Summary. Team building exercises for the workplace include a human knot and two truths, and a lie. These exercises help build trust, improve communication, and can unlock leadership potential in employees.
Having a successful team is more than just having the top workers. Team building exercises are the best way to ensure that your team works well together and are successful.
In this article, we will go over 14 different team-building exercises as well as the benefits of team-building.
Key Takeaways:
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Team building exercises that allow employees to get to know each other include “show and tell,” office trivia, and lost on a desert island.
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Team building exercises that require employees to work together include solving a puzzle, a silent lineup, and counting to 20.
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Improved communication, healthy competition, and employee morale boost are benefits of team building exercises.
14 Team Building Exercises for the Workplace
Get to know each other team building exercises:
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Two truths and a lie. This is a good activity to do when you have new team members. Have team members write down two truths about themselves and one lie. Each person will present two truths and a lie, and it’s up to the rest of the group to determine the lie.
This activity will allow your team members to get to know each other on a more personal level and create relationships. It’s a great icebreaker game for new people.
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Brainstorming session. At the beginning of a project, have members of the team hold a brainstorming session. Give them enough time to create a plan on how to complete the project. This will allow team members to work together to see who would be best at each stage of the project.
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Show and tell. Have a ‘’show and tell’’ of team members and their greatest accomplishments. It’s a great way for members to brag a little and to give them recognition for their hard work.
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Office trivia. Create a trivia game about the office for this activity. The questions can range from what type of coffee the office provides to who has been with the company the longest. This activity allows everyone to get to know each other, as well as the office itself, just a little bit better.
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Lost on a desert island. For this activity, have team members sit in a circle, and everyone shares an item that they would bring with them to a desert island. Keep the item the same each time they share. The items can range from what book you would bring, what movie you would bring, or any other item you can think of.
The purpose of this game is to get to know colleagues on a more personal level. It’s also a great way to see if anyone has anything in common with the things that they like.
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Compliment circle. For this activity, have your team gather in a circle. Have each team member acknowledge something that they admire or like about another team member. The purpose of this activity will allow team members to show their appreciation to other team members.
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Memory wall. Similar to a compliment circle, this activity will have every member of a team write down one or two special moments from the office that affects the team and put them up on the wall. These should be positive moments.
The purpose of the activity will allow your team members to acknowledge and recognize the little things that their coworkers do that are positive.
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Slideshow. Have team members select a topic of their choice and create a slideshow about that topic. The length of the slideshow will depend on how many team members you have. In groups, have the team members present their slideshow for the other members to analyze.
The purpose of this is to allow teams to work together to discuss a specific topic. It can be related to work, or it can be something that has nothing to do with the office. Not only will it help them collaborate, but it will also improve their presentation skills.
Working together team building exercises:
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Solve a puzzle. You can break up your team members into smaller groups for this activity. The size of the puzzle can be determined by how large the groups are and how long they have to solve the puzzle.
The purpose of this activity is for them to work together to reach a common goal. Team members will have to communicate effectively and collaborate to solve the puzzle.
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Count to 20. For this activity, have your team members sit in a circle. They are not allowed to speak besides saying a number one to 20. Anyone can start the count off or say a number at any time. The goal of this activity is to reach the number 20 without having to start over. If two people say the same number at the same time, you start over.
The purpose of this activity is to work as a group to reach 20. Since they will have limited communication, they will have to try and collaborate in a different way and work on team building.
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Silent line-up. Have your team members stand in a line side-by-side randomly. Once they are lined up, have them try to order the line by birthday, age, or height. They are not allowed to speak during this activity.
Since they are not able to talk, they will have to rely on each other to have the correct order. The purpose of the game is to work together to have everyone lined up in the correct order.
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Minefield. For this activity, you will need about 20 small objects and they should be placed around the room, creating an obstacle course. Have teams of two, one person blindfolded and the other able to see.
The person who can see must guide the blindfolded person, using clear communication, through the obstacle course without hitting any of the objects.
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Human knot. Have the members of the mean squish together in a circle and grab hands with someone that is not right next to them. Once everyone is connected, they will start to untangle themselves. They must keep their hands interlocked. The goal of this activity is to untangle without breaking the chain.
To make the game more challenging, you can have the members of the team not talk or set a time limit. This activity will allow members of the team to work together towards a common goal.
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Escape room. This activity will have to be held outside of the office. An escape room is a great team-building exercise because it requires the team to work together towards a common goal. The goal is to escape the room in a set amount of time.
Why Team Building Exercises Are Important
Team building exercises are important because it allows employees to get to know each other better. They will have a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as their coworkers. Some other benefits of team-building exercises include the following:
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Improves communication. It also helps them understand how everyone communicates and helps create a way for them to improve communication as a team.
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Builds trust. Not only do these exercises help build better communication, but it also builds trust among the team. For most team-building exercises, trust is at the center, and it’s the only way for the exercise to be completed successfully.
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Boosts morale. Employees will feel more productive and overall happy when they like and trust their coworkers. Team building gives them a way to get to know their colleagues and trust them a bit more.
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Improves healthy competition. Healthy competition can improve productivity among employees. Creating an appropriate environment for your employees to compete with each other can help them learn to work together while still competing.
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Unlocks leadership potential. These exercises will help managers see who among the team can be a potential leader. The environment will be more relaxed, and the stakes aren’t as high, so employees may feel more comfortable stepping into a leadership role.
It will also help any employee who may not be comfortable speaking up in a typical meeting setting to speak up and voice their idea to the group.
Team Building Exercises FAQ
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Why is teamwork in the workplace important?
Teamwork is important in the workplace because it helps team members to share ideas and responsibilities, which can help reduce stress for everyone. Teamwork can also improve efficiency and boosts employee morale. Positive teamwork also helps create a positive work environment.
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What are the different types of team-building activities?
The main types of team-building activities are communication building, physical team building, and team bonding. Other types team building activities include:
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Skills team building
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Personality assessment team building
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Large or small group team building
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Problem-solving team building
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What is the purpose of team building?
The purpose of team building is to motivate employees to work together and to create bonds and connections. Team building also helps to improve communication and builds trust among the team.
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What are teamwork skills?
Teamwork skills involve a person being able to work and cooperate with others. Teamwork skills are important when working with anyone. Examples of teamwork skills include:
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Developing and maintaining a good professional relationship with colleagues
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Leading and motivating others to reach their goals
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Showing interests in others
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Final Thoughts
Having a team that works well together and trusts each other is the best way to be successful. Using the team exercises listed above can help you and your employees become a better team.
References
- Workplace Communication
- Email Tips For Effective Leadership
- How To Improve Email Communication With Your Employees
- How To Prepare Managers To Communicate Change
- Congratulations Letter To Employee
- Appreciation Letter To Employee
- Employee Value Proposition
- Morale Booster Quotes
- Types Of Workplace Bias
- Team Exercises For The Workplace
- How To Write An Employer's Reference Letter (With Template + Sample)