Fun Team Building Ideas For The Workplace

Team building is a hard thing to accomplish. Ever since school days, team-building exercises have been seen as a potentially stressful activity that widens gaps between people, instead of helping them. However, that is the result of team-building exercises not suited for the people involved. 

Mandatory HR events are no fun as an adult, especially for folks who just want to get work done. That’s why it’s important to pick team-building activities that actually fit your team. Most importantly, they should not feel forced into doing anything they do not want to do. Always frame these ideas in such a way that it will be beneficial for them to participate.

Team Building Ideas

Here are some simple but fun ways to build rapport within your team. Additionally, make sure that all of these activities are volunteers only. It’s imperative that a person does not feel forced into an activity, and it is your job to make the activity enticing.

A Simple Feast

This should always be the first go-to. If there are a lot of newbies on your team, or if it’s been a rather tiring week, treat your employees to a fully paid lunch. A simple lunch or dinner is an ample activity for people to socialize and enjoy some time to de-stress. Team building should be, first and foremost, a time for your team to communicate.
Simple feasts are one of the simplest and most effective ways to get a team together. With good food, a relaxed atmosphere, and being surrounded by co-workers, your team is more likely to socialize. This makes eating a great primer activity or a great way to finish off the day. Also, during such feasts, give praise to high-performing workers, to make them all feel celebrated.

Team Sports

It could be any team sport that your team wants. For particularly large teams, games such as basketball or even baseball could be a possibility. For smaller teams, games such as bowling or even darts are perfectly doable. 
Making these a weekly activity, especially for fitness enthusiasts on your team, can make a great difference in how they interact. Team sports are great because they are already pre-established games. Team sports enable great team-building to build stronger teams.

Video Games

Let’s face it, not every team will be physical. Some people simply do not want to embarrass themselves by playing sports. However, most people these days enjoy video games. Whether these be PC games, on the phone, or even on a company console, gamers are inclined to enjoy competition.
Video games essentially perform the same functions as team sports. Gaming is an effective form of communication skills training, as the path to victory often involves a great deal of communication.

Paintball

Paintball has gained a lot of popularity over the years, and with good reason. People really do love the feeling of being action heroes, and that’s what paintball games enable. Not to mention, they are inherently team-based affairs. The goal is to clear out the other team with your own strategies.
Paintball is kind of a combination of team sports and first-person shooter video games. Many skills are built here. Tactical thinking on the fly when the paintballs start flying, as well as pre-game strategies to take out the other team.

Escape Room

Escape rooms are another activity that has gained a lot of traction. Escape rooms are mental games, and the more heads are included, the faster the room gets accomplished. Escape rooms challenge a team’s ability to work together and solve a problem. Escape rooms are also just fun, as people talk whilst trying to solve mysteries. Unexpected pairings often show up during these activities. People may start showing off skills that even they didn’t know.  Lastly, it’s a super unique experience that usually doesn’t take up too much time.

Trivia Party

This is a game best done with dinner parties. While people are eating snacks or enjoying a drink at the pub, a trivia party is a great way to get the brain going. It’s also a great way to include trivia about work into the game. 
For example, making an I.T.-themed trivia party would be great for I.T. games to get refreshers. Whatever niche you choose, make sure it is one that many of your team are actually proficient in. A trivia party is no fun if it’s on topics they’d obviously not have great knowledge of.

Let The Team Decide

In the next group meeting, simply hold a survey about what kind of team-building activities people would love to participate in. A lot of the issues with mandated HR team building is that workers often feel forced to do things they do not want to do.
So instead of stressing over which activities they want to do, simply ask your team. Team building activities are only as effective as the participants’ willingness to participate. Do this, and your chances of a successful activity are far higher.
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