How to Use Team Building Events to Build a Collaborative Culture

Team building events are a great way to bring your employees together, build trust, and foster collaboration. They also help employees better understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, which makes it easier for them to work on projects that are vital to the company.

While these activities often get a bad rap, they can actually be a great way to increase team productivity. So, if you’re looking to boost morale in your office or just want to have some fun with your team, consider these team building events.

1. Problem-Solving Activities

In today’s business world, problem-solving is a common soft skill that managers seek in new employees. According to Payscale, 60% of managers feel that new graduates lack this skill – making it one of the most critical skills for professionals.

When a problem arises in the workplace, it’s essential for teams to work together to find a solution. With a few simple problem-solving activities, you can help your team develop the ability to overcome obstacles and get back on track.

For example, try an egg drop game where you ask the team to create a team-built carrier for eggs that will survive being dropped from different heights. As they build their carriers, they can experiment with materials and see which ones are the most durable.

This activity is a great way to encourage teamwork and encourage members to think about long-term goals. It also helps your team establish a common purpose and learn to trust each other’s judgment.

The Human Knot is a classic icebreaker that you can play with kids and adults alike. To play the game, have your team stand in a circle and hold hands with two people that aren’t standing directly next to them. When they’re sufficiently connected, instruct them to un-knot themselves without letting go of anyone’s hand.

Problem-solving exercises such as this one help in developing visual perception skills and enabling your team to receive the most accurate feedback on proposed solutions. It is a great way to engage your team in brainstorming and solving the most challenging problems. With these fun activities, you can help your team develop the skills they need to improve their productivity and become more successful.

2. Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are a fun team building event that encourages teams to work together. They are a tried and true game that everyone loves to play, and they have many benefits that extend well beyond the game itself.

Scavenger hunt games involve teams competing to find a set of items or clues that the organizers have provided. They may be physical or virtual, and they are a great way to get your team out of the office.

To complete a scavenger hunt, teams have to use their creativity and critical thinking skills to solve clues that lead them to the location of each item on the list. They may also have to lean on their teammates for help when they are unsure of what to do next.

Having a good team of employees is important for your business, and scavenger hunts can be an excellent way to connect them as a group. They are a great way to strengthen relationships and build morale, which is crucial to success in the workplace.

Another benefit of scavenger hunts is that they train your team to communicate effectively and efficiently. This is especially useful when your team does not work in close proximity to each other. In a virtual world, clear communication can be difficult to translate, and scavenger hunts provide an opportunity to practice communicating clearly between teammates.

In addition, scavenger hunts also provide the opportunity to showcase your company culture by inviting your employees to show off their fun and unique personalities. One teambuilding activity that can be implemented as part of a scavenger hunt is to ask your employees to share their favorite music, books, sports teams, or hobbies outside of the office.

3. Comedy and Improv

Whether you’re looking to boost team bonding, create a more collaborative culture, or just get to know your employees better, comedy and improv can be an effective part of your team building events. Not only can these activities be fun and hilarious, but they also teach the team to think creatively and stay calm under pressure.

The improvisation technique used in most improv shows is based on the tenets of trust, communication and collaboration. These tenets have been proven to help teams work together cohesively and improve performance in the workplace.

In improv games, participants are encouraged to “say YES” to ideas that are presented. This helps everyone to feel safe in expressing their opinions without fear of criticism or judgment.

For example, one of the most common improv games is “Yes and Picnic.” Players describe a problem they’ve encountered (a faucet that’s leaking, for instance), then they present an object nearby that could solve it.

Another improvisation game is “Emotional Guessing.” Divide the team into pairs and have each person act out an emotion they are feeling while their partner attempts to guess what it is.

After each round of the game, the team should switch roles. This way, everyone can practice their interpretation skills while they’re also having a good time!

Unlike many other team building activities, comedy and improv can be easily adapted to fit any group’s needs. This means that you can include it in your next meeting, brainstorming session, or any other type of collaborative conversation. Plus, it can be done anywhere, whether in person, over Skype, or with a hybrid approach. You’ll be surprised at the results! Just remember to keep these team building exercises light and humorous to make them more effective.

4. Blindfold Activities

Blindfold games are a great way to build communication and trust within a team. You can also use them to develop problem-solving skills. These fun team building activities will encourage your employees to get out of their comfort zones and work together as a group to overcome obstacles.

Sighted team members lead their blindfolded partners through a room, providing instructions to guide them around furniture and other objects. Once the teams reach the other end of the room, the sighted partners reverse their roles.

This game is a great way to develop communication skills and enhance leadership skills. One team member must be the shepherd and the rest of the team must play the sheep.

Another blindfold activity is called “Sheep and Sheep Shepherd.” The blindfolded team members must be guided into a pen by their partner, who is the shepherd. The team that pens the most number of sheep in the shortest time wins this challenge.

A team can practice this activity before the event to ensure that all of their players are familiar with the rules. It is also important to test out the safety aspects of the game.

The team needs to form a square or circle using a rope, with everyone wearing blindfolds. It works best with a loop about 30m long.

Depending on the age of the participants this can be a great icebreaker or a team building exercise. For younger groups it is a good idea to give them some time to plan the task and run a couple of dry runs before the final team attempt.

Blindfolded people must be led by a sighted person at first across a level grass area and then through increasingly complex soft obstacles. This can be done with physical contact at first and later with voice leading.

5. Charcuterie Board

If you’re looking for a fun way to break out of the ordinary and spice up your team building events, consider adding a charcuterie board to the mix. These savory dishes are easy to prepare and can be served as an appetizer, snack or meal.

A charcuterie board typically consists of meats and cheeses, along with breads and other accompaniments like olives and nuts. It can be a fun way to create a delicious spread that will impress your guests.

There are no rules to making a charcuterie board, so you can experiment with the ingredients and create your own signature dish. The key is to focus on flavor combinations and make sure that each ingredient works well together.

You can also arrange the charcuterie on the board in different ways to make it more visually appealing. For instance, you can arrange the board in the shape of a heart or in the form of a Christmas tree. You can even add seasonal vegetables or fruits.

When creating a charcuterie board, you may want to include condiments such as mustard and fruit jams that go well with the smoked meats and cheeses. It’s also a good idea to add crackers or bread so that your guest can layer the condiments, meats and cheeses in small sandwiches that are easy to eat.

To help you decide what to put on your charcuterie board, think about the theme of your party or event. For example, you can create a Valentine’s charcuterie board that includes chocolate covered strawberries and conversation hearts. You can also arrange a fall charcuterie board that features pumpkins and seasonal vegetables. You can even incorporate a dessert charcuterie board that features chocolate dipping sauce and various small treats.