Team building is essential in today’s modern world of work. Many great virtual team-building games/activities can foster creativity, trust, and communication. These can range from scavenger hunts, escape rooms, unplugged brainstorming sessions, or even more physical activities for some teams, all of which are designed to bring people together and help them get better at working together!
How Team Building Helps
Team building activities and games provide a way for co-workers to interact, learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and build relationships. They can be used as part of an orientation program or as a regular event in the office. Team building is also essential for organizations with remote employees because it encourages communication among people who are not physically present together daily.
There are many types of team-building activities and games available. For simplicity, they can be divided into three categories:
Cooperative Games
These are games where each person does their part to win the game. No one person can win on their own; it takes everyone working together to succeed. Examples include Tug of War and Survivor.
Competitive Games
These are games where teams compete against each other to win. No restrictions are placed on how a team member can win, so one person can take all the glory while everyone else sits back and watches. Examples include Scavenger Hunt and Trivia.
Collective Games
These games are an intriguing mixture of cooperative and competitive. The entire team must work together to “win,” but individual members can also outperform their teammates somehow. Examples include Blind Man’s Bluff, Musical Chairs, and the Trust Walk.
Choose the Right Game/Activity for the Team
Many games that require physical activity provide additional benefits for participants, such as promoting group communication through verbal communication and body language. These encourage team building by having participants work together towards a common goal, helping participants understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so they can be more effective at communicating with each other and teaching the value of cooperation.
Some games do not require physical activity but still promote communication, team building, and cooperation. For example, Jeopardy is a game where teams compete against each other to answer general knowledge questions the quickest.
Choosing the Best Team Building Activities for Your Company
When choosing team-building activities, it’s essential to consider your company culture, budget, location, time limits on events, etc. Because of these factors, you may not be able to implement all the ideas listed below.
Act It Out!
This game is about making quick decisions and taking a risk. Participants are given a short scene (for example, “your colleagues are stuck on their way to work”) and must act it out within 30 seconds, then describe what they were doing. Finally, the other team must guess what they were doing.
Agile Scrum
This exercise is from the Lean Startup methodology and helps teams prioritize their work to avoid wasting time on low-priority tasks. It consists of a series of questions that promote discussion, such as “What will be our main focus at tomorrow’s meeting?”
Best vs. Worst
This game collects personal information that helps people learn more about each other, mainly what makes their teammates an asset to the team. The facilitator asks participants questions such as “What’s your favorite food?” and records their answers on a whiteboard or paper. Participants are then asked to decide on the best solutions and worst answers.
Bigger & Better
This game is about helping participants learn how to focus on tasks that the team can accomplish. The facilitator tells each group they must build a tower out of 24 blocks (Legos). Blocks are then removed one by one until only three blocks remain. Each time a block is removed, the facilitator asks participants to predict how many blocks will stay in the end – bigger or better? This game helps participants learn about setting goals and thinking optimistically.
Birds of a Feather
Also known as speed networking, this game allows people who would not normally interact with each other an opportunity to get acquainted. Participants are given a limited amount of time to talk with as many people in the room as possible, then write down the names of three people they would like to meet again later on.
Blind Draw
This is a fun and easy ice breaker that allows participants to learn more about each other. The facilitator gives each participant a sheet of paper with the name of another team member on it. Participants must then draw their blindfolded partner, paying particular attention to details that would otherwise be hard to notice – hair color, glasses, etc.
Blind Man’s Bluff
This is an exhilarating game based on trust and communication skills. Participants are blindfolded and must rely on their team to guide them through an obstacle course of some sort, such as a park or gymnasium.
Camel Up
This game is about learning how to identify which tasks should be completed first by considering one’s position in the supply chain process of your business. 2-6 players can play it.
Captains Shag
This game is about building trust, communication, and courage. Participants are paired up in groups of three or more, blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs. They must complete various tasks together to win.
The team-building activities and games we’ve provided should help you get started with brainstorming your own. However, if all of this sounds intimidating and you want help enacting these principles, let us know. Our team of experts is ready and waiting to partner with you to create a stellar SEO or marketing plan that drives sales by considering how your customers think. So, which of these cognitive neuroscience principles have you applied to increase your product sales online?
