an amalgamation of employees who come together from diverse backgrounds, with different capabilities and skillsets to pursue common organizational goals. It is not uncommon to find some issues and problems that deter them from collaborating with each other. If the work environment becomes too negative and vitiating, it has a direct impact on the productivity and work performance of the employees. Companies must take some proactive action lest this situation gets out of hand leaving a detrimental impact on the company’s productivity and bottom line. Organizing team building games from time to time can help employees come together and indulge in collaborative critical thinking. Here, we bring you the top 10 games can help in this endeavor.

Triggertronics

It is an exciting and interesting challenge where the team has to come together and solve simple tasks in complicated ways. The challenge is based on Rube Goldberg’s Concept. The teams are given materials required to meet this challenge. They have to make use of the sequential trigger effect. The team participants have to collaborate their efforts and indulge in intuitive thinking thereby creating a self-running mechanism.

Gigsaw Challenge

In this challenge, the team is entrusted with the task of making a gigantic jigsaw by putting together a lot of jigsaw puzzles in such a way that it comes out to be meaningful. Each individual team is given a canvas to work on and they have to collectively come together to create an artwork that may symbolically depict the vision of an organization or simply create an abstract theme. The masterpiece of each team is then combined into a giant picture. Each team has to collaborate and has to contribute to the larger picture, the teams gain and learn a lot in terms of perspective.

Beat Box Challenge

It is a musical group activity where team members come together and learn a new skill. The best part of this activity is that there are no instruments and no musicians. The team participants have to beatbox or make use of their mouth to create music and perform together with close collaboration. They come together to learn a few beatbox sounds and come up with a specific beatbox rhythm. This activity encourages them to come together and collaborate with each other to create amazing music.

Pyramid Building

As part of this challenge, the team comes together to build a giant-sized pyramid. To complete the activity, a lot of planning and flawless execution is required. The team is given materials, tools, and instructions to complete this activity. Random material is used to create a pyramid. After each team build its pyramid, these are decorated with an organization’s name or logo, using brand colors and messages. Finally, the pyramids of each team are brought together and a giant pyramid is built with collaborative efforts and critical thinking.

Remoto Car Challenge

This is a fun activity where the team not only collaborates but competes to emerge as a winner. They have to work together to build bridges forming a circuit where remote cars can be raced. The team participants have to don their thinking hats and build a robust bridge that can at least sustain the weight of two racing cars. This activity requires close collaboration and critical thinking that ensures stability and strength of the pillars. The high point of this activity is the car race where all team cars race to reach the checkered flag.

Drum Jam Session

It is a music-based activity. This drum jam session help team members to enjoy, have fun and reduce stress. The energetic beating of djembe, a percussion instrument results in a rush of energy that leaves everyone overwhelmed and excited. The ‘unseen’ barriers seem to break down and the team comes together to form a strong bond. The hypnotic drumbeats fill the environment with energy and excitement that is unmatched to anything else. Music is rightly considered as the best healer and the perfect way to bring people closer to each other.

This challenge is based on the famous MasterChef-style challenge where teams are created, each entrusted with the task of cooking a 5-course meal. Each team has to prepare one dish and this task has to be completed within the stipulated timeline. It is very critical to manage time efficiently and effectively else the team has to go hungry. A five-star chef encourages the team to give their best and which results in more pressure on the teams to do a good job.

Junkyard Sales

As the name suggests, in this activity, teams come together to create something functional out of waste or junk that is of no use. The teams are assigned with junk items like paint boxes, plastic bottles, and many other scrap items.  Once the material is received, the team spend some time thinking about how to put the junk stuff to its best use. They not only have to design but also build a functional product that is sturdy, presentable and can be put to better use. Collaborative efforts and some critical thinking can transform even junk stuff into something of utility.

Beat The Trash

This is another activity that is a perfect example of how collaborative efforts and critical thinking can help in transforming junk into music. Urban wastes of every day are used to build music instruments creating a junkyard masterpiece. With growing concern about environmental conservation, and the need to follow the principle of reducing, reuse, and recycle, daily waste items like bottles, water cans, pipes, etc., is used to create music. Once the instruments are created, the team perform together, and it is a sight to behold and music to ears.

Raft Building

This activity is based on rescue efforts taken by a team that is stuck at an island with very limited supplies. The only way to get out of this situation is by building a raft that takes them to the mainland. The raft must be built using limited materials and must be strong enough to carry 4-6 people of each team to a certain distance. The activity requires close collaboration and critical thinking to complete the activity. 

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12 Mind-Blowing Team Building Exercises To Supercharge Teams

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Amidst the flurry of activity that is common to a busy workplace, it’s easy for staff to become isolated from their colleagues, and interpersonal relationships often take a hit at the workplace. Team building exercises are one of the best solutions for this kind of disconnect. By introducing games and challenges that promote cohesion and camaraderie, teams interact with each other more often, stay more productive, and happy. In this post, we’ve put together 12 different activities to boost morale and improve working relationships, ranging from critical-thinking exercises like brain teasers and murder mysteries to collaborative puzzles like escape rooms.

In this blog

1. why are team building exercises essential in workplaces.

Team building exercises for work colleagues promote functional communication, providing the scaffolding for more effective working relationships. By creating a sense of trust and unity, they encourage employees to have open, frank discussions with one another that can ultimately speed up the process of finding solutions to any project issues that arise.

2. Team Building Exercises for Bonding

2.1. human knot.

The Human Knot is one of the most popular team building exercises because it’s simple to explain and requires no prep of any kind. The activity generally takes about 15 to 20 minutes and can only be performed in person, rather than virtually.

Divide everyone up into groups of between 5 and 10 people. Have each group stand in a circle, then ask them to reach out their right hand to clasp the right hand of another person. Now ask them to reach out their left hand to grasp a different person’s left hand. Once that’s done, each group must try to untangle themselves without releasing the hands they are holding.

This game develops clear communication and group discussion, as it’s impossible to untangle everybody without cooperation. It’s also an interesting way to probe which members of staff are good at solving spatial problems and which ones are naturally inclined towards assuming a leadership role.

2.2. Gutterball

Also known as the Pipeline game , gutterball is a fast-paced game that can take as little as a minute or as long as 10 minutes, depending on the level of difficulty. It does require specific equipment, but this can be cheaply purchased online .

Divide everyone up into teams of about 5 people and give each person a piece of gutter pipe, as well as one ball per team. The goal is for the quintet to move the ball from the start line to the finish line as quickly as possible without dropping it. The team that does this in the fastest time is the winner.

In some variations, teams must start all over again when they drop the ball, but if you’re looking for quick team building activities, this rule can be set aside in favor of a time penalty for each drop. While gutterball doesn’t require the same problem-solving skills as the human knot, it does necessitate skilled teamwork to keep the ball flowing down the piping.

2.3. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a flexible team-building activity that can be played in person or virtually, in small groups or large ones. There are many variations, some taking just an hour while others occupy half a day, but all the scenarios promote team bonding and resourcefulness.

If you are playing remotely, the game can be played in teams using breakout rooms . Gather everyone together on a video conferencing platform and reveal a set of items that they must find within their house. This list can be either a straightforward checklist or take the form of cryptic clues . Set a time limit for team discussions and strategizing (about 5 to 10 minutes), before letting people loose to find the items (another 5 to 10 minutes). Once the time is up, reconvene everyone and award points for each item completed. The team with the most points is declared the winner.

If you prefer an in-person scavenger hunt, the easiest way to manage it is via a professional company like Wildgoose , who will take care of all the planning and hosting, or using an app like Scavify , which allows organizers to build their journeys.

3. Critical Thinking Team Building Exercises

3.1. cast away.

How would you survive on a desert island? That’s the crux of this game, in which each person is allowed to choose 5 items that they would desire to have while trapped on an isolated island. These items can be practical or frivolous, but in either case, will reveal something about the mindset and personality of each participant.

Cast Away works well in both in-person and remote settings. In general, each person should be given 1 to 5 minutes to speak, including any time given over to questions from colleagues and any resulting discussions.

3.2. Brain Teasers

Warm up the mind with some classic brain teasers that are equally fun for virtual or in-person gatherings. There are lots of different kinds of puzzles that can be found for free online to include as part of a mini-game, including rebuses , quick crosswords , spot the difference , and riddles .

These 5-minute team building activities can be played by as many people as are present, either individually or divided into teams. After the time is up, reveal the answers and find out who fared the best. Brain teasers stimulate creativity, cognition, and concentration, which is why they are usually best used at the beginning of a team-building session or meeting.

3.3. Murder Mystery Game

Murder mystery games bring employees together for an exciting adventure that requires group problem-solving. Following in the footsteps of classic whodunnit detectives, teams must use a series of clues to figure out an elaborate homicide with multiple suspects and misleading red herrings.

It’s possible to purchase murder mystery packs so you can run your sessions with the team in the office, but it’s usually more entertaining to have a professional host oversee proceedings. Companies like Hooray Teams , for example, have several virtual murder mystery options, including a country manor, and Hollywood mystery. These are great for remote and hybrid teams to stay engaged.

4. Fun Icebreaking Team Building Exercises

4.1. guess the drawing.

Bringing the artistic side of the staff to the surface, Guess the Drawing is an entertaining activity that is great for blowing off steam and encouraging staff to relax and socialize.

Divide participants into 2 or 3 teams. Each player takes it in turn to draw an image based on a prompt , which their teammates must guess within a minute. The game continues until everyone has had a turn at drawing.

This game can be played with as many people as desired, though bear in mind that the number of participants will affect the length of the game. If playing in person, prepare a whiteboard for people to draw upon. If playing online, video-conferencing sites like Zoom have built-in virtual whiteboards , or there are websites like Drawize that facilitate free screen sharing for team play.

4.2. Would You Rather

An amusing icebreaker that helps employees get to know one another better, Would You Rather is a speculative question game that asks people to choose between two hypothetical scenarios.

To get the game started, prepare a list of questions beforehand. These can be as work-oriented or as light-hearted as desired. For example, “Would you rather be James Bond or Jack Reacher?” or “Would you rather have more work than you could ever complete or hardly have any work at all?”

The game works best as a 10-minute introductory activity, to be followed with more skills-based games. To ensure people stay engaged, keep groups to sizes of no more than 20.

4.3. Charades

Charades is a dinner party favorite that can be adapted easily for a work setting. The object of the game is for players to act out a song, book, movie, or phrase so that their teammates can correctly identify the word or words. Create your suggestions from common office lingo or use a random charade generator to prompt staff.

Nudging staff to express themselves solely through gestures is a great way to nurture creative thinking and nonverbal communication, all wrapped up in a laugh-filled social atmosphere.

Charades can be played virtually or in person with as many people as you like, though the optimum number of participants is between 10 and 15, divided into groups of 4 or 5. Games usually last between half an hour and an hour.

5. Team Building Activities for Collaboration

5.1. minefield.

A paired activity that relies on solid peer-to-peer communication and trust, Minefield requires a blindfolded person to traverse an obstacle course with the help of their partner. The goal is to make it from the start line to the finish without touching any of the objects in the way.

If the space is available, you can set up several identical obstacle courses and have pairs race through. Alternatively, time how long it takes each pair to safely navigate the minefield.

This activity normally takes around 30 to 45 minutes to complete, depending on the complexity of the obstacle course and the number of participants. To ensure that staff don’t spend too long waiting around, it’s best played with at most 16 people or 8 pairs.

5.2. Escape Room Challenge

Popularized over the last decade or so, Escape rooms are collaborative puzzles that rely on lateral thinking and teamwork for success. Participants must use their problem-solving skills to work out how to break out from a dungeon, a haunted mansion, or numerous other eerie settings.

Escape rooms can be played in person at a location that has been specially designed for the purpose or virtually with the help of hosted platforms like Hooray Teams for remote teams in mind.

Most escape rooms last about 60 minutes and have been created for groups of between 4 and 8 people, though some cater for larger parties.

5.3. Jigsaw Puzzle

Go back to the basics with one of the simplest team building activities for small groups, a jigsaw puzzle. Jigsaw puzzles have been shown to improve memory, problem solving, and concentration while simultaneously reducing stress, making them a relaxing all-rounder for team bonding.

For an activity that lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, a 100-piece jigsaw should be sufficient for four people. If there are larger numbers of participants, consider purchasing several 50-piece puzzles and seeing which team can finish first.

While jigsaws can be played online , they work best when undertaken in person. This way, employees can discuss what pieces they need for their section of the puzzle and physically swap the required parts, bringing the collaborative aspect to the fore.

6.1. What are good team building exercises?

There are loads of fantastic team building exercises to choose from, such as problem-solving games like escape rooms and murder mysteries, ice breakers such as would you rather and office bingo, and field days involving physical activities like tug of war and sack races. Choose pursuits that meet your team-building objectives, whether those are skills development or social bonding.

6.2. What is team building skills?

Common skills that can be promoted and developed during team building include active listening, group problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership. Above all, team building is an opportunity for staff to get to know one another on a deeper level, which helps develop empathy and interpersonal rapport.

6.3. What are the 4 main types of team building activities?

While there’s no definitive list of the 4 main types of team building activities, the 4 principal areas that group games encompass are communication, problem solving/critical thinking, team bonding, and fun/relaxation.

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• Inspire & Impact Collection |
• 45 team building games to improve commu ...

45 team building games to improve communication and camaraderie

Team building games bring everyone together without the added pressure of work. Here, we’ve listed 45 of the top team building activities broken down by icebreaker, problem solving, indoor, and outdoor games.

As Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana puts it, “Creating a shared experience for teams to build relationships is one of the best ways to increase trust and encourage collaboration."

Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor activities, quick icebreaker games, or activities to bond with your remote team members, we compiled a list of over 45 team building games that you’ll actually enjoy. 

How to make team building inclusive

Teams with an inclusive culture tend to be more transparent, supportive, and happy because everyone feels accepted. It’s essential to make any team activity feel productive and enjoyable for the entire group, regardless of personalities or skill sets. Whether you’re working on building an inclusive remote culture or want in-person teams to feel more comfortable together, consider the following for an inclusive team building experience:

Inclusive team building means including everyone. Depending on the type of team building activity, you may benefit from hiring an outside expert to facilitate a team building event that everyone can participate in. Plus, the activity may feel more authentic because a professional is guiding you.

If you have introverts on the team, they may not be as excited about an exercise that involves lots of social interaction and do better in small groups. 

Teammates with speech, sight, or hearing impairments may feel left out during a game that involves blindfolding players and communicating without looking at each other.

Physically active games could exclude physically impaired teammates. 

Before choosing one of the team building games from this list, take stock of everyone's abilities. Find an activity that everyone on your team can participate in. Maybe even send out an anonymous poll to see what kinds of activities your team would be willing to partake in. Ultimately, the best team building activity will be the one that everyone can enjoy.

Team icebreaker games

Icebreaker questions and activities are the perfect “getting to know you” games but they’re also fun to play with teammates you’ve known for a long time. You can play them to get everyone up to speed for a meeting (especially on those 8am calls) or use them to introduce new team members.

1. Two truths, one lie

Team size : 3+ people

Time : 2–3 minutes per person

How to play : Ask everyone in the group to come up with two facts about themselves and one lie. The more memorable the facts (e.g., I went skydiving in Costa Rica) and the more believable the lies (e.g., I have two dogs), the more fun the game will be! Then, ask each team member to present their three statements and have the group vote on which one they think is the lie.

Why this exercise is great : This game is perfect for groups who don’t know each other well yet. The details you share can be used as building blocks for late conversations (“What else did you do in Costa Rica?”) to give you a better idea of who you’re working with.

2. Penny for your thoughts

Team size : 5+ people

How to play : You’ll need a box full of pennies (or other coins) with years only as old as your youngest team member (not the time to brag about your 1937 collector’s penny). Ask every team member to draw a coin from the box and share a story, memory, or otherwise significant thing that happened to them that year. This can be anything from learning how to ride a bike to landing your first job.    

Why this exercise is great : This is a fun twist on a stress-free and simple icebreaker that gives everyone the chance to share a personal story with their team. You can play multiple rounds if the stories are on the shorter side or let team members elaborate on their stories to gain deeper insight into their lives.

3. Mood pictures

How to play : Prepare a variety of images before you play. You can collect newspaper clippings, magazine cutouts, postcards, and posters or print out different images from the internet (Pinterest is a great spot). The images should show landscapes, cities, people, shapes, or animals in a variety of colors and perspectives.

Lay all the images out and ask team members to each pick one that resonates with their current mood. Once everyone has picked an image, ask them to share what they resonated with, how it makes them feel, and why they picked it.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to get a meeting or a workshop started because it allows you to get a feel of the room in a creative and unexpected way. You don’t always have to ask your team to pick an image that reflects their mood—it can also be their expectations for a workshop, their feelings about a current project, or how they hope to feel at the end of the day. As they say, a picture’s worth a thousand words, so this exercise makes talking about feelings easier for a lot of people.

4. One word exercise

Time : 5–10 minutes 

How to play : Pick a phrase related to the meeting topic and ask everyone to write down one word that comes to mind on a post-it. Then, gather these words on a whiteboard or put them in a presentation. For example, if you’re hosting a meeting about your annual holiday event. Everyone would take a moment to respond with the first word that comes in their head. If the team is responding with words like stress or exhaustion, you might want to rethink your process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a way to collect opinions, thoughts, or feelings about a meeting that’s well within most people’s comfort zone. You’ll have the chance to read the room before diving into the topic and may uncover some concerns or questions to focus on, which will make the meeting more beneficial to everyone.

5. Back-to-back drawing

Team siz e: 4+ people 

Time : 5–10 minutes

How to play : Split your team into groups of two and make them sit back to back. Hand one person a pen and piece of paper and show the other person a picture of something that’s fairly simple to draw (e.g., a car, a flower, a house). This person now has to describe the picture to their teammate without actually saying what the item is so they can draw it. They’re allowed to describe shapes, sizes, and textures but can’t say, “Draw a lily.” Once the blind drawing is finished, compare it with the original to see how well you communicated.

Why this exercise is great : This activity is a fun way to polish your communication skills, especially your listening skills. It also gives your team a chance to get creative and innovative by thinking outside the box to describe the image to their teammate.

6. Birthday line up

Team size : 8+ people

Time : 10–15 minutes

How to play : Ask your entire team to form a line in order of their birthdays without talking to each other. You can encourage other forms of communication like sign language, gestures, or nudges. If you want to add a little bit of pressure and excitement to the exercise, add a time limit! 

Why this exercise is great : Besides learning everyone’s birthday (which can always come in handy as a conversation starter later on), this exercise encourages your team to learn to communicate towards a common goal without using words. Although this can be a challenge and get frustrating, this exercise promotes problem framing skills, cooperation, and non-verbal communication skills.

7. Charades

Team size : 8–10 people

Time : 10–25 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five people. The person who goes first is given or shown a random object (e.g., printer, stapler, keyboard) in private. They then have to demonstrate how to use the object without actually showing it in front of their team. Their team gets 30 seconds on the clock to shout out the correct word (you can adjust the time depending on the difficulty of the objects).

Then it’s the other team’s turn. You’ll keep playing until every team member has had the chance to demonstrate an object to their team. 

Why this exercise is great : This classic game is a nice way to break up a mentally taxing day and get your team to do a creative exercise that isn’t work-related.

8. Swift swap

Team size : 10–20 people

How to play :  Split your team into two groups and line them up facing each other. Team A gets a quick observation period (15–30 seconds) in which group members have to memorize as many things about the people in front of them as possible. Then team A turns around while team B changes as many things about their appearance as possible. 

Anything from changing the line up order to swapping shoes with someone or changing your hairdo is fair game. After about 45 seconds, team A turns back around and gets 5–10 minutes to find out what’s changed. You can adjust the time depending on the size of your group.

Why this exercise is great : This game is a great way to break up a long day and take everyone’s minds off work for a little while. Your team also gets to practice time-sensitive non-verbal communication during the swapping phase.

9. Code of conduct

Time : 20–30 minutes

How to play : This game is a great way to tune into a new project or workshop. Write the two categories “meaningful” and “enjoyable” on a whiteboard and ask the group to share what they believe is needed to accomplish these two things for your project or workshop. This can be anything from “regular breaks'' to “transparency and honesty,” which could fall under either category.

Everyone will choose ideas that they agree are both meaningful and enjoyable . Record these values in a shared tool to establish the code of conduct for your upcoming project or workshop. This list will function as a reminder for the team to uphold these values.

Why this exercise is great : Whether it’s the first day of a workshop, the beginning of a new project, or simply a Monday morning, this exercise is great to get everyone on your team on the same page. By establishing group norms and values early on and holding everyone accountable with a written code of conduct, you can create a sense of cohesiveness. If you’d like to do this exercise virtually, use our team brainstorming template to collect everyone’s thoughts.

10. Common thread

Team size : 10+ people

Time : 30 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three to five people. Then ask your team to find things everyone in their group has in common. This can be a favorite TV show, an ice cream flavor nobody likes, or a common hobby. Encourage your teammates to find common threads that aren’t too superficial or obvious. The more things they can find that everyone in the group has in common, the better! If you have the time, bring everyone together afterward and ask the teams to share their experiences.

Why this exercise is great : This fun game allows your team to find commonalities that they may not get a chance to discover otherwise. It’s also a great way to reunite teams that feel a bit divided. Talking about shared likes and dislikes can be helpful to reconnect you with teammates.

Remote or virtual team building games

Bonding with your teammates can be more difficult when you’re working remotely. Remote or virtual team building games can improve remote collaboration , motivate teams , and create a sense of community even though you’re physically apart. You can use Zoom to connect with your teammates or do quick team building exercises via your remote work software during the day.

If your team is located across multiple time zones, you may have to get creative with scheduling. Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana encourages leaders to schedule these activities during normal work hours. Ensure that the activity is appropriate for all participants in all time zones so no one feels excluded. Using work hours for these exercises can also increase the participation rate because you’re not interfering with personal time.

11. Show and tell  

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to bring something they’re proud of or that brings them joy to your next meeting. This can be anything from a pet to a plant, a painting they did, or a certificate they received. Everyone gets two to three minutes to show off their item and answer questions from the team if they have any.

Why this exercise is great : Show and tell isn’t just fun for kids, it’s also a great way to connect with your team. You’re probably going to learn something new about your teammates and may get a couple of conversation starters for your next meeting from this game.

12. Photo caption contest 

How to play : Collect a few funny photos—for example a few memes that have recently been circling the internet. Send these to your team before the meeting and ask everyone to submit their best photo caption for each image. You can put these together in a quick presentation and present them to your team during the call. You can have a good laugh together and even vote for the best captions.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a fun way to get creative as a team and have a good laugh together.

13. Morning coffee 

Time : 15–30 minutes

How to play : Schedule regular coffee calls for your remote team to give everyone a chance to get to know each other like they would in an office setting. You can schedule team calls with four to five people or randomly assign two people to each other that switch every time. You can offer these casual calls once a week, bi-weekly, or once a month, depending on your team size and the interest in this opportunity. 

Why this exercise is great : Remote teams don’t often get a chance to just chit-chat and get to know each other without talking about work or feeling like they’re wasting meeting time. By designating 15–30 minutes on a regular basis to a casual call, your team members will have a chance to bond with people they might not typically interact with.

14. Lunch and learn

How to play : Hold a weekly or monthly “lunch and learn” where one team member presents a topic to the whole team during their lunch break. This presentation can be on a tool everyone uses at work, on a lesson learned from a recent project, or even on a book they read that everyone can learn from. 

Why this exercise is great : These events are a great opportunity for your team to connect in a more casual yet educational setting. If your team budget allows, send restaurant gift cards to your team members so they can order lunch for the call.

15. Online group game  

Time : 30–60 minutes

How to play : Invite your team to play a game online together. This can be an actual video game if everyone happens to use the same console at home or you can download an interactive game (like Jackbox ) which you can screen share with the rest of the group. 

Why this exercise is great : Playing a video game or an interactive game that has nothing to do with work can be a fun way to switch things up, create a more casual work environment, and get to know each other better. It will also give people with great sportsmanship a chance to shine!

16. Trivia games 

Team size : 6–20 people

Time : 30–90 minutes

How to play : Start a meeting with a quick game of trivia or host a regular virtual trivia night at the end of the work day. You can play a game of office trivia (e.g., facts about the company) or pick random other themes like TV shows, music, or national parks. To mix things up, ask other team members to host trivia night.

Why this exercise is great : Whether you’re making the trivia game office-themed or creating a regular team activity that takes everyone’s minds off of work, you’ll get to spend time with your team playing a competitive, educational, and entertaining game that gives everyone a chance to bond.

17. Quarterly challenge  

Time : One month

How to play : Create an optional challenge for your team to participate in. The challenge can be centered around healthy eating, meditation, journaling, or reading. Create a chat or thread where your teammates can exchange their experiences, wins, and questions to keep each other motivated and accountable throughout the month. 

Make sure your team knows that participation is optional. It never hurts to ask for feedback to spark future team challenge ideas.

Why this exercise is great : Creating a challenge like this for your team shows them that you care about their work-life balance. By offering a quarterly challenge, you provide your team with the opportunity to share an experience together. Plus, it’s always easier to complete a challenge when you have a team who supports you and an incentive to work toward.  

18. Personality test  

How to play : Send a personality test to your team and ask everyone to share their results in a chat or during your next team meeting. This can be a formal test like the Enneagram or StrengthsFinder . For something more lighthearted, you can send a fun quiz like the Sorting Hat to find out which Hogwarts house you belong in or a Buzzfeed quiz (e.g., “ What Kitchen Appliance Are You? ”).

Why this exercise is great : Depending on the type of quiz your team takes, this can become a funny icebreaker before you start a meeting or turn into a discussion on your team’s combined strengths and challenges. 

Problem solving games

Playing problem solving games with your team helps them level up their teamwork skills, resolve issues, achieve goals, and excel together. Whether you’re using new brainstorming techniques or going out for a team adventure, these fun team building activities are the perfect way to improve your team's problem solving skills.

19. Your first idea

Team size : 5–12 people

Time : 10–20 minutes

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to write down the first idea that pops into their head when they’re presented with the problem. Compile the list and review it as a team.

A fun twist on this game is to ask everyone to write down their worst idea. After reviewing with the team, you may realize that some ideas aren’t that bad after all. You can play this game with a real-life problem, a fictional one, or when you’re brainstorming new ideas to pitch.

Why this exercise is great : We often get too much into our heads about problems and solutions. By writing down the first solution that comes to mind, we can uncover new perspectives and fixes.

20. Back of the napkin

Team size : 6–24 people

Time : 15–20 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four and present them with a variety of open-ended problems. These can be work-related, imaginary, or even environmental problems. Every team gets a napkin and pen that they have to sketch or write their solution on after they’ve discussed the issue as a group. These will then be presented to the rest of the team.

Why this exercise is great : Some of the best ideas have allegedly been recorded on napkins (hey, when creativity strikes you’ll write on anything). This game imitates this scenario while challenging your team to collaborate on solving a creative problem.

21. Create your own

How to play : Each team member will create an original problem-solving activity on their own and present it to the group. Whether this entails a physical, mental, or creative challenge is up to your team. If you have the time, play some of the games afterward!

Why this exercise is great : Coming up with your own games is fun and a real creative challenge. It also allows your team members to showcase their strengths by creating challenges they’ll be prepared to tackle.

22. Spectrum mapping

Team size : 5–15 people

How to play : Present your team with a few topics that you’d like their opinions and insight on. Write them down on a whiteboard and give everyone sticky notes and pens. Ask them to write down their thoughts and pin them on the whiteboard underneath the respective topic.

Now arrange the sticky notes as a team. Try to group similar ideas together to the left of the topic and post outliers toward the right side. This will create a spectrum of popular thoughts and opinions on the left and more extreme ideas on the right.

Why this exercise is great : This game will help you map out the diversity of perspectives your team has on different topics. Remember that unpopular opinions don’t have to be wrong. Embracing this diversity can help you uncover new perspectives and innovative ideas to solve problems you’re facing as a team. 

23. What would “X” do? 

Team size : 5–10 people

Time : 45–60 minutes

How to play : Present your team with a problem and ask everyone to come up with a famous person or leader they admire. This can be a celebrity, a business person, or a relative. Challenge your teammates to approach the problem as if they were that person and present their solution (extra points for playing in character).

Why this exercise is great : Getting stuck in your own head can often keep you from solving a problem efficiently and effectively. By stepping into the shoes of someone else, you may uncover new solutions. Plus, it’s fun pretending to be someone else for a little while!

24. Team pursuit

Time : 1–3 hours

How to play : Form groups of two to six people that will compete against one another in a series of challenges. You can buy a team pursuit package online or create your own game, which will take a good amount of prep time. 

You’ll want to create a set of challenges for your team: cerebral challenges that test logic and intelligence, skill challenges like aptitude tests, and mystery challenges which usually ask for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking (e.g., come up with a unique handshake, take a fun picture, etc.).  

Why this exercise is great : A solid game of team pursuit will create a fun challenge that gives everyone a chance to shine and show off their talents. Whether you’re a good runner, a quick thinker, or a creative mind, everyone will be able to contribute to the success of the team. This game will bring your team closer together and show them new sides of their teammates that they may not have been aware of.

25. Code break

Team size : 8–24 people

How to play : This brain teaser is a fun activity that you can play indoors or outdoors to challenge your team. Outback Team Building offers self-hosted, remote-hosted, and on-site hosted events that include several codes your teammates have to find and break to make it through the course.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge requires creative thinking, creates a competitive environment, and works with large groups because you can break off into smaller groups.

26. Escape room

Time : 2–3 hours

How to play : Visiting an escape room is always a unique experience and a great way to spend an afternoon with your team. If you have multiple escape rooms nearby, ask your team if they have a general idea of what theme they’d like to explore (e.g., history, horror, sci-fi) and try to pick something you’ll think everyone will enjoy.

If you’re super creative and have the time and resources, you can put together an escape room on your own!

Why this exercise is great : Solving the mysteries of an escape room with your team will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your teammates, foster communication and collaboration, build trust, and become a shared memory that connects you together.

Indoor team building games

Most of these indoor games can be played in an office, conference room, or a hallway with a small team, but you may need a bit more space if you’re inviting a larger group to join in.

27. Perfect square

Team size : 4–12 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four to six and ask them to stand in a tight circle with their group. Ask everyone to blindfold themselves or close their eyes and give one person a rope. Without looking at what they're doing, the teams now have to pass the rope around so everyone holds a piece of it and then form a perfect square. Once the team is sure their square is perfect, they can lay the rope down on the floor, take off their blindfolds (or open their eyes) and see how well they did. 

Why this exercise is great : This game is about more than perfect geometric shapes, it’s an amazing listening and communication exercise. Because no one can see what they're doing, your team members have to communicate clearly while figuring out how to create a square out of a rope. Besides, it’s often really funny to see how imperfect the squares come out.

28. Memory wall

How to play : You’ll need a whiteboard and sticky notes for this game. Write different work-related themes on the whiteboard such as “first day at work,” “team celebration,” and “work travel.” Hand each teammate a few sticky notes and ask them to write down their favorite memories or accomplishments associated with one or more of these themes. Invite everyone to share these with the team to take a walk down memory lane and post the notes on the whiteboard as you go.

Why this exercise is great : This is a nice way to end a week, long day, or workshop because you’ll share positive experiences with one another that will leave your teammates smiling. If you’re finishing up a work trip or multi-day workshop, you can also do a slimmed-down version of this by asking everyone to share their favorite memory or biggest accomplishment of the last few days.

29. Turn back time  

How to play : This team building exercise works best in a quiet atmosphere with everyone sitting in a circle. Ask your team to silently think of a unique memory in their lives. You can give them a few minutes to collect their thoughts. Then, ask everyone to share the one memory they’d like to relive if they could turn back time.

Not everyone may be comfortable opening up at first, so be sure to lead with vulnerability and make everyone in the room feel safe about sharing their moment.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to help your team members remember their priorities and bond on a deeper level. In a team that’s facing disconnection or stress, sharing personal highlights that aren’t work-related can help create a sense of togetherness. Although the exercise doesn’t take too long, it’s best to do it toward the end of the day so your team has a chance to reflect on what’s been said.

30. Paper plane  

Team size : 6–12 people

How to play : Split your team into groups of two to four and hand out card stock. Give each team 10–15 minutes to come up with the best long-distance paper plane design (they’re allowed to do research on their phones or computers) and a name for their airline.

When the paper planes are done, have a competition in a long hallway or outside to see which plane flies the farthest. 

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires team members to collaborate on a project with a tight timeline. It is a great activity to practice communication skills, delegation, and time management.

31. Build a tower

Team size : 8–16 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five and provide them with 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. Challenge each team to build the tallest tower possible using only the supplies you gave them. When finished, the tower has to support the marshmallow sitting on top. Set the timer for 20 minutes and ask everyone to step away from their masterpiece when it runs out so you can crown a winner.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge is a great way to improve problem solving skills and communication within your team. Your team members will have to prototype, build, and present the tower in a short amount of time, which can be stressful. The better they work together, the more likely they are to succeed.

32. Flip it over

Team size : 6–8 people

How to play : Lay a towel, blanket, or sheet on the floor and ask your teammates to stand on it. The goal is to flip the piece over without ever stepping off of it or touching the ground outside of the fabric. You can make the challenge more difficult by adding more people to the team or using a smaller sheet.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires clear communication, cooperation, and a good sense of humor. It’s a great way to find out how well your teammates cooperate when presented with an oddly difficult task.

33. Sneak a peek 

Team size : 4–20 people

How to play : Create a structure out of Lego pieces and hide it in a separate room. Divide your team into groups of two to four people and give them enough Legos to replicate the structure in 30 minutes or less.

One player per team is allowed to sneak a peek at the original structure for 15 seconds, then run back and describe it to their team. The person who gets to sneak a peek rotates so everyone gets to see the original at some point during the game. The team that first completes the structure as close to the original wins! 

Why this exercise is great : During this game your team gets to focus on teamwork and communication. Since only one person at a time is allowed to look at the original, team members may see and describe different things. The more complex the structure is, the harder this game will be.

34. Pyramids

How to play : Pick a large open area for this game like a hallway, a meeting room, or the cafeteria. Divide your team into groups of four to six and give each team 10 paper cups. Ask the teams to stand in a line with about 8–10 feet between the team members. Now it’s a race against time!

The first person in each line has to build a pyramid with four cups at the base. Once they’re done, the second player has to help them carry the pyramid to their station (this can be on the floor or at a table). They can slide it on the floor or carry it together but if the pyramid falls apart, the players have to reassemble it on the spot before continuing their journey. At the next station, the second player has to topple the pyramid and rebuild it before the third player gets to help them carry it to the next station. This continues until the pyramid reaches the last station. The team that finishes first wins the game

Why this exercise is great : This game is fun to play during a mid-day break, fosters communication skills, and promotes teamwork.

35. Shipwrecked

Team size : 8–25 people

How to play : The premise of the game is that you’re stranded on a deserted island and only have 25 minutes to secure survival items off the sinking ship. Place items like water bottles, matches, food, etc., in the “shipwreck area.” You can also print pictures on index cards to make things a bit easier. The quantity of each item should be limited, with some items having more than others (e.g., more water than food, fewer tarps than teams, more knives than ropes, etc.).

Divide your team into groups of two (or more if it’s a large team). Once the clock starts, they have to gather as many items as they deem worthy from the shipwreck and rank them in order of importance. Since the items are limited (some more than others), the teams will not only have to prioritize the items within their own group of people but also negotiate, trade, and exchange items with other teams. 

Why this exercise is great : This game will challenge problem-solving abilities, encourage collaboration, and enable your team to flex their leadership skills. Typically, teams with strong leadership qualities will have the most success in making these quick decisions.

36. Team flag

Time : 30–45 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four people and provide them with paper and pens. Each group now has to come up with an emblem or flag that represents their team. Once everyone has completed their masterpiece, they have to present it to the rest of the teams, explaining how they came up with the design. This exercise is also a great opportunity to discuss how each group identified their common values and created alignment during the design process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Your team will not only have to come up with a unique design that represents their collective identity but they’ll also have to collaborate on putting pen to paper and presenting their flag or emblem at the end of the game.

37. Salt and pepper  

How to play : You’ll need a list of things that go well together like salt and pepper, left sock and right sock, day and night, peanut butter and jelly, or yin and yang. Write these words on individual pieces of paper and tape one sheet of paper on every team member's back. 

Ask your team to mingle and find out what’s written on their back by asking questions that can only be answered with yes or no (e.g., “Am I sweet? Do you wear me? Am I cold?”). Once the participants find out who they are, they have to find their match!

Why this exercise is great : Your team can use this game to bond with one another and improve their communication skills. If you have a large team, this exercise also gives them a chance to interact with people they may not usually get to talk to.

38. Sell it

Time : 45–90 minutes

How to play : Ask your teammates to each bring a random object to the meeting. Everyone then has to come up with a logo, slogan, and marketing plan to sell this object. After 30 minutes, each team member has to present their new product to the rest of the team. If you have a larger team, divide them into groups of 2–4 people and ask them to collaborate on their product pitch.

Why this exercise is great : This game is great to switch things up if you don’t already work in marketing or sales. It’s also fun to play with others as it allows your team to get creative and have fun with everyday objects.

39. The barter puzzle

Time : 1–2 hours

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three or four people and give each a different jigsaw puzzle of the same difficulty level. Ask them to complete the puzzle as a team. The twist: each puzzle is missing a few pieces that are mixed in with an opposing team’s puzzle. The teams have to figure out ways to get the pieces they need from the other teams by negotiating, trading pieces, or even exchanging teammates. Every decision has to be made as a team. The first team to complete their puzzle wins.

Why this exercise is great : Every decision made will have to be a group decision which challenges your team to improve their problem solving skills.  

Outdoor team building exercises

If you want to get a larger group together for a team building exercise, why not take things outside? Outdoor team building is also a great way to get your teammates to interact without the distractions of screens or smartphones. Whether you want to catch a breath of fresh air or get some sunshine together, these exercises will help you bond with your teammates outside of the office.

40. The minefield

Team size : 4–10 people

How to play : Create a minefield in a parking lot or another large, open space by sporadically placing objects like papers, balls, cones, and bottles. Split your team into groups of two and ask one person to put on a blindfold. The other person now has to guide the blindfolded teammate through the minefield only using their words. The blindfolded person is not allowed to talk and will be eliminated if they stop walking or step on anything in the minefield. 

The objective of the game is to make it to the other side of the minefield. The teams can then switch so another person will be blindfolded and guided through the field on their way back. You can also distribute pieces the blindfolded person has to pick up on their way through the field to add another difficulty level.

Why this exercise is great : This game is not just a trust exercise for your teammates but also a fun way to practice active listening skills and clear communication.

41. Earth-ball  

Team size : 5–20 people

Time : 15–45 minutes

How to play : You’ll need a balloon, beach ball, or volleyball for this activity. Ask your team to stand in a circle and keep the balloon or ball in the air for as long as possible. To make it a real challenge, no one can touch the ball twice in a row. The bigger your team, the more fun this game will be!

Why this exercise is great : This fun challenge is a great way to get your team moving. If you’re struggling to keep the ball up for longer, try to come up with a strategy to improve your time.

42. Scavenger hunt

How to play : Put together a scavenger hunt for your team. This can be in the form of a list of photographs they have to take (e.g., something red, all teammates in front of the company logo, the CEO’s car, etc.), items they have to collect (e.g., company brochure, yellow sticky note with manager’s signature on it, ketchup packet from the cafeteria, etc.), or other activities they have to complete on a designated route. 

Why this exercise is great : The more people that tag along, the more fun this game will be. You can group people together who don’t know each other very well to allow them time to bond during this exercise. Try to come up with company-specific quests for your team so they learn a few fun facts along the way. You can offer prizes for the most creative team or the first to finish the challenge to boost motivation.

43. Egg drop 

Time : 60–90 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two or three people and give each team a raw egg (keep some extras in case they break before the grand finale). Then put out supplies like tape, straws, rubber bands, newspapers, and balloons so the teams can build a structure for the raw egg that will protect it from a fall out of a second or third story window. 

Each team has 60 minutes to complete their structure. When the time is up, ask your teams to gather their eggs and egg cages to drop them out of the window. This grand finale will reveal which team engineered and built the best cage.

Why this exercise is great : Collaborating on a design and building a cage will challenge your team’s problem solving and collaboration skills.

44. Team outing

Team size : Any

How to play : Plan an outing for your team. You could attend a cooking class or go to a museum together. If you want to have something your teammates can work toward, plan to run a 5K together or host a ping pong tournament. You can also do something more casual like inviting your team to hangout at a bowling alley after work where you can play a few games in a casual and fun setting.

Why this exercise is great : Taking your team somewhere new will help break down some of the walls we often build in a professional setting. While you’re still at a company function, you’re more inclined to connect through casual conversation at a restaurant or park than you would at the office.

45. Volunteer as a team

How to play : Organize a team event during your regularly scheduled workday. This can be a charity event, yard sale, or fundraiser for a cause your team cares about. Even though these are enjoyable, scheduling them during work hours makes this feel like more of a perk than an obligation.

If your team members have a few causes they’re truly passionate about, consider making this a monthly or quarterly event. You can also rotate the charities that you’re helping out to accommodate your team’s different interests.

Why this exercise is great : Experiencing helper’s high can improve your personal health and mental state. Sharing this rush that doing good can give you will help your team bond on a deeper level. 

Benefits of team building

Team building is more than a fun break from your everyday routine at work. It also:

Improves communication, trust, and collaboration skills

Promotes a collaborative culture by bringing teammates together

Fosters agile decision making and problem solving skills

Boosts team productivity and morale

Uses creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking

Ashley Frabasilio believes that:

A common goal is to create a memorable and meaningful experience for folks to connect. Some questions to consider when planning an impactful team-building activity include: What do I hope folks walk away with? I.e., a new skill, a deeper connection to one another, personal development, a moment of delight, etc.”

Ask yourself these questions before proposing a team building activity so you can reap the full benefits of the exercise.

Bring your team together, creatively

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to build your team’s confidence, connection, and teamwork skills. While team building is fun, it’s also important to connect with your team on an everyday basis. To build one of those connections in your day-to-day work, the right collaboration software is key. 

Looking for the right collaboration tool? See how Asana keeps your team connected, no matter where you’re working. 

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Top 7 Team Building Games That Promotes Critical Thinking

Workforce collaboration is nothing but strength to achieve great things with united efforts and mutual trust among individuals. Team building games are fun activities that help to break the pattern of a monotonous daily routine. Some games help in acquiring critical thinking skills, which make individuals productive and increase their output in the workplace. In the same context, educational institutions develop future employees. A sure-shot method to groom the next generation for education is to foster critical thinking. Yes, we know that there’s a lot to learn in terms of curriculum and textbooks, but education is more than that. Other skills that include how to get along with peers and cooperate well with others must be sharpened too. This isn’t something that can be refined through memorization or with strategically placed banners.

Teamwork should be practiced by students and employees to improve social dynamics . Team building exercises are a step in that direction as they permit the students to work together in tandem. This allows them to be better prepared for the situations and eventually encounter in the workplace as well. Let us have a look at some of the team-building games that can help in promoting critical thinking:

1. Egg Drop This activity is more suitable for older kids who can follow safety guidelines as it can get messy working with raw eggs. This activity aims to find a method to save the egg in a creative collaboration. It could involve finding a soft landing spot or constructing a device that could guide the egg safely to the ground. There’s a lot of space for the creativity of children along with problem-solving abilities to kick in.

2. The Worst-case Scenario Students are divided into two or more teams and each team is given a problematic scenario, like getting lost in the middle of a sea or being stranded on a deserted island. Then they are asked to work together in their teams to solve the given situation and come out successfully. The kids need to find a solution in which everyone arrives safely out of that worst-case scenario. In this case, children can be asked to think of the items that they must use in such a scenario or consider any other passages that they can find and use. Since kids are required to work together, it caters to developing their problem-solving skills and makes them learn the importance of cooperation in teams.

3. Zoom Zoom is an exciting game used in the classroom to foster cooperation in the workplace. The team sits or stands in a circle, and each team is given a unique picture of an animal, object, or other items. To make it more exciting, the teacher or instructor begins a unique story then the next member continues the story following the picture provided.

4. Dare to be different There are various real-world situations in which individuals must use out-of-the-box thinking to come up with solutions to common problems. ‘Dare to be different’ encourages children to think outside of the box to solve a problem together. Introduce a basic concept and then ask the children to come up with an unconventional solution. For example, a group has to eat Burrito without making a mess. This will enhance critical thinking in individuals.

5. It’s a mystery No one can deny the fact that children love solving mysteries and puzzles. Thus, designing a good mystery game can help them in staying engaged. The instructor gives every child a clue with a number. The mystery-solving begins with children coordinating with each other. They get clues from each successive number and this leads them to the final solution. We believe that such games promote a fun-filled learning environment that teaches adults the importance of accountability and enhances productivity.

Conclusion It might take some trial and error to figure out which team-building games are the best fit for your students or employees.

Don’t get discouraged if some games don’t go as well as you expected them to be. Simply keep trying different critical thinking games, observing the ones that are the most effective.

While education technology is a basic and essential part of the 21st-century classroom, teachers must still make sure that students are engaging with each other in meaningful ways. Team building games are a great method of doing this, so they can never go out of style. Taking examples from these childhood games, employees can get better at their productivity and output.

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Article • 16 min read

Team Building Exercises – Creativity

Strengthening creative thinking in your team.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Jessica has a great team. Each person she manages is capable, experienced and hard working. But in team meetings, people seem reluctant to share insights and ideas.

What's more, even though everyone respects one another's views, they seem afraid to say things that might be perceived as silly, off-the-wall or wrong.

Jessica wants her team meetings to buzz with activity. She pictures a scene where people bounce ideas around, inspiring and challenging one another with their creativity and passion. But the reality is quite different.

What can Jessica do to invigorate team meetings and give people the confidence to join in and be more creative?

This article looks at five team-building activities you can use to strengthen your team members' creative thinking and collaboration skills.

Supporting Creative Thinking

Creativity is essential for driving innovation and a commercially competitive spirit. Yet, as organizations grow, the structures they put in place to improve productivity and efficiency often stifle creativity.

When organizations focus on productivity, they impose rigid procedures that make it difficult for team members to be creative, so it's important that managers support creative thinking. According to business and management professors Nora Madjar, Greg Oldham and Michael Pratt , employees who felt they were supported in their creative endeavors demonstrated significantly greater creativity than those who didn't. [1]

Research also shows that managers who make it clear that they expect team members to work creatively are perceived as being more supportive of new ideas. [2] One way to do this is through creative thinking exercises that enhance and encourage creativity in your team.

Creativity exercises also help people relax and de-stress. By encouraging play, interaction and bonding, they also help to increase engagement and improve morale.

Creativity Exercises

Use the exercises below to help your team think more creatively , or to "jump-start" a stalled problem-solving session.

You can use them in various ways, for example with department-specific or cross-functional teams . You could also use them to strengthen trust and communication between senior leaders, middle managers and front-line employees.

Exercise 1: Brainstorming

No article about promoting creativity in groups would be complete without the all time classic – Brainstorming .

Use brainstorming whenever you need to generate new ideas. Deciding which ideas to use comes later.

People and Materials

• Someone to record ideas.
• Something to record them on: sticky notes, a whiteboard, a flip chart, etc.
• Sticky dots.
• Flexible: typically 15-20 minutes.

Instructions

Brainstorming was the brainchild of advertising executive, Alex Osborne, and quickly became the most widely used creativity technique in the world. Today, there are many different versions of the rules, but there were only four in Osborne's original account:

• Focus on quantity.
• Withhold criticism.
• Welcome unusual ideas.
• Combine ideas and link them together.

Advice for the Facilitator

By the end of the activity, your team should have come up with a large number of ideas, some of which could have great potential.

Rather than treating the exercise as an end in itself, and letting all those ideas go to waste, use Affinity Diagrams to group related ideas together. Then, invite people to vote on their favorite ideas using the sticky dots, and discuss why they thought those were the best. You could then schedule a follow-up session for the team to come up with a plan for implementing their ideas.

If there is time at the end of the brainstorming session, ask the participants whether they thought it was a useful exercise in terms of team building as well as idea generation. Discuss what skills people need to participate fully, such as listening , encouraging , and persuading others .

Exercise 2: Debate

Psychology Professor Charlan Nemeth, of Berkeley and the London Business School, challenges the orthodox view of brainstorming. Her research showed that the instruction not to criticize the ideas generated can be counterproductive. [3] Instead, brainstorming participants who freely debated came up with significantly more and better ideas, both in their meeting and afterwards, than their counterparts who conformed to the usual rules. Nemeth’s theory is that dissent invigorates our thinking, even if it can feel difficult.

This exercise gives your team the chance to experience increased creativity through debate. Together they’ll practice being open to hearing and suggesting new ideas, and help break down barriers to their performance in the future.

• Present your group with a problem that needs to be solved.
• Ask them to generate as many ideas as possible.
• Freewheeling is welcome – encourage team members to say anything that comes to mind.
• Encourage debate and discussion of ideas as they arise.

During a debating session, discussion – and even criticism – of one another's ideas is to be encouraged, but it is important that the participants focus on the problem at hand, and criticism is not allowed to become personal. You may wish to borrow the "rules" of Constructive Controversy to keep the debate positive and cooperative.

At the end of the session, ask each person to write down any ideas they had during the session that they did not express, and also any ideas they may have had now that the discussion is over. Don't force people to share these ideas publicly, but discuss, first, their reasons for not expressing ideas – was it a case of self-censorship, fear of disapproval, or simply that someone else was speaking at the time, and the moment passed?

Second, talk about the ideas that people had after the session was complete. Discuss how debating with others stimulates your thoughts. Sometimes, you need time to digest all that has been said so that, after a period of reflection, yet more ideas are generated. Talk also about how individuals felt when others criticized their ideas. Did it shut them down, or open them up to new perspectives?

When all the ideas have been collated, encourage the group to reach a consensus on the best solution using a technique like Multi-Voting , and consider arranging a follow-up session to begin implementing the best ideas.

Exercise 3: Rolestorming

Rolestorming is a type of roleplay activity. It's great for encouraging team members to lose their inhibitions by adopting another character. It also helps them explore different perspectives and opinions, opening their minds to different viewpoints and helping them come up with new ideas in the process.

Team members are asked to approach a specified problem or issue from someone else's perspective. This could be a world leader, a celebrity, a hero, another member of the company or team, or even a family member.

Use this exercise to help cross-functional teams understand one another's roles better. This is also an ideal activity for exploring ways to improve company procedures, by removing bottlenecks and making handovers between teams more efficient.

Rolestorming can also be used any time you need to spark fresh ideas and re-energize a brainstorming or problem-solving session.

• Any number of team members – people can work on their own, or in pairs or small groups.
• A list of "role models," each written on a small slip of paper. There should be enough role models for everyone taking part in the exercise.
• Paper and a pencil for each person to jot down notes.
• Flexible: Typically 15-20 minutes.
• Ask everyone on your team to take a slip of paper.
• Make sure each person knows who their role model is before you begin the activity. If they're unfamiliar with this person, let them choose again.
• Tell everyone to think like their role model: how would this person approach the problem? Give them ten minutes to come up with as many ideas as possible.
• Once the time is up, discuss each person or group's approach to the problem.

Write everyone's ideas on a whiteboard. Talk about how this activity helped them break their current thinking patterns and come up with fresh ideas.

If the activity involved pretending to be someone else from the group, consider allowing that person to give their perspective and facilitate further discussion about the implications of their role that may not be obvious to "outsiders." This will help the team to understand one another's roles and responsibilities more clearly, so that they can work together more efficiently in future.

Use role models that everyone will be familiar with.

If you are asking team members to think like one another, it may be safer to ask them to think like an unnamed person in that role (an account manager, a developer, a project manager, etc.), rather than risk things becoming personal.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to use leaders in the business world. Well-known figures from literature, history, movies, politics, and pop culture would work as well. Some examples include:

• Sir Richard Branson.
• Hillary Clinton.
• Steve Jobs.
• Mahatma Ghandi.

Exercise 4: Balloon Sculptures

Encouraging your team to "think out of the box" can be a great way to get them to drop their defenses and connect with one another.

In " Quick Team Building Activities for Busy Managers ," Brian Cole Miller suggests getting your team members to make balloon sculptures that reflect how they see the team. [4] For example, balloons that are linked together could represent interdependence, while ones that are touching show connectivity.

This team building activity spurs creative thinking and helps team members express their commitment to the group. It's also useful as a way to discuss difficulties and communication breakdowns when people are not cooperating well.

• One long balloon for each team member, along with spares.
• A number of balloon pumps (not necessary but helpful).

Instead of using balloons, you can build sculptures with building blocks, or even with your organization's products.

• Give one balloon to each member of your team. Demonstrate how to blow the balloons up, leaving an inch or more at one end to give enough room to twist the balloon into the sculpture without bursting it.
• Tell everyone to work together to build a balloon sculpture that represents the team.

The informal nature of this activity can be particularly useful for building a team where individuals have different levels of authority. Often at work, participants lower down the organizational hierarchy feel inhibited by a more senior person's status. A non-threatening activity like this, which does not call for people to demonstrate great knowledge or skills, can help people connect with one another.

Often, different roles will emerge within the group that do not reflect their formal roles in the organization. Natural leaders may emerge to organize the activity, and people who typically perform very structured roles may demonstrate surprising creativity and flair.

Once the activity is finished, talk to your team about their experience. Ask what they have learned about other participants that they didn't know before, and how they think this activity will benefit future teamwork. Consider conducting a Team Management Profile based on the exercise.

To complete the exercise ask a representative from the team to present the finished sculpture to you, to the group – or even to another team at work – and discuss what the final design represents.

Exercise 5: All the News

In " The Big Book of Leadership Games ," Vasudha Deming suggests this exercise, in which you ask your team to mock up a newspaper predicting future events in your organization. [5]

All the News allows team members to get creative about what they think will happen in the organization or department in the future. It also promotes collaboration, loyalty and a sense of empowerment, as they develop an appreciation of how each participant is capable of shaping future outcomes.

You may prefer to keep this activity for an occasion when you can dedicate more time to it, such as at a team building Away Day or company retreat .

• Enough people for groups of three to four participants, or a larger group of six.
• Photocopies of the instructions for each group.
• A flip chart and marker.
• Tape, scissors, glue sticks, and plenty of newspapers (spanning different days) for each group.

45 minutes to one hour.

• Each group will put together a newspaper using headlines only (not full stories). If you have one large group, ask them to create a complete paper. If you have several small groups, ask each to create a different section of the newspaper.
• With the help of the participants, list the different sections (international news, local news, sports, arts and entertainment, and so on) on the flip chart. Assign sections to each group.
• Pass out the instruction sheet and go over it so that everyone understands what they're doing. Remember, the group will create a newspaper, or newspaper section, out of headlines only. Ask them to "report" on predicted events. Be creative in how you interpret each section. You could, for example, use the obituary section to cover future "deceased" policies, products or procedures.
• Once everyone has finished, put the newspapers up on the wall so everyone can read them.

At the end of the activity, talk with your team about how it helped foster collaboration and spur creative thinking. Discuss Tuckman's stages of team formation and the Four Dimensions of Relational Work , and look at how the group evolved. What roles emerged? Did anyone adopt the role of "editor," for example, and how did everyone else feel about that?

Ask everyone how they came to an agreement about what to put in the paper. Encourage participants to discuss the implications of particularly interesting stories. What inspired them? What emotions do they arouse in others? Do people agree or disagree with the vision of the future that they convey? And what, if anything, do they think should be done about it?

Consider bringing the group together again some months later to revisit their newspaper and see if their vision of the future has changed at all. What do they think of their headlines now?

Creative thinking is essential in organizations today. It is necessary for driving innovation and competitive spirit and an excellent way to promote team building, communication, trust, and problem solving skills.

One of the best ways to build creative thinking skills is to use exercises that encourage "out-of-the-box" thinking. Five examples of creative team building exercise are:

• Brainstorming
• Rolestorming
• Balloon Sculptures
• All the News

[1] Madjar, N., Oldham, G.R., and Pratt, M.G. (2002) 'There's No Place Like Home? The Contributions of Work and Nonwork Creativity Support to Employees' Creative Performance,' Academy of Management Journal , Volume 45, Number 4, August 2002. (Available here .)

[2] Tierney, P. and Farmer, S. (2004) 'The Pygmalion Process and Employee Creativity,' Journal of Management , Volume 30, Number 3, June 2004. (Available here .)

[3] Nemeth, C. J., Personnaz, B., Personnaz, M., and Goncalo, J.A. (2004) 'The liberating role of conflict in group creativity: A study in two countries,' European Journal of Social Psychology , 34, 365-374. (Available here .)

[4] Miller, B. (2003). " Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers ." New York: AMACOM.

[5] Deming, V. 2004. " The Big Book of Leadership Games ." McGraw-Hill.

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100 Modern Team-Building Activities For Work In 2024 Your Team Will Actually Enjoy

Estimated reading time: 23 minutes

What Is Team-Building?

9 virtual and hybrid team-building activities, 34 in-office team-building activities, 25 outside-the-office team-building activities, 11 ongoing team-building activities, 7 happy hour team-building activities, 5 charitable team-building activities, 9 holiday team-building activities, how to get a team-building program started.

Organizations implement team-building activities in hopes of fostering a positive work environment and strengthening workplace relationships. Yet, they often elicit groans and eye rolls from even the most enthusiastic team players.

From awkward icebreakers to trust falls, many traditional team-building activities can feel cliché and uninspired. It’s no wonder employees might dread these events and view them as a waste of time.

When executed well, team-building can be a critical ingredient for creating a positive work environment:

• Nurtures Workplace Relationships : Team-building activities provide opportunities for employees to get to know each other beyond their work roles. They can break down barriers and create personal connections . Interpersonal connections within the workplace are important as they can increase job satisfaction and improve the group dynamic.
• Cultivates Trust : Trust is essential for effective teamwork and team-building activities can be an excellent way to build trust among colleagues. Activities that require team members to rely on each other to complete a task or to support one another in challenging situations can help to create a sense of interdependence within the team.
• Fosters Creativity : Engagement in team-building activities can help to stimulate creativity and encourage innovative thinking. By breaking away from the regular day-to-day routine, team members are given the opportunity to approach problems in a new way and to develop fresh perspectives, keeping inspiration alive within the group.
• Promotes Collaboration : Team-building activities that require working as a unit to achieve a common goal, promote collaborative thinking and group problem-solving. These qualities translate to workplace productivity and efficiency and create a sense of shared purpose within the team.
• Improves Company Culture : A positive company culture is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, and team-building activities can help foster teamwork and connection. By investing in these activities, organizations create a healthy, functioning work environment, increasing job satisfaction and employee retention .

As the valuable benefits clearly display, team-building activities shouldn’t be written off altogether. The problem arises when they become “ mandatory fun ” and are executed without a purpose in mind. Matching unique and engaging activities to the needs of a team is a fail-safe way to produce powerful team-building exercises.

Is the team just getting to know each other? Try some unique icebreakers. Is the team lacking collaboration or communication? Try some activities that engage them in working towards a common goal. Does the team seem burnt out and unmotivated? Try a field trip outside of the office or implement meditation sessions.

Looking for more ideas like this? There are 100 more below!

In order to create effective team-building activities, it’s important to understand what team-building is and what it tries to achieve. At its core, team-building is the continuous process of transforming a group into a cohesive unit. By regularly scheduling team-building activities, leaders can nurture trust, support, and collaboration within a group, which translates to greater productivity, efficiency, and workplace satisfaction.

100 Team-Building Activities

1. Virtual Escape Room : This immersive experience involves team members working together to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and ultimately escape a virtual room. It promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, all while having fun.

2. Team Jeopardy : This exciting twist on the classic game show sparks friendly competition and builds camaraderie. Teams compete against each other in a variety of categories, testing their knowledge and quick-thinking skills. This activity is educational, engaging, and inclusive.

3. Time Travel Trivia : This twist on traditional trivia takes your team on a journey through different eras of history and pop culture. Teams work together to answer trivia questions about different time periods, creating an opportunity for collaboration where everyone can learn something new about each other’s time periods.

4. Murder Mystery : Teams work together to solve a fictional crime, following clues and gathering evidence to uncover the culprit. It promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills within a uniquely immersive experience.

5. GeoGuesser : This fun and challenging geography game tests your team’s knowledge of different locations around the world. Teams work together to guess the correct location based on visual clues, promoting teamwork and collaboration skills. It can also spark conversations about dream destinations or favorite travel experiences.

6. Code Names : This game of strategy and deduction involves teams working together to identify a set of secret code names while avoiding the opposing team’s code names. It promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, all while delivering friendly competition against peers.

7. Dialogue Space : In these informal and optional meetings, participants can discuss sensitive topics regarding mental health, identity, and other “taboo” topics in a non-judgmental space. This creates feelings of closeness and safety while fostering deeper connections between team members.

8. Coffee Chat : Many people begin their mornings with a cup of coffee, so why not turn it into a team bonding opportunity? Similar to catching up with an old friend at a coffee shop, participants can join these optional “coffee chats” before the workday to get to know their colleagues better while sipping on a cup of joe.

9. Bucket List : Participants share three to five things on their bucket lists with the team. This is a great way for team members to learn about each other’s dreams, passions, and aspirations.

10. Tied Together : This game involves tying pairs of colleagues together, either by the wrists or the ankles, and challenging them to work together to complete different tasks. It promotes teamwork and communication while having a good laugh.

11. Blindfold Challenge : In this challenge, team members are blindfolded and must rely on verbal communication from their colleagues to complete tasks. It’s a great way to build trust among the team, as participants must rely on each other to succeed.

12. Solve A Puzzle : Whether it’s a jigsaw puzzle or a brain teaser, team members must work together to solve what they’re given. This challenging activity bonds colleagues while flexing their cognitive muscles.

13. Barter Puzzle : This puzzle-based activity involves giving groups different puzzles to solve in a race against other teams. The catch is that some puzzle pieces will be randomly mixed with other groups’ pieces. Teams must trade pieces with other teams to complete their puzzle, encouraging teams to work together to negotiate with each other.

14. Taboo : This is a fast-paced game in which teams must guess words without using specified “taboo” words or phrases. It’s a great way to encourage team members to think outside the box and sharpen their communication skills.

15. Lego Building : Bringing back this childhood favorite will surely spark many team members’ interests. By building or designing a Lego structure as a team, participants practice their problem-solving and collaboration skills.

16. Dinner Party : What better way to bond than over food? A classic dinner party can be executed potluck-style by assigning groups to prepare different courses or by having the whole team cook a meal together.

17. Human Knot : This physical team-building activity involves having team members untangle themselves from a “human knot” without letting go of each other’s hands. It’s a great way to promote teamwork and communication skills. Wash your hands first!

18. Flip The Tarp : This activity involves challenging team members to flip a tarp while standing on top of it, all without touching the ground. This unites the team in achieving a common goal while promoting communication skills.

19. Hedbanz : In this interactive game, team members wear a card on their heads and must guess what it is by asking their colleagues yes or no questions. This promotes communication and patience.

20. Charades : This classic game involves acting out words or phrases without speaking while team members try to guess the correct answers. This is a great way for participants to get out of their comfort zones and share plenty of laughs.

21. Swift Swap : In this game, Team A gets a short observation period to memorize the appearance of everyone on Team B. Team B then changes elements of their appearance— from switching shoes to changing hairstyles—and Team A must guess what’s different.

22. Common Thread : This activity involves dividing the team into groups and having them figure out commonalities among all members— from favorite foods to previous travel destinations. This is a great way for colleagues to learn about each other’s interests and bond with like-minded individuals.

23. Salt & Pepper : In this game, the team is divided into pairs and given a card to wear on their heads with a secret word. The words are things that go well together, like peanut butter and jelly, yin and yang, or sun and moon. Participants must find their match by mingling and asking yes or no questions.

24. Two Truths & A Lie : This game involves individuals sharing two facts about themselves and one lie while the rest of the team must guess the lie. This is a great way for colleagues to get to know each other.

25. Minute To Win It : This fun and fast-paced activity challenges the team to complete various tasks in 60 seconds or less. From stacking cups to balancing pencils, these challenges encourage creativity, communication, and problem-solving skills, all while providing lots of entertainment.

26. Gamathon : This involves creating a tournament out of board games, card games, or video games, ensuring a fun experience with a hint of friendly competition. Jenga or Mario Kart are always fan favorites!

27. Bingo : For a twist on this classic game, the squares can describe certain traits or experiences, like “oldest sibling” or “worked in a different industry,” creating the opportunity for team members to learn more about each other.

28. Real-Life Social Media Profiles : Each team member creates their own “real-life” social media profile with a posterboard, photos, markers, and thumbtacks. Colleagues can “comment” and like other people’s social media profiles with sticky notes and stickers.

29. Team Emblem : Small groups create their own emblem, flag, or shield. This can be done through a graphic design platform or by hand with art supplies. Not only will this get the team’s creative juices flowing, but it also builds a sense of identity and cohesiveness.

30. Game Of Possibilities : Give an object to a team member, who’ll then act out using that object for a different purpose; for example, chopsticks for knitting; exercising creativity. The team must guess what the object is being used for.

31. Vision Board : Team members can create individual vision boards that they can share with each other or create one as a single unit. This will encourage goal-setting, visualizations of future aspirations, and creativity.

32. Pottery : Instead of a pottery class, provide team members with air-dry clay and paint and let their imaginations run wild. This activity will relieve stress from the workday by engaging them in a creative, childlike activity.

33. Simulated Problem : Give small groups a hypothetical work-related problem. Then, ask them to brainstorm solutions and create a plan to address the problem. This involves problem-solving and collaboration while helping the team feel comfortable and prepared if they ever face a similar workplace issue.

34. Dream Day : The team is divided into pairs, and one person shares their idea of a perfect day with their partner. Their partner then must retell their dream day to the best of their ability, exercising team members’ listening skills.

35. Shark Tank : Inspired by the hit TV show, the team is divided into groups, and a few members will be on the “shark panel.” Each group must come up with a million-dollar business idea to pitch to the sharks, who’ll choose which idea to “invest” in. This promotes teamwork and exercises entrepreneurial skills.

36. Balance The Stick : The whole team must lower a single stick—like a pipe or bamboo stick—to the ground using only their index fingers, exercising collaboration and communication.

37. Categories : The team is divided into pairs, and each pair is given several random objects. One partner must sort the objects into categories, and the other partner guesses what the categories are. Then, the roles switch. This encourages creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

38. Counting Game : This game has a simple goal—to count to 20 as a team. The catch is that if two members say a number at once, the game starts over. This requires coordination, patience, and teamwork.

39. TikTok Challenges : With the rise of TikTok, getting your team to do some viral TikTok challenges or trends is a fun way for individuals to showcase their creativity and build camaraderie.

40. Stranded : The team is divided into groups and given a list of items such as a first aid kit, water bottle, canned food, rope, matches, etc. Each group must work together to rank the items in order of most important to least important to have if they were stranded on an island. This promotes decision-making skills and collaboration.

41. Back-To-Back Drawing : Partners sit back-to-back, with one person provided with a picture and the other provided with a pen and paper. The person with the picture must describe the picture to their partner using shapes, sizes, textures, and colors—anything without actually saying what it is. The person with the pen and paper must draw the picture based on their partner’s instructions, promoting communication and creativity.

42. Silver Linings : After being divided into pairs, a team member tells a story of a bad experience they had, and their partner will retell the story highlighting the positive aspects. This is a great way to develop optimistic thinking among the team.

43. Birthday Lineup : The team must order themselves in a line based on birthdays without speaking, relying solely on nonverbal communication and collaboration.

44. Yoga/Mindfulness Session : Inviting team members to join a yoga or mindfulness/meditation session can help participants connect on a deeper level while promoting individual well-being and stress relief.

45. Team Picnic : Choose a scenic outdoor location and bring plenty of blankets, chairs, and a variety of picnic foods to share. There can also be games, activities, and music to create a fun and festive atmosphere. The goal of the Picnic Party is to promote a sense of community by bonding over a shared meal and encouraging team members to get to know each other in an informal and relaxed setting.

46. Pet Party : Pet owners will love this activity that puts the focus on their furry friends. Have team members bring their pets to a local park or choose a day on which employees can bring them into the office. Not only are animal lovers bound to bond, but spending time with animals can relieve stress and promote emotional well-being.

47. City Scavenger Hunt : This interactive experience involves team members using clues to find landmarks or objects in their city. This promotes teamwork and problem-solving skills while providing a sense of adventure and exploration.

48. Ping Pong Or Dodgeball Tournament : These games test hand-eye coordination, but as a team-building tournament, they can create exciting memories and promote teamwork.

49. Sports Game : A game of basketball or soccer will get sports lovers excited while giving them the opportunity to teach their colleagues how to play. This promotes camaraderie and physical well-being.

50. Group Walk Or Hike : This gets team members outside, moving, and talking – boosting mental, physical, and social well-being. A walk is a great opportunity to stroll and chat, while a hike encourages colleagues to support each other during a more challenging activity.

51. Group Bike Ride : This is another way for team members to enjoy the sunshine while incorporating gentle exercise. Plus, they can explore a new location!

52. Water Sports : For those who live near a body of water, water sports are guaranteed to be a fun and exciting activity. From paddleboarding and kayaking to water skiing and rafting, the options are endless.

53. Go Karting : This thrilling outing will surely connect team members over a fun experience and give them a break from the office.

54. Laser tag : This activity promotes healthy competition and encourages team members to strategize with each other while having a blast.

55. Egg Drop : In this activity, teams are given a raw egg and a variety of materials, such as straws, tape, and balloons. They must work together to design and build a contraption that’ll protect the egg from breaking when dropped from a height, promoting teamwork and innovation.

56. Egg Toss : Teams stand facing each other and toss an egg back and forth. After each successful catch, the teams take a step back, increasing the distance between them. The goal is to see which team can toss the egg back and forth the longest without breaking it, promoting collaboration.

57. Movie Night : A movie night involves little effort while providing team members the opportunity to unwind, relax, and bond. This will foster a positive company culture and boost team morale.

58. Cooking Class : Taking a cooking class is a fun way to learn new skills as a team, work together to curate a delicious meal, and bond over culinary delights.

59. Improv Class : An improv class will get team members out of their comfort zones, promote silly interactions, and bring lots of laughter.

60. Food Trucks Or Food Hall : For teams with varying food restrictions or preferences, trying different food trucks or visiting a food hall is an inclusive activity that’ll leave everyone happy and fulfilled.

61. Mystery Dinner : Before the dinner, team members are only informed about the date and time of the dinner. On the day of the dinner, each person is sent an email with the restaurant and who they’ll be going with. This builds connections between colleagues who haven’t previously interacted with each other and encourages greater participation by breaking up a larger team into small groups.

62. Museum : A trip to a museum can be a source of inspiration and creativity while offering an opportunity for exploration and learning.

63. Karaoke Night : A karaoke night is a fun way for team members to let loose to their favorite songs – and it might expose some hidden musical talent!

64. Field Day : Through a series of outdoor games and competitions, team members will boost their physical well-being, learn to work as a team, and engage in friendly competition.

65. Rock Climbing : This activity involves challenge, trust, and of course, lots of fun.

66. Virtual Reality : A virtual reality experience is a cutting-edge team-building activity that can transport team members outside their office or city—without ever actually leaving!

67. Amusement Park : A trip to an amusement park is sure to be a treat for the team and will leave them with lasting shared memories of enjoying rides and games together.

68. Camping : A camping trip can promote teamwork through tasks like setting up tents while creating lasting memories through roasting s’mores, stargazing, and getting to know one another. “Glamping” is a higher maintenance, yet just as fun, alternative!

69. Rose & Thorns : This activity can be an ongoing segment in meetings in which team members share their “thorns” of the week—a challenge or struggle they faced—and their “roses” — an accomplishment or highlight.

70. Weekend In A Word : This activity can be added to Monday meetings in which team members must describe their weekend in one word. This alleviates the pressure to share intimate details or extravagant stories while still providing the opportunity for team members to get a glimpse into each other’s lives.

71. Make A Team Playlist : Creating a collaborative playlist that team members can continuously add to will help individuals learn about each other’s music tastes while building a go-to playlist for the office!

72. Photo Captions : This can be an ongoing activity in which a photo is sent out in a group chat, and team members must comment with captions for the photo. This will keep the team laughing while encouraging quick thinking and creativity.

73. GIF Wars : A prompt is sent out to a group chat, and team members respond with relevant GIFs. This can be a weekly activity that adds some humor to the day.

74. Buzzfeed/Personality Quizzes : Fun personality quizzes are sent out in a group chat, and team members respond with their results. These can be fun and lighthearted for a good laugh.

75. Praise Train : One team member is assigned a colleague at the beginning of the week and shares something positive they noticed about them at the end of the week. This can be an accomplishment, a kind action, or something admirable about them. This fosters an environment of appreciation.

76. This Describes How I Feel Today : Team members describe how they feel on a given day, but without using emotions as their answers. For example, they can describe their mood using a color or animal. This relieves the pressure of being completely emotionally vulnerable and encourages creative thinking.

77. Book Club : Starting a company book club promotes intellectual growth while encouraging team members to connect over shared interests.

78. Form An Intramural League : For a team filled with athletes, forming an intramural league is a great option for the opportunity to get active, competitive, and bond regularly.

79. Lunch & Learn : This weekly team-building activity turns employees’ lunch break into an opportunity to learn a new skill and uncover their colleagues’ unspoken talents. Team members can volunteer to share a skill they’ve developed—from a new language to crocheting—with the team over their lunch break.

80. Wine & Cheese Tasting : This interactive activity involves sampling various wines and cheeses while learning about their flavor profiles and origins. It encourages team members to socialize and bond over their shared love for good food and drinks.

81. Brewery : A trip to a local brewery is perfect for a team of beer lovers. Sip on some crisp craft beers while learning about the brewing process and history of different beers. Who knows, the team might learn a thing or two about teamwork from the master brewers!

82. Mixology Session : Stir up some fun with a hands-on mixology session! Get the team’s creative juices flowing as they learn how to create delicious cocktails. They’ll be shaking, stirring, and sipping their way to bonding in no time.

83. Poker Night : Have the team raise the stakes and bond over a friendly game of poker. This activity is perfect for honing strategic thinking and decision-making skills while also bringing team members closer together in a fun and social environment.

84. Themed Happy Hour : Party with a purpose by hosting a themed happy hour. Bring the team together around a common interest or theme like “Around the World,” “80’s Disco Party”, or “Red Carpet,” in which team members bring related cocktails.

85. Chopped Cocktail Competition : Based on Food Network’s “Chopped,” team members must work together to create unique cocktails with surprise ingredients, all while practicing collaboration and communication.

86. Paint & Sip : This fun and relaxing activity involves sipping on wine or cocktails and painting without pressure. This is a great opportunity for creative expression and getting to know colleagues.

87. Make Blankets For Charity : The heart-warming activity of making blankets promotes creativity and teamwork while helping those in need stay cozy during the chilly seasons.

88. Build Something For Charity : Whether it’s toys or a playground, building something for a charity organization is a great activity to promote problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork.

89. Plant A Garden : Planting a garden brings team members together to provide fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs to a community in need.

90. Food Prep : The team can choose to prepare meals for a homeless shelter, a food bank, or start a canned food drive. Smaller groups can participate in a local soup kitchen. These activities promote organizational skills, communication, and time management while supporting a great cause — feeding the hungry.

91. Beach Cleanup : For those located near a beach (or a park), a beach cleanup is a perfect way to bond while preserving the environment. Plus, the team can enjoy some sunshine and a fun beach day afterward!

92. Independence Day Trivia : Test the team’s knowledge of the land of the free and the home of the brave with a round of Independence Day Trivia.

93. Valentine’s Day Card Crafting : Have the team get crafty with a fun and festive card crafting session. They can create personalized cards to send to loved ones or donate to a local charity.

94. Pumpkin Carving : This fun activity is perfect for getting into the spooky spirit while bonding with team members, whether they are master carvers or first-timers.

95. Thanksgiving Potluck : Gather the team for a feast in which team members bring their favorite holiday dishes. This is a great opportunity to learn about team members’ food-related traditions and give thanks.

96. Cookie Swaps : Perfect for any season, homemade cookie swaps are a fun way to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth and learn new recipes from team members.

97. White Elephant : This holiday classic is a fun way to spread the holiday spirit and doesn’t have to be expensive to participate in. The budget can be around $10-20.

98. Secret Santa : This is a great way for teammates to get to know each other and spread love through gift-giving. By providing the team with their assigned individuals in advance, each person can take the initiative to learn more about each other’s interests, so they can pick out the perfect personalized gift.

99. Gingerbread House Contest : Divide the team into groups and put their decorating skills to the test. This fun and festive activity promotes collaboration and teamwork.

100. Glow & Grow : End the year with a period of reflection by having team members share their “glows”—accomplishments of the year—and “grows” – New Year’s resolutions. This is a great way to give teammates some praise while creating a sense of accountability for their future goals.

An effective team-building program considers team-building as a process, not a singular activity. Fostering a positive work environment with a dynamic and high-performing unit of individuals takes time and consistent effort. Here are some things to keep in mind when getting started on a team-building program:

1. Form A Leadership Team : Establish a dedicated team to oversee and guide the development and implementation of a team-building program.

2. Schedule Events Regularly : Team-building is like developing any other relationship; it is a continual process and not a one-off activity. Scheduling regular events will help to maintain momentum and reinforce the team’s connection.

3. Be Creative In Framing : Avoid referring to team-building efforts as “team-building” workshops. Think creatively and frame the events in an engaging and fun way.

4. Never Force Fun : Certain activities might be uncomfortable for some employees. While they can be highly enjoyable, make sure that attendance is voluntary. Forced participation can have a counterproductive effect on team morale.

5. Focus On Play : It’s crucial to remember that team-building events aren’t just another work meeting. Encourage your team to embrace having fun and socializing, promoting an environment that fosters well-being and employee engagement .

This article was last updated on March 1, 202 4

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22 Team Building Activities for Happier Employees

Morgane Lança

Finding ideas for team-building activities is easy enough… Right? The thing is that many team-building activities are dreaded by employees, leading to poor participation rates and disengagement. So, how can you ensure you organize successful team-building events that will attract the most participants? Read on to discover tips from managers and fun team-building activities that will foster team cohesion and positive memories in the workplace!

Fun Games and Conversation Starters to Break the Ice Once and For All

It might be difficult for your employees to go beyond surface-level interpersonal relationships. However, these ideas of icebreaker team-building games will foster team spirit!

1) Puzzle games: Puzzle games are classic games that require critical thinking, and they are also a great team-building exercise.

“ Puzzle games are engaging games that encourage everyone to lead, cooperate and collaborate – three key ingredients for collaboration success! Not only does playing this puzzle create trust among peers, but it also boosts morale while strengthening communication. ” – Marie Harutyunyan, Co-founder at Loopex Digital

2) Movie screenings: Movies are great conversation starters. You can ask your teams their favorite movies or movie genres and let the visual magic do the rest!

3) Board game nights: They are easy to organize, cost and time-efficient, and people pleasers. Everyone can join in with their favorite board games and chat with their colleagues.

4) Book clubs: Book clubs encourage employee participation in corporate activities – they can vote for the book they want to read each month – and create opportunities for in-depth conversations between employees from different teams and departments. They are also perfect activities for remote workers.

5) Escape rooms: These activities are great because they require problem-solving skills and communication skills to be completed. Furthermore, they are accessible to the entire team.

6) Scavenger hunts: Like escape rooms, they encourage teamwork and communication skills. They can also be organized quickly, and you can prepare a prize or recognition messages on pieces of paper that the employees will find along the way.

Ideas of Activities to Promote Physical and Mental Health in the Workplace

Why not tackle two issues at once by organizing team-building activities focusing on your staff’s global health? Healthier, happier employees are known to be more productive and engaged. Here are some ideas that can help you:

7) Workations: Working in a different environment might be the change of pace your team needs. Workations prevent burnout , reduce stress levels, and various team-building activities can be organized throughout the stay.

8) Sports events: Healthy competition is nice, but relationship building matters the most here, so remember to make the sports events accessible to all and favor team sports to encourage team collaboration.

9) Team breaks: You can go beyond the usual reminder to take breaks and organize weekly team breaks where everyone goes out to lunch, settles comfortably in the resting area, or takes a nap, depending on individual needs!

10) Outdoor activities: Getting out of the office or the house to enjoy a picnic, take a hike, or a simple walk in nature is always appreciated. Employees will be less likely to talk exclusively about work and will enjoy a breath of fresh air.

11) Yoga sessions: Yoga is a good workout option because of its accessibility and practicality. However, any workout break is an excellent idea as it reduces stress and encourages teams to move throughout the day.

Themed Activities that Fit Your Company Culture

Team-building activities are a great opportunity to promote your company culture and values. For example, if you are working for a nonprofit organization, it might be a good idea to organize team activities related to your mission. Here are helpful examples:

12) Team volunteering: Coming together to accomplish a common goal is a great use of everyone’s time and creates strong bonds between team members. These volunteering activities should take place during working hours and reflect the company’s commitment to a worthy cause.

13) Recognition events: Recognition galas are great opportunities to express gratitude among team members. Everyone can appreciate coworkers’ accomplishments or positive attitudes, which creates close-knit interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

14) Welcome, birthday and farewell parties: Building a positive employee experience starts from the very first day in the company and continues through the last work day. Organizing onboarding, birthday and farewell events helps employees feel appreciated throughout their lifecycle while maintaining a great team dynamic.

15) Company-wide events: Celebrating corporate achievements or milestones is a great way to increase employee engagement. You can also organize holiday events yearly by throwing a Halloween party or an end-of-year get-together .

16) Gift exchanges: Corporate gifts are not only a great way to express >employee recognition , they can also be used to strengthen teams by organizing annual gift exchanges. Everyone loves to see kindness in the workplace!

Skill and Knowledge Development Activities

Who doesn’t like to learn new things while having fun? You can turn learning opportunities into team-building activities, and vice-versa. Here are some helpful ideas:

17) Industry and professional seminars: They might not be directly associated with fun times, but these events are great ways to strengthen bonds among teams while providing learning and networking opportunities.

“ A fun activity we have done is to bring in industry experts to conduct workshops or training sessions related to our field. This not only enhances employees’ knowledge but also fosters a sense of community and camaraderie within the team. For instance, our sales team enjoys attending sales conferences and events, which provide them with networking opportunities and help them stay up-to-date with industry trends, so we have worked with other businesses in our area to set up our own networking coffee mornings. This not only got the team networking and honing their skills, it brought opportunities to find out how we could work with local businesses. ” – Sharon Heather, Business Development Director at EasyMerchant Limited

18) On-site training focused on teamwork: Who said that learning has to be boring? Team training can be focused on soft skills such as teamwork and collaboration skills. These learning opportunities will also increase team productivity.

19) Employee knowledge-sharing meetings: Every single employee has unique sets of skills and knowledge to bring to the table. You can benefit from these individual strengths by organizing weekly roundtable discussions during which a team member can talk about their work, their professional skills, or new tips and tricks they just learned.

20) Lunch and Learns: These lunches are well-known and well-loved for a reason: they’re effective, and everyone can join during their midday breaks. You can invite field experts to share their knowledge and everyone in the team gets the same learning experience, which can lead to interesting discussions.

21) Activities based on individual skills and hobbies: For more personalized takes on team building activities, you can survey your teams and find out what their specific interests are. If an employee is really good at sewing, it’s your cue to organize a sewing course during which they will be able to share their tips if they wish to.

22) Trivia games and quiz nights: Trivia questions and games are a great way to learn while having fun. These types of activities are also easy to organize, and everyone can actively participate in them. You can try dividing the teams by department.

Don’t Forget Your Remote Teams!

It bears reminding that remote employees have to be included in your team activities planning. Our examples of team building activities are easily adaptable to remote and virtual contexts, so feel free to tweak them to your needs and let your imagination do the rest!

Furthermore, managing remote teams and measuring their satisfaction can be tricky. Pro tip: send regular pulse surveys to analyze their levels of engagement and stay on the right track throughout the year! Folks Surveys’ employee engagement solution provides tools to help you effectively measure employee satisfaction and happiness . Request your free demo today !

Nowadays, you need to go beyond the usual team lunch to increase employee engagement levels and build a sense of community in the workplace. While good intentions are great, actions are what will make a difference in employee happiness and retention . Feel free to use our team building activity ideas and adapt them to your needs with creative thinking to find the perfect recipe for your reality.

Psst… Here are the best HR memes to share during team events!

Organize effective team building activities and increase employee happiness:

Survey your employees to create engagement plans that fit their expectations!

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In recent years, Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) have been at the forefront of HR discussions and are taking on an increasingly important role in companies’ human resources management. But more concretely, what is an HRIS software solution? What are its key features, and above all, how can it help you reach your organizational goals?

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Critical Thinking Exercises for Employees: Boosting Workplace Problem-Solving Skills

In today’s fast-paced work environment, critical thinking skills are essential for success. By engaging in critical thinking exercises, employees can refine their ability to evaluate information, solve complex problems, and communicate effectively. These skills not only contribute to individual success but also promote a more innovative and productive work environment.

Critical thinking also plays a crucial role in leadership and management, as well as fostering effective teamwork. Managers who possess strong critical thinking skills are better equipped to guide their teams in problem-solving and decision-making processes. By incorporating critical thinking exercises into employee training, organizations can cultivate a culture that values innovation, creativity, and adaptability.

Key Takeaways

• Critical thinking exercises help employees develop problem-solving and communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking is essential for effective leadership, management, and teamwork.
• Fostering critical thinking in the workplace leads to a more innovative and productive environment.

Understanding Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a vital skill for employees in the business world, as it enables individuals to analyze complex situations, identify biases, and make informed decisions through creative problem-solving methods. This cognitive process encourages a deeper understanding of problems and promotes the ability to approach them from multiple perspectives.

Developing critical thinking skills involves being aware of one’s own biases and working towards eliminating them. Bias can significantly impact how we approach problems and may result in making distorted decisions. By recognizing and addressing these biases, employees can harness their critical thinking abilities to make impartial and robust decisions in the business landscape.

One essential component of critical thinking is the ability to analyze information. This involves breaking down a problem into its constituent parts, understanding their relationships, and evaluating the significance of each element. Through thorough analysis, employees can gain a comprehensive view of the situation and consider various aspects before making well-informed decisions.

In the context of problem-solving, critical thinking encourages employees to explore new perspectives and think beyond conventional solutions. By adopting a creative approach, individuals can generate novel ideas and innovations, which can lead to improved business results and overall growth.

In conclusion, it is crucial for employees to develop and hone their critical thinking skills, as they enable individuals to navigate complex business environments effectively. By addressing biases, conducting robust analysis, and adopting creative problem-solving strategies, employees can make well-informed decisions that contribute to the success and longevity of the organization.

The Importance of Critical Thinking in the Workplace

Critical thinking is an essential skill for employees to possess in the modern workplace. It involves the ability to carefully and systematically analyze information, consider multiple perspectives, and make well-informed decisions. By enhancing decision-making abilities, critical thinking can lead to improved workplace performance and increased job satisfaction.

In the workplace , critical thinking allows for a more thorough evaluation of issues, helping to identify potential problems or opportunities. This is particularly important in today’s fast-paced, competitive environment, where companies need to stay ahead of industry trends and anticipate the needs of their customers. Employees who possess strong critical thinking skills can help their team effectively navigate the challenges that arise in any industry.

Furthermore, critical thinking plays a significant role in evaluating evidence and determining the credibility of information sources. Employees who can scrutinize data, identify patterns, and draw inferences can make more informed decisions and contribute to their team’s success. As a result, employers often seek to hire individuals with strong critical thinking abilities.

In a team setting, critical thinking helps facilitate productive discussions and collaboration. Members of a team who can effectively analyze situations, question assumptions, and remain open-minded to the opinions of others contribute positively to the decision-making process. This ensures that a diverse range of perspectives is considered, leading to better outcomes for the company.

Ultimately, developing critical thinking skills in employees is not just beneficial for the individual worker and their direct colleagues, but it also impacts the overall success of the organization. By fostering an environment that encourages the growth of critical thinking skills, employers can not only increase productivity but also create a more positive and engaged work culture.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Mindful observation.

Mindful observation is a valuable exercise for enhancing critical thinking skills. Encourage employees to take a step back and observe their surroundings, paying close attention to details that may have previously gone unnoticed. This practice helps employees develop the ability to analyze situations more thoroughly and interpret information more effectively.

Active Listening

Active listening is essential for effective communication and leadership. Encourage employees to practice active listening by giving their full attention to the speaker, avoiding interrupting, and providing constructive feedback. Active listening promotes the development of critical thinking skills by fostering open-mindedness, empathy, and understanding in the workplace.

Asking Questions

Asking questions is a key component of critical thinking, as it encourages employees to inquire deeper into subjects and analyze all aspects of an issue. Employers can foster a work environment that supports curiosity by encouraging team members to ask both open-ended and closed-ended questions and offering guidance when needed.

Assessing Evidence and Drawing Conclusions

Teaching employees how to evaluate evidence and draw informed conclusions is crucial for the development of critical thinking skills. Use thinking exercises that involve employees analyzing and evaluating various sources of information, ultimately forming an inference that leads to an informed decision. Pairing employees with a mentor is helpful for providing guidance and support throughout the process.

Recognizing and Managing Biases

Biases can greatly impact critical thinking and decision-making. Encourage employees to recognize their own biases and learn how to manage them effectively. Employees can benefit from understanding the impact of these biases on their thought process and how to minimize their influence to make objective, well-reasoned conclusions.

By incorporating these exercises and strategies into the workplace, employees can develop critical thinking skills that strengthen their overall performance, communication, and leadership abilities.

Critical Thinking and Communication

Critical thinking and communication go hand in hand in the workplace. Developing both skills can enhance employees’ ability to solve problems, make decisions, and work effectively in teams. By engaging in critical thinking exercises that involve clear communication and open discussion, employees can improve their cognitive abilities and interpersonal skills.

One exercise to improve critical thinking and communication is explaining a problem to someone else. This allows employees to fully understand a situation and consider all possible options for resolution. Encouraging employees to articulate their thought processes and rationale can lead to improved cognitive skills .

Another useful technique is group discussions, which can stimulate critical thinking and promote clear communication. By engaging in conversations where various perspectives are considered, employees can develop the ability to analyze information objectively and reevaluate their initial assumptions. Fostering open-mindedness and empathy for others’ viewpoints can also build strong communication skills in the workplace .

In addition to exercises, employees should continuously practice self-awareness. Becoming more conscious of their thought processes, values, ethics, and beliefs will enhance their critical thinking abilities . Developing self-awareness also encourages employees to reflect on their communication styles and identify areas that need improvement.

Implementing these critical thinking and communication exercises in the workplace can lead to more efficient problem-solving, enhanced team dynamics, and improved performance across the organization. By fostering a culture of open discussion and clear communication, employers can empower their teams to make well-informed decisions and excel in their respective roles.

Applying Critical Thinking to Problem Solving

Effective problem solving requires employees to utilize critical thinking skills. By carefully analyzing information, asking questions, and determining the best course of action, employees will be more likely to arrive at creative and innovative solutions to challenges.

A key aspect of critical thinking in problem solving is to question assumptions. Employees should be encouraged to identify any preconceived notions or biases that may be influencing their thought processes. This will help them approach the problem with a more open and objective perspective.

Another essential component is seeking alternative viewpoints, even if it means playing the devil’s advocate. By considering different perspectives and exploring various possibilities, employees will be better equipped to discover innovative solutions that might not have been immediately apparent.

Critical thinking also involves evaluating the effectiveness of potential solutions. Employees should be encouraged to analyze the pros and cons of each option, as well as consider any potential long-term impacts. This process can help identify the most viable and successful solutions for a given problem.

In order to foster a culture of critical thinking within the workplace, managers can provide support by encouraging employees to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and explore alternative perspectives. Additionally, providing opportunities for learning and growth can help employees further develop their critical thinking skills, ultimately leading to more effective problem solving and increased innovation.

In summary, critical thinking is essential for effective problem-solving at work. By questioning assumptions, exploring various perspectives, and evaluating potential solutions, employees can confidently recommend creative and innovative approaches to overcoming challenges. This will not only lead to better outcomes for the organization, but also foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth.

Critical Thinking in Leadership and Management

Developing critical thinking skills in leadership and management positions is crucial for making informed decisions, driving company growth, and ensuring employee satisfaction. By enhancing their cognitive abilities, leaders and managers become better at decision-making, hiring processes, and overall performance.

In the realm of leadership, critical thinking helps leaders to understand the logical relationships between ideas and recognize the importance of an argument. This enables them to identify mistakes in reasoning and make well-informed choices, thus driving superior organizational outcomes as mentioned here .

Certainly, nurturing critical thinking in management is essential for improving cognition . This includes decision-making skills, the ability to identify potential pitfalls, and dealing with complex situations. By integrating critical thinking into management practices, companies can boost employee engagement, improve workplace morale, and ultimately succeed in a competitive business landscape.

Incorporating critical thinking exercises into hiring processes allows employers to better assess candidates’ abilities objectively. By focusing on problem-solving and communication skills during the interview process, managers can identify high-potential talent who demonstrate strong critical thinking competencies.

Investing time in building and improving critical thinking skills not only benefits individuals but also the overall success of an organization. By supporting employees in developing their cognitive abilities, leaders and managers both play a crucial role in promoting a culture of critical thinking that will lead to better decision-making and stronger company performance.

In conclusion, fostering critical thinking in leadership and management enables better decision-making, more effective hiring processes, and improved organizational performance. Strong cognitive abilities empower leaders and managers to approach complex situations with confidence and clarity, driving overall growth and success.

Critical Thinking in Team Building

Incorporating critical thinking exercises within team building activities is essential for fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving amongst employees. By engaging team members in activities that require them to consider multiple perspectives and work together to reach a conclusion, companies can significantly improve their team’s performance.

One effective critical thinking activity for team building is Debate It Out . In this exercise, teams are assigned a controversial topic and asked to come to a consensus. Participants must research and present opposing viewpoints, encouraging the consideration of multiple perspectives. This debate process encourages employees to challenge preconceived notions, question assumptions, and ultimately strengthen their critical thinking skills.

Another beneficial exercise involves conducting Reverse-engineering Google activities. In this scenario, participants work together to reverse-engineer a successful past project or campaign. This collaborative approach allows team members to learn from each other’s experiences, assumptions, and mistakes while analyzing the factors that contributed to the project’s success.

Brainstorming is another critical thinking team building activity that can generate diverse ideas and encourage innovation. By setting specific goals or challenges, team members collaborate to provide multiple solutions to a given problem. Encourage employees to think beyond the obvious answers, providing a safe space for innovative and unusual ideas.

In summary, promoting critical thinking within team building exercises is essential for strengthening collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Implementing activities such as debates, reverse-engineering Google tasks, and brainstorming can foster robust critical thinking skills amongst team members and ultimately lead to improved team performance.

Evaluating Potential Job Candidates for Critical Thinking Skills

Screening for critical thinking.

When evaluating potential job candidates, it’s important to assess their critical thinking skills as part of the hiring process. These skills are essential for both hard and soft skills, making them valuable across various roles and industries.

A vital step to measure critical thinking is through the initial screening process. To do this effectively, recruiters can utilize pre-employment tests that focus on evaluating candidates’ analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and decision-making skills. These assessments can be administered online for a more efficient process while narrowing down the applicant pool.

In addition, it’s helpful to include open-ended questions on job application forms, which require a demonstration of critical thinking. For instance, candidates can be asked to provide examples of situations where they needed to use critical thinking skills to resolve a problem.

Assessing Analytical Skills during Interviews

During the interview stage, hiring managers have the opportunity to further evaluate a candidate’s critical thinking abilities. Incorporating critical-thinking interview questions can reveal valuable insights into their thought processes and how they approach problem-solving.

Asking situational and behavioral questions can provide excellent insight into a candidate’s analytical capabilities. Employers may ask questions that require candidates to analyze specific scenarios, or they may inquire about past experiences where candidates employed their critical thinking skills.

Using case studies or real-life scenarios during interviews is also an effective method for assessing critical thinking abilities. Presenting candidates with a complex problem or task can help gauge their skills in problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluation.

It’s essential to have a structured approach when evaluating candidates’ analytical skills, as it enables hiring managers to compare their abilities objectively. This will ultimately help them make informed decisions when selecting the best-suited candidate for the job.

By effectively screening and assessing job candidates’ critical thinking skills, companies can confidently hire employees with the necessary abilities to contribute successfully to their organization’s goals and vision.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Critical Thinking

Emotional Intelligence (EI) plays a significant part in facilitating critical thinking skills for employees. EI is defined as the ability to understand and manage one’s emotions , as well as recognizing and influencing the emotions of others. In the context of critical thinking, high emotional intelligence allows individuals to be more reflective and open to different perspectives.

A key aspect of emotional intelligence in critical thinking is self-awareness. When employees are aware of their own emotions and biases, they can step back and reflect on their thoughts and decisions objectively. By doing so, they are better able to analyze and evaluate various media and sources of information, leading to more informed decisions.

Emotional intelligence also helps employees consider the ethical implications of their decisions. With a heightened understanding of emotions, individuals are more likely to empathize with others and take their perspectives into account. This ability enables them to navigate complex ethical dilemmas and make fair judgments that adhere to the organization’s values.

Moreover, employees with high emotional intelligence can easily adapt to different perspectives and opinions. They demonstrate a willingness to engage in meaningful dialogues with co-workers and are receptive to feedback. This collaborative spirit nurtures a culture of learning and continuous improvement, fostering an environment in which critical thinking can thrive.

In summary, emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in enhancing critical thinking skills among employees. By being aware of their emotions and biases, reflecting on decisions objectively, considering ethics, and embracing diverse perspectives, individuals with high emotional intelligence contribute enormously to creating a productive and innovative workplace.

Fostering an Innovative Work Environment through Critical Thinking

Promoting open discussions.

One way to encourage innovation in the workplace is by promoting open discussions. These encourage employees to share their ideas and contribute to the collaborative push for creative solutions. When a culture of open communication is established, employees feel valued and are more likely to take risks, making it easier for them to come up with innovative solutions. Conducting regular brainstorming sessions and encouraging the exchange of opinions during meetings can further enhance the creative thinking process.

Encouragement of Reflective Practice

Another essential aspect of fostering an innovative work environment is the encouragement of reflective practice. Reflection allows employees to learn from their experiences and identify areas for improvement. By consistently implementing reflective practices, employees can develop a better understanding of their thought processes, leading to more confident and knowledgeable decision-making. This can be done through regular self-assessments, group discussions, or by providing constructive feedback from managers and peers.

By focusing on open discussions and reflective practices, businesses can effectively nurture a culture of critical thinking and creativity, leading to more innovative solutions and long-term success in the ever-changing business landscape.

Enhancing critical thinking skills in the workplace is an essential step towards cultivating a culture of effective decision-making and problem-solving. By engaging in various training exercises, employees can strengthen their ability to analyze situations, interpret data, and make informed choices.

Introducing critical thinking exercises into an organization demonstrates the company’s commitment to fostering employee growth and harnessing their full potential. Such exercises are not only beneficial in honing analytical and problem-solving skills, but also in improving communication, collaboration, and adaptability among team members.

Incorporating critical thinking training into existing programs can lead to a more efficient and productive workplace. Employees with strong critical thinking skills are better prepared to face challenges, remain flexible and adaptive to changes in the market, and contribute positively to an organization’s overall success. By prioritizing critical thinking development, businesses can invest in their employees and, in turn, reap the benefits of a well-equipped workforce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are effective group exercises to improve critical thinking.

There are various group exercises that can help improve critical thinking skills among employees. One example is the Socratic questioning technique in which a facilitator poses a series of questions designed to uncover assumptions and stimulate critical thinking. Another effective activity is the “Case Study Analysis,” where employees are tasked with analyzing real-life business scenarios to identify challenges, gather data, and make informed decisions.

How can team building games enhance critical thinking skills?

Team building games can be an engaging way to enhance critical thinking skills. These games often require collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making under pressure, which can help participants sharpen their analytical abilities. Incorporating team-building exercises that promote critical thinking into regular team meetings or training sessions can create an environment of intellectual growth and mutual support.

What are some fun activities to develop critical thinking in adults?

Fun activities for adults aimed at developing critical thinking skills might include puzzles, escape room games, and debate clubs. These activities encourage individuals to challenge their assumptions, think outside the box, and use logical reasoning, ultimately improving their cognition and problem-solving abilities .

How can a workbook aid in critical thinking development?

A workbook designed for critical thinking development typically contains structured exercises, real-world examples, and reflective activities. These materials guide individuals through a step-by-step process of improving their critical thinking skills by encouraging self-awareness, fostering curiosity, and promoting constructive feedback. Using a workbook can provide an organized and personalized approach to enhancing critical thinking abilities.

What are the top 5 skills essential for critical thinking?

The top 5 skills essential for critical thinking include:

• Analytical thinking: The ability to break complex problems into smaller, manageable components.
• Evaluation: Assessing information and making judgments based on evidence and reasoning.
• Problem-solving: Identifying challenges and proposing effective solutions.
• Creativity: Generating innovative ideas, insights, and approaches.
• Communication: Articulating thoughts clearly and persuasively to convey complex ideas to others.

How can virtual activities benefit employees’ critical thinking?

Virtual activities can be an effective way to enhance critical thinking skills for remote or hybrid teams. Online tools and platforms can facilitate group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and collaborative problem-solving exercises, allowing employees to engage with diverse perspectives and develop their critical thinking skills. Employing virtual critical thinking activities can create an inclusive environment, encouraging employees to learn from each other, and adapt to changing circumstances.

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81 Insanely Fun Team Building Activities, Games, & Exercises For Work In 2024 (Not “Trust Falls”)

Believe it or not, fun team building activities for work are critically important to the success of your business.

In fact, the personal bonds formed between team members actually give your company a competitive edge.

How does this work?

It’s all about engagement. There’s a pretty clear link between the personal bonds between your team members and their engagement level. A recent Gallup study found that close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50%, while people with a self-described best friend at work are seven times more likely to be fully engaged at work .

Another Gallup study reported that engaged companies consistently outperform the competition when it comes to things like profits, productivity, and turnover. (Pretty important stuff if you ask us.) And it stands to reason – the closer you are to your co-workers, the happier you’ll be at work, and the more likely you’ll be to sacrifice your discretionary time to help them succeed.

Here’s the best part – team building events don’t have to be boring and lame!

We asked The Assist , a free weekly email for professionals, along with some of the most engaged, tightly knit companies out there to show us how to do team building right. We’ve broken them down into categories to help you decide which ideas might work best for your company!

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

Popular Team Building Activities For Work In 2024

With all sorts of options at your disposal, it can become overwhelming to find the right type of team building event for your group. The popular team building activities in this section are proven crowd favorites guaranteed to drive strong participation and positive results. Bring the energy, roll up your sleeves, and start your next team building adventure with one of these options!

1) Murder Mystery

“Find clues, interview witnesses, and solve the crime before it is too late.”

Cue The Office theme song… Michael Scott enters… “There’s been a murder…”

In all honesty, Michael was actually on to something! Solving a murder mystery can be a great way to bond with your team. This team building exercise compiles a whole catalog of mystery games and puzzles that are designed for both the physical, hybrid , and virtual workplaces that help to develop teamwork, communication, and culture building .

There are also in-person and hybrid team murder mystery options!

Skills this work activity develops: Problem-solving, teamwork, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Why we love it: Going with a turnkey event like this means all the details are planned out, and you even benefit from the convenience and added fun of an expert host. You can rest assured that everything won’t just go smoothly, but also that everyone will have an amazing time.

Next step to get started: Start planning your next event with one of these top options:

• 🕵🏻‍♂️ Virtual Clue Murder Mystery
• 🎬 Virtual Hollywood Murder Mystery

2) Mindfulness Bingo

“B5! B is for Bingo!”

This online bingo card is a day-long team building event that encourages employees to participate in multiple work-specific mindfulness exercises and activities.

A new strategy to engage with your distributed team, this free downloadable activity works with teams of all sizes. Your employees will feel calmer and tackle their daily tasks with more focus while completing mini wellness challenges as they work to make a Bingo!

Skills this work activity develops: Stress management, breathing, and mindfulness.

Why we love it: Recommended for HR managers or team leaders, it is FREE to download , easy to send out to your employees, and can make any day a bit more exciting as your team members try their hand at mindfulness strategies.

Next step to get started: Download your free copy courtesy of Bonusly to get started!

3) Coworker Feud

“For fun feuding that brings coworkers together.”

Coworker Feud is a team building activity for work designed to generate buzz and get the office (or remote teams) brimming with excitement. Led by a knowledgeable and charismatic host, this online survey game will keep your employees or coworkers on the edge of their seats. Survey says… FUN!

Skills this work activity develops: Creative problem solving, communication, brainstorming and ideation, collaboration.

Why we love it: With lightning rounds and electrifying tension leading up to the grand finale, your team will be competing until the buzzer goes off! The game can be played with a couple of people per team or a handful on each team, but either way, the feuding is guaranteed to be an outrageously good time.

Next step to get started: Get the creative energy flowing and the competition going with Coworker Feud. Start customizing your next event here  and let their virtual host run your next game show!

4) Explore Your City

“Get the office some fresh air.”

A great way to get your office working together over a shared goal is to plan an awesome activity in your city. There are a ton of ways to get people out and about on a nice clear day whether it is via a scavenger hunt, tour of the city, or bar crawl! SnackNation recently tried an “Amazing Race” type scavenger hunt through Los Angeles where employees split up into teams, solved clues and challenges, and raced to the finish line.

Skills this work activity develops: Problem solving, teamwork, endurance.

Why we love it: With everyone working in the office or remotely, there really has never been a better time to safely get together in an outdoor space and let coworkers bond over a shared team building experience.

Next step to get started: Try out the “Amazing Race” activity or plan your own city excursion to get outside with your office.

5) Holiday Team Building

“Today is the day to celebrate!”

Celebrate May the Fourth!

Pick an upcoming holiday to bring your team together for a shared experience to have some fun, bond over games and activities, and honor a national pastime.

If managers are looking for a good reason to schedule a team event, icebreaker, virtual Zoom call, or offsite — a holiday activity is a sure bet.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving

Why we love it: It is an easy way to honor a special day with games, icebreakers, themed activities, and anything you can come up with!

Pro-Tip: Celebrating the obscure holidays can become the most memorable. Holidays like 🐶 National Pet Day in April or 🍩 National Donut Day in June bring a different vibe that spark a freshness to your team bonding activitity for work!

Next step to get started: Sign up for Confetti to access their catalog of holiday-themed team events and start customizing your event today!

Some of the SnackNation team’s favorites include…

“How good are you at describing the indescribable?”

Taboo is a simple game to learn that is perfect for team building. Players will use an online, mobile-friendly game platform to get their teammates to guess the word at the top of each card, without using any of the other related Taboo words listed underneath. Sounds easy right?

Each game room will consist of 2 teams, with 2-5 players per team. Use your brain, don’t say the off-limit words, and have a blast! While you and your team are guessing, the opposing team will be able to see your phrases to have a good laugh and make sure no one is cheating. 😉

The team building experts at Confetti have created our favorite corporate team building-inspired version of Taboo guaranteed to be a hit. Sign up for FREE at Confetti to customize your event and view the 100s of other similar team building activities for work on their platform.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication and critical thinking.

Why we love it: This quick team building game for work is a group version of the classic game night board game. It is easy to play along with and provides a ton of entertainment!

Next step to get started: This word guessing game – Taboo – is too much fun to pass up! Sign up and work with the team at Confetti to organize your next game night!

7) In-Person Team Building Activities

Now that your team is back in the office, you can plan a team building event in the conference room, around the office, or at a nearby location. These in-person team building ideas can be scheduled to last an entire day or an hour in the afternoon. So even the busiest of teams can put the phones down, close the laptops, and spend time together in an interactive event.

Why this is a fun team building activity for employees: It gives teams of all sizes a chance to learn more about their coworkers via a hosted activity. All employees have to do is show up and jump into the action!

To get you started, we pulled a few of our favorites:

Book a space, plan an activity, and get to team building in person!

8) Build Something For A Cause

“Build team bonds while building cool stuff.”

This charity team building activity follows a simple formula: Build + Donate = Unity. Build something, donate it to charity, and bask in the rewards together.

One could argue that “building things together,” is the original team building activity, what our ancient ancestors discovered to be magical when they bunkered down to create their first permanent homes.

You’ll unite behind a crystal-clear and tangible objective. You’ll feel the epicness of shared accomplishment as you admire the finished product. You’ll feel deeply bonded as you hand off your donation.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, trust, and communication.

Why we love it: This activity allows everyone to see the result of their teamwork. They don’t have to wonder if they contributed enough or did a good job; the end product will tell all.

Next step to get started: Plan your next charitable challenge here — Charity Bike Build !

9) Virtual Team Building Templates

A virtual team building template can provide a strong foundation for your next team event. These virtual templates can facilitate anything from quick icebreakers to long-form activities, so there really is an endless amount of customization and personalization. They are also great for teams without a huge team building budget since most of these ideas can be self-hosted and do not require a ton of materials.

Why this is a fun team building activity for employees: With so many templates available to choose from, leaders can find the activity that best suits their team. That way, employees will feel comfortable participating in exercises that encourage bonding and communication.

Try one of these templates today to get started:

Start browsing through the template catalog or build out your own!

10) Host A Trivia Night

“Shout answers like there’s no such thing as keeping score.”

Why is Jeopardy the  #1 game show  of all time? The quiet charm of the late Alex Trebek certainly played a part, but aside from the charismatic host, people love Jeopardy because of the trivia.

Even when we have no idea about an answer, we love venturing guesses. Answering both wrong and right helps us learn.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Why we love it: It’s engaging, it’s educational, and it’s inclusive. Even people who don’t venture a guess out loud have probably formed one in their minds and feel invested in the activity. Few other activities can drum up that much universal interest and engagement.

Next step to get started: Learn  how to host a trivia night or plan a virtual trivia night with your own Quiz Master.

11) Budget-Friendly Team Building Options

Team building can get expensive. With budgets moving up and down this year, it can often be smart to find activities that are exciting enough to encourage employees to show up, while not costing an arm and a leg. These team building games are designed to offer a top-tier experience while keeping costs relatively low.

Why this is a fun team building activity for employees: It can help out your company while at the same time giving your entire team an opportunity to get to know each other in a lively environment. Problem-solve, practice communication skills, and have fun in an activity that will come in under budget.

Explore some budget-friendly ideas that offer a high-quality experience:

Find the right idea for your team without breaking the bank!

12) Escape Room

“Your team is your only escape plan.”

No phones, no Google, and no helpful hints. This activity challenges you and your team to make an escape using only your collective wits. Put your heads together to work through clues, agree on the next steps, and act as one (like the Rose family ), if you ever hope to escape that is.

Skills this work activity develops: Problem-solving, teamwork, trust, communication, leadership, and collaboration.

Why we love it: Players may find themselves navigating exciting scenarios — hunting for gold, swimming among ancient ruins, or breaking out of an infamous prison — but what they’ll remember most is feeling united as a team. Whenever everyone’s ideas and contributions coalesce into that epic moment of escape, you’ll all feel an unforgettable sense of shared victory.

Next step to get started: Visit some of these escape room themes for escape room thrills…

13) Digital Recognition Wall

This team building activity fosters collaboration between team members regardless of their location. Hybrid, in-office, and remote coworkers can get together to post on your team’s very own “Wall of Fame.”

Using a trusted appreciation platform, you can post a digital recognition wall and give everyone an opportunity to highlight team wins, individual contributions, upcoming employee milestones, and anything else that deserves the team building “shout out.”

Why this is a fun team building activity for employees: It is easy to set up and each employee can find a few minutes to participate in this team bonding activity for work asynchronously without having to block time on a calendar. It also can act as a great meeting icebreaker to send some praise at the top of your next team huddle.

Check out a few of our favorite tools for building your virtual recognition wall and the types of rewards your employees can redeem:

Set up your digital recognition wall and watch the team building happen organically!

Bonus: Make A Team Playlist

“Create your team’s signature sound.”

Put your heads together to make the most amazing playlist in history. Or better yet, create a new best-ever playlist every single week. Explore the songs others have selected and make complementary selections. Enjoy listening to the entire thing and hearing a little bit of everyone’s personality come through. You’ll love how the whole thing, taken together, somehow captures the magic that is your team.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, collaboration, and empathy.

Why we love it: Listening to your favorite music is uplifting, energizing, rewarding, and pleasurable. All those good things are amplified (pun intended) when you share your favorite music with others.

Next step to get started: Visit  Spotify Collaborative playlists  for how-tos. Choose a theme and ask everyone to send in two songs that align.

Team Building Activities For Work: Small Groups

When you have a small group of 10 team members or less, you pretty much have your pick of team building activities. You have enough people to make hybrid team activities and competitions exciting, but you also don’t have so many people that you can’t spring for an off-site affair or something a little more involved. You can do almost anything and still rest assured that everyone experiences the most important elements of team building, including communication, collaboration, and camaraderie.

14) Shark Tank

“Find out if your ideas really have teeth.”

Ideas are fun. People love having them. They love hearing them. They love sharing them.

Inspired by the television series  Shark Tank , this activity allows a small group of people to do all of the above during a festive pitch session. There’s only one absolute rule: everyone must come prepared to get everyone else as excited about their brilliant idea as they are. (What they use to cultivate this excitement — presentations, models, diagrams, stick figures, skits, etc. — is totally up to them.)

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, communication, strategic thinking, and listening.

Why we love it: Every idea presented will accomplish something positive. The meticulously planned ideas will be inspiring and might even develop into viable products and initiatives. The outrageous ideas will get lots of laughs, but honestly, even those could end up sparking your company’s next big innovation.

Next step to get started:  Create a Shark Tank Night, nominate a few investor sharks, start preparing pitches and get your applause hands ready for the big event.

Pro-Tip: Does your team need more than an applause to validate their million dollar idea? Use a platform like Bonusly to raise the stakes and invest public recognition points to the winning team that can be redeemed for real rewards:

15) Dog Park Showdown

“Make sure everyone knows your pet is an absolute champion / Instagram model.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Henry + Baloo (@henrythecoloradodog)

Head to the local dog park with pets in tow. Then simply take turns having your pets complete some of these hilarious  viral internet challenges . (You can even create a unique hashtag for your event so people can easily find and rewatch their fabulous footage.)

Skills this work activity develops: Trust, communication, and empathy.

Why we love it: Magicians use the art of misdirection to create seemingly impossible illusions. This activity uses misdirection to maximize fun. By redirecting attention from participants to their pets, people are able to let their hair down, laugh a little louder, talk a little more, and get to know each other a little better.

Next step to get started:   Find your park .

16) Desert Island

“Pack your go-bag for an unexpected island getaway.”

Engage your team in the theater of the imagination. Turn any old conference room or gathering place into a desert island. Simply ask everyone to list and provide their reasoning on three items they would want to have on hand.

This activity is all about exploring possibilities. People will love learning from one another and broadening their minds as they hear what everyone else on their team would do when survival is on the line.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, critical thinking, and decision making.

Why we love it: Listening to people list their selected items and their logic will showcase the broad range of perspectives and problem-solving skills represented across your team.

Next step to get started: You can plan this as an icebreaker to begin your next meeting or expand the scenario to include what 3 books, movies, or albums they would bring with them!

Looking for more activities for employee engagement? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Reasons Why Employee Engagement Is Important Proven Steps to Measure Employee Engagement Effectively Employee Engagement Software Platforms For High Performing Teams

Team Building Activities For Work: Large Groups

Team building events for large groups need to have enough structure and excitement to get and keep everyone engaged and involved in equal measure. Events that get group members working on one common goal are ideal for cultivating strong bonds in immediate teams and among the larger collective.

17) Beer & Cheese Pairing Experience

“Treat your taste buds to become food pairing experts.”

Virtual meetings can begin to run together after a while, but there is an excellent solution to spice them up. This beer and cheese mixer will elevate your Zoom events with lots of delicious goodies!

With this team building event you and your coworkers can learn more about pairing craft beer selections with artisan-made cheeses. Whether it is a hoppy pale ale or a light and crisp lager, you can see just how complex different beer varieties are. Add a little cheese, and you have an even more complete tasting experience!

Skills this work activity develops: Communication, critical thinking and relationship building

Why we love it: Everyone leaves the event with the ability to pair beer and cheese samples like a pro.

Next step to get started: Start assembling the supplies or you can work with a team like Unboxed Experiences to help you choose from a selection of available tasting boxes and customizations.

18) The Office-Style Office Mockumentary

“Capture the magic and mayhem of life at your office.”

Make a mockumentary? No, we’re not asking you to hire camera crews and lighting specialists. When you’re making a film just for the fun and enjoyment of your team, you can pull it off using your phones and some basic software.

This activity provides two team building touchpoints in one. People have fun during the making and they’ll have even more fun when you gather virtually or in-person for the big premiere.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, teamwork, communication, and decision making.

Why we love it: Teams have to collaborate and communicate to make the mockumentary. Plus, while watching the finished product will be hilarious, it might also provide a few genuine takeaways about how to treat and talk to one another. By poking some good-natured fun at the state of your company culture, you might find some genuinely fulfilling ways to improve it.

Next step to get started: Learn  some tricks for capturing The Office’s signature style.

19) Charcuterie Night!

“Build an extravagant centerpiece then dig in!”

Whoever said that team building events can’t also be delicious? Get your team together and build the ultimate charcuterie board with all the fix-ins. Meats, cheeses, nuts, fruit, tasty spreads — you name it!

Skills this work activity develops: Relationship building, communication, creativity and trust

Why we love it: This experience is not only loaded with gourmet finger fare to build out your charcuterie board, but can be planned for teams of all sizes.

Next step to get started: Book space in your office conference room for a little charcuterie mixer or make it virtual with a hosted event like Charcuterie Board Experience .

20) Charity Team Building Activities

Charity team building promotes bonding while supporting a good cause. Whether directly impacting your local community or contributing time, money, and effort to a larger national charity, these activities are a great way for teams to meet up and support together.

Why this is a fun team building activity for employees: These exercises can be planned any time of the year! Plus, the good cause will help to encourage participation. It’s a win-win.

Here are a few top-rated charity team activities that you can learn more about:

Give back to a good cause with your fellow coworkers and feel the positive impact of philanthropy!

Bonus: An Anything Tournament

“The only rules of this tournament are the ones you make up.”

Pick your favorite sport, board games, brain teaser, thought experiment — anything — and turn it into a tournament. Pretty much any game imaginable can be stretched into a tournament-style afternoon of fun: ping pong, Mario Kart, Jenga, rock-paper-scissors, dodgeball, and the list goes on and on.

In fact, the more unique you make the central activity, the more memorable this tournament will be.

Skills this work activity develops: Collaboration and critical thinking.

Why we love it: Healthy competition and engaging games served up with a dose of hilarity is a recipe for prime bonding and memory-making.

Next step to get started: Learning the basics of  hosting a gaming tournament .

Looking for more activities for large groups? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Team Building Companies You Should Know About Team Building Games For Large Groups Employee Appreciation Ideas & Gifts

Team Building Activities For Work: Quick Icebreakers

Pre-meeting team building activities get your group warmed up for fruitful collaboration. They get people thinking and laughing, and more importantly, they get everyone in the mindset to share brilliant ideas.

21) Rose/Thorn

“Embrace the ups and downs that make life beautiful.”

Share your gratitude and also a little vulnerability to cultivate those magical feelings of team closeness, support, and empathy. During this no-fuss icebreaker, everyone simply shares their rose (any positive that makes them feel grateful, happy, etc.) and also their thorn (a challenge or blocker).

Why we love it: It’s a shortcut to getting on the same wavelength. Everyone shares a little gratitude and also a little vulnerability. This little opening-up exercise can make the team feel more tightly bonded.

Next step to get started: Just gather your group and start sharing those roses and thorns, for example:

Work-Related:

• Rose: I got an event partner to give me a refund today!
• Thorn: A different event partner won’t give me a refund.

Non-Work Related:

• Rose: I found time to go for a walk today.
• Thorn: There was no time to go for a walk today.

“I work in Enterprise Marketing at ZipRecruiter and our entire team is now remote. We do a daily standup call with my manager and Rose/Thorn is how we start every virtual meeting. It is a quick way to start off a team huddle and get everyone on the same wavelength.” -Joanna Ericta, Senior Marketing Associate at ZipRecruiter

22) Team Pursuit

“Challenge accepted!”

If you are looking for a Zoom icebreaker , the Virtual Team Pursuit is an interactive way to build better connections between your colleagues through a series of themed challenges. With interesting discussion topics, fun facts, and problem-solving challenges — your distributed team will walk away from this 30 minute icebreaker activity beaming.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication, collaboration, and problem solving.

Why we love it: This event comes with a dedicated event manager and virtual event host — meaning you can sit back and only worry about participating in the fun!

Next step to get started: Check out Team Pursuit  to plan an icebreaker for a special day of meetings or a project kickoff!

23) GeoGuessr

“Win happy hour and explore the world.”

During this online group game , you and your happy hour guests will peek at a picture and try to guess its location of origin by dragging an icon around a map. If this sounds easy enough, then you’ll be delightfully surprised by how challenging it actually is. As you play, you’ll learn about the world and maybe even hear some amazing stories of all the places you never knew your team members had been.

Skills this work activity develops: Critical thinking and listening.

Why we love it: Talking about travel — past travel, travel plans, travel dreams — is a universally adored conversation topic. It can excite and animate anyone, and this game provides plenty of opportunities to bring it up.

Next step to get started: Play  GeoGuessr .

24) Skribbl

“Test out your secondary communication skills.”

Calling all aspiring artists, stick-figure stylists, and daring doodlers. Put your creations to the ultimate test: Seeing if anyone can tell what on earth they’re supposed to be.

Skribbl’s no-fuss interface makes it easy to play a classic drawing and guessing game.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking and communication.

Why we love it: It activates non-verbal communication. You can’t explain your drawing, so people have to dig deep into their knowledge of the “artist” to make informed guesses. It’s also hilarious to witness the dissonance between what people think they’ve drawn or what they think they’re seeing and what’s actually there.

Next step to get started: Play  Skribbl .

25) Weekly Team Trivia

“Team trivia is anything but trivial.”

Mix up your Mondays with a bit of trivia conveniently sent to your team members’ inboxes to answer whenever they have a few minutes. Then wait and see who takes home the big win that week! Everything is automatically collected and scored once they submit so it couldn’t be easier.

Skills this work activity develops: Critical thinking and team bonding.

Why we love it: Trivia is not only entertaining but this asynchronous format means that even the busiest people on your team can work it into their schedule and prove just how much random knowledge they have. You can also fit in a weekly recap during your team meeting to shoutout that week’s winner.

Next step to get started: Set up a free weekly trivia showdown with Water Cooler Trivia .

Bonus: Weekend In A Word

“Witness the awesome importance of word choice.”

Feel the impact of brevity in action with an icebreaker that requires everyone to say only a single word. Gather your group and have everyone describe their past weekend fun or future weekend plans and goals in just one word. After everyone has a turn, you can ask follow-up questions if you like. The words people choose will likely spark tons of curiosity.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, communication, and listening.

Why we love it: As you prompt teammates to pick just one word to describe big concepts, you learn how their minds work, you learn what’s important to them, and you’ll likely reflect deeply on what they said far more than if they gave a detailed weekend play by play.

Next step to get started: It couldn’t be easier. Just share your words before your next meeting.

Looking for more icebreaker activities? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Ridiculously Fun Icebreaker Ideas, Games, & Activities Icebreaker Questions For Work That Are Perfect For Any Office Event Witty & Wacky Icebreaker Jokes

Team Building Activities For Work: Zoom

A Zoom activity has to have the perfect balance of engagement and passive entertainment. You want everyone to mingle and chat, but you also don’t want them getting fatigued or overwhelmed in the first 10 minutes. These  virtual team building activities either have plenty of structure or revolve around a central element of entertainment that guides conversations during short breaks.

26) Virtual Game Night

“Put your virtual game face on.”

There are so many kinds of games, each delightful for a different reason. A virtual game night is your chance to spotlight your absolute favorites, playing the best of the best in a back-to-back marathon of gaming awesomeness that everyone will love.

Skills this work activity develops: Leadership, collaboration, and decision making.

Why we love it: Out-of-the-box games are fun and familiar. Just mentioning a popular game is often enough to get people excited. Plus, most people will already know how to play. This means you can maximize the fun while minimizing the prep work and instruction.

Next step to get started: Check out these  virtual game night ideas , including…

• ✏️   Team Pictionary
• 🎭  Puzzle Charades
• 🧠  Virtual Jeopardy
• 🐑   Online Settlers of Catan

27) Virtual Venture To Paris

“Paris is closer than you think.”

Get your team together to do something virtually as a group you would likely never do in person: take a group trip to Paris .

Sample local delicacies. Stroll around the city of your dreams. See the world through a rose-colored computer screen instead of glasses. In short, live like a Parisian.

Virtually enjoy all the best, most enriching aspects of travel with your team but skip the crankiness and cramped flights and sleep in your own bed when it’s all over.

Why we love it: What’s not to love about finding your way to Paris through the magic of the internet? This team building activity offers a concentrated dose of the pleasures of travel in a package you can realistically enjoy with your work team.

Next step to get started: Visit  Woyago .

28) Travel Back In Time (With Trivia)

“What year is it?!?!”

This team building activity is a surefire way to get your remote team together while not just hopping on “another Zoom call”. Travel through the decades answering pop culture themed questions in a fast and lively virtual environment. Plus, the guided trivia experience features a hilarious host who will delight your coworkers with jokes, quips, and stories.

Skills this work activity develops: Critical thinking and teamwork.

Why we love it: It unites colleagues with a common goal of sharing some laughs. Also, pop culture is an accessible way to get everyone involved over Zoom.

Next step to get started: Step right in the time machine by checking out these details .

29) Field Trip

“Escape the office.”

Plan an offsite event, a little break from the ordinary, where everyone can gather together at a rented-out bar, a private movie theater — anywhere but the office.

By simply stepping out of your day-to-day environment, you’re opening your team to new experiences, new connections, and new friendships. It doesn’t even matter what activity or location you choose.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, teamwork, and communication.

Why we love it: The simple magic of a new experience and a new environment fuels new connections. People will find themselves naturally talking to people they’ve maybe only passed in the hallway. They’ll find themselves asking questions they wouldn’t ask in the company kitchen.

Next step to get started: There’s really no wrong way to do this one. Just pick a fun off-site event and enjoy all it has to offer.

Bonus: Virtual Yoga/Mindfulness Session

“Feel that special team flow without using any words.”

During a group yoga/mindfulness session, you may not be outwardly communicating and collaborating, but you’re tapping into a deeper sense of connection. As you subconsciously sync your movements and your breathing, you’re connecting through the collective unconsciousness that feels effortless but strengthens your team bonds.

Skills this work activity develops: Trust, collaboration, and empathy.

Why we love it: This activity delivers benefits on the individual and also the group level. Individual practitioners may experience less stress and  elevated moods . Together, you’ll feel a magical sense of group energy and support.

Next step to get started: Learn more about how a yoga session can elevate your next team building event.

Looking for more resources for virtual team building? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Virtual Team Building Activities, Games, & Ideas To Boost Remote Employee Morale Wickedly Fun Virtual Event Ideas For Online Socials Virtual Escape Rooms For Online Puzzle Solvers

Team Building Activities For Work: Happy Hour

A toast to a good day’s work, a  happy hour  is the perfect punctuation mark to close off a productive day or to move on from a not-so-productive day. These events are short, sweet, and wonderfully low-key. If you’re sharing a few apres-work sips and smiles with coworkers, then you can call it a happy hour no matter where you are or what you’re sipping.

30) Mixology Virtual Happy Hour

“Be your own bartender.”

Tell everyone to bust out the cocktail shakers and aprons they never use. Tonight, they’re the bartenders. Bond with your team as you learn how to expertly measure, muddle, and mix ingredients into delicious and Instagram-worthy cocktails.

Learn techniques professional bartenders swear by and also ask clarifying questions about why and how to do it all.

Why we love it: You get to have the same quality conversations you might have while passively sipping cocktails at a bar. But with this experience, you get the added benefit of learning a ton about professional cocktail craft and bartending history while perfecting that friendly, yet inaccessible, bartender smile.

Next step to get started: Book your event with an expert mixologist.

31) Poker Night

“Recognize each other’s poker faces to reach a new level of friendship.”

Good company, delicious snacks, high stakes, and plenty of mental stimulation aren’t the only things that make a classic poker night so engaging. Poker also delivers value through all the things that happen “below the cards.”

As you play, you’ll get to know the usually unnoticed ticks and nonverbal communication habits of your teammates. You get to know them on a deeper level.

Skills this work activity develops: Trust, communication, and decision making.

Why we love it: Poker is the perfect backdrop for serious team bonding. The play is fun and stimulating, but it doesn’t stop players from participating in the most important part of the happy hour: connecting and conversing with coworkers.

Next step to get started: Get classic Poker instructions or let a dealer host a virtual poker tournament .

32) Happy Hour Themes

“Amp up your happy hour with the perfect theme.”

Breathe new life into a classic happy hour with exciting themes. Themes give your happy hour a focusing personality, tying all your activities and conversations together to create a cohesive, engaging, and memorable event.

When you leverage a happy hour theme, you give your guests ideas for costumes, decorations, snacks, and even conversation starters. It smooths out any awkwardness and generally helps everyone have more fun.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking and collaboration.

Why we love it: Selecting a happy hour theme couldn’t be easier, but it adds so much punch to your event. It spells the difference between “fun” and “unforgettable.”

Next step to get started:  Check out these  happy hour themes , including:

• Future Decades
• Murder Mystery
• Poetry Reading

33) Pub Quiz

“Come on down to the local pub.”

Looks like happy hour this week is going to be down at Hamish McDuff’s virtual pub for teams. With a hilarious Scottish pub owner, a chance to grab an adult beverage, and a unique pub quiz trivia game — your employees will have everything they need to sit back and enjoy an end-of-week happy hour.

Skills this work activity develops: Collaboration and relationship building.

Why we love it: With surprises along the way, a pub quiz is a low effort, big reward type of happy hour activity where coworkers can bond over shared knowledge of (mostly) useless facts and trivia.

Next step to get started: Wander down to the pub to get a custom quote for your team.

34) Bond Over Some Brews

“Take advantage of the team glue known as beer.”

Offering both virtual and in-person events, City Brew Tours knows how to harness the bonding power of beer. Sample the best beers your city offers while getting to know your team better and enjoying the side dish of fun facts your expert host is serving up.

Why we love it: Wonderful conversation, colorful commentary, and crisp refreshing beers make this event deliciously unforgettable. The bonding and the flavors pair up to make one powerfully fond memory.

Next step to get started: Visit  City Brew Tours .

“After three months of working as distributed teams, we’re extra grateful for the moments we get to hang out with our coworkers again. We spent the month of May hosting several virtual home brewing sessions with City Brew Tours — they managed to lead six groups of beer brewing amateurs through the brewing process, armed with follow-up instructions on carbonating and bottling. (We managed to figure out the drinking part ourselves.) If we can’t grab a beer together, making our own from the comfort of our kitchens may be the next best thing!” -Harder Mechanical Contractors

If you are looking to crack open a cold one with your remote team, there are a number of virtual beer experiences that make it easy to connect in a fun and lively online environment. Here are a few we’ve tried out this past year:

• 🍺  Beer Tasting
• 🧟‍♂️  Haunted Tavern
• 🍻  Pub Adventure

35) Virtual Alcohol Tasting

“Raise a glass to digital bars without borders.”

A virtual alcohol tasting blends a bit of the old normal with a bit of the new normal. You still get to deeply connect with your co-workers, but you can meet them online (wearing your pajamas if you want) instead of at the local bar.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication and empathy.

Why we love it: You get to sample beverages from the best of the best purveyors around the world while enjoying the company of your favorite people. Best of all, you get to do it all from the comfort of your living room, which (in addition to being as cozy as a dream) means you don’t have to worry about designated drivers or rideshares.

Next step to get started: Pick one of these  virtual alcohol tasting ideas , including offerings from  City Brew Tours .

Bonus: Chopped-style Cocktail Competition

“Become a craft cocktail curator.”

Inspired by the television series Chopped, this interactive cocktail demonstration will be led by an experienced mixologist, who will teach everyone the basics of cocktail making, including the chemistry and complexities that are essential for creating a delicious drink.

After a brief introduction and cocktail education, teams will split up and be given time to work together to create their own hand-crafted cocktails . At the end of the testing and development phase, the onsite mixologist will review and score each finished cocktail based on taste, originality and use of the “mystery ingredient” to decide the ultimate winner.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, communication, listening, and collaboration.

Why we love it: Low-stakes competition is a terrific way to get the blood pumping and improve teamwork, add cocktails to the mix and you’ve got a top-shelf team building activity!

Next step to get started: Visit Mixology Class — because no great story started with a salad.

Looking for more activities for happy hour? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Ridiculously Fun Virtual Happy Hour Ideas, Games, & Themes Virtual Happy Hour Cocktail Kits & Gifts To Deliver Boozy Fun Curated Happy Hour Box For Teams By Caroo

Team Building Activities For Work: Office

Team building activities for the office simply make work-life more awesome. Whether you’re taking some time to get to know your office mates, giving people feel-good recognition , or working on some new leadership skills while in good company, you walk away from these events with fresh bonds, fresh skills, and fresh perspectives that will enrich your work environment.

36) BYOBBB: Blankets, Balls, And Beverages

“Get everybody in the same place and let the fun take it from there.”

Post up at a local park for free-for-all fun. Don’t plan any specific activities, but come prepared to give everyone’s suggestions a try. Make it a BYOBBB event on all fronts by having everyone arrive with their own blankets, balls, and beverages. You might end up tossing a frisbee, inventing frisbee tag, or even kicking the can.

The best part is that you just never know.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, trust, and communication.

Why we love it: It captures the spontaneous excitement of gathering with the neighborhood kids just to see where the wonder of play leads you.

Next step to get started: Find a local park to meet up in the afternoon and enjoy some sunshine.

37) Queen’s Gambit Chess Competition

“Face off during the ultimate game of strategy.”

Quiet, yet brimming with below-the-surface action, chess is a perfect game for the office. It’s a fun way for both observers and players to learn, and it cultivates a quiet bonding as you learn more about how your teams’ minds work. As you anticipate moves and picture outcomes, you’ll also build up your strategic thinking chops.

Skills this work activity develops: Strategic thinking, critical thinking, empathy, and decision making.

Why we love it: It involves quiet strategy, pristine focus, and understated thrills. It gets you problem-solving independently while also absorbing the moves and plans of your opponents. Players refine their ability to read people, an invaluable skill in day-to-day office work.

Next step to get started: Learn how to  play Chess .

38) Gamathon

“Warm up your controller hand.”

Gamers unite to organize an epic office takeover. This activity works not only because video games are fun, but also because that fun could lead to  social benefits , including trust, leadership, and cooperation.

Plus, there’s at least one video game nearly anyone will fall in love with when they give it a chance. An office tournament is a perfect way for non-gamers to explore the world of gaming.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, communication, and collaboration.

Why we love it: Video games are instantly immersive. There’s almost no warm-up period. You can go from zero to fun in just a few seconds, turning your office into a hyper-charged and fully engaged environment.

Next step to get started: Pull off a low-key gaming tournament by simply playing your game of choice while keeping track of the top scorers on a whiteboard. Continue pitting your top scorers against each other until there are only two left standing for a final showdown.

39) Just Roll With It – Charitable Skateboard Build

“Building teams and dreams, one skateboard at a time.”

Get ready to roll in this exciting charitable skateboard build, where teams go through fun challenges to assemble and customize skateboards for deserving kids. Teams embrace creativity while working against the clock to conquer the safety test in this exhilarating and collaborative team building activity.

Skills this work activity develops: Participants in this event develop valuable skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and a strong sense of social responsibility. Crafting these skateboards gives the opportunity for teams to make a difference while having a blast.

Why we love it: This event flips the script on team building, where skateboards become the canvas for imagination, and teamwork takes on a whole new meaning. It’s a unique blend of fun and philanthropy that leaves everyone rolling with joy.

Next step to get started: You can talk to the experts at TeamBonding to learn more about the journey of turning skateboards into cherished gifts! Reach out today to schedule a Just Roll With It experience and start crafting wheels of change.

40) Scavenger Hunt

“The closest you’ll ever get to a treasure hunt.”

A scavenger hunt seizes anyone’s attention. These activities offer that sweet thrill of the chase human beings just can’t resist. Chase down clues, find hidden items and feel the sweet rush of following a bread-crumb trail of mini-mysteries on your way to the culminating final goal.

The urgency and the mystery of a scavenger hunt also inspire people to cooperate in record time.

Skills this work activity develops: Collaboration, critical thinking, and decision making.

Why we love it: It provides thrills, adventure, excitement, and an unforgettable opportunity to share a satisfying sense of accomplishment.

Next step to get started: Book a consultation with Outback Team Building  and work with a dedicated corporate event coordinator. You can also check out SnackNation’s Scavenger Hunt Guide !

Loved this!!! Had fun getting to know unique things about Austin. It was fun doing custom questions along the scavenger hunt about our company! -Pricewaterhousecoopers Consulting

Bonus: Mini Basketball Tournament

“Pull off the layup of your dreams.”

Shrink the glorious game of basketball down to have a sport you can play right in your office. When compared to traditional basketball, a game of mini hoops can bring more people into the fold. It doesn’t require as many skills, rules, or moves, so people of all skills and confidence levels can get in on the game.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork and leadership.

Why we love it: It brings the thrill of the hoops right into the office. Plus, you can leave the hoops up after the initial tournament to encourage a pick-up game any time people need a mini-break or an energy boost.

Next step to get started: Pick up a  mini basketball set .

Looking for more fun office activities? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Shockingly Easy Ways To Have Fun At Work Epic Office Party Ideas To Have Everyone Buzzing For Weeks Outrageously Fun Office Games and Activities

Team Building Activities For Work: Coworkers

Team building activities for coworkers are all about bonding. Sure, “working together every single day,” is definitely a type of bonding, but these activities are special and enriching because they place co-workers in new, eye-opening situations. When coworkers step outside the day-to-day grind, they might just find out new things about the people they sit with every single day.

41) Adventure Club

“Make adventuring your next good habit.”

Start an adventurous, outdoorsy monthly tradition based on your team’s interests. You can do anything you want, from bouldering to bird watching. No matter what you choose, you’ll bond during the event. You’ll bond as you discuss and relive memories from the last event. You’ll bond as you look forward to the next event.

In summary, you’ll do a lot of bonding.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, teamwork , trust, and collaboration.

Why we love it: Traditions are powerful. They bring people closer and provide a comforting sense of security and unity. They can do the same thing for an office family.

Next step to get started: Find  an adventure !

42) Group Bike Ride

“Roll with your work pack.”

When you step out of the office and hop on your bikes, you are no longer co-workers. You are fellow explorers, adventurers, and the city is yours for the taking.

This team building event gets its strength from spontaneity. Start with a group bike ride as your simple structure, and then let the wind take you from there. Stop off at a popup farm market or demystify that strange building you always stare at from your office window.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, trust, communication, leadership, and collaboration.

Why we love it: Novelty makes us all feel good, excited, and energized. This activity allows teams to experience that thrilling sense of novelty as a group so each person can forever associate the fresh feelings of exploration with the people they shared them with.

Next step to get started: Plan  your route .

43) Dining Club

“Indulge your culinary curiosities.”

The team that eats together stays together. Everyone has to eat, and by turning it into a team building activity, you can make this sometimes utilitarian activity into an invaluable get-to-know each other moment.

Why we love it: The novelty of picking a new place to eat provides an instant launching point for conversations. Even if you have nothing else in common, you have “trying this restaurant for the first time” in common, and that’s plenty to get some good conversations started.

Next step to get started: Discover your  next dining destination or host a virtual lunch party . Add some additional team building fun by having everyone order for someone else.

44) Leave-It-At-Work Lunch

“The office can absolutely not sit with you at lunch.”

This activity has all the trappings of a standard low-key team lunch with one key differentiating factor: you are not allowed to talk about work.

When you head out to lunch, leave all your work goals, issues, and ideas at work. When you challenge yourselves not to discuss work, you’ll find new things that you all have in common.

Why we love it: It’s surprisingly eye-opening. At first, you might realize just how often your team conversations tend to fall back to office matters. But as the lunch progresses, you’ll be delighted to discover all the other amazing things you have to talk about.

Next step to get started: Just put a date on the calendar, remind everyone to bring their lunch, and have fun.

45) Daily Icebreakers

“An icebreaker a day keeps the boredom at bay.”

Build teamwork by setting aside just a few minutes at the beginning of every meeting for a quick icebreaker. These mini activities are short and sweet, but they’re well worth each of the few short minutes they cost. They build camaraderie and warm people up to communicate and exchange ideas, making meetings more productive.

Why we love it: Icebreakers work as an almost magical little switch, activating everyone’s creativity and cooperation. With a quick 15-minute activity, employees will be energized to tackle any meeting, call, or brainstorm with renewed enthusiasm

Next step to get started: Find your favorite icebreaker with fun team activities like  Virtual Water Cooler  or  Guess Who .

Bonus: Groupon Fridays

“Fight the slumps with novelty.”

Get out of your comfort zones as a group on a regular basis by setting aside special days to do something new and exciting you’ve agreed on ahead of time.

In addition to growing closer to your team during the event itself, you’ll grow closer during the planning, the anticipation, and the aftermath.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, collaboration, and decision making.

Why we love it: It gives you something amazing to do together, but it also gives you something amazing to look forward to, talk about, plan, and reminisce about together. Even just one exciting event can provide weeks of bonding.

Next step to get started: Visit  Groupon .

Looking for more gifts for coworkers? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Seriously Awesome Gifts For Coworkers Best Office Gift Ideas For Every Work Occasion Unique Corporate Gift Ideas Guaranteed To WOW Your Clients & Customers

Team Building Activities For Work: Managers

A manager-initiated team building event is usually a multi-tasking affair. They’re often designed to target “soft” objectives important to managers, including communication, motivation , camaraderie, teamwork skills, and trust. Participants walk away feeling the positive effects of a good time and also with a few team narratives they can pull out in their next performance evaluation.

46) Share Your Favorite Sports

“Making spectating a sport.”

Strengthen your own team by enjoying the timeless activity of watching other teams duke it out in a display of athleticism. Bond with your team as you share the cheers, the thrills, the disappointments, and the pure energy of shared fandom.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork and empathy.

Why we love it: This is another activity that facilitates a deeper kind of bonding that doesn’t require complex communication. A simple (yet enthusiastic) high-five during the rush of a shared victory works magic.

Next step to get started: Get your tickets at  Vividseats .

47) Start A Bracket

“Satisfy your competitive streak.”

The risks and rewards of a little light betting meet the excitement of sports and entertainment to bring your team an experience that gets everyone pumped. Bet against one another. Bet with one another. Have fun.

Skills this work activity develops: Collaboration, strategic thinking, critical thinking, and decision making.

Why we love it: The competition and excitement of this activity bring people to life. Everyone will be delighted to see new sides to their coworkers. It’s especially delightful to see even your most level-headed soft-spoken teammate moved to trash talk when the honor of their favorite team is on the line.

Next step to get started: Visit  BracketFights .

48) Team Movie Night

“This easy-peasy activity is a real crowd-pleaser.”

A low-key movie night is a perfect way to make people feel bonded over Zoom. Like going to movie theaters in those long-forgotten days of yore, the important part of this activity is that everyone’s brains and eyeballs are engaging in a shared cinematic experience. You can easily achieve this over Zoom, and you won’t have to hear everyone slurping on soda or crunching on popcorn.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication, empathy, and listening.

Why we love it: This activity couldn’t be easier, but it’s also a real crowd-pleaser. The movie focus eases the pressure while also allowing everyone to chat and bond as much as they like.

Next step to get started: Check out  Hulu Watch Party  or  Netflix Party .

49) Choose Your Own Adventure

“Do something you’ll want to tell your grandkids about.”

Bucketlist  empowers employees to choose their own adventures. Their expert team will handle all the planning details, allowing your team to enjoy exactly the kind of experience they want without doing any of the tedious planning.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, teamwork, trust, and listening.

Why we love it: Even after the pure joy of the experience has passed, the platform breathes new life into it by inspiring everyone to share memories of their experience right on the platform. One experience can yield months of benefits.

Next step to get started: Visit  Bucketlist .

50) Department Raffle

“Make it rain swag.”

What’s one easy way to get an entire crowd excited? Giving away free stuff. Pull together all your swag, your fun gadgets, and your CEO’s open lunch dates into one ultimate cache of raffle prizes everyone wants.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork and communication.

Why we love it: The excitement this event can inspire is priceless. Everyone will feel as giddy as a game show contestant as they see if they’ll be the lucky ones who get to horseback riding with your president.

Next step to get started: Read the basics of  running a raffle .

Looking for more gifts for managers? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Can’t Miss Gift Ideas For Your Boss To Impress Creative & Thoughtful Gifts For Managers High End & Luxury Corporate Gifts For VIPs

Team Building Activities For Work: Employees

Team building activities designed with employees in mind focus on joy. Team leaders know what their employees want more than almost anything else is a little break from the ordinary, some time to reset. Like little mini-vacations, these events usually take employees off-site for fulfilling new experiences.

51) Food Truck Mayhem

“Chase down the best food on wheels.”

Imagine the buzzing excitement of the high school cafeteria, multiplied by ten. (And also serving food that’s a million times tastier than cafeteria fare.) That’s what any park or parking lot can become when you call in the food trucks and invite your teams out for a food-tastic field day.

Everyone will frolic around, finding exactly what gourmet goodies they want while also enjoying some quality socializing. It is, however, way better than a cafeteria as the food is significantly tastier.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, communication, and decision making.

Why we love it: Browsing around the different trucks, socializing as you go creates a festival environment where eating isn’t just eating; it’s transcendent.

Next step to get started: Find out what  food trucks are available in your area .

52) Visit A Local Museum

“Crank up your culture quotient.”

Round up the team and visit a local museum, any kind of museum — art, history, nature, science, agriculture, whatever. Wander the exhibits all while discussing, learning, and soaking up all the fun facts like sponges.

Why we love it: Visiting a museum with coworkers instead of going alone on a weekend provides tons of rewards.

Next step to get started: Find a museum near you or stay at home and follow a guide through an interactive virtual museum tour .

53) Take On The Outdoors

“Swap the suit for sun-drenched skin.”

When you really think about it, the whole wide world is like one big team building adventure just waiting for you to seize it.

Go glamping, scuba diving, hiking, or bouldering. Your team’s next fulfilling adventure could be waiting anywhere. Just look out the window and see the possibilities.

Skills this work activity develops: Problem-solving, teamwork, and trust.

Why we love it: Most people aren’t exactly sure how to go about planning an epic adventure. Giving your employees a free Friday off from work can let them get a long weekend to go exploring.

Next step to get started: Visit this guide to Classic American Road Trips .

54) Awesomely Bad Art

“Flex your art appreciation muscles.”

Some of the best team building events get people to shift their perspectives. In some cases, that involves learning that Gretchen is only uptight in the office because she needs some more vitamin D or that Marcus’s ideas sound a lot better when you’re not trapped in a conference room together.

Strengthen the kind of mental muscles that fuel open-mindedness by hitting up the art galleries. Instead of trying to spout expert analysis, focus on trying to find and discuss positive things about something you absolutely hated at first glance.

Why we love it: Quick judgments are detrimental in pretty much all life situations, from simple self-talk to workplace interactions. This activity gets teams working together to challenge their off-the-cuff judgments and develop the skills they need to shift perspectives.

Next step to get started: Find an  art gallery or test your skills with an instructor-led painting class .

55) Organize Some Laughter

“Get silly to build serious team bonds.”

If alcohol is the social lubricant, then laughter could be considered social superglue. It can bring together people who have absolutely nothing in common. It can make people once separated by tension feel strong bonds. It can make even giant groups of people feel like long-lost friends.

Why we love it: Laughter is free, exhilarating, and unbelievably fuss-free. When you bring in an activity host who knows how to make it flow, the benefits are immeasurable. Science suggests laughter can cut down stress, bring people together, and elevate mood. Plus, it’s also contagious. Get a few people going and it’s all a delightful downhill slide from there.

Next step to get started: Visit  Laughter on Call to plan a super fun comedy and improv night.

Looking for more gifts for employees? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Unique Gifts For Employees That Will Boost Morale Extraordinary Gift Box Ideas That Will “WOW” Best Work From Home Care Package Ideas For Employees

Team Building Activities For Work: Onboarding

Onboarding team building activities aim to fast-track that priceless sense of belonging new employees crave. They pack a variety of “get-to-know-you” goodies into just a few hours, accomplishing the kind of relationship building that might otherwise take weeks of work to arrive at.

56) Share An After-Work Jog

“Break a sweat to create unbreakable bonds.”

Only the closest teams work out together. Welcome new employees by organizing a simple after-work jog. It’s low pressure, leads to light conversation, and it will make new employees feel instantly like part of your tight-knit team.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, trust, communication, and empathy.

Why we love it: It takes the pressure off new employees. It allows them to spend time with their new team during a totally average daily activity. This helps them get over some of the nerves that might come along with having an event specifically in their honor.

Next step to get started: Find a  perfect route .

57) Get-To-Know You Super Email

“Give new employees your team’s top-secret dossier.”

Treat your new employees to a get-to-know-you super email. Pull together a list featuring everyone on your team, including their names, pictures, roles, favorite movies, and other fun facts. New employees will find this grounding, and they’ll get a head start on the get-to-know-you process.

Why we love it: They say knowledge is power. When it comes to new employees, knowledge about their teammates is empowering. Learning a little bit about everyone will help them feel less like an outsider.

Next step to get started: Get inspiration from this  list of get-to-know-you questions .

58) Play Jeopardy For Pride Month

“Celebrate Pride Month with your team.”

Skills this work activity develops: Critical thinking, communication, and compassion

Why we love it: While teams compete in fast-paced rounds of Jeopardy-style questions, they will also learn valuable insights related to Pride Month and LGBTQIA+ culture. After the trivia, coworkers will participate in a social mixer to discuss unique conversation questions and topics in a lively virtual format.

Next step to get started: Get in touch to start planning your event for June!

59) Not Your Average Icebreaker

“Let your team choose & share what they got.”

Coming up with ways to get your team to bond can be hard — but it doesn’t have to be! Caroo makes a seamless bonding experience with its gift boxes complete with scrumptious snacks, gift cards, and happy hour kits to take the fun to the next level.

With Recipient Choice , you can have your entire group pick out their own team building gift, delicious treat, or end-of-event goodie bag to start off your activity on a high.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication and creativity.

Why we love it: Easy execution, delightful treats, and delicious drinks to help your team bond at your next event. Plus, employees can shop around to find the choice that matters most to them.

Next step to get started: Find your favorite icebreaker gift with Caroo .

60) Giphy Wars

“Find out if everyone loves your GIFs as much as you do.”

Use an employee recognition or communication platform as a battlefield for epic giphy wars.

Just push out a prompt (internet’s most boss cat, for example) and give everyone a chance to respond with the best GIF they can find. Vote on the best GIFs to see who won the war.

You can even have a war every week based on different themes, such as movies, sports, and cats.

Why we love it: Everyone loves GIFs and also the rush of finding one that seems perfectly made for the moment at hand.

Next step to get started: Visit  Nectar , your giphy war battlefield.

Looking for more onboarding resources? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: 21 Trusted Corporate Training & Development Programs Proven To Benefit Employees 7-Steps To A Perfect Employee Onboarding Process For New Hires Fun Onboarding Activities & Games For New Hires

Team Building Activities For Work: Professionals

When you’re planning a team building activity for non-stop professionals, the spotlight is on sharpening teamwork, problem-solving, and all those other wonderful translatable skills professionals love to work on.

Participants will be looking for new skills they can incorporate into the next work week, so each activity should give them plenty of material to work with. (They’ll probably even expect to receive a follow-up survey so they can properly weigh in on the effectiveness of the event.)

61) Egg Drop

“Can your team do better than all the king’s horses and all the king’s men?”

Can you and your team figure out how to drop eggs without breaking them?

Break up into different teams and let the egg-safe engineering process begin. Reconnect as a large group for the testing phase.

Have each small group discuss something new they learned about teamwork to enhance the learning aspect of this activity.

Skills this work activity develops: Problem-solving, teamwork, and collaboration.

Why we love it: This experiment benefits from multiple perspectives. Everyone will enjoy hearing their teammates suggest design nuances they never even considered.

Next step to get started: Read instructions from the  Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago , or watch  this video .

62) Human Knot

“Learn what it’s like to feel truly inseparable.”

During this physical team building activity, you’ll come together as a human knot, you’ll put your heads together to get out of said knot, and eventually, you’ll break away, but you’ll still feel closer than ever.

Why we love it: It makes teamwork a tactile experience. You’ll be able to see it in action, and if you film the event, you’ll be able to learn a few things from watching it later.

Next step to get started: See the  human knot in action .

63) Longest Shadow

“Overshadow the competition.”

You and your team have to get it together to turn all your individual shadows into one unified shadow. But that’s just the minimum. If you want to win, you also have to make sure your shadow is longer than every other group’s.

Why we love it: It requires a lot of coordination. Everyone has an equal role and everyone must play a part. While some people may naturally step into leadership roles, everyone eventually has to fall in line to create the shadow.

Next step to get started: Watch the instructions .

64) Name Impulse

“Find out what’s really in a name.”

You know your name right? You can remember it no matter what, right?

This fun team building activity challenges the simple power of names by having everyone say their own in a variety of different fast-paced situations.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication and listening.

Why we love it: As you play, you’ll be tickled by how your brain seems to want to prioritize the identity of the entire group over the individual name you’re so deeply attached to.

Next step to get started: Watch the  how-to video .

“The coolest part is when everybody realizes they are on the winning team, we could learn a lot from that.” – Ingles, a  Youtube commenter

65) The Numbers Game

“Exchange digits in a different way.”

Can you make an effective team building game based only on numbers?

In this activity, everyone gets a one-digit number. When one person shouts out a multi-digit number, everyone must scramble around to form that number by finding other teammates with the corresponding digits.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication, collaboration, and decision making.

Why we love it: It might seem like a classroom activity, however, when you actually start playing, you’ll be delighted by how challenging and hilarious it can be.

Next step to get started: Watch it on  Youtube .

Looking for more gifts for professionals? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Best Gifts For Professionals They Will Not Stop Using Motivational Quotes For Work That Will Inspire Your Employees Creative Ways to Reward Employees Welcome Back To The Office Gifts

Team Building Activities For Work: Executives

Visionary executives gravitate toward team building activities that align with all the things that occupy their thoughts, hopes, and dreams: company trajectories, productivity , strategy, long-term goals, missions, new ideas, and so on. You can expect these team bonding activities to focus on big ideas, open brainstorming, and maybe even some tactical planning (even if this last bit happens during a follow-up event).

66) Undercover Boss

“Prove that you can take the boss out of the boss.”

Executives can take a cue from the award-winning TV show  and build some solid team bonds by actually becoming part of the team for a day.

During the activity, executives simply spend an entire day working with their teams, letting their employees show them the ropes. To have the most fun, lay the clear ground rule that no one should under any circumstances take it easy on the “newbie.”

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork and trust.

Why we love it: Most employees’ interactions with executives at the highest levels involve big fancy events or hearing talks in echoey auditoriums. This activity allows executives to reveal the person behind the position and gain admiration for doing so.

Next step to get started: Get inspiration from the original TV show,  Undercover Boss .

67) C-Suite Team Retreat

“Executive’s day out.”

Some executives may think they can skip out on all the team building activities and events other employees engage in. They are inhumanly busy after all. But that’s all the more reason that a team building retreat can bring major value to their work lives.

Bring the busiest of the busy executives together for a no-work-allowed retreat. Engage them in a day of conversation, visioning, and group support. These executives may never have to share offices or conduct group work, but their team cohesion is just as important as it is for any other team.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, trust, communication, and leadership.

Why we love it: It solidifies the simple concept that you never outrank teamwork. Busy people may neglect team building, but this activity will remind them why they shouldn’t.

Next step to get started: Find some  executive retreat ideas .

68) Mastermind Group Chat

“Tap into the collective mastermind.”

Great minds may think alike, but that does not preclude them from sharing and discussing their ideas. This activity simply builds on the power of leaders’ ideas and the immeasurable rewards of sharing and nurturing those ideas in a group context — whether it happens during a one-off event or goes on infinitely in a shared Slack channel.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, communication, leadership, and strategic thinking.

Why we love it: Ideas are beautiful. And like dominoes or a perfectly cascading supply chain, one idea may inspire a chain of brilliance until your company’s biggest barrier to success is prioritizing the pipeline.

Next step to get started: Just get the executives together and start talking. It’s that easy.

69) Mini TED Talks

“Bring on the inspiration.”

Who doesn’t love an inspirational TED talk? Apply that signature TED-style to the microcosm of your company. Have company leaders tell their stories and share experiences about what it means to be part of your company, about future growth, and about limitless potential. The sky’s the limit.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, communication, and leadership.

Why we love it: The audience will love listening. The leaders will love speaking. And both of those things working in harmony will spread an invigorating feeling of inspiration all around the office.

Next step to get started: Check out these  tips for creating a TED Talk .

70) Get Scared

“Scare up those hidden stores of executive energy.”

Planning satisfying team building events for executives requires upping the stakes and also proposing something, some challenge, that driven executives will likely not be able to resist.

Have them face their biggest fears, or at least something ridiculously scary as a group. They’ll forge new bonds and in some cases  heal their brains  and push past limiting beliefs.

Why we love it: Overcoming fears together, sharing that rush of adrenaline, and also supporting one another through it all will bring your executive leadership team together like never before.

Next step to get started: Check out these  adrenaline activities for thrill-seekers .

Looking for more Executive support? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Memorable Gifts for Every Type of CEO How to Be a Corporate Travel Planning Expert Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities

Team Building Activities For Work: Christmas

Team building around the winter holidays puts on the cheerful, casual garb of pure togetherness. With these events, what you do is not half as important as who you do it with. If you can bring your entire team together for some quality time and make a few strong memories while you’re at it, then your event is a smashing success.

71) Secret Santa

“Make Santa a state of mind.”

This holiday classic ensures everyone experiences the joys of gift-giving and gift-receiving without making anyone feel pressured to purchase a whole sack full of presents.

Each guest brings a gift for another. The gift giver’s identity remains a secret until after all the presents are open and each person tries to guess the identity of their secret Santa.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking and teamwork.

Why we love it: It works well for any gift-giving holiday or occasion. Everyone feels included and shares equally in the joy.

Next step to get started: Read the  detailed rules . Feel free to expand the gifting pool to other departments you don’t have as much interaction with. Getting each other secret santa gifts will only bring you closer.

72) Make A Custom Team Greeting

“Give everyone more of what they really want.”

Spread some holiday cheer by teaming up to make a team card, stickers, or even hilarious refrigerator magnets featuring all your beautiful faces.

Why we love it: It spreads joy with a perfectly personal and humorous touch.

Next step to get started: Check out these  custom fridge magnets .

73) White Elephant

“Get something you never knew you wanted.”

Ask each guest to bring a random, ridiculous, weird, hilarious or otherwise traditionally “unwanted” gift. All you have to do is have guests open the gifts, and voila — you’ve got instant hilarity with minimal planning and fanfare.

You could also pull a  Michael Scott  and surprise everyone by bringing something that’s actually amazing.

Why we love it: You will make tons of amazing memories as you see what everyone brings and also how everyone reacts to what everyone brings.

Next step to get started: Browse  these gift ideas .

74) Rudolph Drinking Game

“Uncover the mystery of Rudolph’s shiny red nose.”

What could be better than watching your favorite holiday classic? Watching your favorite holiday classic with your amazing coworkers while also enjoying a festive drinking game.

Grab your drink of choice and agree on your drinking cues. For example, you could pop a Santa hat on top of your screen and take a little drink each time one of the characters ends up “wearing” the hat.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking and trust.

Why we love it: It cultivates tons of festive holiday cheer while being just a bit more cozy and intimate than a holiday happy hour or company party.

Next step to get started: Get the  full instructions .

75) Glow And Grow

“Nurture your ambition for the bright new year.”

Get together for a satisfying end-of-year reflection. Invite everyone to share their “glow” (an accomplishment they’re proud of) and also their “grow” (a goal for the upcoming year.)

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, trust, communication, and empathy.

Why we love it: It’s the perfect chance to grow closer as a team as you celebrate each other’s accomplishments and support each other in pursuit of new goals.

Next step to get started: All you need to make this event a success is a time, a place, one another, and  some snacks  of course.

Looking for more company holiday party resources? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Virtual Holiday Party Ideas For Spirited Festive Fun Fun Company Holiday Party Ideas On Any Budget SnackNation’s Holiday Party Guide: 20 Healthy Holiday Party Snacks, DIY Decorations and Games

Team Building Activities For Work: Social Distancing

Socially distanced team building events have to fill a tall order: bringing people together while also keeping them a safe distance apart. Hybrid team activities, preferably outdoor or virtual ones, with a physical emphasis provide plenty of laughs. Keep the events simple with minimal instruction and communication required. (Both tend to create confusion when you’re keeping your distance and also wearing a mask.)

76) Egg Toss

“Will your team cooperate or crack?”

Humans have never been able to resist the challenge that a simple fragile egg presents. We love to test every breaking point. This activity is no exception. You and your partner have to stay perfectly synced as you toss an egg back and forth, creating a perfect mix of tension and cooperation, compounded by a time limit.

There’s only one question: Can you and your teammate keep your precious egg safe?

Why we love it: It’s simplicity at its most effective. The objective is clear. The premise is simple. The instructions are self-explanatory. However, you’ll find deep complexities in all the incredible ways the pairs go about achieving their objective. Film the event so everyone can watch teamwork playing out in real-time and discuss critical learning points they may have missed in the heat of the moment.

Next step to get started: Get the  egg toss rules .

77) Silent Disco

“That’s right. Your team dances to the beat of your own collective drum.”

Turn a simple dance party into a more structured activity by adding a little challenge: everyone has to freeze in place when you pause your music unexpectedly. In addition to laughing hysterically, be sure to take pictures or screenshots during the pause. You’re absolutely going to want to review them later.

Skills this work activity develops: Trust, communication, empathy, and listening.

Why we love it: Laughter, physical activity, and shared vulnerability are the perfect recipe for powerful bonding.

Next step to get started:

• Create and share a Spotify playlist
• Ask everyone to meet at a local park or beach with their mobile devices and headphones in tow
• Help everyone arrange themselves into “dancing zones” that are at least 6 feet apart
• Pull up the playlist
• Remind everyone to open their Playback settings and set Crossfade to 3 seconds so everyone’s songs will end at the same time
• Press play at the same time
• Dance, laugh, repeat

78) Virtual Team Challenges

These virtual activities help distributed teams log onto a shared video call and participate in interactive games and challenges. Employees must work together to succeed! Plus, the healthy dose of competition will encourage even the most reserved of coworkers to hop into the action. Easy to learn and fast-paced, your entire group will breeze through a virtual team meeting with laughter and fun!

Why this is a fun team building activity for employees: The variety of games that you can play online makes keeps things fresh. They also are easy to set up since the activities run over a shared Zoom call.

Next step to get started: Get ready to compete with your coworkers in a slew of virtual puzzles, trivia, and games by working with The Go Game !

79) Nerf Battle

“Tag, you’re fun!”

The warning shot goes up into the air…

Don’t worry too much; the shot in question came out of a Nerf gun. But you better get moving because the other team wants to tag you out of the game as soon as possible.

Play a Nerf gun battle as you would play classic tag. Instead of hitting members of the other team with your hands, hit them with handy Nerf guns.

Skills this work activity develops: Communication, leadership, and decision making.

Why we love it: It helps players channel a special kind of pure childlike joy. You start out chasing each other around, but you end up rolling on the ground laughing, feeling like best friends forever.

Next step to get started: Learn  how to have a Nerf war .

“It might not seem like the most traditional team building exercise, but here at YouEarnedIt we believe in celebrating our accomplishments in whatever way makes our employees the happiest. The same day we learned that YouEarnedIt won the title of Best Place to Work in Austin, we held our first ever Nerf Battle Royale. Our employees pooled together their YouEarnedIt points to fund and launch what turned out to be one of the most powerful team building exercises. For 30 minutes, the entire office became a battleground where strategy, collaboration, and out-of-the-box thinking meant the difference between life and (virtual) death.” -Tim Ryan, VP of Marketing

80) The Art Thief

“A puzzle-filled race.”

This puzzle team building event is the kind of large group activity that your colleagues will not soon forget. With coworkers split up into teams, they must race through a series of physical, virtual, and hybrid challenges to find clues, pull evidence, and accomplish the mission.

Skills this work activity develops: Teamwork, leadership, and collaboration.

Why we love it: With the state of work changing so much the past two years, planning a corporate team event is a great way to spend some time together that does not involve Zoom calls and Slack messages. Plus, it gives some of your staff an opportunity to meet new hires in person!

Next step to get started: You can check out The Art Thief  to get an accurate quote for your team.

Bonus: Werewolf

“Who is the big bad wolf?”

What happens when the name of your icebreaker game is survival? There’s only one way to find out.

To play this game , your team splits into two smaller groups — werewolves and townspeople. Face off until all the werewolves are dead or the two groups reach equal numbers.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, problem-solving, trust, and critical thinking.

Why we love it: This activity is wrapped up in a fun and spooky theme, but it also involves plenty of thinking, strategy, and even a little deception — a recipe for a no-fail good time. You’ll learn new things about your teams and maybe even yourself. You’ll also learn who can’t control their giggles and who is a terrible liar.

Next step to get started: Gather your villagers and learn how to play Werewolf with your team.

81) Creative Contest

“Let the inner artists out to play.”

Give everyone a chance to tap into (and show off) their creative side. Unlike other team building activities for employees, the unifying magic of this activity doesn’t come from co-creation; it comes from the sharing of individual creations.

Simply ask everyone to independently create pieces — stories, poems, paints, songs, or, anything else you want. The true bonding happens when everyone’s pieces come together in a collection that magically captures your group’s personality.

Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, trust, and empathy.

Why we love it: This activity highlights what it means to be a team on a new level. It shows that feelings of togetherness can come even from sharing ideas developed independently. (It’s also perfect for adhering 100% to social distancing guidelines and also making introverts feel super comfortable.) The best team building activities encourage your employees to get creative and work together to access new parts of their brain.

• Outline a few simple rules
• Announce the contest
• Collect submissions
• Use a social voting tool to democratize the judging process
• Announce and celebrate the winners via employee recognition software, such as  NectarHR

Bonus: Corporate Castaways

“Your pass to turn survival into an epic game.”

Teammates dive into a series of challenges inspired by the Survivor TV series. While this activity gets everyone developing skills they need for day-to-day work, the high stakes inspire players to infuse their actions with an extra dose of strategic thinking, cooperation, and pure mettle.

Skills this work activity develops: Problem-solving, teamwork, trust, communication, collaboration, and decision making.

Why we love it: It wraps what could be an average corporate training model in an engaging premise and takes it outside for extra fun and a hit of mood-lifting sunshine.

Next step to get started: Start your castaway adventure with your coworkers.

Looking for more activities for social distancing at work? Check out these SnackNation resources for further reading: Inspiring Outdoor Team Building Activities, Ideas, & Games The Ultimate Guide to Social Distancing At Work Team Building Kits For Boosting Engagement

Now you have all the ideas you need to build something amazing.

We hope you’re inspired to try one or all of these activities, even if it takes a while. Feel free to share your experiences and team building favorites in the comment section below.

People Also Ask These Questions About Team Building Activities For Work

Q: what are team building activities for work.

• A: Team building activities are programs designed to promote bonding and engagement between employees. Whether these activities are run by a third-party or an employee in-house, these organized events aim to help co-workers feel more comfortable at work and interested in accomplishing larger team goals.

Q: Why are team building activities for work important?

• A: It’s all about engagement. There’s a pretty clear link between the personal bonds between your team members and their engagement level. A recent Gallup study found that close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50%, while people with a self-described best friend at work are seven times more likely to be fully engaged at work.

Q: What are the benefits of team building activities?

• A: Another Gallup study reported that engaged companies consistently outperform the competition when it comes to things like profits, productivity, and turnover. (Pretty important stuff if you ask us.) And it stands to reason – the closer you are to your co-workers, the happier you’ll be at work, and the more likely you’ll be to sacrifice your discretionary time to help them succeed.

Q: What are hybrid team building activities?

• A: Hybrid team building activities are exercises, games, and events that allow for both in-office and remote employees to participate. These activities can involve multiple groups playing the same activity from different locations in person, or through a video conferencing tool virtually. Hybrid activities are designed to boost employee engagement and team camaraderie by allowing coworkers to bond outside of a strictly work centric environment.

Q: What is corporate team building?

• A: Corporate team building is when businesses invest in activities to improve employee morale, motivation, and performance. This can be done through a variety of means, but often includes team building exercises, workshops, retreats, and conferences. The goal is to encourage employees to work together more effectively while also building relationships with one another.

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128 Comments

Love all these ideas! Definitely going to bring some of these new ones to our office at Blueboard.

Nice, thanks Morgan! Let us know how it goes.

That’s such a wonderful list. Thanks a lot for featuring us 🙂

Thank you guys for being awesome!

We do have at India Steel (Sumitomo Group) every Saturday interactive meeting in our main hall for 30 minutes. Every Department will present their weekly updates to across company. Also we do give the common communication in this platform.

Also all employee recognitions and rewards are announced and distributed in this forum.

Encourage employees to participate by way of sharing their individual experiences and contributions.

Every week the MD explains one value out of 9 values of our company to reach out everyone the Sumitomo Values practiced across world.

Very cool, Ravindran, thanks for sharing. Especially love the fact that your company reiterates its values and makes sure they’re being practiced. Great stuff!

This is awesome!!! My favorite is the epic intros for new hires! What an awesome way to welcome new team members. Thanks for featuring E Group! 🙂

Thank YOU for letting us share part of your culture, Rachel!

Great collection of ideas.

Thanks for the feedback, Monika!

Office Fantasy Football Leagues is another great way to bond through friendly competition

Agreed! First week smack talk has already begun. I’m 1-0 – woo hoo!!! We love March Madness brackets and do square sheets for big games and picks for bowl games. Since we’re in the sports industry anything sports related is a no brainer to get everyone involved.

great ideas

What an awesome article!! I love all these ideas – we will be implementing!

These are all wonderful team building ideas! Recently, my team did a team building exercise in Denver called DayBreakers. It’s an hour of yoga followed by two hours of dancing in a setting similar to a nightclub. Hundreds of people gather and dance their faces off. What a great way to start the morning!

Great ideas! Baseball games is always a fun team outing. It’s great to get out of the office to change the scene & going to a ball game is always a fun time.

Startup culture at its best. Love it!

This is a fantastic list. I’d love to do more team building activities at our sales office – if i can get the reps away from the phones!

I’m thinking about putting out a scrabble board or giant crossword puzzle that can encourage people to take a break every once in awhile and do some casual puzzling.

Love this list! We definitely will incorporate an idea or two from here

These are great! Definitely going to try out #12 ASAP!

I want to do them all!!!

We’ve done many of these activities that promote team unity. By doing so, our willingness to sacrifice for each other radiates through our body of work and reflects the customer obsession onto our clients,

Our office has a hard time being committed to an activity for a long time or over several days, especially outside of the office such as a sports league. However, something within the office that doesn’t take a lot of time, such at the Type Fight game would be great for us!

These look Awesome!!!

K1 GoKart racing is a lot of fun for our employees. It lets them get out there and compete with others in the company. It’s fun to see people who are normally reserved in the office show their competitive side during the race.

Our office has done Go Kart Racing a few times and people really loved it! The rest of the ideas look great. Thanks!

We’re going to do our first ice cream social next week! And I’d love for us to incorporate board games, sounds like a blast.

Great ideas

This is great! 🙂 Our office does Ping Pong, Nerf Guns, Legos, Movie nights, Baseball Games, Shooting, and Go Kart racing, to name a few. We have a great crew who enjoys spending time together outside the office.

How fun! I’m really glad I read this today. Our wellness team’s monthly meeting is actually scheduled for this afternoon. I’ve jotted some of these ideas down, and am anxious to see what the team thinks of the suggestions!

We are always looking for ways to think outside of the box-and there are some great and hilarious ideas here. Some could be used with our design dept, or engineers…they aren’t one-size fits all, but that’s the beauty of getting creative. We have worked with our on-site catering dept, and had them make breakfast sandwiches, orange juices, and yogurt parfaits, and we had our Senior Staff deliver them to the entire site of 1,400+ people in carts. The teams LOVED seeing their leaders, and having them in the serving capacity is great as well!

Some great ideas. My husband’s employer just did an Amazing Race and everyone loved it.

These look like amazing team building activities

Great ideas! Midday breaks for fun go such a long way. My favorites are the “Get Outside” ideas – even if something as simple as walking to a nearby patio for a drink or snack at the end of the day as a team, the sunshine and movement after a long workday is the best!

These are all really great ideas and I can’t wait to try some of these at our next event.

Love these! Nothing like a little competition for team building! Our office has done things like cards against humanity, joined a kickball league, and even some trivia. Great way to learn about other employees on a different level then day to day in the office

Couldn’t agree more, Elizabeth! Thanks for the feedback.

We recently did an amazing race-style scavenger hunt, it was awesome!

Sounds fun!! That’s a great idea, thanks for the comment, Julie.

These are great ideas! We go to Spring Training baseball games. We also hold cubicle decorating contests for various seasons/holidays.

Thank you, Heather! That is awesome – is your office near spring training, or are you all traveling long distances?

Love team building exercises. We always have them at least once a month. They range from playing games, to volunteering, to next month going to a Haunted House.

Very cool, thanks for sharing, Jennifer.

I like the board games, Family Feud, and block printing ideas best. We have to remember that not everyone is a social butterfly and ready to jump into a group activity. Some of the best thinkers and workers and producers are introverts, and no company leader should overlook this. By holding team building sessions that first will help the introverts feel comfortable around their team members, the company can gently add more socially-dependent team building activities, helping the introverts to not “dread” those activities.

Very true, Jane. I’m a major introvert myself, and the team building we do at SnackNation has helped me connect with co-workers, which results in better working (and personal) relationships – which results in better work!

Great read – thanks for sharing!

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you, Anita.

Wow. Very cool.

Thanks, Elb!

Loved all the ideas, now where do we put that ping-pong table?!

Thanks, Erin! Yes, the eternal question…

As a HR Mgr – You SnackNation are giving me constant great ideas for my company. Thank you

Thanks Melissa – that’s what we’re here for!!

Our office just did a paintball outing — we enjoy being super competitive and then bonding together afterwards over a beer to relax snd share war wounds (note: nothing hospital-worthy).

Haha – glad to hear it, TJ!

We are always looking for new team building ideas, so this was helpful!

Great! Always glad to be of service. 🙂

These are all really great ideas. I personally love the Nerf Battle idea! Brings me back to playing as a child and is always a good stress relief in the office.

Thank you John! Can’t beat an epic Nerf battle.

At Mobivity we do department field trips to Spring Training Games, Paint Parties, Movies etc. I loved hearing about all of these additional ideas. I look forward to bringing them to my Executive Team.

Nice! What does a paint party entail??

There are some really great ideas. I’m going to try the appreciation circle!

Thank you, Judi!

Really cool ideas! Would love to implement quite a few of these!

Thanks for the feedback, Melissa! Definitely do that – and let us know how they work out!

These are great ideas. We do the buddy system, usually do a sports outing once a year as our summer get out of the office and mingle event, but some of these look like I could incorporate them into our office as well.

Awesome, BreAnne! Love to see companies who are proactive about bringing teammates closer together.

I was drawn by the hotesny of what you write

We do many of these, but I can’t wait to add in a few more! Love the ideas.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Stacey.

Awesome! Thanks for giving this a read, Stacey.

These are all great ideas! It’s a little difficult to get the whole to team to buy in to these activities however.

Thanks Brendan, that’s a good point. Sometimes it’s about convincing your team to buy in, other times it’s about listening to figure out what they might want or need. Great feedback!

It seems very difficult to encourage that sense of team that is necessary for success in an office workplace, but these ideas may help that!

We agree, it can seem like a daunting task – but we’re here to help!

My office actually does quite a bit of the activities listed above. One thing I’ve been noodling on is having an office-wide talent show. Sometimes you don’t know if your coworker actually knows how to juggle or not. I think it would open people up for conversations other than the typical TPS report banter.

That’s an amazing idea! So true, what a great conversation starter and way to bring people closer together.

Every month MedXM holds a sports event, this month is yoga! I’m thinking next month will be kickball, what a great idea! 😀

Very cool! Love the creativity.

We just finished a softball league a few months ago. 2nd place! Unfortunately, we lost to our rivals, but 2nd place nonetheless.

Congrats! Sounds like a lot fun, thanks for sharing that idea.

Great- I’m going to steal some of these ideas for sure!

Awesome, thanks Wes!

I find these ideas a great option! Thanks.

Glad to hear it, thanks Cassandra!

Great Ideas! I’m going to try and integrate some of them for sure!

Awesome, thanks Mark!

We have chair races down the hall

Sounds like an epic place to work!

These are all awesome ideas! I am going to ask my boss to implement some of these around the office. I dont know how he will take it.

Make sure you make the case for WHY – it’s all about building engaged teams that won’t let each other fail!

We have begun to implement some of these ideas. Reading this post assures me they are great ideas.

Awesome! What sort of things have you noticed as a result of implementing these ideas?

My office recently started a basketball tournament. Everyone has loved it so far. Will try some of these ideas in the future.

Sounds awesome! We have a weekly pickup basketball game at SN, but a tournament is a really cool idea. Might have to try that one!

I love the lunch drawing idea. We implement a couple of these ideas already, but are always looking to make the workplace a better environment.

Very cool! If you try that one, let us know how it goes over.

So this is what happens when a writer does the homework needed to write quality material. Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful content.

Great ideas,There are different activities that can be done in a team building exercise but as an organiser, make sure that it will be fun and very interesting for everybody involved. It must be activities that help people to unwind, interact with each other and will avoid embarrassing anyone.

Thanks For Sharing,

yes its true team building activities are very important for any business. I like your ideas for team building.

Just had a team building activity yesterday at a local park. Careerbuilder paid for the ingredients for lunch but it was prepared and grilled by employees who volunteered—afterwards everyone enjoyed a fun game of kickball. Very low cost event but it was very well received. thanks for a lot of great ideas on future teambuilding

Excellent list of Team Building activities, planning to implement few from this list in our team.

I’m on an Engagement Committee where we try to do things for our employees to make the workplace a great place to be. We work 7 days a week with several shifts with 100 plus employees and cannot leave the premises as often to enjoy the outdoor suggestions. We’ve had food fun and Christmas fun but need some other ideas.

Many many thanks for sharing with us the great article. It’s helped me a lot and I also learned a lot also. It’s really a valuable and useful article for me. Every professional accountant should be read this so that he can don’t face any problem in future.

Wonderful Ideas for team building…… These activities will improve confidence among employees. Thanks for sharing…

I know this is an older article but I wanted to leave some feedback. Some of these ideas are fantastic and I will use a few so thank you! But to all managers out there, please keep in mind employees who are not able bodied. This list was very much geared towards young, fit employees, but employees with disabilities, injuries, who are pregnant, obese or older may find many of these activities alienating, or even dangerous. Just something to keep in mind.

Love all your suggestions. I do believe it is time we moved on from those traditional team building games that have been used by companies for decades now. In fact, one fun team building activity that I love is escape room games. They not only foster teamwork and communication, they do so in a fun way. It might just reveal some hidden talents and abilities of the team members. It also provides the opportunity to identify emerging leaders and real team players.

What about Secret Santa? We do that often and it really does connect people to get a gift from a random person in the office.

Love all the great ideas on here. We are just starting try and team build across all our different locations. Cant wait to til our next “wellness team” meeting to bring in some of these ideas and let everyone know where I got them. Thank you.

What kind of ideas are out there for healthcare workers that can be done during the work hours?

Great article! Escape rooms are indeed creative outlets and places where people can forget the daily pressures in workplaces to get immersed in something for fun; without the intervention of any third party. Such situations can help break ice and foster close relationships between people in offices; who otherwise don’t get a chance to interact that much.

I love Ms. Chaney’s idea to use throwback movie nights as a team-building idea. The company I work for is actually fantastic too. I was thinking of suggesting we do tactical laser tag as a team-building exercise too.

Love it! I wanna try these team building activities. I think it is fun and my co-workers will enjoy it. As we all know, group activities involve teamwork as it helps the teams understand each other better. It brings people together by encouraging collaboration and teamwork.

We appreciate your feedback! Definitely agree that team building activities help encourage collaboration and teamwork 🙂

A few of these really hit my heart. Thanks for sharing.

It seems very fun. Its important do fresh n up our mind to boost work effectively in a team. The more work they do the more fun the deserve. I am very happy after knowing these fun team building activities for work. I will for sure try these fun plans for my team. Thank you so much

Honestly, this list has helped me a lot to build up a good bond between my employees in this lockdown situation. Following this blog since Feb-2020, and have tried multiple activities on my employees. It did worked for me and my employees. Not only this, we have learned a lot about each other beyond the general things. Thanks a tonne.

I really enjoyed reading through the ideas and plan to implement a few of them into our team building program here at junk removal company in Pasadena. Thanks for sharing.

Well written and to the point. I appreciate the detail in this article!

I appreciate that this post mentioned that team building games are important to foster teamwork and cooperation. Assuming I own a business, I will definitely want my employee engagement to improvement. I will maybe consider something like an escape room.

These are great ideas!It is a way to bond and bring employees together and will enhance their teamwork. The trust between team members will also be build.

Really great information.Thanks for sharing

Suppose if I had to pick a perfect article, it would be yours. I like your views and your writing technique. This material is informational without being boring and intimidating.

This blog includes the best information about all team building activities. I will share this blog with my friends and this will be very helpful to all. Keep sharing your ideas !

Very good imformation, thank you for this information.

It is a cool step to make our working team strong. How you got these ideas? We need to apply the same in our work.

very nice and good content thanks for sharing this wonderful content.

This is a great post, it’s always nice to see examples of how companies can encourage a healthy work/life balance and bring fun into the workplace. The idea for a scavenger hunt was brilliant! My college track team did this during my sophomore year as a team-building exercise, and I remember it being one of the best memories in college athletics. The tasks were incredibly creative and some were downright impossible to pull off, but the team had a blast. It was a great way to introduce our new freshmen to the team and the team definitely grew a lot closer by doing activities like these. Work can be stressful a lot more than it isn’t, and we all become much more productive when the work environment is as relaxed as possible.

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13 Team-Building Exercises Your Staff Will Actually Enjoy

• Haley DeLeon
• December 6, 2022
• Human Resources
• Text-based Story

Whether your team is in-person, remote, or some combination of the two, team-building exercises are a critical HR technique for creating and maintaining an effective team. 

However, team building sometimes can get a bad rep. The very mention of it may inspire eye-rolling and groans.

So, make sure your team-building efforts are effective and enjoyable for everyone with these tips and activities.

Why Are Team-Building Exercises Important?

According to Gallup , engagement at work is at an all-time low — only 32% of employees are engaged, and 17% are actively disengaged.

One way to help close the engagement gap is with team building. Team-building exercises can help employees get to know each other on a personal level, boosting morale and building camaraderie and trust. Improved communication skills, productivity, and creativity can also come from team building because employees collaborate in more out-of-the-box ways.

13 Enjoyable and Effective Team-Building Exercises

Not all team-building exercises are created equal, and not all will make sense given your team structure, environment, and goals.

Before you choose any of the team-building exercises below, consider your end objective. Are you looking to help team members get to know each other better? Or do you want to encourage creative thinking and cross-departmental communication?

Each of the following team-building exercises is fun, engaging, and serves a purpose.

13. Two Truths and a Lie

In this classic icebreaker, participants share two honest events or facts about themselves and one lie. The other listeners must decide which one is the lie. Employees will learn more about each other and become more comfortable communicating.

In general, icebreakers can help welcome new hires and introduce new team members because they are great for building familiarity and relationships between colleagues.

12. Compliment Circle

There are many ways to execute this morale-boosting exercise. You can spend five minutes having team members compliment each other with whatever comes to mind. For example, “Big shoutout to Sarah for leading that training last week.” Or, you can have each person address the coworker to their right, giving everyone get a chance to be highlighted. This activity is a great way to boost morale and employee recognition.

11. The Marshmallow Challenge

In this activity, small groups are given 20 spaghetti sticks, one marshmallow, and one yard of string and tape with the goal of creating the tallest freestanding structure possible. Colleagues must work together and be inventive to win, so this activity is ideal if you want to foster collaboration and creativity.

10. Show and Tell

Remember when you’d bring something exciting to share with the class in elementary school? Show and Tell is also relevant the workplace. Instead of bragging about your pet rock, you can encourage employees to share what they are working on or if they have learned anything new. Consider having a Friday afternoon Show and Tell where employees can share team updates, industry news or even personal achievements. Allow time for people to ask questions and give feedback so you can maximize the benefits of this morale-boosting activity.

9. Hack Day

Want to foster creative problem-solving and open communication? Consider hosting a Hack Day , or a day where everyone drops their normal workload and spends their time completing a special project that benefits the team or company. You can also create small teams from people across departments to work on different cross-functional projects and think outside the box.

8. Human Knot

This might sound familiar if you attended summer camp as a kid. In this activity, which is ideal for large teams, members join right and left hands with the person opposite them — not the person next to them. When all members have their hands in a knot, the group has to work together and follow the rules to untangle themselves. The results are, once again, communication, trust, following instructions, and some fun!

7. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are great for new hires or helping people get to know each other better. You can create a list of different facts or artifacts and divide employees into groups to see who can find everything the fastest. This can help employees learn more about the company and each other.

6. Murder Mystery Game or Escape Room

A murder mystery game or escape room can be a great way to have employees practice clear communication, problem-solving, and collaboration. Employees will have to work together to solve clues in either of these scenarios to determine the murderer or escape. Many companies now offer murder mystery and escape room games online, so virtual teams can get in on the fun.

5. Slideshow

If you’re looking to hone your employees’ presentation and oral communication skills, a slideshow or Lunch and Learn can be a great way of doing so. Splitting employees into groups to present on whatever topic they all decide they are interested in can help them delegate tasks, analyze an issue, improve public speaking skills, and sharpen their ability to work together in new ways.

4. Common Factor

Finding commonalities can help build connections and solidify existing employee relationships. Common Factor helps colleagues find these connections quickly. For this game, employees are asked to move to a designated area of the room if certain statements apply to them. Some questions to ask include:

• Do you own a pet?
• Are you a parent?
• Are you a grandparent?
• Are you a musician?
• Do you like country music?
• Do you like horror movies?
• Have you visited more than ten countries?
• Are you a twin or triplet?
• Have you ever met a celebrity?
• Are you left-handed?

In a virtual environment, it could be as simple as raising your hand if the question applies to you. As more employees discover what they have in common, they’ll build trust and relationships.

3. Shark Tank

Have you ever watched Shark Tank? In this game, based on the TV show, teams pitch mock products in front of a group of “Sharks” (senior team members) to secure investments. This exercise promotes collaboration, entrepreneurship, teamwork, presentation skills, and unconventional thinking. Participants must develop an imaginary product and create a professional pitch, including the brand name and slogan, business and marketing plan, and financial data.

2. Egg Drop

You may have done this activity in school. Each team has limited time and supplies to construct a carrier to keep an egg safe from a two-story drop. Teams must collaborate and think creatively to win.

1. Memory Wall

Having team members share memories creates team bonding opportunities and fosters morale. In this exercise, write a few work-related topics on a whiteboard or sticky board, such as “work travel” and “my first day.” Gather your team together and have everyone choose one of the topics to share a story about from their time with the company. As people are telling their stories, ask other team members to write down words to add to the wall. As more people share their stories and add words to the wall, the result is a positive memory cloud that everyone will be a part of.

Tips for Effective Team Building

To ensure your team-building exercises accomplish their intended purpose, follow these tips from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) :

• Remember that team building is a process. It’s not just a singular event — team building takes time and regular implementation. With new employees joining and some employees leaving the team, as well as company updates, team building should be a consistent component of your HR efforts.
• Be specific about the goal. Team-building exercises should have specific objectives, such as introducing new team members or inspiring creative thinking. Instead of “building a stronger team,” consider a goal like “apply creative problem solving to create a better onboarding process.”
• Share the desired outcomes with the team. That way, they know the goal of the exercise, and they’ll be more engaged. This can also help fight off the skepticism that sometimes accompanies team building from cynical employees.
• Incorporate participant preferences and comfort zones. In a post-pandemic era, the Human Knot may not be a feasible or desirable game for all teams. Also, some exercises are more effective in person, while others may be suitable for remote teams.
• Be realistic about expectations. Not every team-building exercise will appeal to all your employees, and you can’t please everyone.  

Team-Building Exercises: Part of Your HR Toolkit

HR plays a key role in fostering employee engagement and growing retention, and team building is an important part of that. Whether you want to enter the HR field or grow in your existing career, USF offers the tools and knowledge busy professionals need to succeed in this demanding profession.

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