At Work Team Building Exercises

When it comes to trying to bring your employees together as a team you first need to figure out what and how you can improve on. First of all, you need to understand what team building is, it is the process of getting your individual employees together and transform their thinking and working abilities so that they all work together as a cohesive team.

A team that works successfully together will instantly create a more effective and productive environment. But team building activities can be quite difficult to arrange especially trying to fit in when everyone is available due to different shifts or commitments outside of work. So we have put together a few activities, suggestions and tips for you and your work colleagues to take part in during work to get to know each other more and boost team confidence.

Check out what we have to offer if you're after a Team Building Activity! 

Activities:

Game of Possibilities

Time: 5 minutes

Number of Players: minimum of one player

Equipment Needed: any random objects

Objective: brings out the team’s creative side

Rules: This game is similar charades in the sense of demons­tra­tions and no speaking. So, you give an object to one person in each group and then one at a time somebody has to go up in front of their group and demonstrate a use for that particular object. The demonstrators are not allowed to speak and all demons­tra­tions must be original.

Human Knot

Time: 15-30 minutes

Number of Players: 5-20 players

Equipment Needed: none

Objective: helps improve communication within the team

Rules: Everyone must first stand in a circle with their shoulders touching. Then everyone in the circle places their right arm into the centre of the circle and holds another person’s hand from across the circle. They then have to place their left arm in the circle and grab another hand of another person’s. With a set time limit given, the group then needs to untangle every ones arms without letting go of each other’s hands. If the group is too big maybe consider smaller groups.

The Barter Puzzle

Time: 1 hour

Number of Players: 4 or more small groups

Equipment Needed: different jigsaw puzzles for each group

Objective: helps improve problem solving and leadership skills

Rules: Once everyone has been put into smaller teams and have a jigsaw each (with the same difficulty level). Their goal is to try and complete their jigsaw the quickest but there’s a twist. Some pieces will be mixed up with another team’s jigsaw. It’s up to the team to figure out how they’re getting that piece back whether it be through negotiating or exchanging team members.

Blind Drawing

Time: 10-15 minutes

Number of Players: 2 or more players

Equipment Needed: a picture, pen and paper

Objective: helps improve inter­pre­tation and communication

Rules: Put everyone into groups of two, have the pair sit back-to-back and give one person the pen and paper and the other the picture. The person who has the picture without saying the word or words of whatever the picture is has to describe what it is to their teammate. The person with the pen and paper then has to draw what they think the picture is based on the verbal description given by their teammate.

Suggestions & Tips:

Lunch Discussions can always be something that can fit easily into most normal working days. You could provide lunch for the company, department or a certain team and use this time to discuss work-related questions, topics, research that would benefit everyone. This could help build confidence in some employees who are too shy to speak in front of everyone and help the teams/company work in a more cohesive environment.

Why not take the team out for a Pizza Making Team Building event?

Job Shadowing Opportunities are a great way to improve team building in the workplace. Especially if there are a variety of different departments in your company. It helps your employees grow a better understanding for what everyone else in the company does. This will help enhance a cross-department cooperation and understanding which is vital for a successful team.

Organise a Day Trip or Reward System, this is a great system to be put in place to keep the team morale high. If the company hits certain targets each week or month you could reward the company with something whether that be lunch bought for them or perhaps a team activity outside of work. But by the company knowing rewards or trips could be won by improving team development to increase the business’ success then they will most likely up their game.

Host in Work Activities relating to events on TV etc. for example a company bake off. Each week one employee can bake something and everybody then votes in secret, once everyone has baked the scores are totalled up and a winner is announced. This bring some good in work competition and when everyone’s spirits are high it can be reflected into their work.