Living through a worldwide pandemic has really rocked the boat. No matter what sector you work in, working conditions have changed dramatically, and for a lot of us, that’s meant working from home. But with industry’s opening their doors wide for their employees to return to the office, some relationships aren’t quite what they were prior to Covid sweeping the nation.
Team building activities break down all those awkward barriers and open up conversations and strengthen bonds between employees and friends. With that in mind, here are some of our favourite team-building activities to bring the band comfortably back together:
Escape Rooms
No team-building activity list is complete without Escape Rooms featuring! They include everything from working towards a deadline, smashing goals, problem-solving, and heck, even learning how to communicate with confidence!
What’s more, you’re all in to together. There’s no hiding from the task at hand, and you are all relying on each other to get the job done.
Afterward, you can all sit down together and talk about what surprised you, what you found challenging, and what you learned about yourself and your colleagues. No more awkward silences and chit chat instead, you’ll have a team that is aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and perhaps will be able to support each other from this day onwards better than before.
Have a look at some of our head-to-head games for inspiration.
Would I Lie to You?
David Mitchell, Lee Mack, and Rob Brydon are the tricksters, comedy trio that knows how to tell a convincing story, regardless of how much truth there is to it! The premise of the hit BBC show, Would I Lie To You?, is where two teams go head to head by telling you three things about themselves that are true or false.
To make the game office-friendly, simply split your staff team up into at least two groups. Each time one of the teams guess right, they get a point, lose, and the question goes over to the next team to guess. After each round, add up your points, and at the end of the game, the winning team earns a prize!
As points mean prizes, now’s your chance to get really creative. It could be a special team lunch at your top-notch local cafe, some tickets to your nearest escape room, cinema or theatre, or even a spa day!
An appreciation circle
Get your whole team together and start laying out all the things you appreciate about one another! Whether you pop names into a hat or simply take it in turns to say what you admire about your colleagues, it’s a great way to build up trust and quality relationships amongst colleagues.
Frank may have been a superstar seller this week or Mary hit her deadline with flying colours, or maybe Derrick bringing in those doughnuts was the boost you all needed today! Whatever it is, keep it light and keep it truthful.
Puzzle time
Everyone got stuck in and involved is one of the best ways to bring a team together, so why not try solving a puzzle together! This could be:
- An actual puzzle – think 500 to 1000 pieces, and the whole team are united in bringing the whole picture together
- A brain teaser – from sudoku to riddles, let your imagination go wild
- Decipher morse code or a secret message
After the time is up, take a moment to reflect on the experience. You could ask questions such as:
- What were your strengths? Weaknesses?
- What was your overall strategy to solve the puzzle?
- What decisions did you make and why?
- How well do you think you worked together? What could be improved?
Taking time to evaluate the puzzle-solving experience will allow everyone to think through the process itself, highlight unique perspectives and open up the conversation.
Embrace the classic show and tell
People like to sing their own praises, and giving them a platform to show off their accomplishments can be a real eye-opener for their fellow employees. What’s more, it places everyone on an equal platform and keeps you up to date with the goings-on of the team.
Whether you make it personal or keep it within work operations only, giving space to highlight positives in the workplace is also a great way to keep the team morale up!
Scavenger Hunt
Whatever impact the pandemic has had on your workspace, things are going to be different when you all come back to the office. You might have had to relocate, downsize or even expand during that time. So why not have a bit of fun, and set up a scavenger hunt!
Whether your teams have to hop in their car, walk around the local area or simply explore your office area, the possibilities with this game are endless. Here are a few of our fave setups:
- Find items that can complete the alphabet. A is obviously for apple, but you just wait until the harder letters sink in. X and Z can be a nightmare. Let the games begin!
- Location spotter task: find the best coffee spot, the shortest path to the lunchroom or place with the best view
- Bonding through nature task: Simply leave clues or riddles for each team to solve, which leads them to the next clue. Wild, I know!
Crack out a boardgame
Not unlike the puzzle session, cracking out a classic board game such as Monopoly, Risk or Taboo can be great ice breakers for teams trying to refamiliarise themselves with their colleagues.
Articulate is one of our particular favourites, as players have to think outside of the box, and get in tune with their teammates. Perfect for understanding how your peers’ minds work, and who doesn’t like a bit of healthy competition!
Returning to the office can bring out all of the emotions. You might feel nervous, overwhelmed, or slightly uncomfortable at finally leaving your home and getting back into the swing of things. Team building activities are the perfect antidote. So let go of all your work-related woes, and get stuck in!