What Are The Most Effective Team Bonding Exercises?

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With the Christmas party only round the corner, for most workplaces it is the only chance that the team gets to really bond. Unfortunately for a lot of offices a Christmas and summer party is as good as it gets, when it comes to pulling employees together.

Working together is all about communication and creating a good atmosphere. However, some companies might not be able to organize large events, financially and logistically they aren’t always that effective. To create positivity in the workplace, getting your staff together in a new environment and getting them chatting can be the best way to move forward.

Escape Rooms

What could be a better method of getting your team talking and working together? Escape rooms are a great exercise for having the team work collectively. Put them in a room, where they must workout a series of clues, to simply escape the room. Not only is this giving staff a chance to have some fun, and communicate in an unpressured working environment, it also lets people show off some of their individual skills, such as leadership.

But the most important thing we can pull from this, is seeing how your team work together on their problem solving and creativity. Why not let them do in a fun stress free environment!

Scavenger Hunt

This is another great exercise for allowing the team to use the skills collectively. On a Friday afternoon, it would be perfect. Organise a scavenger hunt around the office, devising clues and putting the workforce into teams, with a small prize for the winning team. In a similar way to the escape room, hopefully, the scavenger hunt will get the team having fun and showing off their skills in a friendly environment.

Set them on their way and see the mayhem commence!

Social Gatherings

Getting the team together in an unpressured environment, with their working colleagues is perhaps the best way to get people chatting and bonding. All work and no play, will usually create a very negative office atmosphere. You don’t have to spend thousands renting the most extravagant setting, or buying the most expensive alcohol, but simply letting people have an alternative dress day, or pizza party can really bring people together.

Blindfold Challenge

This is the ultimate test of faith in your colleagues. It’s a simple exercise which you can do around the office too. Have the team manager place an object, or prize somewhere in the office, then set people up in pairs, blindfold one of the pair, then have the other guide them around the office, to the winning prize or object.

Hopefully this should help the work force relax, but most importantly it should help the team trust each other more!

Outdoor Get-Togethers

Being stuck in an office all day will undoubtedly get your spirits down. This becomes the case even more when there is glorious weather. But that doesn’t mean you all have to miss out. Working in good weather can be brilliant for productivity. Taking your team outdoors to do a meeting or brainstorm can work wonders. It breaks up the day and gives your employees some fresh air. Taking things even further, why not have the afternoon off and get a company game of softball, or cricket going.

Why not try giving some of these a go? Although some are outdoors some of the best activities you can do in the office! A team which works together, with a good vibe will work wonders in an office environment. Employees want to have a feeling of belonging and camaraderie. With people focusing towards the same objectives, then productivity will only be higher.

Also read: Six tips for building a team: from solopreneur to entrepreneur

About the Author

I am a freelance journalist, who studied Business at Sheffield University. Now based in London I produce content online across a variety of different topics.