40+ Team Building Activities You Should Try at Least Once

The whole point behind the teamwork-building activities is to ensure that the whole team heads unite in the same direction, work together, and get to know each other better. There are also many fun team-building activities and games, like Quizbreaker or Murder Mystery on the Train.

What are team building activities?

According to Indeed, “Team building is defined as the process of using daily interactions, activities, and exercises to organize a group of people into a cooperative and cohesive group.”

The main goal of team building is solidifying work and personal relationships among employees through activities such as games, meetings, or events.

Through team building, companies can provide employees with a stress-free environment to improve communication, boost motivation, and improve individual and team skills.

We’ll cut to the chase and trial run these 40+ games and activities for you and your team. Then, we’ll cover why these social and fun activities are useful to foster team bonding.

A. 17 Activities for remote teams

This chapter will focus on team-building activities that can be done remotely.

Currently, most people work remotely, and according to Gomada:

• Over 80% of employers and employees believe creating a sense of community at work is essential.
• Employees think that team-building activities can improve the remote work experience.
• 52% of workers think company culture is as essential in remote work as in the office.
• 78% of people are looking for a more supportive work culture.
• Only 33% of companies hold simple team-building activities such as virtual coffee and tea breaks.
• 41% of workers find adapting to the company’s culture hard during remote work.

Every company could benefit from implementing remote team-building activities.

This chapter will provide a comprehensive guide to remote team-building activities, helping you to identify and select the ones best suited for your team.

We’ve chosen to categorize each activity and showcase the following:

• The type of activity
• Its main focus
• The time needed to pursue this activity
• The medium you need (indoors/outdoors)
• The tools you’ll need
• When it’s best to do this activity
• Whether it’s free or paid

We have created a table that summarizes each activity. Further details about each activity will be presented in the second part of this chapter.

Ice breaker activities

When working online, it is common to experience delays due to technical issues or participants being late. To make the most of this idle time, using icebreakers to engage your team and create a positive atmosphere before moving on to more complex activities is helpful.

1. Opening questions

Why: it loosens up the atmosphere and helps the team catch up on each other’s lives
You’ll need: a video conferencing tool
Time: 5 minutes

We’re starting with the most obvious one on purpose. Not because it’s a no-brainer but because how you start a meeting sets the tone for how it unfolds.

So, allow your team to make small talk here and there, as this loosens up the atmosphere and helps them catch up on each other’s lives—something that’s a given in an office but not in a remote environment.

Keep it casual and do it right after you enter the video conference. Or, lay out a few organized questions in a collaboration tool as reference points. Here are our favorites:

What was the last dish you cooked?

What new excellent TV series/anime/films have you discovered over the weekend?

Have you been on a trip lately? If yes, where and how was it?

This activity is a quick and fun way for your team to bond before a meeting. Use this time to relax to focus on the work discussion afterward entirely.

Pros of this activity:

• Bonding
• Free
• Easy to implement
• Good destresser

Cons of this activity:

• Time-restricted
• It might get repetitive if done constantly
• It might not include everyone equally

2. Online riddle

Why: it boosts team focus
You’ll need: Slack, Paymo, riddles
Time: 10-15 minutes

It’s important to remember that not everyone who attends meetings is fully energized. Some may have just woken up, others may be struggling with their kids, and some might still be thinking about their next task.

Bring everyone’s focus to the meeting with riddles. Find them on your own, or go to Riddles.com for examples and inspiration (they come with answers). When you’ve found one, log in to a work management platform like Paymo and discuss with your team to see who can crack it first.

This simple exercise kicks our brain gears, ensuring we’re giving our undivided attention to what’s next.

Pros of this activity:

• Bonding
• Free
• Easy to implement
• Exercises problem-solving skills

Cons of this activity:

• Inconsistent engagement
• Can amplify competition, leading to animosity
• Time-constrained

3. Word association

Why: it helps your team focus before a meeting
You’ll need: a video conferencing tool
Time: 10-15 minutes

This is another excellent activity to help your team focus before a meeting, only more inclusive and straightforward. Ask your colleagues to summarize the meeting topic in one word – nothing less.

For example, you might be holding a meeting about your company’s positioning, so you ask your team to pick one word that best describes it. They could answer with “strong,” “inconsistent,” and “work-in-progress.”

No matter the answer, this exercise allows you to discover the viewpoints of your colleagues and the assumptions that led to these summaries in the first place. Ultimately, you want to clarify issues or goals before diving into the meeting agenda.

Pros of this activity:

• Inclusive
• Free
• Easy to implement
• Team bonding
• It might help achieve future goals faster

Cons of this activity:

• Might get repetitive
• It might lead to disagreements
• It might get you more stressed if you see it as a task
• It might feel tense if workers take the answers personally

4. Birth map fun facts

Why: it positively impacts decision-making and creativity and helps you learn about each other’s culture
You’ll need: Slack, Map of the World image
Time: 10-15 minutes

Working in a distributed team positively impacts decision-making and creativity in general, as team members with diverse personalities and perspectives can bounce off each other to arrive at never-before-thought solutions.

Download a map of the world and upload it to a collaboration tool. Then, ask colleagues to point out where they were born and list a few fun facts about it.

Some might be fanatic supporters of their hometown (me included), so let them go the extra mile and present a one-page slider. For instance, did you know that Oradea is the home of the third-largest synagogue in Europe?

This activity can be an excellent opportunity to learn about each other’s culture and allow everyone to bring in their unique quirks.

Pros of this activity:

• You get to know your colleagues on a personal level
• It might spark interesting discussions leading to new and creative work strategies
• Free
• acquire general knowledge about different cultures
• get to know your team better – it helps you plan vacations and time off beforehand based on their specific culture or religion

Cons of this activity:

• Some teammates might not be comfortable sharing personal information
• It might lead to disagreements due to different cultural beliefs
• Time constrained
• It might be hard to implement and include everyone in the activity

5. Open mic

Why: fosters sharing mutual hobbies and primes the team to contribute more deliberately.
You’ll need: a video conferencing tool
Time: 15-20 minutes

Remember how you and your classmates stood in a circle in kindergarten and took turns reciting poems and doing gigs? This time, it’s not so embarrassing, I promise.

Give each team member a chance to take the stage for 1-2 minutes before a meeting, with breaks of 15 seconds between performances.

During this time, they can sing a song, joke, show off their knife cooking skills – whatever rocks their boat.

The purpose of this icebreaker is to share mutual hobbies and small guilty pleasures that, in return, will prime the team to contribute more deliberately.

Pros of this activity:

• Engaging
• Blows the steam off before a stressful meeting
• Easy to implement
• Positively impacts team contribution
• Bonding

Cons of this activity:

• It might be stressful for introverts
• You might face video connection problems
• If the group does not know each other on a personal level, it might come off as awkward
• You might not have a hidden talent
• It can be an anxiety booster if you are not an extrovert

6. QuizBreaker

Why: it helps get to know your team better
You’ll need: an email address for each person on your team
Time: 3 minutes per week
Group size: 3 to 50

QuizBreaker is a weekly quiz delivered by email; its primary goal is to get to know your team better. It’s online, simple, fun, and it’s not time-consuming.

The participants respond to icebreaker questions and attempt to identify who gave each response. For instance, did Sarah or Rob indicate that their preferred TV series is Game of Thrones?

To set up your account, invite each person on your team to your QuizBreaker account and have them answer at least five icebreakers.

The quiz will then start going out automatically every Friday afternoon or at a time of your choosing.

Pros of this activity:

• Easy to implement
• Team bonding
• Simple and fun
• Interactive

Cons of this activity:

• Some people might forget to attend the activity
• It can get repetitive if done too often
• Time constrained

Teamwork activities

Now that you’ve warmed up, it’s time to consider some team-building activities that will strengthen the bond between team members and improve overall cohesion.

You’ll know you’re successful when you feel a greater connection with your colleagues, even from miles away.

7. Personality test (MBTI)

Why: it helps find out where your team’s strengths and weaknesses lie and know yourself and your teammates better
You’ll need: a video conferencing tool
Time: 30 minutes

How well do you know your colleagues professionally? I’m not talking about their LinkedIn activity or latest credentials but about their preferred way of communicating, handling conflict, and overall team contribution.

Find out by taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test. The original one capitalizes on Carl Jung’s theory that four psychological functions influence our behavior: sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking.

These are further translated into four categories that, when combined, result in 16 personality types.

Credit: Mark & Anna Vital at Adioma.

Please take the survey at www.truity.com —we found this to be the most user-friendly one—to get an accurate profile of your personality type.

You will find out where your strengths and weaknesses lie, which characteristics make you compatible with other types, and how to deal with them. If you want to throw in some fun, google your type followed by “famous people.” I’m ENTP, the same as Celine Dion—although I suck at singing.

This test can also help you to introspect and learn more about your current needs and advantages related to your specific type and boost your best skills.

Pros of this activity:

• Motivation booster
• Can eliminate conflict through better knowing how to respond to each colleague in any situation
• Improve communication
• Get a better view of the team’s skills as a whole and bank on each individual’s skills
• It might help you create a personal development plan

Cons of this activity:

• This might lead to stereotyping
• It might not be fully comprehensive since it doesn’t consider all the layers of someone’s personality.
• Some colleagues might not agree to share personal information.

8. Office trivia

Why: it stimulates your team and reinforces your company values
You’ll need: a video conferencing tool
Time: 30 minutes

Competition in the proper context can be stimulating. Especially when it’s about reinforcing your company values and ensuring everyone practices them.

Play the virtual, more dynamic version of the traditional office trivia for this. Prepare between 20-25 more or less serious questions about your company, like “When was it established?”, “Who are your ideal customers?” or “How many people called Andrew are there?”. You get it. Only this time, you’re also giving hints like a first letter, multiple-choice, or numbers to create confusion.

Here’s the fun part. Group all the participants into teams of 3, with a representative who will use a buzz-like sound to alert you when they have the answer. The buzzing sound has to be chosen at the beginning and can’t be changed later. Note that some—like a chicken squeak—can steal some laughs from the others and buy you more time. The team with the most correct answers wins. Entertainment is guaranteed while you’re doing an enjoyable value check!

If you like this, you’ll probably want to try other virtual trivia games.

Pros of this activity:

• Reinforces company values
• Interactive
• Team bonding
• Free
• Fun
• Encourages strategic communication

Cons of this activity:

• It might cause performance anxiety
• It might be hard to include in a stressful workday, defeating its purpose

9. Fake podcast

Why: it builds empathy
You’ll need: a video/audio recording tool, Google Drive
Time: 1 hour

Working in a cross-functional team makes putting ourselves in our colleagues’ shoes hard. During the handoff process, hiccups are likely to occur. As a marketer trying to communicate with developers or vice versa, it’s important to be cautious when drawing conclusions to avoid misunderstandings.

During this virtual activity, pair up team members with one another and have them interview each other about their job roles and responsibilities. The interviews (no longer than 10 minutes) must be recorded in audio or video format and uploaded on a shared platform so the whole team can access them. Prevent this from happening, and host a fake podcast.

This exercise builds a lot of empathy. Everyone discovers what a usual workday looks like for each of their colleagues—no more blaming the marketers for “slacking off” or the developers for “delayed updates.”

It will make you understand that we’re all in this together, working together to steer the boat in the same direction.

Pros of this activity:

• Team bonding
• Increases empathy
• You might come up with new strategies
• Free
• Engaging

Cons of this activity:

• It might be hard to include in a stressful workday, defeating its purpose
• It might lead to animosity

10. Share a goal

Why: it creates a foundation of trust and support and helps the team rely on each other
You’ll need: Slack, Paymo
Time: 20-30 minutes

Formal policies don’t necessarily translate into a trustworthy team. Instead, strong teams are built on trust and support inside and outside work.

Encourage your colleagues to share their personal goals with the team, including why they are essential and when they want to achieve them, even if they are not work-related.

Then, ask about their progress as they’re approaching deadlines. You can keep lists in a collaboration tool so they’re always visible.

Yes, having your dreams visible in plain sight is a little scary. But there are benefits on both sides.” Dreamers” get the much-needed help and support from people close to them, while” supporters” learn more about the true nature of their colleagues outside work.

We become more accountable as a team when we rely on each other to keep moving forward. We strive for this as we are expected to work together to accomplish tasks.

Pros of this activity:

• Team bonding
• Participants get to practice their soft skills
• Team accountability
• It helps you have a better overall final goal view
• Great motivator
• Participants might empower and help each other reach their primary personal and professional goals.

Cons of this activity:

• New employees might find it hard to open up
• Some colleagues might be apprehensive about sharing their goals
• It might feel too personal to share non-work-related goals

11. Pancakes vs. Waffles

Why: it helps understand how your team perceives your unique attributes against similar solutions and whether you need to change your strategy to create a better space in your customers’ minds.
You’ll need: a video conferencing tool.
Time: 40-45 minutes

Pancakes vs. Waffles is a collective game with low stakes, gradually growing in importance the longer you play it.

Here’s how it works. Keeping pancakes or waffles as a team would be best, eliminating the losing word.

Each team member can support their choice with arguments, but in the end, the majority has to rule over one word to go on with.

Next, add a new contender. Say Pancakes vs. Snickers, Snickers vs. Salads, Salads vs. Festivals, Festivals vs. Ski Resorts. You get the point.

The stakes grow higher with every round. Here’s where it gets interesting: what if you add a product feature and compare it to a similar one of your competitors, say, Time tracking vs. Random screenshots or two competitors facing each other?

It is vital to assess how your team views your distinctive qualities compared to other options to determine if adjustments to your approach are necessary to improve your standing in the minds of your customers.

Pros of this activity:

• practice critical thinking skills
• great way to loosen up during a stressful workday
• practice creative thinking
• free
• practice your competitive spirit
• great opportunity for debates
• might lead to finding long-term solutions

Cons of this activity:

• Players might get misunderstood, leading to anxiety or animosities
• Some players might feel left out

Just for fun activities

You can’t always keep a straight face at work, even from home. Otherwise, you risk bringing yourself on the verge of burnout. Get a little bit childish on purpose and blow some steam off with the following activities.

12. Meme contest

Why: a lighthearted activity for relaxation
You’ll need: Paymo board
Time: 15-30 minutes

You’ll love this meme contest if you enjoy shooting paper balls with your colleagues at an improvised hoop (usually the office dustbin).

The virtual game consists of 4 rounds, each with its topic, to see who can find the best memes online.

You must log in to Paymo and create a workflow with five columns for each round, including a warm-up one. Then switch to the Board view and have each colleague add their memes to a card and their name.

Once you’ve done this, upvote the person with the funniest meme by reacting with a thumbs-up emoji. The person who wins the most rounds becomes the Troll King Of The Internet—at least on your team!

Pros of this activity:

• A fun way to blow some steam off
• Interactive and personal – but not personal enough that your colleagues would disapprove
• It might create laughs, which will boost the overall mood of the workday
• Free

Cons of this activity:

• It might not lead to substantial strategic improvements in the workplace
• It’s not necessarily linked to anything work-related, and that might not sit well with the CEOs since they might not see any value in this activity

13. Take a pic of your desk

Why: it helps understand the personality and quirks of your teammates better
You’ll need: Slack, a camera
Time: 5 minutes

You’re forced to keep your desk clean inside an office—at least out of common sense and respect for others. This means no scrambled post-its, overlapping coffee rings, or pizza leftovers from last weekend’s DOTA.

At home, though, you can be as laid-back as you want to. Work next to your cat, have a few Christmas lights hanging to remind you of the holidays, or let the dishes pile up until somebody picks them up.

Share a pic of your workstation on Slack to keep things fun. Then, brag about the chaos almost swallowing you or your unique setup. In return, this will spark serious laughs and legit reactions to question your interior design skills—and sanity.

Pros of this activity:

• Fun
• It might motivate you to clean your desk, leading to further achievements or even creating a professional growth plan.
• You might bond with your colleagues through your quirks, such as cool t-shirts and other merchandise of your favorite TV shows or bands.

Cons of this activity:

• It might be too personal for employees to share their specific home office location
• This might lead to privacy issues if the picture is taken from a broader view and gets into the wrong hands.

14. Share an everyday music playlist

Why: a better grasp of your colleague’s personality
You’ll need: Spotify
Time: n.a. (can be done async)

Who doesn’t enjoy a fair share of music during work? I thought so. This study has investigated the effects of background music on performing repetitive tasks, showing that 90% of the surveyed people are more productive when they listen to music.

With the science in place, it’s time to pair it with tech. Use Spotify to create a shared playlist that each team member can listen to and contribute to. Jazz it up for a mellow feel when you need to get into the zone or sprinkle it with electronic beats to get work done. Here’s what we peeps at Paymo listen to.

Pros of this activity:

• Bonding
• You get to know your colleagues better – music has a deep and personal meaning for each individual
• Increases productivity
• Decreases stress

Cons of this activity:

• You might need a Spotify subscription
• Some colleagues might not use Spotify (paid or free), so it might not be as interactive as other activities

15. MTV Cribs: Work from home edition

Why: it brings your team closer, even when they’re miles away or you’ve never met in person
You’ll need: a video conferencing tool
Time: 1 hour

Remember MTV Cribs? How was every celebrity trying to impress the viewers—primarily teenagers, myself included—with their ginormous houses and lavish lifestyles? Leaving aside the show’s snobbiness, this is the perfect exercise to bring your team closer, even when they’re miles away or you’ve never met in person.

Have each of them give a fun, creative, ’90s-style tour of their house or workstation in a way that reflects their personality. You’ll learn more about your colleagues by observing them in their “natural” environment and even discover common hobbies like a love of desk cacti or the fact that you both pet a corgi. The virtual game also comes with a few hidden benefits. It urges some to tidy up a bit, while others can raise the bar for the rest with matching outfits or easter eggs.

The pros and cons of this activity are the same as the “Take a pic of your desk” ones; the main pro is that it brings the team together, and the worst con is that it can lead to privacy issues.

16. Remote Work Bingo

Why: it helps the team stay focused during meetings
You’ll need: a bingo card, a video conferencing tool
Time: n.a. (can be done async)

Did somebody say BINGOOOO? I used to play it in college, shouting “full-line” or “bingo” across the tables filled with complimentary tea and coffee to keep the gamblers pinned the whole night. You can play a remote work-themed one with your team. This will allow you to experience this game without having to experience the hassle of a lousy cafeteria.

Start with the bingo card below and cross off the squares once you hear someone say the exact words or you happen to be doing one of the same activities during a video call, like wearing sweatpants.

The first one to complete the card wins, although your colleagues will enjoy themselves even if they share everyday things they’ve crossed off together. So, please keep it in close reach and brag about your record while doing video meetings to spice up the atmosphere.

Remote Work Bingo à la Paymo

Pros of this activity:

• Fun and engaging
• Creates a positive atmosphere
• Bonding

Cons of this activity:

• It might be off-putting to some since they might associate it with gambling (and with grannies)

Problem-solving activities

Encouraging your team to work together effectively can be challenging. Consider implementing problem-solving activities encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones and work towards a shared objective. Some of these activities require little logistics and time. Others are more elaborate and involve prolonged states of focus.

17. Murder Mystery on the Train

Why: you build strategies and connections
You’ll need a smartphone
Time: 90 min

This murder mystery team-building activity combines an engaging challenge with a twist! When the session starts, the Event Manager will brief the group virtually, providing intel about the murder.

You’ll virtually travel back in time to the 1920s to solve this murder case that’s on the move.

Teams must use their smartphones to work through the evidence by tapping on the interactive map and objects.

While picking up clues, participants must also use video and augmented reality on their smartphones to collect intel and determine who the killer is. The winning team will be the one who finds the killer and scores the most points.

Pros of this activity:

• extremely engaging and creative – this will lead to more people wanting to join and interact
• develops problem-solving skills
• promotes strategic thinking – it might lead to some of them being implemented in your daily tasks

Cons of this activity:

• It might get too competitive
• It might be hard to organize
• you might face connection problems since this game is played on a smartphone
• some colleagues might not have a modern phone, which this game requires

Our top picks

We concluded this chapter with our top picks, reinforcing why they might be the easiest to implement and how they could help with team bonding and actual work environment improvement in the long run.

We will also include the activities we do not recommend and why.

Murder Mystery on the Train

This activity develops your problem-solving skills and promotes strategic thinking while being extremely engaging and fun.

It promotes bonding, but it also entices you through competition. While it might seem like a fun first-hand activity, it could lead to task and work dynamic improvement in the long run.

Opening questions

This team-building activity is the easiest to implement. Communication is vital in relations, whether they are work-related or not.

This is a quick and easy task that can be done often and has the potential to strengthen team relationships and increase focus.

Natural communication that does not feel forced is one of the most critical assets for a happy team and a great work environment.

This activity deserves one of our top spots due to how many benefits it can bring, considering how easy it is to implement.

Personality test (MBTI)

Engaging in this activity can contribute to your growth both in your professional and personal life.

It has many aspects that, if used correctly, can tremendously help with the following:

• Team bonding
• Professional growth
• Acquiring new skills
• setting and adapting a workstyle that fits each member of the team

We do not recommend

• MTV Cribs: Work from home edition
• Take a pic of your desk

The possible benefits of these team-building activities can be outweighed by the negatives they can bring.

In an era with so many privacy issues due to security breaks and a lack of strictly implemented privacy policies online, you should be careful of what media you share.

With that being said, MTV Cribs: Work from Home edition and Take a pic of your desk could lead to some privacy issues if you are not fully knowledgeable of how to protect your security and shared data.

If, nevertheless, you choose to implement these activities, train your employees beforehand to:

• Do not show personal data in these pictures and videos – this includes IDs, family photos, contracts forgotten on the table, packages that show a specific address, written-down passwords, etc.
• For the “Take a pic of your desk” activity, try to avoid showing the outside view of your home through windows, mainly if your office has a clear view of your front porch – these can easily be tracked, and they can disclose your location
• for the “MTV Cribs: Work from home edition,” DO NOT SHARE YOUR HOME ADDRESS and blur out everything personal

B. 28 In-person activities

Many studies have shown that implementing fun and engaging activities during or after a workday increases productivity exponentially.

Unlike their remote counterparts, people who work in the office might find it harder to distress since they work in a more professional environment.

They do not have their cat or favorite couch around to get their mind off work and release their anxiety in stressful situations.

All of the “homey” vibes you might miss in your work environment can easily be implemented with the help of your colleagues and some easy-to-follow team-building activities.

As in the previous chapter, we will incorporate and categorize all of the activities in the table below:

Social activities

Why: these social activities employees to relax, socialize, and build positive relationships, fostering team bonding
Time: varying
Group size: teams of all sizes

Here are ten suggestions for social teambuilding activities:

18. Organize a “Desk Pet Day”

Encourage employees to bring their pets to work for a day to create a fun atmosphere in the office. Caveat: make sure team members are on board and that you also account for potential allergies to animal fur.

19. Plan a “Lunch and Learn”

Host a lunch and learn where employees can share their skills and knowledge with each other. A lunch-and-learn activity helps build teamwork and encourage professional development. Plus, it’s great for networking and offering a great place for mentoring.

20. Host a cooking showdown

Host a cooking competition where employees can showcase their culinary skills. A cooking showdown can be a great way to bond over food and try new recipes.

Alternative: It could be a culinary fusion night, where everyone brings ingredients from different cultures and cuisines, using the spices and ingredients to create unique dishes, from re-imagined sushi or pot pies to everything-but-the-kitchen-sink pizzas.

21. Start a “Tourist Walk”

Grab your team, establish an itinerary, and visit unknown places, hidden gems, or cultural/historical places. It could be your local folk museum, an art gallery, or other culturally significant places. Have a dedicated tour guide, or be the group’s connoisseur with the fun facts.

Alternative: “Countryside walk.” If possible, get outside and enjoy nature with a countryside walk to reduce stress and promote physical activity.

Bonus: gamify the experience through orienteering, where team players have to find their way with the help of a map or GPS.

22. Organize a scavenger hunt

A scavenger hunt is a great social activity where employees can work together to solve clues and complete challenges. It can take as little as one hour and can be held both indoors and outdoors.

Alternative: The hunt could take place on a Sports Day, like basketball, soccer, pickle ball, or even relay races.

23. Prepare a wine-tasting event

Organize a wine-tasting event where employees can sample wines and learn about winemaking. It’s not only fun but also an educational experience.

Caveat: do account for teetotalers and other abstainers, making sure it doesn’t fall on specific religious holidays.

24. Host a theme outfit extravaganza

Either organize a “Dress Like Your Favorite Decade,” go for a Halloween theme, don some historical fashion, and have everyone share their fashion with a dash of fun and laughter.

Alternative: have a Karaoke night, a lip-sync contest, or a talent show that’s fun and encouraging. Bonus: end the event with an awards night, where you recognize employees for their hard work and achievements.

25. Gift a wellness or spa package

Nothing beats rest and relaxation, and it’s a great way for your team to socialize informally. Here are other ways to gift your employees and boost employee satisfaction and retention by showing appreciation.

26. Organize seminars and workshops

You could invite well-known speakers to give talks or hold seminars. Bonus: involve employees who are good communicators to show and tell an interest or passion project.

Alternative: host a stand-up comedy night.

27. Spearhead a one-time volunteering gig

Be it a blood drive, donating clothes or toys, doing a park clean-up, or serving at the local kitchen soup, volunteering can reflect positive values you want to instill in your team.

Caveat: consider the degree of commitment and the fact that some might have conflicting schedules or prior engagements. One-off experiences are great because you don’t want the team to take on more work upon themselves.

Ice Breaker games

28. Campfire/Memory Wall

Why: a great solution to popularizing Kanban methodology within your team
You’ll need: a whiteboard, sticky notes, markers
Time: 30-45 minutes
Group size: 8-20

Instructions: Jot down between 5-10 work-related words on sticky notes like “First” day at work,” “Teamwork,” “Side projects,” or “Celebrations.”

Place the sticky notes on one side of the whiteboard to be visible to the team.

Next, gather your colleagues in a circle and ask a volunteer to peel off a word to share an experience.

Once done, they can post it on the other side of the whiteboard to mark the beginning of a story thread. The others can think of similar stories and develop their own words.

They can stick them on the whiteboard to continue the story thread or pick a word that already exists if nothing pops up in their minds.

The goal is to create interconnected stories that act as the campfire’s archive.

Pros of this activity

• Team bonding
• Entices creative thinking
• Everyone feels heard, making teammates prone to contribute more in the long run.

Cons of this activity

• It might be hard to find time in a workday to pursue this activity – organize it beforehand

29. Office Trivia

Why: it tests your team’s observation skills and sparks serious laughing sessions
You’ll need: 20-25 index cards
Time: 30 minutes
Group size: Unlimited

Instructions: Who knows most about your office? Find out through a simple team-building activity like trivia. Think of 20-25 fun icebreaker questions about your workplace’s small details that can go unnoticed. “Which movie is featured on the conference room’s poster?” “What color does the coffee machine have?” “How many people named ‘Andrew’ work in the company?” “How many people are using Windows PCs?” etc.

This will test your team’s observation skills and spark serious laughing sessions. Remember not to ask questions that are too personal and would put a team member into an embarrassing situation, like “Who has the biggest mouth in the office?”.

Pros of this activity

• You get to know more about the company and their values
• Improves your observation skills
• Fun
• Team bonding
• Boosts staff morale

Cons of this activity

• Time-restricted
• Some people might not find it engaging
• Might get repetitive

30. Trading Cards

Why: it gives everyone a visual snapshot of each player while sparking conversations
You’ll need: index cards, markers
Time: 10-15 minutes
Group size: Unlimited

Instructions: Remember baseball or Pokemon trading cards?

For this fun team-building activity, you’re the one who’s being “traded.”

Give out large-scale index cards and markers to each team member. Ask them to create a personal trading card of themselves, with their name, self-portrait, nickname, and one fact about them that everyone is less likely to know about.

Then, have the cards go from one person to another in no particular order.

Participants can hold onto a card if they find its facts exciting and want to know more about it from its owner.

The excellent exercise gives everyone a visual snapshot of each player while sparking conversations.

Pros of this activity

• Fun
• Great for stress relief
• Engaging
• Great conversation starter
• You get to know more about your team members in a fun and exciting way

Cons of this activity

• Some employees might find it too personal
• Time constrained
• It can exacerbate animosities between employees who are not so fond of one another

31. Penny for Thought

Why: it loosens up the atmosphere, brings a sense of familiarity among the team, and helps with future conversations
You’ll need: pennies or any coins with listed years, box, or bucket
Time: 10-15 minutes
Group size: Unlimited

Instructions: It might be challenging to start working on a project without properly knowing your colleagues. To loosen up the atmosphere quickly:

1. Gather coins with listed years on them to have one for each member.
2. Drop them in a box or bucket.
3. Check every coin so the dates are not older than the youngest team member.
4. Have each team member draw a coin and share a memorable moment from their lives that happened in the year when the coin was minted.

This brings a sense of familiarity among them and smoothens future conversations.

Pros of this activity

• team bonding
• increases long-term productivity
• it brings a sense of familiarity between the team
• decreases stress

Cons of this activity

• Time constrained
• It might bring back some bad memories for some players, leading to them having a bad mood throughout the day.
• It might lead to a lack of productivity during the day due to employees being stuck in a loop of reminiscing.

32. M&M Arm Wrestle

Why: it loosens up the atmosphere
You’ll need: a bag of M&M
Time: 15 minutes
Group size: 4-20

Instructions: Ask the participants to pair up and assume an arm-wrestling position. They can either stand on the floor or at a table. Whenever they pin down their partner’s arm, they win a point.

The goal is to earn as many points as possible before the time goes out – usually 10 seconds. You’ll notice that people will focus more on competition and wrestle arms with each other (Win-Lose situation) rather than work together and win points for both sides (Win-Win situation).

Give them a couple of extra rounds to figure it out for themselves. The bottom line is that winning at all costs, even at your co-worker’s stake, is counterproductive.

But wait, where do M&M’s come into play? The participants will get an M&M candy for each point earned—a great incentive for kids and adults. And you can use them during all activities for team building.

M&M Arm Wrestle teambuilding game

Pros of this activity:

• enticing
• fun
• competitive
• increases focus
• releases stress

Cons of this activity:

• it might lead to injuries
• time-constrained
• it might not bring many work-related benefits long-term

You can also play this team activity using Skittles instead of M&M, just like our clients at Flourish Marketing did.

Donna and Jena from Flourish Marketing are playing an arm wrestle

Strategic team-building activities for small groups

At first glance, these activities may seem like icebreakers, but they have a more critical purpose. They help employees develop a shared identity by exploring their thoughts on the company and what shapes their opinions.

33. All the News

Why: helps spot hidden opportunities or threats and instills a sense of loyalty, as each team member feels appreciated and has a stake in the company’s development.
You’ll need: newspapers, a whiteboard, tape, scissors, markers
Time: 60 minutes
Group size: 6-20
Instructions:  Have you always wanted to quickly peek into your employees’ minds to see how they perceive the company? Now’s your chance.

To do this group team building activity, divide people into teams of 3 or 6, preferably by department.

Give each team a newspaper and ask them to create headlines about what they think the company or the department will achieve.

There are no rules in particular. They can paste newspaper clippings or write the headlines directly on the whiteboard.

When the time’s up, teams pin up their work and discuss each idea to see if they’re feasible or not.

The exercise is excellent for spotting hidden opportunities or threats. It also instills a sense of loyalty as each team member feels appreciated and has a stake in the company’s development.

Pros of this activity

• this might lead to new strategies being implemented
• this leads to better long-term communication
• team bonding
• it might refresh the views of the team and also of the company on how to approach different strategies and tasks

Cons of this activity

• This might lead to disputes
• It might be hard to implement during the workday due to the time needed for this activity.

34. Mad Lib Mission Statement

Why: it makes everyone aware of your company’s values
You’ll need: paper, pens
Time: 45 minutes
Group size: 6-20
Instructions: Building a brand is problematic if the world doesn’t know what you stand for. That’s why you have the mission statement: to convince others about what your product or service can (and can’t) do and why you matter.

Like in the previous activity, divide your team into groups of 3 to 6, then grab a copy of your mission statement for each team so they can replicate it.

The team that comes up with the most accurate mission statement wins. It’s also perhaps an opportunity to change your old one or make everyone aware of your company’s values.

Pros of this activity

• it helps identify the best and worst team strategies
• it might help you distinguish yourself from the competitors
• reduces stress
• improves analytical thinking
• it might help you find specific solutions for current problems
• improves leadership skills

Cons of this activity

• it might get too competitive
• this might lead to disagreements rather than debates
• introverts might be less engaged in this activity

35. Company Concentration

Why: develops agility and observation spirit and gives new hires a fun yet quick way to learn more about the company
You’ll need: index cards
Time: 45-60 minutes
Group size: Unlimited

Much like the “Concentration” game from childhood, where you flipped over two cards simultaneously to find the matching pairs, this activity demands agility and observation spirit.

Create a deck of cards with photos or words about your company. These might be photos of your team, logos, products, or value statements.

Face all the cards down, then split the group into teams. Each team has to take turns and lift only two cards at a time to see if they match.

The one that finds all the pairs in the shortest time wins. The activity is ideal for new hires who need a fun yet quick way to learn more about the company. But it isn’t limited only to them. Senior hires can also improve their knowledge and stay updated with the latest organizational changes.

Pros of this activity

• improves company knowledge both for new and senior employees
• entices competitive spirit
• improves the agility and observation spirit of the players
• easy way to learn more about the company’s values
• relaxing
• bonding
• fun

Cons of this activity

• not extremely engaging
• it might get repetitive
• it might be hard to implement in a workday

36. Group Timeline

Why: a great starting point for debates concerning how you collaborate as a team
You’ll need: a pinboard, pins, paper, pens
Time: 60 minutes
Group size: 5-8

Instructions:

1. On the pinboard, draw a blank timeline.
2. Remember to date it back to when your oldest employee was born or the company was founded.
3. Add years to it, then write down on paper slips the most critical company dates (like when it was founded, merged, etc.).
4. Pin them to the corresponding year.
5. Ask your team members to think about 3 or 4 events that marked their lives (like graduating college, moving abroad, having a child, etc.) and pin them on the timeline when they occur.

The activity brings into perspective the gap between generations. It’s a great starting point for debates concerning collaborating as a team.

Pros of this activity

• learn more about both the company and each team member’s values, aspirations, and identity
• great debate starter
• improves team collaboration
• entices competition

Cons of this activity

• It might get too personal for some employees
• It might be hard to implement in a workday

Problem-solving activities

37. Bridge Build

Why: it develops communication skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking; promotes active listening, team communication, and creative thinking; fosters cooperation and teamwork
You’ll need: building materials (like legos, toy bricks, straws, marshmallows, etc.), tape, paper, pens, and sheets.
Time: 50 minutes
Group size: 8-16

Instructions: Warm up with this game before entering meetings requiring severe brainpower.

1. Split the group into two teams.

2. Then explain how to build half of a bridge with the materials provided.

When finished, the bridges should be similar in design and connection – the trick is they can’t see each other’s bridge, so they’ll have to rely on verbal communication.

3. Remember to set the room up first and place the sheets to divide them.

4. Also, provide the same number of items to each team.

Regarding timing, give them 10 minutes to develop a design and 30 minutes for building.

Pros of this activity

• Develops communication skills, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking.
• Promotes active listening and team communication
• Improves cooperation and teamwork

Cons of this activity

• Some players might not be in the right mindset to pursue an activity that requires brain power – they might be too tired or not in a good mood
• You might exhaust the players rather than relax them
• It might be hard to set up

38. The Barter Puzzle

Why: it accomplishes creative teamwork, develops problem-solving and negotiation skills while practicing strategies, promotes collaboration among team members, and enhances communication and problem-solving skills. It teaches negotiation and trust-building in a fun way and allows teams to work together to come up with creative solutions to complex problems.
You’ll need: puzzles.
Time: 60-90 minutes
Group size: 12-20

Instructions: Need help to figure out how your co-workers reach an agreement under pressure?

Here’s a team bonding activity involving negotiation that might let you discover. Divide the group into teams of 4 or 5, and give each team a jigsaw puzzle of equal complexity.

Inform them that the puzzles are mixed up with pieces from each other. The objective is to finish your puzzle before anyone else while participating in negotiation activities such as trading, switching team members, designating leaders, etc.

Remember that these actions need to be taken by the whole team, not individually. To make things more interesting, you can hand each team a few trading chips with no value assigned to them.

Although time-consuming, this activity brings up the negotiation side in each person and gives you a sneak peek into how they strategize decisions.

The Paymo team playing the Barter Puzzle

Pros of this activity

• improves analytical thinking
• boosts brainpower for the day
• trains soft skills
• trains negotiation skills
• trains problem-solving skills
• this might lead to a better, more creative long-term strategy

Cons of this activity

• time-consuming
• it might get frustrating if you are not patient or your mind is focused on other activity
• inconsistent engagement
• it might create a “us against them” mentality

Teamwork activities

Communication, balance, and trust – are the traits of healthy teamwork. The following games and fun team-building projects will test you and make you realize that a team’s value is greater than the sum of all its members.

39. Magic Cane or Helium Stick

Why: it encourages co-workers to recognize that each is needed for the team to succeed.
You’ll need: a light stick or cane
Time: 20 minutes
Group size: 8-12

Instructions: Magic Cane or Helium Stick is a simple activity that requires teams to lower a lightweight stick to the ground using only their index fingers.

1. The group forms two lines and faces each other.
2. They then hold their arms out with their index fingers in front of the cane on top of them.
3. Advise the group to balance their finger heights until the cane stands horizontally, then lower it.

They’ll probably raise and drop it first, but they’ll get the knack out.

Don’t forget that all feet have to remain on the ground. Pinching or grabbing the stick is not allowed.

The activity encourages co-workers to recognize that each member is needed for the team to succeed.

Helium Stick team building

Pros of this activity

• team bonding
• increases focus
• requires strategic thinking – this might be a great asset for future projects and tasks
• fun, and due to its active nature, it helps you fully defocus from stressful activities
• easy way to implement physical activity during a workday

Cons of this activity

• it might lead to minor injuries
• it might be hard to find the perfect space in your office to do this activity
• time-constrained
• you might not be able to include everyone since some teammates could have some disabilities that impair them from doing this activity

Creative teamwork activities

We possess a creative spirit that may remain inactive and untouched if left unchallenged.

You can attempt team-building exercises that require improvisation and handling unlikely situations to activate this spirit.

40. Sales pitch

Why: It is excellent for reframing the status quo and seeing things differently.
You’ll need: any random desk object
Time: 60 minutes
Group size: 6-12

Instructions:

This team-building game is all about improvisation.

1. Each colleague should grab a random object from their desk and bring it to the conference room. This is their product now, and they need to improvise a sales pitch around it.
2. Let them devise a name, logo, and motto to make the drill more realistic.
3. Have them deliver a two-minute presentation to convince the others to buy it.
4. Instruct the participants who want to buy any product to raise their hands and keep score of them.
5. In the end, discuss which were the top-sold products and why. This simple team activity is excellent for reframing the status quo and seeing things differently.

Pros of this activity:

• Improves leadership skills – if you excel in this activity, it might help you start your own company
• puts players out of their comfort zone – some might’ve never tried public speaking, and in this stress-free environment, they might find it easier to open up and develop this skill
• this might lead to valuable conversations regarding future rebranding and product improvement
• great debate starter- open conversations are always advised in a team environment

Cons of this activity

• it might get too competitive, leading to animosities
• some players might see it as too “work-related” to consider it fun
• it might be hard to implement in a workday

41. Grab Bag Skits

Why: it creates a more positive work environment and loosens up the atmosphere before a stressful task/meeting
You’ll need: paper bags, random objects
Time: 45-60 minutes
Group size: 12-20

Instructions: Play grab-bag skits to loosen up the tension in a fun and energizing way.

Teams of 3 to 6 get a paper bag filled with random objects – from the office or pre-purchased ones. Their task? To create a 4–5-minute skit using those objects.

The gist is that nobody knows what’s in the bags. This encourages using everyday objects as replacements for different terms (a pair of glasses can act as a bicycle, for example).

Remember that each team member needs to be the speaker at least once. At first, this will frighten introverts, but it will also allow them to be more casual and bond with their colleagues.

Pros of this activity:

• it gets your mind out of your comfort zone, and it gives you a more creative perspective of things- this could benefit the company in the long run since all the top players in any domain consider creativity one of the primary skills that keeps them on top of the game
• creates a more positive work environment
• loosens up the atmosphere before a stressful meeting
• fun
• bonding

Cons of this activity: it might get introverts anxious, defeating the purpose of this activity

• It might be hard to implement before a meeting due to time constraints

42. Shark Tank

Why: it focuses on the development of entrepreneurial spirit and creative thinking
You’ll need: flipchart, paper, pens
Time: 60-90 minutes
Group size: 6-24

Instructions: 

Have you ever wanted to invest alongside Mark Cuban or pitch your idea to a jury? Well, now you have the opportunity to do so.

This team-building activity is a spin-off of the popular TV show Shark Tank.

Jessica Levison of Peekaboo at Shark Tank

Divide the group into teams of 2 to 6 and have them develop a business idea that needs to be pitched in only 10 minutes.

It can be anything from a brick-and-mortar shop to an e-commerce website – even an additional feature or service that can be part of your product.

To keep the atmosphere professional:

1. Ask them to draft a business plan that includes data about their target market, pricing strategy, financial forecasts, and unique selling proposition.
2. Choose four sharks to form the jury and give them fake money to invest in the ideas.
3. Encourage them to put themselves in investors’ shoes by asking detailed questions about the business models.

The team that gets the most funding wins. The office will bubble up with an entrepreneurial spirit and creative thinking, traits that are necessary to succeed in a competitive market.

Pros of this activity:

• Improves business development skills
• it might help colleagues who are not used to presenting their ideas publicly develop presentation skills in a safe and supportive environment
• promotes open communication
• promotes team collaboration
• increases engagement and employee satisfaction
• builds mutual respect
• promotes creative thinking
• develops entrepreneurial skills
• encourages innovation

Cons of this activity

• it might get too competitive
• this might lead to disagreements
• it might be too time-consuming for each employee to prepare for the activity
• might create animosities
• players might feel pressured to perform since this activity implies so much individual involvement

43. Company Emblem

Why: it builds team members’ trust and reminds them they’re in this together.
You’ll need: paper, pens, markers
Time: 30-45 minutes
Group size: 3-12

Instructions: Split a group into smaller teams, preferably by department, to focus on the group’s shared identity.

Distribute paper, pens, markers, and crayons to each player and tell them they must draw a company emblem or shield.

This can reflect the company’s values, past and present achievements, and a possible future direction.

When this activity is finalized, you’ll notice the different visions of each department.

Debrief the session by allowing all teams to comment and ask questions about the meaning of each emblem. This will build team members’ trust and remind them they’re in this together.

Pros of this activity

• this might lead to implementing an improved logo design
• creates a better team environment
• opens debates
• it might refresh the views on future company goals and aspirations
• trust building
• team bonding

Cons of this activity

• it might seem too “work-related” for a team-building activity
• it might lead to tribalism – your team will bond, but it might create animosities and unhealthy competition between departments

Like in the previous chapter, we will end this chapter by sharing our top picks.

Shark Tank

We chose Shark Tank because it encompasses all the key benefits of team-building in a single activity.

It includes

• a fun and engaging gameplay
• an exciting and creative approach to product selling
• a fun way to develop entrepreneurial skills in a relaxed environment

This is one of the activities that could tremendously help the company and the employee in the long run.

Company Emblem

This is a fun and easy activity that could spark great conversation and even develop a new and updated logo while reflecting the company values.

Sales pitch

This is an excellent chance to bring a more innovative perspective to your upcoming projects and, to be honest, to your company’s overall future endeavors.

Into other team-building games for the office?

These are only a few fun team-building activities and ideas you might want to try. You could also go for the “classical” ones too: board games, table football, ping-pong, or even arcade consoles, like our clients at Thankium do:

B. 6 Outdoor team-building activities

We concluded this list with the outdoor activities since they might be the hardest to implement due to possible costs and time required for preparation.

But do not be discouraged by this! These might be the best activities to try, at least occasionally, due to benefits such as:

• promoting an active lifestyle
• creating a sense of community among the players
• instant mood boosters and instant stress relief
• mental health improving
• health benefits

As in the previous chapters, we summarized and categorized each activity in the table below:

Teamwork activities

44. Blind Formation/The Perfect Square

Why: it develops collaboration and trust and fosters communication and cooperation
Main focus: bonding
You’ll need: a long rope, blindfolds,
Time: 20-25 minutes
Group size: 4-8

Instructions: Bring your team in a circle and have them sit down.

Next, blindfold them and hand each one a long rope tied at each end. Their task is to form a perfect square together.

Once they’re done, they can take off their blindfolds and see what they’ve accomplished.

If the results are sloppy and there’s enough time, give them a second chance to do it better.

You can also increase the difficulty by muting a random participant or changing the shape (a star or a square, for example).

The challenge demands increased collaboration and trust since the muted person has to rely on something other than sight and verbal communication to perform their job.

Pros of this activity

• it involves physical activity
• challenges and promotes all types of communication
• you get to learn how your colleagues solve problems when faced with difficulties
• great way to come up with creative problem-solving ideas
• team bonding
• develops cooperation skills and team trust

Cons of this activity

• it might lead to minor injuries
• it might be hard to include some players who often encounter perception difficulties, are scared of the dark, or are claustrophobic
• it might be tricky to implement if you choose to do this activity during work hours if your office does not have an outdoor space

45. Robots

Why: it’s a great way to see how your team works together in an uncontrolled environment, and it develops active listening skills
Main focus: bonding
You’ll need a rope to mark the start line, blindfolds, and a “bomb” in the form of a ball.
Time: 30 minutes
Group size: 6-12

Instructions: This group team-building activity is a great way to see how your team works in an uncontrolled environment.

The objective? To communicate in such a way as to retrieve a fake “bomb” before the other teams. Each team contains 3 to 5 members. There are three key roles to remember:

• Robot (1) – stands blindfolded in front of the start line, facing the bomb, and is the only one allowed to move.
• Communicator (2) – stands behind the line and doesn’t face the activity area or the robot.
• Observer (3) – stands in front of the communicator facing the activity area but is not allowed to talk.

The team game begins with the observer, who can use any other communication channel to signal the direction to the communicator.

The communicator, in return, has to interpret those signals and give instructions to the robot to retrieve the bomb.

As a facilitator, your goal is to observe how each communicates verbally and nonverbally.

Pay special attention to the robots when it comes to active listening.

This team activity is excellent for people who want to understand Scrum mechanics better.

Robots might represent the Scrum team that carries out the sprints. The communicator is the Scrum Master, who acts as a servant-leader for the Scrum team. Meanwhile, the observer resembles the Product Owner, who prioritizes product specifications and coordinates the Scrum team.

Pros of this activity

• it involves physical activity
• challenges and promotes all types of communication
• you get to learn how your colleagues solve problems when faced with difficulties
• great way to come up with creative problem-solving ideas
• team bonding
• develops cooperation skills and team trust
• develops active listening

Cons of this activity

• it might lead to minor injuries
• it might be hard to include some players who often encounter perception difficulties, are scared of the dark, or are claustrophobic
• it might be confusing for colleagues who are neurodivergent
• it might be tricky to implement if you choose to do this activity during work hours if your office does not have an outdoor space

Problem-solving activities

46. Gutter Ball/Pipeline

Why: it improves mind-body coordination and concentration, it develops and improves problem-solving skills, it promotes team communication and bonding along with creative thinking
Main focus: fun, competition, bonding
You’ll need half pipes, marbles,
Time: 45-60 minutes
Group size: 8-15

Instructions: This exercise aims to cross marbles of different sizes from one side of the field to the other without touching the grass.

How? Through short lengths of half pipes.

Each team member gets one and has to balance it so that it passes down seamlessly.

Here’s the trick. The facilitator, you, in this case, can add obstacles between the start and endpoints to make the activity more challenging.

You can even come up with additional rules that require team members to take turns or to remain with both feet on the floor.

Break the group into teams, let them devise a plan, and then time how long it took for the marbles to pass down.

The team that keeps the marble going for the longest time wins.

A small word of advice: try to make the race hard, but not impossible, so each team member knows what they can achieve as a group.

Pros of this activity

• engaging due to its active nature and exciting gameplay
• improves mind-body coordination
• improves concentration
• develops and improves problem-solving skills
• promotes team communication and bonding
• promotes creative thinking
• promotes out-of-the-box views regarding problem-solving that can be used in the long run for project development

Cons of this activity

• might get frustrating
• some teammates might not be able to participate due to health-related issues

47. Web of Wools

Why: it helps to understand that the team couldn’t have been successful without everyone’s contributions
Main focus: competition, bonding
You’ll need: yarn
Time: 30 min
Group size: 9-12

Instructions: Break the group into teams of equal numbers.

Then, have each team form a web of wools. The more intricate, the better.

Here comes the best part: switch the teams, so everyone has a different web than their own.

Each team should then blindfold a team member and have them untangle the web following only their verbal instructions. The first team to do it wins.

Sounds easy, right? In reality, it’s not.

You have to give concise advice and be receptive enough to follow your colleagues and instincts – should you be the one who’s blindfolded.

Pros of this activity

• promotes the idea of working together to reach a common goal
• develops problem-solving skills – you get to find how to approach new ideas and solutions when faced with difficulties
• team bonding
• engaging due to its active nature and exciting gameplay
• improves mind-body coordination
• improves concentration
• develops active listening skills

Cons of this activity

• it might lead to minor injuries
• it might be hard to include some players who often encounter perception difficulties, are scared of the dark, or are claustrophobic
• it might be confusing for colleagues who are neurodivergent

48. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Why: it promotes physical activity and team bonding, improves strategic thinking, and boosts morale
Main focus: competition, bonding
You’ll need a list of clues, treasure
Time: 60-90 min
Group size: Unlimited

Instructions: This activity is a great and exciting way to boost employee engagement and develop long-term working strategies.

1. Start by choosing the treasures your employees have to find during this activity.

These could be little thoughtful gifts or benefits written on a small paper. For example: “Congratulations! You’ve won 30 minutes of additional break on Monday!”

You can make this activity thematic and include treasures linked to specific holidays.

For example, an Easter-themed scavenger hunt in which you include treasures such as easter eggs, chocolate eggs, or little bunny figurines.

2. Next, place your treasures in a hidden area and develop your map. Trace a map that includes the brief locations of the treasures, and don’t forget to give some additional clues as to where the objects could be found and which specific object could be found in each area – you can phrase these clues as riddles for more engaging gameplay.

You can find some great templates of scavenger hunt maps here.

3. Divide the players into teams, ensure each team has the same number of players, and give each team a printed copy of the map.

This activity aims to find as many treasures as possible in the 60-90 minutes of gameplay.

Pros of this activity

• exponentially improves team bonding
• players might feel more motivated and more engaged in this activity due to the small rewards found in each treasure
• promotes physical activity
• develops and improves strategic thinking
• you practice communication skills
• boosts overall team morale

Cons of this activity

• it might imply some costs depending on what treasures you choose
• it might be hard to organize
• it might lead to injuries
• it might become exhausting
• it is quite time-consuming

Sporting activities

These activities are specifically designed to get you moving. Studies show that a healthy and active lifestyle increases productivity and improves morale long-term in all areas of life.

These activities are harder to organize, but even if done occasionally, they are the most beneficial for each employee.

It is vital to consider employee health for long-term company success.

So don’t miss out on these activities and get moving!

49. Paintball

Why: it promotes a healthy lifestyle and physical activity, develops and improves strategic thinking, facilitates communication, boosts overall team morale, exponentially improves team bonding, and develops leadership skills
Main focus: fun, competitive
You’ll need: a paintball range or field ticket, equipment
Time: Depends on how much the session takes – usually a few hours
Group size: 6-10/ 50 vs 50

Instructions: 

When you think of outdoor team-building activities, paintball is often one of the first that comes to mind.

It is so widespread, and most times, it will be one of the first activities designated as a top contender in a planned team-building trip because of its engaging and enticing nature.

If you want to pump up the adrenaline and are considering a more complex and unusual approach for a teambuilding activity, paintball is the way to go!

The basic strategy of this game implies two teams that try to eliminate each other by throwing paintballs at a specific target, in this case, your adversaries.

The end goal of this activity is to eliminate as many adversaries as possible within the given time limit.

The more in-depth rules of this game will be explained at the paintball range you chose before starting the activity.

Pros of this activity

• promotes a healthy lifestyle
• promotes physical activity
• develops and improves strategic thinking
• you practice communication skills
• boosts overall team morale
• exponentially improves team bonding
• develops leadership skills
• relieves stress
• improves and develops problem-solving skills

Cons of this activity

• it is more expensive than the rest of the activities on this list
• it requires specific organization and locations; you cannot plan this as fast as the rest of the activities on this list
• it might lead to injuries if you do not wear your equipment right – hitting paintballs might hurt

Our top picks 

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

This activity is just as engaging and beneficial as paintball, but it’s much easier to organize and more cost-effective.

It has all the valuable benefits of an outdoor team-building activity, such as:

• promoting physical activity
• team bonding
• improving strategic thinking
• boosting morale

Robots 

If you want to enhance your team’s active listening, cooperation, trust, and problem-solving abilities in the long run, implementing the game “Robots” is a great idea.

Other outdoor ideas

Want to get out of the office altogether? Try other outdoor team-building activities like building a real campfire, going rafting, or doing a scavenger hunt – depending on how adventurous your team feels. You could even pair these with a social cause, as our clients at MECLABS participated in a beach cleanup with their families.

The MECLABS team participated in a beach cleanup.

Why are team-building activities important?

Team building activities are a great way to get to know your colleagues personally.

This can enhance the team’s dynamic and productivity because:

• you learn each team member’s best and worst skills
• you get to know more about each other’s personalities
• you can observe how everyone behaves in an unconstrained environment (the introverted team member may surprise everyone by excelling as a team leader)

Why is this important?

• you can learn each team member’s most vital soft skills
• you can boost team productivity by using and integrating everyone’s best skills in the work environment
• you will know where every individual member needs improvement – you can help them evolve and adapt
• you will have more insights on how to manage the team in the future better
• everyone will exercise their adaptability – this will enhance the team’s work quality
• teams get a better understanding of what is truly the key to success

Before we move forward, please keep in mind that:

Team building activities for adults are not a one-time silly event but an ongoing process. Their aim? To build trust between team members and ensure everybody is heading in the same direction following a shared set of values.

Success doesn’t depend on the number of hours spent at the office but on the quality of your work. In turn, this stems from your well-being. A high workload can cause fatigue and burnout in the long run. Resting has advantages; it helps you see problems differently and more creatively.

Technology giants and start-ups, in particular, have already adopted this mindset, providing office perks and socializing events through free lunches, ping-pong tables, hackathons, and regular parties.

They realized early on that efficiency and performance are linked with a stress-free work environment where everybody is content and gives their best.

Studies and surveys on the benefits and importance of team building further solidify this.

Teamstage has put everything in perspective with their survey. Here is the data they gathered:

• Nearly 75% of employees see teamwork and collaboration as essential.
• Team building can improve work ethic and innovation up to 10 times.
• Over 50% of employees have stayed at a company because they felt like part of a team
• 75% of staff say teamwork and collaboration are crucial to corporate success.
• 75% of staff say teamwork and collaboration are crucial to corporate success.
• Companies with a fully engaged workforce are capable of generating twice the revenue.

Benefits of team building activities

Not everyone is keen on participating in team-building activities. Reasons like “I could get many things done during this time” or “This is childish and unimportant” are often brought up regarding this topic.

Try to assure them that this experience will be fun and lighthearted from the get-go. Show them pictures and videos from previous team buildings to lure them in.

Once they have a clear picture of what team building implies, they will be way more likely to see the benefits of this activity.

Team building activities benefit both the employee and the employer since better performance and employee satisfaction drastically improve and solidify Company Culture.

Team building is essential in an environment where only 23% of workers feel like their engagement matters (as shown in the graph provided by Gallup).

Engagement of US workers over the past 20 years.

Why? Because it makes employees feel heard and essential to the team and consequently to the outcome of their projects and work.

It also allows them to discover the more humane side of their company and what they truly value, both personally and professionally.

According to the statistics conducted by TravelPerk on Team Building, as of 2023, “81% of respondents are organizing more face-to-face events compared to the last 12 months.”

This tactic seems to be appreciated by employers and employees since, according to TravelPerk, most of them do wish to adopt it as much as possible in the future, “Half of the respondents said they’re planning team-building activities, while 46% are planning after-work socials, and 44% are planning workshops.”

In the remainder of this chapter, we will present some specific benefits of team-building activities.

Increased trust

Fun team-building activities can be used in the workplace to build trust. People who trust their colleagues in character and capability are more willing to step out of their comfort zone and pursue a common goal. They have each other’s back, so they don’t need to worry about someone constantly checking their work. Instead, they rely on each of their coworkers’ strengths and build something more significant together than they would have done alone. Nobody wants to work with semi-strangers they’re afraid of. Gary Vee sums it up better: “People work much better when you deploy honey instead of vinegar.”

Constructive criticism

Refers to the courage to speak your mind without fearing the consequences. This means you can share information freely, even when wrong, and pick up someone’s brain effortlessly. Sure, mistakes can and will happen, but it’s better to rely on a supportive team that points you in the right direction instead of one who will keep the score.

A leaner and faster onboarding

We’re talking about helping new hires adapt to the company culture. The sooner you help them understand company roles and procedures and meet their coworkers in person, the faster they will become ready to work and contribute meaningfully. Get this part right, and you have a higher chance of retaining valuable talent for extended periods.

Improved performance

Solidify your team through trust. The benefit of a unified team will be seen in their future performance.

Why? Because understanding your team’s assets and aspirations will result in higher productivity levels and better team engagement.

Discovering hidden talents and skills

Your coworkers are your allies in a team environment. You can discover some of their best soft skills through team-building activities and implement them in your work routine.

Tip: Try to observe your colleagues during these activities, remark

• Who is the best listener?
• Who communicates the tasks coherently and clearly?
• Who is the best leader?

These new-found skills can lead to different benefits, such as

• Promotion possibilities
• Better team environment
• Increased productivity
• Less time spent on tasks

Unwind – discover new problem-solving techniques

When faced with deadlines and stressful tasks, your team might not work at its full potential.

These team-building activities can boost your future performance by providing a stress-free, low-pressure environment where you can think clearly and creatively.

This can increase your problem-solving skills in a work environment and lead to a more creative approach to solving issues.

Creatives are quickly sapped of their creative juices. To reduce some of that pent-up stress if you’re working in one of those demanding firms, opt for one of the best project management software for a creative agency that helps automate your work and track time so that you can focus on meaningful work. Any collaborative business, such as consultancy, would benefit from such software.

Niche project management software with a focus on time-tracking include construction and architects as the primary audience. Opt for project management and reporting tools if you’re in an engineer-centric business.

Back at you!

It’s pretty apparent there are a lot of benefits of team-building activities, and these are just a few of the team-building activities you might want to try out.

Using them depends mainly on your purpose, team size, and available time.

Most activities listed are hands-on and can be played indoors or in your office, so logistics are minimal. Still, we also included some more intricate activities that can be played outdoors if you want to invest more time and effort into team building in the long run.

Here are additional team-building activities and resources:

• Venture Team Building – A collection of 60+ team-building activities from top trainers, with tips on setting up the atmosphere and suggested learning outcomes.
• Gamestorming (the book) – A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers

At the end of the day, when it comes to team building, the possibilities are endless, so there’s no better time to start than now.

Whether you are already a project manager or still figuring out how to get into project management, always focus on nurturing your team.

The bottom line is to keep your team aligned during uncertain times and help each other personally and professionally.

If reading this article on team building tips has made you want to know how to become a project manager, read this hands-on guide with examples and advice on transitioning into a project manager role.