Trust falls. Ropes courses. Icebreaker games. Two truths and a lie. Let’s face it: few things in corporate life are as loved and loathed (read: usually loathed) as when HR departments or team leaders thrust team-building games or team-building exercises on hard-working employees. After all, it’s one of the great paradoxes of life: whenever bonding or simply having fun is forced in an organized way, it’s all but guaranteed not to work.
But is that always the case? The short answer: Not at all. Team-building exercises, when executed thoughtfully, can genuinely enhance team dynamics and foster a more cohesive working environment. The key is to make these activities engaging and relevant, allowing natural interactions to take place. It’s all about execution, reading the room, and letting it flow in a natural way. If cringe sets in, you ditch the game and move to another one.
Studies show that team-building exercises can significantly improve communication, trust, and collaboration within teams. According to a Gallup survey, teams with high engagement levels experience 21% greater profitability, 41% reduction in absenteeism, and 59% less turnover.
Whether you’re in the office or working remotely, the following team-building games are actually great for successfully encouraging team bonding and elevating morale. Seems like a win-win scenario, right? Then get ready to unleash your inner geniuses with these creative challenges that will leave everyone laughing, strategizing, and connecting like never before.
The 10-Minute Build-a-Story Challenge
How to Do It: Bring your team together either in a meeting room or virtually. Explain the rules of the team-building game: One person starts a story with a single sentence, preferably something totally weird (“In a world where paperclips replaced money, a fearless team of accountants decided to take matters into their own hands…”), which is written onto a shared Google Document that is either projected onto a screen or shown on the shared virtual screen.
Then, working across the room, everyone takes turns adding one sentence. Everyone gets exactly one minute to write their sentence. You’ll perform the game for at least 10 minutes or until the energy peters out. The key is to move quickly and to not give enough time for people to make their sentence perfect. Just let it flow and encourage silliness, messiness, and randomness.
Why It Works: Storytelling is a powerful tool for enhancing communication and creativity within teams. By building a story together, team members practice listening, improvisation, and contributing ideas without overthinking. This game reduces the friction between thought and speech, making team members more comfortable sharing ideas.
What to Do If People Hate It: Always give someone the opportunity to sit out and observe. But also be sure to give positive encouragement to every sentence. “That’s a killer segue, thank you for contributing it!” and “Always good to keep it simple!” Also, it’s great to constantly remind your team that no one is a professional writer. It’s simply a fact that the worse the story, the better the exercise.
[Related: For more on this topic, explore Simon’s Team-Building Programs here.]
The 15-Minute Logic Game
How to Do It: Complete simple challenges in 15 minutes. This involves three clues/riddles/puzzles that need to be solved sequentially.
- Game 1: The Word Game
- Clue: “Find the hidden word in this jumble: E H S U O”
- Answer: “HOUSE”
- Game 2: The Visual Riddle
- Clue: Show an image with various items and ask, “What do all these items have in common?”
- Answer: “They are all used for cooking.”
- Game 3: The Logic Puzzle
- Clue: “You have a 5-liter jug and a 3-liter jug, and you need exactly 4 liters of water. How do you do it?”
- Answer: Fill the 5-liter jug and pour into the 3-liter jug until it’s full, leaving exactly 2 liters in the 5-liter jug. Empty the 3-liter jug and transfer the 2 liters from the 5-liter jug to the 3-liter jug. Refill the 5-liter jug and pour into the 3-liter jug until it’s full. You now have exactly 4 liters left in the 5-liter jug.
Why It Works: These logic games are fantastic for fostering problem-solving skills and teamwork under pressure. They require effective communication, strategy, and collaboration.
What to Do If People Hate It: Offer the option for participants to join as observers. Encourage the team by celebrating small wins and providing hints if they get stuck to keep the momentum going.
The 7-Minute Puzzle-Solving Challenge
How to Do It: Here’s a specific puzzle-solving challenge that can be done in 7 minutes, either in person or virtually.
Puzzle: The Grid Logic Puzzle
- Create a 4×4 grid using a spreadsheet or a PowerPoint and provide clues such as:
- “The number 1 is not in the first row.”
- “The number 2 is directly below the number 3.”
- “The number 4 is in the same column as the number 1.”
- Teams have 7 minutes to correctly place the numbers 1-4 in the grid based on the clues.
Why It Works: This type of logic puzzle enhances critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills. It also encourages teamwork as members must collaborate to solve the puzzle efficiently.
What to Do If People Hate It: Ensure that everyone understands the rules and provide easier clues if the team is struggling. Reinforce the idea that the objective is to have fun and practice problem-solving, not necessarily to complete the puzzle perfectly.
20 Questions Trivia
How to Do It: Time to put your knowledge to the test with Team-Based Trivia! Whether you are remote, in-person, or hybrid, you’ll be able to gather your team in groups and unleash a barrage of questions related to the company, industry, and general knowledge. It’s a battle of wits, and the team with the most correct answers takes home the glory.
Sample Questions:
- What year was our company founded?
- Who is the current CEO of our company?
- What is our company’s mission statement?
- What are the names of the three largest clients we serve?
- What is the capital of France?
- Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
- Who wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
- What is the largest mammal in the world?
- How many continents are there on Earth?
- Who painted the Mona Lisa?
- What is the chemical symbol for gold?
- Which country won the FIFA World Cup in 2018?
- What is the smallest prime number?
- Who was the first president of the United States?
- What is the currency of Japan?
- What year did the Titanic sink?
- What is the tallest mountain in the world?
- What is the hardest natural substance on Earth?
- Who discovered penicillin?
- What is the longest river in the world?
Why It Works: Trivia games are excellent for boosting team spirit and fostering a competitive yet friendly atmosphere. They allow team members to showcase their knowledge and learn new facts in an enjoyable way.
What to Do If People Hate It: Encourage participation by emphasizing the fun aspect and not the competitive nature. Allow teams to choose topics they are interested in and provide diverse categories to appeal to everyone.
And there you have it—a collection of genius team-building games to turn your team into an unstoppable force of camaraderie and success. From escape room challenges to cup tower constructions, these fun team-building exercises will leave your team motivated, energized, and better equipped to tackle any obstacle that comes their way. So go ahead, put on your game face, and embark on these thrilling adventures in teamwork!
Remember: a strong team is a winning team. And if you’re looking for other ways to strengthen your team, check out our ever-growing collection of classes in The Optimism Library. Help every member of your team build the essential human skills they need to succeed in their professional and personal life. Each class also comes with a discussion guide to promote important conversations at your organization.
