Book a space, plan an activity, and get to team building in person!
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.
You can build your first virtual recognition wall with a tool like Bonusly .
Every member of your team is awarded a set amount of recognition points each month to administer to their peers to celebrate wins, thank them for their support, and appreciate their colleagues. Learn more about Bonusly’s rewards platform with a 14-day FREE trial !
Set up your digital recognition wall and watch the team building happen organically!
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.
“Find out if your ideas really have teeth.”
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:
“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 .
“Pack your go-bag for an unexpected island getaway.”
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
“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!
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.
“Capture the magic and mayhem of life at your office.”
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.
“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 .
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:
🚲 Build team camaraderie while building bicycles at the same time! | ||
💞 A charity scavenger hunt that spreads some love in your community | ||
🎗 Virtual fun that transforms friendly competition into charitable donations | ||
💯 Send recognition points that can be donated to a charity of choice | ||
👟 Participate in a scavenger hunt to support the cause of your choice |
Give back to a good cause with your fellow coworkers and feel the positive impact of philanthropy!
“The only rules of this tournament are the ones you make up.”
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
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.
“Embrace the ups and downs that make life beautiful.”
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:
Non-Work Related:
“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
“Challenge accepted!”
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!
“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 .
“Test out your secondary communication skills.”
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 .
“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 QuizBreaker .
“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
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.
“Put your virtual game face on.”
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…
“Paris is closer than you think.”
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 .
“What year is it?!?!”
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 .
“Escape 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.
“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
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.
“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.
“Recognize each other’s poker faces to reach a new level of friendship.”
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 .
“Amp up your happy hour with the perfect theme.”
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:
“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.
“Take advantage of the team glue known as beer.”
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:
“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 Elevent .
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 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.
“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.
“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 .
“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.
“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.
“The closest you’ll ever get to a treasure hunt.”
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
“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 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.
“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 !
“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 .
“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.
“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.
“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 .
“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
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.
“Making spectating a sport.”
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 .
“This easy-peasy activity is a real crowd-pleaser.”
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 .
“Do something you’ll want to tell your grandkids about.”
Skills this work activity develops: Creative thinking, teamwork, trust, and listening.
Why we love it: This team building idea encourages busy professionals to get outside, enjoy nature, and experience something new!
Next step to get started: Read through this National Park Travel Guide to visit one of the USA’s preserved nature reserves.
“Make it rain swag.”
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 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.
“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 .
“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 .
“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 .
“Flex your art appreciation muscles.”
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 .
“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.
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
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.
“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 .
“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 .
“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 with Elevent to start planning your event for June!
“Let your team choose & share what they got.”
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 .
“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
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.)
“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 .
“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 .
“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 .
“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
“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
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).
“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.
“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 .
“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.
“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 .
“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 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.
“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.
“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 .
“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 .
“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 .
“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
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.)
“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 .
“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:
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 !
“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
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
Q: what are team building activities for work.
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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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“Team building” is a term you probably first encountered years ago. Maybe when you were in elementary school, or even at a summer camp. But yes, you’ve probably done team-building activities (and maybe played some icebreaker games ) in the workplace, too.
While they tend to get a bad rap—picture some mandatory HR event where everyone looks miserable and no one wants to go along for the ride—the right kinds of team-building exercises can bring people closer together, help teams collaborate more effectively, and identify gaps and strengths in individual members.
That said, we have some suggestions for you and the rest of the team—whether you're in a meeting, during the workday, or outside the office. Keep reading, and we bet you'll find something that speaks to you.
Ready for a true game-changer? Look for open jobs on The Muse »
Besides offering up a fun and creative alternative to bonding over happy hour (which can make people who don’t drink feel left out), team-building activities provide companies and employees with plenty of added benefits.
At the base level, team building allows people to get to know each other—their interests, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they communicate, among other things. “Just like any professional sports team works and practices with one another to be at their best, teams at work can and should do the same thing,” says Muse career coach Al Dea .
Team-building activities also build camaraderie and trust among team members—one of the most important aspects of a successful team. “This allows people to bring the full power of their skills, personalities, and who they are to work,” Dea says. “When people don’t have the confidence to do that, they hold back, thus sometimes limiting their abilities to be at their best.”
Finally, team-building activities can help remind people that work is never just about them—it’s about the entire group. When you’re encouraged to do something together, rather than solo, it brings to life the idea that the group’s success (and ultimately the company’s) should be a priority.
This can be a particularly useful learning experience for teams that struggle with teamwork, are overly competitive, or lack unity and confidence as a result of a bad manager or hard times.
So what do these exercises look like? Check out some of our favorites.
Team building doesn’t have to be an all-day affair. In fact, taking 20 minutes out of the first half of your next group meeting can be enough to spark innovation and teamwork.
This can be a literal puzzle, like a 500 piece set (if you’re down to spend a few dollars on Amazon), or a brain teaser that requires thinking and brainstorming out loud. Toss one out to your team and, if you’re feeling overly ambitious, give them a time limit to complete the task. The key is that everyone has to contribute to the success of the project.
Once they’re done or time runs out, take a moment to reflect on the experience. Ask your team: What was your strategy to solve it? Who did what? Why did you make the decisions you did? Allowing everyone to think through their process might highlight unique perspectives or strengths in each individual—or at least lead to an eye-opening conversation.
This one’s super simple and great if you want a quick five-minute team building activity at work. Have everyone sit in a circle. Anyone can start the count off or say a number at any time, the goal being to count from one to 20.
However, if two people jump in at the same time to say a number, the count starts over. This game requires team members not only to be cognizant of the group dynamics, but to work together—with limited communication—to get to the end.
There are different variations you can take on this to encourage your team to express appreciation for one another. One option is you can simply spend five minutes having individuals compliment one another, whatever pops into their mind (if you’re the manager, you should start to get the ball rolling!).
This can be as easy as saying, “I wanted to tell Gina I loved her proposal this week” or “Big shoutout to Danny for bringing in donuts last week when we were all heads-down to meet a big deadline.” Or you can go around and have each person address the coworker to their right, so that everyone gets a chance to shine.
Team building can absolutely be work focused, and oftentimes that’s the best kind. The key is to make these brainstorming sessions less about day-to-day accomplishments and more about bigger team goals.
Maybe you want to outline your KPIs for the rest of the quarter. Maybe you want to hash out some new ideas for an upcoming campaign. Maybe your team’s strategy feels stale and you’re looking for ways to refresh it.
Whatever your goal, try organizing your conversation using one of these suggestions:
This can be a great way to get your team to brag a bit about their accomplishments, and to encourage them to stay updated on what everyone else is working on.
One great example of this at The Muse is something we call “Sip it and Ship it.” One Friday of the month, our engineering team hosts an open meeting where anyone at the company has the option to take a look at and test out our latest “shipped” or completed products—while “sipping” on alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages.
You can do this on a small scale, too. If you’re a team of two or three, spend a few minutes a week or once a month getting together and highlighting something each member is working on, and allow people to ask questions, give suggestions, and offer up positive feedback.
These activities are great for longer meetings, or if you want to spend an afternoon or a few hours away from your desk.
Have everyone on your team fill out a personality test (here are some of our favorites ), then get together and discuss. What you decide to do with this is really up to you—the key is to have each employee understand their colleagues’ strengths, weaknesses, and ticks.
Maybe you group similar personalities together and have them chat about how their traits come out in the workplace, or have them complete an assignment like designing their “ideal” office based on their personality type and sharing it with the group.
Another option? Have everyone fill out this “user manual” and share their findings with the team.
You don’t need me to tell you that board games bring people together (just read this article on the benefits of networking over games). And there are some many great, office-friendly options out there!
There’s Apples to Apples (a SFW version of Cards Against Humanity), Code Names , Pandemic , and Jenga—all games that require teamwork. There are also non-tabletop games like Celebrity or Heads Up (available on iOS and Android ) that require nothing but a phone or a pen and paper.
It may feel silly to pull out some team building games in the middle of the office, but you may be surprised to find that doing so loosens your team up and forces them to work together in different and creative ways.
Scavenger hunts can be great for new hires to get to know the landscape and their team—requiring them to identify things around the office and ask seasoned employees questions during their first week such as “When was [Company] started?” or “Who was our first client?” or “How many people work on the marketing team?”
But they’re just as effective with veteran teams. Maybe you set one up for employees to uncover X number of facts or artifacts by the end of the day together. Or divide the group into multiple teams and see who finishes first. However you choose to do it and whatever you choose for them to find, this will definitely encourage team members to work together on something far removed from their usual work and team of people.
This is a camp favorite, but also a fun way to have team members come together to solve a problem. Have everyone squish together in a circle and grab hands with people not directly next to them. The goal, once everyone’s hands are interlocked, is to untangle yourselves without breaking the chain.
You can make it even more challenging by not allowing people to talk or putting a time limit on it. It requires a bit of leg room to crawl over each other (not to mention an office culture where people feel comfortable holding hands—tread carefully with this one), but if you feel up to it it can make for a fun puzzle.
Pair team members up and have one put on a blindfold—it’s then the other person’s job to direct them in making moves as best they can, whether that’s getting them to the other side of the office or having them complete a task like moving an object or drawing a picture. Have individuals who normally don’t work as closely together do this exercise, and it’ll help them practice communication and build trust.
Set a timer, and have people line up in various orders say, by height, birthday, or company tenure—without saying a word. Your team will learn a bit about each other while overcoming an unusual challenge.
Your team is probably full of unspoken talent—use those strengths as a way to bring everyone together. Maybe someone’s a great knitter, or speaks another language, or is a pro at using Excel. Have them host a “lunch and learn” where they teach the rest of the crew a new skill over your midday break. Your employee will practice mentoring and giving presentations, and your team will learn something new and exciting about their peers.
Hack days are big in the tech and engineering sphere, but they can be beneficial for just about any team.
The idea is simple: Have everyone drop what they’re working on and spend the day completing a special project that benefits the team or company. If you can, have multiple departments (if not the whole company) participate and require employees to work with people on different teams. The point is to have people think outside the box by creating something that requires a new set of skills or way of thinking.
Maybe you spend the day rethinking your onboarding document for new hires, or brainstorming a new sales pitch, or building a new feature into a product—whatever it is, it should cost $0 to create and be something you can make (or conceptualize) in a workday.
For example, you could host a department desk decorating face-off (this is a big hit in The Muse office on Halloween), or plan a cookie or guacamole-making contest, where employees bring in their best recipes and the team judges their favorites (plus, who doesn’t like food during the workday?). It creates a bit of healthy competition, while encouraging employees to spend time together and bond over a common hobby.
It’s certainly trickier to have people hang out outside of work, but if you can get everyone together (or can take the afternoon to go on an adventure), these can be great activities for team building.
Everyone’s doing them these days, and it’s no wonder why: Trying to escape when you’re “trapped” in a room with people (in a set time period) is a team effort. If you live in a city that offers them (some options here and here ), you can find an assortment of escape-the-room challenges, including a submarine, jail cell, or even an office (how ironic!). Per person it may cost you around $30, the same price of say, taking your team bowling or paying for a few drinks at happy hour.
Cooking classes are a great way to help teams bond because they’re not just an individual activity—often what you’re making requires multiple sets of hands. CourseHorse and Groupon are great places to find these kinds of opportunities, for cheap.
A lot more interactive than cooking classes, improv classes can teach you a lot of valuable skills for the workplace—including how to communicate with others and overcome various challenges as a team. Plus, they force you to get out of your comfort zone and have a laugh with your colleagues. You can check out sites like CourseHorse for options, or do a quick Google search to find the best comedy cellars near your office.
Who doesn’t love trivia? Besides the fact that it allows employees to flex their history and pop culture muscles, it’s also incredibly team-oriented. Go together to a local spot’s trivia night, or bring in a host to your office and split the department into teams to battle for the winning title.
If your team is passionate about a certain cause or initiative, consider taking the day to do some community service. Not only will you bond, but you’ll come out feeling great and making a positive impact on your community. Here’s how to bring volunteer opportunities to your office , and some tips on various volunteering activities you can do, depending on your level of commitment.
Grab a book related to your field and have everyone read it over a few weeks. Then, set aside some time to sit and chat about it (over snacks!). You’ll spark interesting conversation, encourage colleagues to share ideas, stories, and input, and help everyone learn a bit more about their role within the team.
Check out our best reads if you need inspiration.
This is a bit more ambitious, but it’s a great day trip or retreat activity to get your team outdoors and still working together. Ropes courses require teamwork in so many ways, whether you’re encouraging a teammate to overcome an especially challenging part or trying to get through a maze as a group. Just make sure everyone on your team is on board with this before moving forward (for example, ensuring no one’s afraid of heights or has mobility issues)—if they’re hesitant you may have more success trying something else out.
If your team is full of athletes, this could be the perfect option for bonding outside the office.
It doesn’t have to be a tiring sport, either! Plenty of cities offer opportunities to play things like skeeball, bocce, or cornhole. If you want your efforts to go toward a cause, consider signing up to run (or walk) a 5K for charity together.
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Whether it's kicking off a meeting or getting to know new team members, an effective ice breaker game can help set the right tone and help build connections. But how do you choose the right one?
In this post, we'll share a collection of tried and tested ice breaker games you can use to engage and energize groups of any size. Whether you just want to have fun, encourage team building or level-up your meetings, there's an activity here for you.
Join the 150,000+ facilitators using SessionLab.
54 great online tools for workshops and meetings, how to create an unforgettable training session in 8 simple steps, a step-by-step guide to planning a workshop.
An in-depth study from TINYpulse , an employee engagement company, studied more than 40,000 workers’ inputs from more than 300 companies globally. They found a correlation of 0.92 between employee fulfillment and their relationships with colleagues. Since you can end up spending more time with coworkers than with your family or partner, it is a topic that deserves much attention.
But how can you break the ice without also frustrating your team or making them roll their eyes? Using facilitator-tested and proven methods like those below are a surefire way to open your meetings more effectively and engage your team.
You’ll find classic conversation starters like Two truths and One Lie , fun games like The Marshmallow Challenge or even a Virtual Scavenger Hunt! You’ll find our collection of 61 of the best ice breaker games for work separated by category and find some useful tips for running them in your workshop or meeting too!
So how do you avoid creating a frustrating, patronizing ice breaker game that won’t make participants feel like they are wasting their time?
The benefits of a good ice breaker far outweigh any negatives. They can take care of introductions in a much more fun way than just simply going around the room and stating what’s on your business card. They can help people remember names , start conversations and create a positive atmosphere in moments.
When done right, ice breakers can quickly build a sense of community , set the tone for the upcoming session & give participants ownership of the learning ahead.
Icebreaker games are also a great way for people to share their expectations and for facilitators to introduce the topic of the day. They help participants to loosen up, understand each other more and enable better collaboration and networking . Last, but not least, it is a surefire way to energize the group and have everyone focused and ready to go.
Ready to design a session around your chosen icebreaker? SessionLab makes it easy to build a complete agenda in minutes . Start by dragging and dropping blocks, add your timings and adjust with ease to create a minute-perfect session. When you’re ready for feedback, invite collaborators and refine your agenda with ease.
Whenever you bring a group of people together for a meeting, project, or event, it’s helpful to get to know each other at the outset.
This does not only mean just memorizing names, but also involves getting the facilitator or leader of the session familiar with everyone and getting a read on the energy of the room.
One of the other major benefits of these games is in allowing group members to break free from dry or boring introductions and get to know each other more meaningfully. Let’s dive in!
Diversity bingo.
Passions tic tac toe.
Break the ice with the help of your key.
This method is an adaptation of the well-known ice breaker ‘Two Truths And A Lie’ to create an activity that can be run throughout a day of a meeting or workshop.
Participants mingle and ask questions from each other while noting the answers on post-its. But everyone includes one lie. The result is that you have a board of interesting facts about all the participants, among them, one lie. Throughout the workshop you can return to these boards for participants to introduce each other and find out what was the lie.
Just One Lie #icebreaker #energiser #team #get-to-know This method is adapted from the well-known icebreaker ‘Two Truths And A Lie’ to create an activity that you could return to throughout a meeting.
Diversity Bingo is one of our favorite group ice breaker games. This game help participants to get information on each other in a fun, competitive way.
First, create a bingo card containing a grid of squares with a statement or question in each square that will apply to some members of your group and is in line with the objectives of your class, workshop, or event. After each player gets a bingo card, they mingle around introducing themselves and finding other participants who can sign their cards indicating that a statement applies to him/her.
To avoid having people only talk to one or two people and filling up their card, limit the signatures they can give to 1 or 2 per card. When everyone has reached bingo or is super close, you can share something you’ve learned about each other, yourself and the experience of this ice breaker activity.
Diversity Bingo #icebreaker #get-to-know #opening #teampedia #action This game helps participants to get information on each other in a fun, competitive way.
Do you have people who come from many different places to your session? If you’re looking for fun icebreakers for meetings that are active, Group Map is a good bet!
A great way to get to know each other is to have participants place themselves on an imaginary map laid out in the room representing the country according to where they grew up. Ask them to share one internal value they got from that place, and why that is important for them.
Encourage people to share a short story if they want. Sharing customs and values from your childhood can create more understanding and help form stronger bonds – a hallmark of a good icebreaker.
Icebreaker: The Group Map #get-to-know #icebreaker #remote-friendly Ask people to place themselves on an imaginary map laid out in the room representing the country according to where they grew up. Ask them to share one internal value they got from that place, and why is that important for them. Encourage people to share a short story if they want
A simple and classic ice breaker game. Each employee shares three statements about themselves – two truths, and one lie. Then, everyone tries to guess which is the lie by asking questions. Try to find out as many details about the statements as possible and watch the speaker’s reactions closely. The whole point is to learn facts about your peers while inserting an element of mystery.
This team icebreaker helps the group learn about each other and gives both introverts and extroverts an equal chance to reveal themselves and discover others’ assumptions. It’s been done before, but if you’re looking for simple ice breaker games for work, this is one everyone is sure to know and requires zero prep from the facilitator.
Everyone is a Liar (Two truths and one lie) #warm up #icebreaker #remote-friendly #online Starting a meeting or after a break in a group where participants don’t know each other or don’t know much about each other
Create groups of 4-5 people, and let them discover what they have in common, along with interesting characteristics that are unique to a person in the group.
This icebreaker promotes unity as it gets people to realize that they have more common ground with their peers than they first might realize. As people become aware of their own unique characteristics, they can also help people feel empowered to offer the group something unique.
Common and Unique #get-to-know #teambuilding #icebreaker Create groups of 4-5 people, and let them discover what they have in common, along with interesting characteristics that are unique to a person in the group.
The goal of this icebreaker game is to help the participants to get to know each other at the beginning of an event or to help identify their values during the later part of a training session.
Create a 3 x 3 grid for each participant and have them fill in each block with a different personal passion randomly. After the individual work, have everyone walk around the room and compare notes. When they find the same passion listed in both grids, ask them to sign for each other in the appropriate square. The winner is the participant who manages to have other people’s signatures on three lines (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal). You can continue the game to have as many winners as you like.
Passions Tic Tac Toe #get-to-know #values #icebreaker #thiagi This simple game that explores the concepts from these two quotations: “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you”. —Oprah Winfrey. “Getting to know someone else involves curiosity about where they have come from, who they are.” —Penelope Lively, novelist
Jenga is the starting point of many fun gatherings. It’s a super easy ice breaker activity to explain and pick up & anyone can join any time. You can spice up a regular tower-toppling contest by writing intriguing questions on each block (or as many as you can).
When you draw each block, read the question out loud & answer before placing the piece on the top of the tower. This can ignite exciting conversations about everyday topics like favorite downtime activities to more in-depth stuff, like career and self-development goals.
Traditional games with a unique spin can often generate curiosity and engagement in a groups setting. Try having different kinds of icebreaker activities in your toolbox in order to overcome any potential resistance in your group.
This fast-paced icebreaker activity allows participants to get acquainted with while also exploring something thought provoking and inspiring. Prepare a set of inspirational quotes prior to the session and the number of participants on individual slips of paper. Put the pile in the center of the room. Each participant picks up one quote, then picks a partner and begins to discuss what the quote says to them, if it is meaningful, and how.
Then after a minute or so the facilitator gives a signal and participants switch partners, and may switch quotes as well if they’d like. This can continue for 4-5 rounds for around 15 minutes. Choose quotes that relate to your meeting topic or company culture for an even more effective opening to your session!
Quotes #icebreaker #energiser #online #warm up #remote-friendly For participants to get acquainted with each other in a meaningful way
The goal of this game is to have a succession of very rapid conversations in an extremely short amount of time with as many people as possible. Have people sit in pairs, with colleagues that they don’t directly work with on a day-to-day basis. Determine the time limit (say 3 minutes for each conversation) and set a timer. When it starts, each pair has to start speed networking & find out as much professional info about the other as possible.
While it’s natural for group members to want to spend time with people they know, encouraging your team to mix is an important step to improving team cohesion. Team building icebreakers like this one are great for starting that process!
Speed-dating #teambuilding #icebreaker This can be used as a teambuilding activity or a way to introduce participants to each other.
Games and activities that include physical objects can help ensure the session is memorable and specific to those people present. In this ice breaker, ask participants to sit in a circle and bring their keys with them.
Explain that they will get to know each other through their keys. Ask them that one by one present all the keys they have on their keychain and tell a few sentences about the area the key represents – the city or neighborhood they live in, the activity it represents (bike or locker key) or the person they received it from.
Be sure to start the circle yourself so the participants get the feeling of how it should be done. Bonus points if you can demonstrate openness and vulnerability for your group to follow!
Break the ice with the help of your key! #team #get-to-know #teambuilding #icebreaker The key ice breaker is a team building favorite and a great exercise to get to know each other in a group or team. It is easy to understand and set up, can be modified according to the objects participants have, fast way to get info on each other , and surely makes everyone included!
Start this ice breaker game by writing your funniest or weirdest story on a small piece of paper. It has to be a true one, no fiction! Then fold the paper up and drop it into a bowl or other container.
The facilitator or the person leading the program randomly reads every story and group members guess who the writer is. This is a great way to get to know each other and find out new things, even if you’ve worked together for a long time.
Starting a meeting by defining your personality and being creative is a great way to kick off a more involved team project.
This activity from Gamestorming works great because it lets people self-define and share their personality outside of their day-to-day work. This approach means people get to connect more meaningfully and authentically while also creating fun and memorable cards that serve as conversation pieces as the meeting progresses.
Trading Cards #gamestorming #icebreaker #opening This meeting starter is great because it lets people self-define, gives them a “personality” outside the typical work environment. Additionally,it gives participants quick snapshots of multiple players (since they see many cards as they’re being passed around), and it creates memorable visuals that give people conversation pieces as the meeting progresses.
Prepare word pairs, like salt and pepper, milk and honey, sail and wind, etc on separate pieces of paper. Tape one to each person’s back. People then have to walk around and ask closed questions (with a yes or no answer) to find out what their phrase is. Once they find out, they have to find their pair & by continuing to ask questions (these can be open or closed) they have to learn 3 new things about the other.
This is one of those ice breaker activities that is easily prepared in most live settings – you only need one roll of toilet paper. Pass this around, and have everyone rip off how much they would usually use. Everyone will feel awkward & will not really see the point at the beginning & possibly think you’ve lost it.
When everyone has taken off a few squares, they should count them. The amount they have is how many fun facts they should reveal about themselves. A warning though: this is an activity that is best suited for more lighthearted occasions and you’ll want to know your audience a bit before trying this!
Group icebreakers are important, even in teams that know each other well. For more established groups, where people are more familiar with each other, it’s always good to dedicate a day, or an afternoon for “show and tell”. Each team member gets the chance (not all at once of course) to showcase something – an object or a topic that they are interested in.
Try making this activity part of a group routine at the start of every team meeting for bonus points. Creating this habit gives less exhibitionist characters a chance to share and it is also a great practice to hone presentation skills and handle the attention & tricky questions.
Show and Tell #gamestorming #action #opening #meeting facilitation Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.
When you have a tightly packed agenda, it’s useful to have some quick icebreakers you can use to warm up the group in a pinch. These activities are simple to explain, fast to run, and work great in large or small groups . They also can double as after-lunch energizers to encourage team members to engage in what’s next!
Here are some of our favorite games you can use to break the ice in a group in ten minutes or less! Prefer something that requires even less set-up? Check out our collection of icebreaker questions for a set of effective conversation starters.
Apple, orange and banana, conversation questions, diversity welcome, stress balls, object meditation.
Ice breaker ideas can come from anywhere, and so can great ideas. Create a surprise sentence by saying one word at a time. Give a general topic. The first person in the group says one word to a topic. The next person continues with another word.
Eventually, the group creates a whole sentence by each member contributing only one word at a time. The outcome is always unexpected & almost always funny. Make sure people don’t say two words when using articles or pronouns.
One Word Method #product development #idea generation #creativity #icebreaker #online #warm up Creating a sentence relating to a specific topic or problem with each person contributing one word at a time.
Some of the best quick icebreakers promote team bonding by simply encouraging the group to be silly and have fun. This game is designed to do just that!
Start by asking your group to stand in a circle with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front. Explain that when you shout either apple, orange or banana they must perform the associated action: moving forward, backward or spinning around. When the group is comfortable, mix it up by saying two or even three words in sequence!
This great icebreaker game gets everyone moving, generates lots of laughter, and is a wonderful activity to use after breaks too.
Apple, Orange and Banana! #energiser #icebreaker #fun #teambuilding Fun energiser to create energy and fun. Great to use after breaks such as lunch or coffee breaks.
Sometimes the best and fastest icebreakers are also the simplest! Use this collection of 25 icebreaker questions as the basis for letting to group get to know each other, or have participants answer in rapid-fire!
Small groups might wish to mingle and ask questions one on one, while you might invite larger groups to answer questions by raising their hand to answer. Whatever way you go, these icebreaker questions are a great starting point for team bonding and helping participants get to know other group members.
Conversation Questions #connection #icebreaker #trust #meeting facilitation #opening
Quick icebreakers also have the potential to set the right tone for your meeting or workshop. The focus of his activity is to promote diversity and help create an inclusive environment for your session. Start by naming a possible trait of someone who may be present and saying they are welcome. For example, “If you love dogs, you are welcome here! If you prefer cats, you are welcome here!”
Slowly move into deeper territory by naming traits and concepts that resonate with your audience. With established groups, invite participants to share their own welcome, focusing on helping everyone in the room feel safe and welcome.
Diversity welcome #diversity #inclusion #opening #remote-friendly #hybrid-friendly The intention of the diversity welcome is inclusion. It can be long or short. The common element is to inclusively name a range of possibilities with a genuine “Welcome!”
We love games that not only function as a fun introduction but also offer a way to improve company culture. Stress Balls is a fast-paced icebreaker that helps highlight the importance of communication and teamwork while also encouraging lots of fun.
Begin by simply asking participants to stand in a circle and pass a ball to their left. Debrief and ask how the task went before asking participants to try again while moving the ball faster. Introduce further complexity until the game becomes a mess! While the result is chaotic fun, it also offers a very teachable lesson about how teams can communicate in order to achieve great results.
Stress Balls #energiser #communication #teamwork #team #thiagi #action #icebreaker Understanding the importance of communication and teamwork is an important requirement for high performance teams of knowledge workers. This exercise is an effective energizer that requires communication and teamwork. Ask participants to form a circle and throw a ball around to simulate the movement of a message. Change different variables such as speed, quantity, and complexity to create a mess.
Just because an icebreaker can be done quickly doesn’t mean it can’t also be mindful! This focused meditation activity is a wonderful way to open a meeting and encourage everyone to be present.
First, have everyone choose an object that is close to them and invite them to close their eyes. Next, ask the group to notice how they feel and to consider any feelings that aren’t serving them right now. Invite them to transfer these feelings into the object they are holding for the duration of the meeting and then come back to the room.
Combined with a quick debrief, this method is a great way to gently break the ice with your group. Check out the full method below for a script you can follow too!
Object Meditation #icebreaker #meditation #emotional intelligence #managing emotions #check-in #self-awareness A focused meditation to become present and aware. We accept our feelings, leaving behind what we doesn’t serve us right now. A ideal way to open a workshop or team meeting.
Use this ice breaker activity at, or very near, the start of a course, workshop or meeting where people don’t know each other to help get to know everyone’s names. Have the group sit in a circle where everyone can see the others. The first person says their name. The next person continues, but after saying their own name, they repeat the first person’s name. This continues with each person repeating one more name. Reassure people towards the end that it’s ok if they get stuck & encourage the others to jump in to help if anyone is lost.
Name Game #opening #icebreaker #energiser Use the exercise at, or very near, the start of a course, workshop or meeting where people don’t know each other as it helps to learn names of each other
Prior to the workshop the facilitator prepares a list of questions which can only be answered with yes or no. These questions should begin with “Have you ever…?” or “Stand up if…”. The facilitator reads out the questions or statements one by one. For each statement the participants stand up if they could answer the statement with yes.
The questions should be designed to not be discriminatory, intimidating or insulting. Possible topics can be countries visited, dishes, games or sports tried, movies seen etc. This should be quite familiar to people before they attend the meeting or workshop and is quick and easy to understand – ice breaker ideas don’t need to be brand new to be effective!
Stand up if #icebreaker #sharing #opening #energiser #online #remote-friendly short, fun, energizing team activity
This is a quick ice breaker game where players have to form an orderly line without any discussion, or any verbal cues or help at all. The line is formed by predetermined criteria (like height, or color of each person’s eyes etc.). and gently asks people to start working together to get themselves into order.
With a more familiar group, try adding more complication to encourage your team to think more deeply. This icebreaker helps develop team collaboration and non-verbal communication, and it’s great when kicking of a training session with lots of talking later!
Line-Up #hyperisland #energiser In the short group challenge, participants must organize themselves in a line according to a certain criteria (like height) without speaking. The activity promotes non-verbal communication and teamwork. Simpler versions of the activity can be used in early stages of group development while more complex versions can be used to challenge more established groups.
Using an ice breaker at the start of a meeting is a great way to encourage group members to be present and get things started on the right foot. Effective opening activities energize everyone, helping them ‘arrive’ mentally and leave behind whatever task or thought they were previously working on.
They can also help clarify the objectives of the meeting and position the group for what’s coming next. While many of the ice breakers in this collection work well for work, we’ve found these ones especially effective. Here are some ice breakers for meetings to help ensure your next team meeting is a success!
One word exercise, the real reason why you are here, lego metaphors, weather check-in.
Mindfulness icebreaker, purpose mingle.
This game is a great way for players to introduce themselves and their colleagues. It’s especially fun for people who think they already know each other very well – almost every time there are at least a few surprises!
Sometimes these new nuggets of wisdom can have an immediate effect on the employees’ relationships, current projects or challenges. Since you have to draw, rather than explain, it serves double duty for topics like problem-solving, creative thinking and innovation. Fun icebreakers for meetings don’t get much better than this!
Coat of Arms #teambuilding #opening #icebreaker #team #get-to-know #thiagi Coat of Arms exercise provides a way for participants to introduce themselves and their colleagues, particularly for groups who think they already know each other very well. Almost invariably participants discover something about their colleagues of which they previously had no idea. Occasionally this revelation has an immediate and direct application to another participant’s current project or challenge.Because this activity forces people to use drawings rather than words, it is particularly useful as a dual-purpose introductory exercise in training sessions that deal with such topics as innovation, creativity, and problem-solving.
Pick a phrase that is central to the reason you’ve gathered and have everyone write down or say a word that comes to their mind in relation to it. If you’re leading a meeting about planning an upcoming project, ask participants to share one word that they think describes the goal or the processes that are needed.
Once everyone has shared their phrases, discuss the results. This ice breaker helps explore different viewpoints about a common challenge, before starting the meeting.
When we first arrive in a meeting, we’re often carrying other things with us. The stress of unfinished work, thinking about the evening or just what we’re having for lunch. Encourage your team to be present and think about why they are in your meeting or workshop with this simple ice breaker that helps spark conversation.
Begin by asking the group to state the concious reason for being in the meeting, and then invite them to consider the deeper reasons for being in the session. The surfacing of these deeper reasons for being present can be surprising, but are often useful for the group to discuss while breaking the ice!
The real reason why you are in this workshop #constellations #objectives #icebreaker #warm up A deep-dive method to reveal the subconscious reason why you are in a workshop. Facilitator goes first and by doing so invites the other participants to incorporate the
For some meetings, time can be short. Quick but fun icebreaker activities like this one can be an effective way of getting a read of how everyone is doing while still being time efficient.
Begin this ice breaker by asking each member of the group to share how they are feeling & what’s going on for them right now in the language of weather. For example, I’m feeling like it’s mostly sunny skies with a bit of a rain cloud looming or I feel like I’m in the eye of a tornado! I’ve found this game especially useful when working with remote teams, for whom a metaphor can feel like a safe way to share in a group setting.
Weather check in #opening #listening and awareness #self-awareness #teambuilding #em Each person describes how they are feeling as they are weather
Each participant gets a set of few LEGO bricks (identical sets to everyone – a few items, around 5-10 bricks per person will suffice). Everyone builds something that relates to the topic of the meeting.
Afterwards, everyone gets 30 seconds to explain what their building means (e.g ‘My Home’, ‘Interesting Experiment’, ‘The coolest computer ever’) and how it relates to the topic of the meeting. (Optional: the figures/buildings and the metaphors may be used later on to help discussions around the table.) Remember that icebreaker games for work don’t need to sacrifice fun, and some of the best team building icebreakers are creative and allow people to get in touch with their inner child!
LEGO Challenge #hyperisland #team A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.
Encouraging everyone to be present and engaged at the start of your meeting doesn’t need to be complicated. By simply getting everyone in the room participating in the same goal, this icebreaker can quickly help everyone “arrive” in the session.
Start by having everyone in the front of the room rub their hands together vigorously. Row by row, get more people to join in until you reach the back of the room. Next, have the first row switch to clicking their fingers and proceed through the room in the same way. Go back and forth between clicking and rubbing in order to replicate the sound of rain and then invite the group to stop and enjoy a break in the shower.
Rain icebreaker #icebreaker #energizer #collective intelligence #warm up This meeting icebreaker is a great energizer to do right before a break or coming back from a break, especially if you have stragglers
An easy icebreaker that will have everyone feeling good before a meeting. Go around a circle and highlight a story – an action, decision or result – that can and should be praised from each team member. Something where they reached beyond their typical responsibilities and excelled.
Have everyone acknowledge and thank each other for surpassing expectations. This is a great mood booster – by lifting each other up, the energy just starts to vibrate in the room. Everyone likes to be recognized. Ice breakers for meetings that give people the chance to celebrate success can be key in setting a great tone for the meeting to come.
The best ice breaker games often have a very clear goal. You can use this method at the beginning of any meeting to set the stage and get people thinking about what they can contribute. It’s a simple way to get started and always gets results!
At the beginning of your session, have people walk around & share with others what they will contribute to that particular session. It’s a great way to enhance engagement & help people set goals and hold themselves accountable. It also makes others aware of everyone’s intent and can help prevent misunderstandings.
Meetings can sometimes become difficult because attendees come in stressing about the topic or are distracted by things outside of the meeting.
In this mindful ice breaker, ask people to take a few moments to “check-in” with themselves and write down their worries, energy levels, and what else is on their mind. After everyone is done, they should rip up their answers and discard them. This helps them identify their state, let go of their worries and have better focus & more empathy towards others.
What are you bringing to the meeting #teampedia #opening #team #check-in A good way to start a meeting/workshop/training to see how participants are feeling, what might be distractions that they are carrying with themselves into the room and how low/high their energy level is.
Ice breaker games are not only useful at the beginning of meetings or getting to know new people. They are also a great way to support team building, by creating a positive atmosphere, helping people relax and break down barriers.
Team building icebreakers can also reveal new information about colleagues that otherwise you wouldn’t discover during your everyday routine. Remember that successful teams are often those who’ve gotten to know each other better on a personal level too!
Team icebreakers such as those below are great for enhancing team bonding and empowering everyone in the group to move forward together. Let’s take a look!
Team jigsaw puzzle game, back to back drawing, scavenger hunt, electric fence icebreaker, low tech social networking.
The Four Quadrants is a fun and creative team icebreaker than can be adapted for any situation. It is super easy to prep for and set up – you only need large sheets of paper (flipcharts or similar) and markers. Have people draw up a 2×2 grid and ask them four questions. They should draw the answers in each quadrant.
Questions can cover topics like current challenges, stressors, defining moments, moments of pride, fears, desired outcome for the current gathering etc. Afterwards they can show each other their drawings and discuss their creations. The exercise is fun, colorful and visual and can be modified to work with any group and/or topic just by changing the questions.
Break the Ice with The Four Quadrants Activity #team #icebreaker #get-to-know #teambuilding The Four Quadrants is a tried and true team building activity to break the ice with a group or team. It is EASY to prep for and set up. It can be MODIFIED to work with any group and/or topic (just change the questions). It is FUN, COLORFUL and works every time!
Separate people into teams. Give each a very different jigsaw puzzle (with equal difficulty & number of pieces). Each group has the same amount of time to complete the puzzle.
The secret twist is to switch up a few pieces with the other groups beforehand! Fun icebreakers can help keep a team on their toes and encourage creative thinking – try ice breakers for meetings that include an edge of competitiveness and fun to really liven things up.
The goal is to finish before the others – so they must figure out collectively how to convince other teams to give up pieces they need. This can be through barter, merging or changing teams, donating minutes, etc.
This is a longer game, but one that is worth doing, since it encourages teamwork on several levels – internally and externally too.
Jigsaw Puzzle #team #icebreaker #get-to-know #teampedia This game is useful as a side-activity during breaks, as it encourages starting conversations between random people.
Two people should sit facing away from each other. One receives a picture of an object or phrase. Without saying directly what they see, they should describe it to their pair without using words that clearly give it away. Their pair has to draw a specific picture.
The game requires two people to sit facing away from each other, where one team member is given a picture of an object or word. Without specifying directly what it is, the other person must describe the image without using words that clearly give away the image. This is a great team building game to develop verbal communication and is a fun alternative to more traditional icebreaker games.
Back-2-Back Drawing #communication #collaboration #trust #icebreaker #teampedia #action This is a communication exercise when participants in pairs have to use only verbal communication to help their pair to draw a specific picture. There are several variations of the exercise detailed in the instructions.
Many people have great memories from a childhood scavenger hunt. Recreating this experience to let our the inner child and work as a team is one of our favourite icebreaker games for adults too! Start by creating a list of items that need to be gathered and then split your group into small teams to try and find them all to kick off your scavenger hunt.
Working with a remote or hybrid team? Try the virtual scavenger hunt below! Be sure to put in items that require a wide range of skills and thinking and diverse personalities to be completed successfully. A scavenger hunt is also a great opportunity to mix people into teams who don’t typically work together and bring them together with ice breaker games.
Virtual scavenger hunt #energiser #teambuilding #remote-friendly A fun team-building energiser that encourages groups to recreate the scavenger hunt experience in a fully remote environment!
This is a great energiser that requires players to move about as they build an imaginary electric fence. They have to try and cross it without touching it and getting “electrocuted”. The fence can be represented by a rope or a shoe string tied between two objects. It should be about waist high. Players can’t go under it, this is not limbo dancing!
They must also be touching a teammate with at least one hand at all times. This ice breaker activity requires quick brainstorming, problem-solving and negotiating other ideas. Make sure that people who are uncomfortable with physical contact have an option to not participate but still feel involved in the brainstorming part. Inclusive games make for some of the best ice breakers: be sure to bare this in mind when deciding on icebreaker games for work or your next meeting.
The object of this ice breaker game is to introduce event participants to each other by co-creating a mural-sized, visual network of their connections. – great for medium size events where participants come from different organisations. All participants will need a 5×8 index card and access to markers or something similar to draw their avatar. They will also need a substantial wall covered in butcher paper to create the actual network.
Once their avatar is ready, they “upload” themselves by sticking their card to the wall. Then they find the people they know and draw lines to make the connections. This is one of our favourite ice breakers when working with large, multi-discipline groups where connections might not be immediately obvious.
Low-tech Social Network #gamestorming #icebreaker #opening The object of this game is to introduce event participants to each other by co-creating a mural-sized, visual network of their connections.
While many of the icebreaker games above can be adapted for any group size, these activities are especially effective when working with groups of less than 15 people.
These small group icebreakers are great at using the extra space to create opportunities for team bonding and deeper sharing between team members. They’re also designed so you’re not left with awkward silences just because you don’t have a massive team taking part!
One of the major benefits of small group icebreaker games is space for participants to talk and get to know each other a little more than they would in a group of 20+ people. Interview is a playful way to get team members talking at the start of a session while also introducing the topic of the workshop or meeting.
Start by getting people into pairs. One person begins by being a reporter and then other will be the interviewee. For three minutes, the reporter will interview the other person on a chosen subject and attempt to get as much information as they can before switching roles. Encourage the group to really get into their roles and provide some example questions to guide the group toward the topic of the day.
Interview #warm up #icebreaker #energiser The interview is a good warm up for every training or workshop session. Playful start in which the participants will start to communicate with and come to know each other, directing the thinking toward the topic of the day. It is usually a very cheerful activity. Az interjú egy jó bemelegítés, jégtörő minden tréninghez vagy workshophoz. Játékos kezdés, amelyben a résztvevők elkezdenek megismerkedni és kommunikálni egymással, miközben a gondolataikat már a nap témája felé irányítjuk.
Spending time in a small group is a great opportunity to get to know people a little more deeply. This game encourages players to share more about themselves than an average icebreaker, and it’s a fun way to kickstart creative thinking too!
Start by assembling a box of interesting objects (photos will do in a pinch!). Next, invite participants to choose an object without overthinking it and then explain who they are, why they chose the object and what they think the connection between the object and the workshop is.
Magic Box #team #icebreaker #get-to-know #teambuilding #remote-friendly Ice breaking at the beginning of the workshop/meeting
Paper telephone is a fun icebreaker that encourages creativity and laughter by combining two classic games: telephone and pictionary. Start by handing out a stack of small papers and pens, and invite each team member to write a sentence on the first piece of paper. Players then pass their stack to the next person who must read the sentence and then create a visual representation of that sentence on the next piece of paper in the stack.
Play proceeds around the circle, with players needing to transform back and forth between words and images. Often, by the time you get your original stack back, the sentence has gone on a weird and wonderful transformation!
While you can play paper telephone with larger groups, the more people you add, the longer it takes. Doing this icebreaker in a small group means you have more time to share what people came up with and the journey you all went on together.
Paper Telephone #teampedia #icebreaker #creativity #team #action Paper Telephone is a mix of two methods, “Telephone” and “Pictionary”. It is a creative game aiming to fasten the get-to-know each other phase of the team while having a good time.
The human knot is a fun, physical icebreaker that is best played in groups of 7-16 people. It’s a great way to break the ice while also creating energy and a sense of fun.
Start by getting the group to stand in a circle and ask them to close their eyes. Next, everyone reaches out and links one hand with someone across the circle. Then they link the other hand with another person in the circle. Then, ask everyone to open their eyes and try to untangle the knot they’ve made without breaking the chain!
Human Knot A physical-participation disentanglement puzzle that helps a group learn how to work together (self-organize) and can be used to illustrate the difference between self-organization and command-control management or simply as a get-to-know-you icebreaker. Standing in a circle, group members reach across to connect hands with different people. The group then tries to unravel the “human knot” by unthreading their bodies without letting go of each other people’s hands. As a management-awareness game to illustrate required change in behavior and leadership on a management level (e.g., illustrate the change from ‘task-oriented’ management towards ‘goal/value-oriented’ management).
Working with small groups creates an opportunity for greater depth. In this icebreaker game, invite team members to draw their life as a map, using common symbols and signs you might find on a map. Stop signs, deer crossings, mountainous areas…the choice of how to illustrate your life story is yours!
Give time after drawing for everyone to share and for others to ask questions. The connections, conversations and shared understandings that come out of this reflective icebreaker can set a wonderful right tone for the work ahead.
Life map #team #teampedia #icebreaker #get-to-know With this activity the participants get to know each other on a deeper level.
Good ice breaker games usually all have a strong aspect of teamwork and collaboration as people work together in groups to accomplish a challenge or solve a puzzle. Therefore these team icebreakers can also be used as part of team building events and team development workshops. They are meant to fast-track group familiarity and increase the socialization process in a new or existing environment.
With increased social interaction, people naturally learn how to work together more productively – the mood can warm up between colleagues who are normally highly formal with each other. The best ice breakers have the power to strengthen coworker bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity.
Here, we’ve collected ice breaker activities to help improve teamwork and collaboration in a more involved manner.
Helium stick, blind square – the perfect square, desert island.
In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. To complete the marshmallow challenge, the marshmallow needs to be on top and hopefully, not fall off! This icebreaker game emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, collaboration, innovation and problem solving strategy.
Genuinely fun icebreakers for meetings can be hard to find – The Marshmallow Challenge is one of those icebreaker games for work that feels almost like play. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Definitely give it a try.
Marshmallow challenge with debriefing #teamwork #team #leadership #collaboration In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Visit the Marshmallow Challenge website for more information. This version has an extra debriefing question added with sample questions focusing on roles within the team.
This fun activity could be used as an icebreaker both for people who have just met and for already existing teams. Breaking people up into groups, each one needs a fresh egg, some straws, masking tape and other items for creating a package to protect the egg.
Using the raw materials provided, the team goal is to build a structure that will support a free-falling egg dropped from a predetermined height (e.g. 7 feet) without the egg breaking. Get to know you games with an element of danger are always fun ice breakers for meetings. This is a method that fosters team communication, collaboration and strategic thinking as well.
Egg drop #teampedia #collaboration #teamwork #icebreaker #team This fun activity could be used as an icebreaker for people who have just met but it can be framed as a method that shows and fosters team communication, collaboration and strategic thinking as well.
Solving seemingly simple problems as a group to get everyone working together at the start of a workshop. This game requires one long, thin, light rod (e.g. a broom handle) and a bunch of curious participants!
First, line up people in two rows facing each other. Introduce the Helium Stick and ask participants to hold their index fingers out. Lay the Stick on their fingers & before letting go, have everyone adjust their position so the Stick is horizontal and everyone is touching it. The goal is to lower the Stick to the ground in a way that no one lets go of it at any time.
Pinching, grabbing, or holding on properly to the Stick is not allowed. If the group makes a mistake, they start from the beginning. Helium Stick is a fun icebreaker that asks participants to really engage with one another and we’d recommend it for any team building workshop!
Helium Stick #teampedia #team #teamwork #icebreaker #energiser A great and simple activity for fostering teamwork and problem solving with no setup beforehand.
Blindfold your seated participants. Take a long string or rope with the ends tied together & place it in everyone’s hands. Leave the circle and ask them to form a perfect square from the rope without looking.
When people think they are finished, they can remove their blindfolds to see the result. Ice breakers for meetings don’t always include props or blindfolds, but deploying them effectively can make for a memorable ice breaker.
Blind Square is one of the icebreaker games you can use to highlight leadership and communication – some people will want to take charge, while others are more comfortable following direction. Also, it can be repeated after the first try to see if they can improve their collaboration.
Blind Square – Rope game #teamwork #communication #teambuilding #team #energiser #thiagi #outdoor This is an activity that I use in almost every teambuilding session I run–because it delivers results every time. I can take no credit for its invention since it has existed from long before my time, in various forms and with a variety of names (such as Blind Polygon). The activity can be frontloaded to focus on particular issues by changing a few parameters or altering the instructions.
Many of us will have played some variation of this ice breaker game before. This game asks you team: if you were trapped on a desert island, what would you use to survive?
Introduce participants to a list of possible items and have them choose the three they find most essential. Then, they’ll share the items they chose with the rest of the group. This activity works well with a remote team and with larger groups, you may want to separate people into smaller teams where they collaboratively strategize on which items to pick.
The Desert Island #relationships #icebreaker #teamwork #remote-friendly Many of us have played a game similar to this before – if you were stranded on a desert island, what essential items would you choose to survive? Participants are given a list of items to choose from and must work together to decide which items will help them stay alive. A great, remote-friendly exercise for a team to work together and share opinions.
The best ice breakers have the power to strengthen coworker bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity.
They’re also incredibly fun to play, making them a welcomed break from regular work activities. They break down barriers that might exist between employees & make it easier for people to communicate with one another.
Ice breakers should also encourage lighthearted interactions that wouldn’t usually take place in the context of a normal workday. When the correct game is chosen, everyone benefits from the energy they bring to any meeting or event. Remember that even some business-critical meetings can benefit from a bit of levity and fun!
Here are some ice breaker ideas for when you just want to have fun with your team.
Crazy handshake, the movie pitch icebreaker, share a joke, the no smiling icebreaker, hello kitty.
This ice breaker activity is a fun one that requires some creativity. It enhances a sense of community because people have to draw the others as a group – not just between the drawers, but the recipients of the portraits too. The outcome is very visual and colorful and the result images can be put up in the meeting room afterward! Meeting ice breakers that produce physical results that can be shared can really help ensure the good vibes of the meeting continue afterward!
Portrait Gallery #hyperisland #team #icebreaker The Portrait Gallery is an energetic and fun icebreaker game that gets participants interacting by having the group collaboratively draw portraits of each member. The activity builds a sense of group because it results with each participant having a portrait drawn of him/herself by the other members of the group together. It also has a very colourful visual outcome: the set of portraits which can be posted in the space.
Stick the name of a well-known celebrity or public figure on people’s backs. Have players mingle and ask each other questions to find out who they are. This is a light game that initiates easy conversations without forced & awkward small talk. Make sure the figures are generally well recognizable. What is my name is one of those icebreaker games for work that is easy to set up and get going and is fun for all involved.
This is a warm-up to really get a group energized. It is a game based on the traditional Rock Paper Scissors game but with a twist. The people who lost become fans and have to cheer for the players still in the game. The final is cheered on by a large crowd & the excitement is through the roof! If there are a larger number of people, you can have multiple tournaments. Fun icebreakers don’t need to be complicated. Keep your ice breaker simple and ensure everyone can get involved easily.
Rock, Paper, Scissors (Tournament) #energiser #warm up #remote-friendly This is a fun and loud energiser based on the well-known “Rock, Paper, Scissor” game – with a twist: the losing players become the fan of the winners as the winner advances to the next round. This goes on until a final showdown with two large cheering crowds! It can be played with adults of all levels as well as kids and it always works!
Set up harmless obstacles in the room you’re meeting in. Use squeaky toys, whoopie cushions, bubble wrap and the like. Everyone takes turns going around the course while blindfolded, guided by their teammates. The goal is: help each to navigate through the minefield.
While this game often results in lots of laughter, it also helps teach the importance of clear communication and trusting your team.
Minefield #teampedia #teamwork #action #team #icebreaker A fun activity that helps participants working together as a team while teaching the importance of communication, strategy and trust.
This ice breaker helps people ease into a group and brings out their creativity without a lot of effort. Splitting the group into pairs, each pair develops a creative handshake. Once done, the pair splits and each individual partners with another group member. The newly formed pair then teaches each other the original handshakes and together creates a new one. You can break up and pair off people as many times as you want.
Crazy Handshake #icebreaker #get-to-know #opening #teampedia #team This activity helps people ease in a group and brings out their creativity without a lot of effort.
Divide players into several groups and have each team come up with an idea for a movie they want to make. They should prepare a pitch within 10 minutes. Once everyone had a chance to tell their idea, all players vote on which idea deserves ‘funding’.
The winners won’t start to make their film, but they should get awarded with either a funny object or some treats. We love using creative icebreakers like to ease people in and get used to collaborating and giving feedback ahead of the main discussion.
For this game, you have to have quick reactions or you’ll be eliminated. Have everyone stand in a circle with one person in the middle as the ‘sheriff’. They must surprise other players by pointing to them. These people must quickly crouch and those on either side of them have to quickly ‘draw’ their weapons. If you are too slow, you switch places & become the sheriff.
This icebreaker is a wonderful way to increase group energy before starting a meeting in earnest, and it also helps people learn names too! If you’re working with an especially large group, note that it’s better to play in parallel before finishing with a final showdown!
Bang #hyperisland #energiser Bang is a group game, played in a circle, where participants must react quickly or face elimination. One person stands in the middle of the circle as “the sheriff”, pointing at other players who must quickly crouch while those on either side of them quickly “draw”. A good activity to generate laughter in a group. It can also help with name-learning for groups getting to know each other.
Have new teammates tell a joke at their first all-hands meeting. This is a great way to encourage people to be vulnerable and also ensures the meetings start on a cheery note. Remember that opening activities needn’t be complicated to be effective and when looking for ice breaker ideas, don’t discount the simple joy of making others laugh!
This is a simple icebreaker activity that energizes participants, and it’s also suitable for highlighting spontaneity and teamwork. The activity involves participants standing in a circle and throwing imaginary ball(s) to each other in increasing pace. When throwing the first ball, the person starting should make a special sound that has to be repeated by the catcher upon receiving the ball.
Once the ball is being thrown around at a fairly brisk pace, you can introduce another imaginary ball and start throwing it. When the group gets proficient at it, you can have three or four balls in play!
Sound Ball #energiser #icebreaker #thiagi #team #outdoor This a simple icebreaker activity energising participants, also suitable for debriefing learning points towards spontaneity and teamwork. The activity involves participants standing in a circle and throwing imaginary ball(s) to each other in increasing pace.
This is a seemingly contradictory ice breaker that actually results in lots of smiles. Instruct everyone to keep a straight face and do not smile under ANY circumstance in the first five minutes of the meeting. People turn into children with an instruction like this, and immediately start looking at others, seeing how they are coping. The anticipation makes everyone giggly, so after a while they cannot suppress their laughter anymore. This activity takes zero prep and so is a great one to pull out at the last minute!
Starting a meeting with smiles and laughter is a great way to set the tone for the session. In this fun icebreaker, separate your group into teams of kittens and puppiess. Puppies try to make the kittens laugh or crack a smile by simply saying, “Hello Kitty” in an amusing manner. Any kittens who smile or laugh join the puppies until their is only one kitten left standing!
Encourage the group to be creative and be sure to give kudos to the funniest participants or those who manage to keep a straight face!
Hello Kitty #hyperisland #energiser #remote-friendly A simple and short group game all about trying to make each other crack a smile. Participants take turns being ‘kitties’ and ‘puppies’. The puppies try to make the kitties crack a smile or laugh. The last kitty standing is the winner! An original from The Northern Quarter Agency.
Now you’ve discovered the perfect icebreaker, it’s time to create the rest of your meeting!
With SessionLab, you drag, drop and reorder blocks to create your agenda in a snap. Your session timing adjusts automatically as you make changes and when you’re done, you can share a beautiful printout with your colleagues and participants.
Explore how facilitators use SessionLab to build effective workshops and meetings or watch this five minute video to get started!
Your meetings and workshops don’t have to be boring. We hope you have found some useful tips for practical and fun ice breaker games you can use in your next session!
What are your favorite ice breaker activities? Have you tried any of the methods above? How did you find them? Let us know about your experiences in the comments. Want to see even more great icebreaker ideas? Our collection of icebreaker questions contains heaps of conversation starters you can bring to your next session.
Want to go further? Check out our guide to planning an effective workshop to start building more engaging sessions with better outcomes!
tHIS was a life saver. I forgot that I had to present a game (or what-ever) for a Red Hat meeting tomorrow. You SAVED THE DAY, so to speak….so many, many thanks. frankanz
That’s fantastic to hear, I’m so happy we could help you – thanks for sharing your story :-)
Thanks for this list! some great finds in here (I LOVE the portrait gallery!) – have saved 10 faves and will definitely us the passions tic-tac-toe and rock paper scissors tournament at next workshop :D
That’s awesome to hear, I’m happy you got some useful ideas! (The portrait gallery is one of my favourite tools, too :-)
Great list! Here are some of the icebreakers I use: 1- Batikha (Watermelon in Arabic) The group sits or stands in a circular form. One person starts by placing their palms on their mouth as if they are holding a ball (watermolon) and passing it to the person on their side (if they pass it to the person on their right, they must use their left hand pointing to the right direction), the next person carries on with this rhythm. At any point anyone could decide to reverse the path of the ball by changing their hand and the pointing to the other person. This is when it gets tricky because if anyone else -other than the person pointed to) takes an action by raising their hands they get out of the circle. Additional if someone points the ball upwards, it means the next person will be skipped and the following person should complete the cycle. I don’t know if it makes sense in writing, it’s very simple through :) 2- Say what? This games involves a person (usually the trainer) asking each one individually a series of questions. The person who answers must answer truthfully without saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or make any gestures or sounds that means yes or no. They also can’t think for more than three seconds and they cannot repeat what the trainer asked. The trainer must get tricky by asking follow-up questions like: What’s your favorite book? answer… But isn’t out of publish? The participant will probably say no and lose.
Thank you, Nahla, great to see your favourite ice breaker activities, too – thanks for sharing!
This is an Awesome with great fun usable ideas!!
You’re welcome, Joshua – great to see that you’ve found the post useful!
Board/card games teach important social skills, such as communicating verbally, sharing, waiting, and taking turns. It can also foster the ability to focus and lengthen one’s attention span by encouraging the completion of an exciting, enjoyable game. Check this newly found card gamehttps://lagimcardgame.com/ and see how interesting and creative it is.
These are some amazing ideas! Thank you
These are all so good! You usually can’t find so many good ideas in one place. Thanks so much!
Excellent list and love the card format of the activity. Thanks. For Icebreaker questions I use icebreakrs.io.
Thank you very much! Very useful!
thank you very much very useful
This will help each other in the team professionally and personally , we can share ideas and solve problems .Awesome!!
Thank you for this great collection of wonderful and fun icebreakers and activities. Here’s a favorite icebreaker called Paris, Rome, or New York.
Objectives: To get participants to share their opinions, encourage listening, and promote better discussion in the group.
Method: This is a very simple exercise that participants can also have some fun with.
Ask participants of the training event to imagine themselves in each of the cities above. And, what they would like to do there? What would they work at? Would their life be different? If so, in what ways?
Once each person has described who they would like to get the group in a circle to discuss the exercise.
This exercise also encourages questioning and listening skills within the group and individuals’ perceptions of different things.
Discussion Questions: Did anyone feel uncomfortable doing this exercise? If so, why? How can this exercise help us during today’s training event? Of all the places presented does anyone want to change? If so why or why not?
Great ideas and will use this week at our yearly NHS Nurse away day. Thank You
These are some great ideas. I do both online and face-to-face education, so the variations are really nice. I also do an exercise called, “How did I get here?” Everyone takes a sheet of chart paper and some markers and writes or draws (or both) how they got to where they are and what led them to the course. I give them 10 minutes and then we share as a group. If too many to share in a large group, create several smaller groups and they share to that group. You can get some really interesting responses.
Dear Robert Cserti, My gratitude to you….Thank you so much .Iam using these games as ice breakers ,related to many topics and also in out bound training. Sharing the knowledge ..that’s amazing and tells that u lead by example. Great work!!!! with regards Anu Shakthi :-)
Many times link with ice breakers are disappointing. This was packed full of easy to use, possible to tweak. And amazing ideas!
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Explore the list of 20 engaging communication games to activities foster collaboration, boost morale, and improve overall team communication.
Teams who communicate effectively may increase their productivity by as much as 25% .
In today’s modern workplaces, effective communication stands as the cornerstone of success. The ability to convey ideas, collaborate, and build strong interpersonal relationships is crucial for fostering a positive work environment. To inject an element of fun and engagement into the realm of communication, many organizations are turning to communication games.
These games not only break the monotony of traditional communication methods but also serve as powerful tools for team building and skill development.
In the corporate world, where teams often consist of diverse individuals with varying backgrounds and personalities, breaking the ice is essential. Communication games serve as excellent icebreakers, helping colleagues become more comfortable with each other. Activities like "two truths and a lie" or "human bingo" encourage employees to share personal details in a lighthearted manner, fostering connections that go beyond professional roles.
Trust is the bedrock of any successful team, and communication games play a pivotal role in building and strengthening this trust. Games such as "trust falls" or "team building circles" require individuals to rely on each other, fostering a sense of mutual dependence and trust.
As teams navigate these challenges together, they learn to communicate effectively, rely on each other's strengths, and develop a collaborative mindset that extends beyond the confines of the game.
Effective communication is the lifeblood of any successful team. But let's face it, traditional team-building exercises can sometimes feel forced and awkward. Why not shake things up with some fun and engaging games that teach valuable communication skills?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
What you need : Paper, pencils, chairs
How to play
Benefits : Active listening, clear communication, teamwork
What you need : Paper, pencils, timer
Benefits : Active listening, clear communication, humor
What you need : None!
Benefits : Vocabulary, quick thinking, active listening
Benefits : Communication, trust-building, storytelling
Benefits : Creativity, teamwork, active listening
Here are 20 more engaging communication games for a vibrant workplace:
By incorporating these fun and engaging communication games into your workplace, you can help your team build stronger relationships, improve collaboration, and boost overall productivity.
Here are some Benefits of incorporating communication games in your workplace.
Effective communication encompasses both verbal and non-verbal elements. Communication games provide a platform for individuals to hone their skills in both these areas. Games like "Charades" or "Pictionary" encourage participants to communicate without words, emphasizing the importance of body language and non-verbal cues.
On the other hand, activities like "Role Reversal" or "Communication Obstacle Course" focus on verbal communication, challenging individuals to convey information clearly and concisely.
One of the often overlooked aspects of communication is active listening. Many workplace misunderstandings can be traced back to a lack of attentiveness. Communication games designed to enhance active listening skills help participants become more mindful of their colleagues' perspectives.
"Listening Pairs" or "Reflective Listening Circle" are examples of games that prompt participants to listen attentively, summarize information, and ask clarifying questions – skills that translate seamlessly into professional settings.
Workplaces are not immune to conflicts and challenges. Communication games provide a safe and controlled environment to practice conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
"The Marshmallow Challenge" or "Escape Room" style activities require teams to collaborate under time constraints, encouraging them to navigate challenges and resolve conflicts efficiently.
These experiences strengthen teamwork and equip individuals with valuable skills that can be applied in real-world work scenarios.
Work-related stress is a common issue faced by employees. Communication games offer a welcome break from the daily grind, serving as stress relievers and morale boosters. Light-hearted activities such as "Office Trivia" or "Desk Chair Jenga" provide moments of levity, promoting a positive atmosphere within the workplace.
A team that can laugh together is more likely to collaborate effectively and weather challenges with resilience.
Communication games at the workplace are not just a form of entertainment; they are powerful tools for enhancing team dynamics, improving communication skills, and fostering a positive work culture.
As organizations recognize the importance of effective communication in achieving their goals, incorporating these games into training programs and team-building activities becomes imperative.
By leveraging communication games' engaging and educational aspects, workplaces can create an environment where collaboration thrives, conflicts are resolved efficiently, and employees feel valued and connected.
In the end, the investment in communication games pays off through stronger teams, increased productivity, and a more satisfying work experience for all.
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To learn more about quick team building activities, check out these articles on one minute games, minute to win it games, and 5 minute team building activities. 9. Team building skills ... These team building presentations can act as a first step to introduce the concept of team building to your staff, or they can be a continuing education on ...
5 Free Powerpoint Presentations for Team Building with Activities Free Team-Building Powerpoint Presentation: Communication Effective communication in the workplace generates 4.5 times higher talent retention.As a result, it is crucial that all workplaces that don't want to pour money down the drain on constant talent acquisition invest time and effort into enhancing communication within ...
223 likes • 180,788 views. Yuvraj Zala. Presentation on Team building and it's exercise in Organization. Team Building exercise and activity. Effective leadership skills. Leadership & Management. 1 of 21. Download now. Team Building Presentation - Download as a PDF or view online for free.
We believe the best kind of team building is when people work on real professional challenges together. Solving issues, coming up with creative solutions, building action plans together are all platforms for creating a supportive and productive team. Free Download. Download our 3 most popular tools. Sen d me the Top 3.
Free Google Slides theme, PowerPoint template, and Canva presentation template. It has been fully demonstrated that team building activities reinforce the quality of work. Teamwork makes the dream work... That is why we have prepared this template, so that you can organize a team building workshop in your company. Start by giving some technical ...
Our recommendation: hide easter eggs throughout the deck. These could be hidden words, a specific icon included a certain number of times throughout the presentation, or funny photos. Use said easter eggs as an incentive to your team to pay attention to the deck, and offer prizes to whoever can find the most hidden eggs throughout the course of ...
A corporate team building activity is a great time to encourage groups to go deeper and share who they are as a team. In Coat of Arms, each team member begins by drawing a personal coat of arms and then sharing it with a partner. The partner interprets the coat of arms and then presents it to the rest of the group.
Team building exercises can be promoted using this visually appealing PPT theme. As this team building PowerPoint template is completely customizable, you can easily modify the text and make it fit for your use. This attractive management PowerPoint layout can be used by the HR department to give details of the team bonding activities of the ...
A series of team-building activities that can be fun, motivational, brainstorming, or educational builds skills like communication, planning, conflict resolution, etc. ... The templates comprise eight high-quality slides that will help you build effective team building and training-related presentations. Free Team Building Layout.
Watch on. . Here are the top team building games you can play in 5 minutes: 1. Quick Trivia Competition. A classic icebreaker game is a quick, simple round of trivia. Here's a ready-to-play 5-minute interactive trivia game: This is a ready-to-play trivia that works like a slide deck presentation.
Team Building Activities. Oct 20, 2012 •. 210 likes • 101,240 views. Angelin R. This presentation explains how to play some team building activities that are important to the effective management and growth of teams and their objectives. Entertainment & Humor. 1 of 19. Team Building Activities - Download as a PDF or view online for free.
Get inspiration for Team Building Powerpoint Presentation Templates. Browse through our huge selection of community templates or smoothly transition your PowerPoint into Prezi. ... Transcript: "DIE HARD" Day 2 8.00 Breakfastе 9.00-12.30 Team building. Business-games: XO and etc. 12.30 Lunch 14.00-16.00 Transfer to Issyk-Kul (Caprice Resort) 16 ...
This activity is also free for up to 10 people and is easy to personalize. . 6. The Get to Know You Game. This activity is one of the best presentation games if you have a small group that doesn't really know each other. The Get to Know You Game is a creative way to do introductions, and it's really simple.
Team building activities for leaders are games and exercises that increase leadership skills. These ideas can also improve communication and stimulate creative thinking within a team. ... Interactive sessions improve clarity, audience engagement, and presentation impact. These skills encourage effective communication with teams, clients, and ...
No one likes those. My favorite non-awkward way to build trust for your team members is by using: Nostalgia. Nostalgia is a sweet emotion that is one of the fastest ways to build connections. And it's very easy to use as a trust building activity with what I call "nostalgic icebreakers.".
Here is our list of the best 30-minute team building activities. 30-minute team building activities are short, structured games and challenges that promote collaboration, teamwork, and communication. Examples include SKYJO, Reverse Charades, and Pictionary. ... During the presentation, participants will describe the objects in detail and share ...
Problem Solving Team Building (PSTB for short) is a 30-45 minute activity where the problem 'owner' will, with the help of their team, go through a structured process of brainstorming, issue analysis, and action planning to achieve a plausible solution to their issue. Large choice of quick team building activities under 30 minutes to run.
Team size: 8-16 people. Time: 20-30 minutes. 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.
3. Lightning Scavenger Hunt Activities. Lightning Scavenger Hunts are designed to be fun and quick virtual team building activities. To do this activity with remote teams, invite your coworkers to a virtual meeting and start firing off clues like "cuddle your pet," "show a dictionary," or "get your favorite mug.".
Examples include "Blindfolded Obstacle Course", "Trust Falls", and "Human Knot". Ice-breaker activities: These simple, fun games are perfect for breaking the ice and getting team members to know each other in a light-hearted way. Examples include "Two Truths and a Lie", "Never Have I Ever", and "Mingle Bingo".
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. Skills this work activity develops: Problem-solving, teamwork, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Team-building activities also build camaraderie and trust among team members—one of the most important aspects of a successful team. "This allows people to bring the full power of their skills, personalities, and who they are to work," Dea says. ... Your employee will practice mentoring and giving presentations, and your team will learn ...
Use this template to talk about the benefits of team management efficiently. You can find here the image creatively representing the theme. The six nodes, along with the captions and icons, give a detailed view of your topic. The high-quality image gives a standard to your presentation slides. The skills for team building can be elaborated at ...
Break the Ice with The Four Quadrants Activity. The Four Quadrants is a fun and creative team icebreaker than can be adapted for any situation. It is super easy to prep for and set up - you only need large sheets of paper (flipcharts or similar) and markers. Have people draw up a 2×2 grid and ask them four questions.
Incorporating team building activities into your workplace culture can have a profound impact on your team's dynamics and performance. Team building offers numerous benefits for both individuals and organizations: Improved Communication: Team building activities encourage open communication among team members, fostering better understanding and ...
6 team building activities to try. Whether you're in the office or working as a remote team, here are some fun team building activities to help your re-engage your team and teach them how to work together. Team events: Any opportunity that gets the team interacting together in a way that's different from their normal routines creates a ...
Activities like "two truths and a lie" or "human bingo" encourage employees to share personal details in a lighthearted manner, fostering connections that go beyond professional roles. Building trust and collaboration. Trust is the bedrock of any successful team, and communication games play a pivotal role in building and strengthening this trust.