team building problem solving questions

14 Best Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities For 2024

The best teams see solutions where others see problems. A great company culture is built around a collaborative spirit and the type of unity it takes to find answers to the big business questions.

So how can you get team members working together?

How can you develop a mentality that will help them overcome obstacles they have yet to encounter?

One of the best ways to improve your teams’ problem solving skills is through team building problem solving activities .

“86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.” — Bit.AI

These activities can simulate true-to-life scenarios they’ll find themselves in, or the scenarios can call on your employees or coworkers to dig deep and get creative in a more general sense.

The truth is, on a day-to-day basis, you have to prepare for the unexpected. It just happens that team building activities help with that, but are so fun that they don’t have to feel like work ( consider how you don’t even feel like you’re working out when you’re playing your favorite sport or doing an exercise you actually enjoy! )

Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities

What are the benefits of group problem-solving activities?

The benefits of group problem-solving activities for team building include:

Better communication
Improved collaboration and teamwork
More flexible thinking
Faster problem-solving
Better proactivity and decision making

Without further ado, check out this list of the 14 best team-building problem-solving group activities for 2024!

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2. Problem-Solving Templates

Problem-Solving Templates are popular problem-solving activities that involve a group of people working together to solve an issue. The challenge generally involves members of the team utilizing pre-made templates and creating solutions for a given problem with the help of visual aids.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey.

Why this is a fun problem-solving activity: Problem-Solving Templates offer teams an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing. The visual aids that come with the templates help team members better understand the issue at hand and easily come up with solutions together.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey, as it provides an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing.

Problem Solving Group Activities & Games For Team Building

3. coworker feud, “it’s all fun and games”.

Coworker Feud is a twist on the classic Family Feud game show! This multiple rapid round game keeps the action flowing and the questions going. You can choose from a variety of customizations, including picking the teams yourself, randomized teams, custom themes, and custom rounds.

Best for: Hybrid teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Coworker Feud comes with digital game materials, a digital buzzer, an expert host, and a zoom link to get the participants ready for action! Teams compete with each other to correctly answer the survey questions. At the end of the game, the team with the most competitive answers is declared the winner of the Feud.

How to get started:

Sign up for Coworker Feud
Break into teams of 4 to 10 people
Get the competitive juices flowing and let the games begin!

Learn more here: Coworker Feud

4. Crack The Case

“who’s a bad mamma jamma”.

Crack The Case is a classic WhoDoneIt game that forces employees to depend on their collective wit to stop a deadly murderer dead in his tracks! Remote employees and office commuters can join forces to end this crime spree.

Best for: Remote teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: The Virtual Clue Murder Mystery is an online problem solving activity that uses a proprietary videoconferencing platform to offer the chance for employees and coworkers to study case files, analyze clues, and race to find the motive, the method, and the individual behind the murder of Neil Davidson.

Get a custom quote here
Download the app
Let the mystery-solving collaboration begin!

Learn more here: Crack The Case

5. Catch Meme If You Can

“can’t touch this”.

Purposefully created to enhance leadership skills and team bonding , Catch Meme If You Can is a hybrid between a scavenger hunt and an escape room . Teammates join together to search for clues, solve riddles, and get out — just in time!

Best for: Small teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Catch Meme If You Can is an adventure with a backstory. Each team has to submit their answer to the puzzle in order to continue to the next part of the sequence. May the best team escape!

The teams will be given instructions and the full storyline
Teams will be split into a handful of people each
The moderator will kick off the action!

Learn more here: Catch Meme If You Can

6. Puzzle Games

“just something to puzzle over”.

Puzzle Games is the fresh trivia game to test your employees and blow their minds with puzzles, jokes , and fun facts!

Best for: In-person teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Eight mini brain teaser and trivia style games include word puzzles, name that nonsense, name that tune, and much more. Plus, the points each team earns will go towards planting trees in the precious ecosystems and forests of Uganda

Get a free consultation for your team
Get a custom designed invitation for your members
Use the game link
Dedicated support will help your team enjoy Puzzle Games to the fullest!

Learn more here: Puzzle Games

7. Virtual Code Break

“for virtual teams”.

Virtual Code Break is a virtual team building activity designed for remote participants around the globe. Using a smart video conferencing solution, virtual teams compete against each other to complete challenges, answer trivia questions, and solve brain-busters!

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Virtual Code Break can be played by groups as small as 4 people all the way up to more than 1,000 people at once. However, every team will improve their communication and problem-solving skills as they race against the clock and depend on each other’s strengths to win!

Reach out for a free consultation to align the needs of your team
An event facilitator will be assigned to handle all of the set-up and logistics
They will also provide you with logins and a play-by-play of what to expect
Sign into the Outback video conferencing platform and join your pre-assigned team
Lastly, let the games begin!

Learn more here: Virtual Code Break

8. Stranded

“survivor: office edition”.

Stranded is the perfect scenario-based problem solving group activity. The doors of the office are locked and obviously your team can’t just knock them down or break the windows.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Your team has less than half an hour to choose 10 items around the office that will help them survive. They then rank the items in order of importance. It’s a bit like the classic game of being lost at sea without a lifeboat.

Get everyone together in the office
Lock the doors
Let them start working together to plan their survival

Learn more here: Stranded

9. Letting Go Game

“for conscious healing”.

The Letting Go Game is a game of meditation and mindfulness training for helping teammates thrive under pressure and reduce stress in the process. The tasks of the Letting Go Game boost resiliency, attentiveness, and collaboration.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Expert-guided activities and awareness exercises encourage team members to think altruistically and demonstrate acts of kindness. Between yoga, face painting, and fun photography, your employees or coworkers will have more than enough to keep them laughing and growing together with this mindfulness activity!

Reach out for a free consultation
A guide will then help lead the exercises
Let the funny videos, pictures, and playing begin!

Learn more here: Letting Go Game

10. Wild Goose Chase

“city time”.

Wild Goose Chase is the creative problem solving activity that will take teams all around your city and bring them together as a group! This scavenger hunt works for teams as small as 10 up to groups of over 5000 people.

Best for: Large teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: As employees and group members are coming back to the office, there are going to be times that they’re itching to get outside. Wild Goose Chase is the perfect excuse to satisfy the desire to go out-of-office every now and then. Plus, having things to look at and see around the city will get employees talking in ways they never have before.

Download the Outback app to access the Wild Goose Chase
Take photos and videos from around the city
The most successful team at completing challenges on time is the champ!

Learn more here: Wild Goose Chase

11. Human Knot

“for a knotty good time”.

The Human Knot is one of the best icebreaker team building activities! In fact, there’s a decent chance you played it in grade school. It’s fun, silly, and best of all — free!

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: Participants start in a circle and connect hands with two other people in the group to form a human knot. The team then has to work together and focus on clear communication to unravel the human knot by maneuvering their way out of this hands-on conundrum. But there’s a catch — they can’t let go of each other’s hands in this team building exercise.

Form a circle
Tell each person to grab a random hand until all hands are holding another
They can’t hold anyone’s hand who is directly next to them
Now they have to get to untangling
If the chain breaks before everyone is untangled, they have to start over again

Learn more here: Human Knot

12. What Would You Do?

“because it’s fun to imagine”.

What Would You Do? Is the hypothetical question game that gets your team talking and brainstorming about what they’d do in a variety of fun, intriguing, and sometimes, whacky scenarios.

Best for: Distributed teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: After employees or coworkers start talking about their What Would You Do? responses, they won’t be able to stop. That’s what makes this such an incredible team building activity . For example, you could ask questions like “If you could live forever, what would you do with your time?” or “If you never had to sleep, what would you do?”

In addition to hypothetical questions, you could also give teammates some optional answers to get them started
After that, let them do the talking — then they’ll be laughing and thinking and dreaming, too!

13. Crossing The River

“quite the conundrum”.

Crossing The River is a river-crossing challenge with one correct answer. Your team gets five essential elements — a chicken, a fox, a rowboat, a woman, and a bag of corn. You see, the woman has a bit of a problem, you tell them. She has to get the fox, the bag of corn, and the chicken to the other side of the river as efficiently as possible.

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: She has a rowboat, but it can only carry her and one other item at a time. She cannot leave the chicken and the fox alone — for obvious reasons. And she can’t leave the chicken with the corn because it will gobble it right up. So the question for your team is how does the woman get all five elements to the other side of the river safely in this fun activity?

Form teams of 2 to 5 people
Each team has to solve the imaginary riddle
Just make sure that each group understands that the rowboat can only carry one animal and one item at a time; the fox and chicken can’t be alone; and the bag of corn and the chicken cannot be left alone
Give the verbal instructions for getting everything over to the other side

14. End-Hunger Games

“philanthropic fun”.

Does anything bond people quite like acts of kindness and compassion? The End-Hunger Games will get your team to rally around solving the serious problem of hunger.

Best for: Medium-sized teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Teams join forces to complete challenges based around non-perishable food items in the End-Hunger Games. Groups can range in size from 25 to more than 2000 people, who will all work together to collect food for the local food bank.

Split into teams and compete to earn boxes and cans of non-perishable food
Each team attempts to build the most impressive food item construction
Donate all of the non-perishable foods to a local food bank

Learn more here: End-Hunger Games

Q: What kind of skills do group problem solving activities & games improve?

A: Group problem solving activities and games improve collaboration, leadership, and communication skills.

Q: What are problem solving based team building activities & games?

A: Problem solving based team building activities and games are activities that challenge teams to work together in order to complete them.

Q: What are some fun free problem solving games for groups?

A: Some fun free problem solving games for groups are kinesthetic puzzles like the human knot game, which you can read more about in this article. You can also use all sorts of random items like whiteboards, straws, building blocks, sticky notes, blindfolds, rubber bands, and legos to invent a game that will get the whole team involved.

Q: How do I choose the most effective problem solving exercise for my team?

A: The most effective problem solving exercise for your team is one that will challenge them to be their best selves and expand their creative thinking.

Q: How do I know if my group problem solving activity was successful?

A: In the short-term, you’ll know if your group problem solving activity was successful because your team will bond over it; however, that should also translate to more productivity in the mid to long-term.

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🧩 19 Best Online Team Building Games for Remote Employees in 2024

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22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Problem-solving is a critical skill for professionals and with team building problem-solving activities, you can sharpen your skills while having fun at the same time.

Updated: March 1, 2024

In the professional world, one thing is for sure: problem-solving is a vital skill if you want to survive and thrive. It’s a universal job skill that organizations seek in new potential employees and that managers look for when considering candidates for promotions.

But there’s a problem.

According to Payscale, 60% of managers feel that new grads entering the workforce lack problem-solving abilities – making it the most commonly lacking soft skill.

Problem-solving skill needs to be practiced and perfected on an ongoing basis in order to be applied effectively when the time comes. And while there are tons of traditional approaches to becoming a better problem-solver, there’s another (much more interesting) option: team building problem-solving activities.

The good news? This means learning and having fun don’t have to be mutually exclusive. And you can create a stronger team at the same time.

16 In-Person Team Building Problem Solving Activities for Your Work Group

1. cardboard boat building challenge, 2. egg drop , 3. clue murder mystery, 4. marshmallow spaghetti tower , 5. corporate escape room, 6. wild goose chase, 7. lost at sea , 8. domino effect challenge, 9. reverse pyramid , 10. ci: the crime investigators, 11. team pursuit, 12. bridge builders, 13. domino effect challenge, 14. hollywood murder mystery, 15. code break, 16. cardboard boat building challenge, 6 virtual team building problem solving activities for your work group , 1. virtual escape room: mummy’s curse, 2. virtual clue murder mystery, 3. virtual escape room: jewel heist, 4. virtual code break , 5. virtual trivia time machine.

6. Virtual Jeoparty Social

There are a ton of incredible team building problem solving activities available. We’ve hand-picked 16 of our favorites that we think your corporate group will love too.

a cardboard boat building challenge for problem solving team building

Split into teams and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided: cardboard and tape. Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats to test their durability! Nothing says problem-solving like having to make sure you don’t sink into the water!

egg drop is a great team building problem solving activity

Every day at work, you’re forced to make countless decisions – whether they’re massively important or so small you barely think about them.

But your ability to effectively make decisions is critical in solving problems quickly and effectively.

With a classic team building problem solving activity like the Egg Drop, that’s exactly what your team will learn to do.

For this activity, you’ll need some eggs, construction materials, and a place you wouldn’t mind smashing getting dirty with eggshells and yolks.

The goal of this activity is to create a contraption that will encase an egg and protect it from a fall – whether it’s from standing height or the top of a building. But the challenge is that you and your team will only have a short amount of time to build it before it’s time to test it out, so you’ll have to think quickly!

To make it even more challenging, you’ll have to build the casing using only simple materials like:

Newspapers
Plastic wrap
Rubber bands
Popsicle sticks
Cotton balls

Feel free to have some fun in picking the materials. Use whatever you think would be helpful without making things too easy!

Give your group 15 minutes to construct their egg casing before each team drops their eggs. If multiple eggs survive, increase the height gradually to see whose created the sturdiest contraption.

If you’re not comfortable with the idea of using eggs for this activity, consider using another breakable alternative, such as lightbulbs for a vegan Egg Drop experience.

solving a crime is a great way to practice problem solving skills

With Clue Murder Mystery, your team will need to solve the murder of a man named Neil Davidson by figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime.

But it won’t be easy! You’ll need to exercise your best problem-solving skills and channel your inner detectives if you want to keep this case from going cold and to get justice for the victim.

do a spaghetti tower for team building problem solving activity

Collaboration is critical to problem solving.

Why? Because, as the old saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This expression reflects the fact that people are capable of achieving greater things when they work together to do so.

If you’re looking for a team building problem solving activity that helps boost collaboration, you’ll love Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower.

This game involves working in teams to build the tallest possible freestanding tower using only marshmallows, uncooked spaghetti, tape, and string.

The kicker? This all has to be done within an allotted timeframe. We recommend about thirty minutes.

For an added dimension of challenge, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower to make it a little more top heavy.

Whichever team has the highest tower when time runs out is the winner!

corporate escape rooms are unique team building problem solving activities

If you’ve never participated in an escape room, your team is missing out! It’s one of the most effective team building problem solving activities out there because it puts you and your colleagues in a scenario where the only way out is collaboratively solving puzzles and deciphering clues.

The principle is simple: lock your group in a room, hide the key somewhere in that room, and have them work through challenges within a set time frame. Each challenge will lead them one step closer to finding the key and, ultimately, their escape.

At Outback, we offer “done-for-you” escape rooms where we’ll transform your office or meeting room so you don’t have to worry about:

Seeking transportation for your team
Capacity of the escape rooms
High costs
Excessive planning

That way, you and your team can simply step inside and get to work collaborating, using creative problem solving, and thinking outside the box.

wild goose chase is a great scavenger hunt problem solving team building activity for work

In this smartphone-based scavenger hunt team building activity , your group will split into teams and complete fun challenges by taking photos and videos around the city. Some examples of challenges you can do in this activity are:

Parkour: Take a picture of three team members jumping over an object that’s at least waist-high.
Beautiful Mind: Snap a photo of a team member proving a well-known mathematical theorem on a chalkboard.
Puppy Love: Take a photo of all of your team members petting a stranger’s dog at the same time.

It takes a ton of critical thinking and problem-solving to be crowned the Wild Goose Chase Champions!

your teammates will love lost at sea team building activity

Can you imagine a higher-pressure situation than being stranded at sea in a lifeboat with your colleagues?

With this team building problem solving activity, that’s exactly the situation you and your group will put yourselves. But by the time the activity is over, you’ll have gained more experience with the idea of having to solve problems under pressure – a common but difficult thing to do.

Here’s how it works.

Each team member will get a six-columned chart where:

The first column lists the survival items each team has on hand (see the list below)
The second column is empty so that each team member can rank the items in order of importance for survival
The third column is for group rankings
The fourth column is for the “correct” rankings, which are revealed at the end of the activity
The fifth and sixth columns are for the team to enter thee difference between their individual and correct scores and the team and correct rankings

Within this activity, each team will be equipped with the following “survival items,” listed below in order of importance, as well as a pack of matches:

A shaving mirror (this can be used to signal passing ships using the sun)
A can of gas (could be used for signaling as it could be put in the water and lit with the pack of matches)
A water container (for collecting water to re-hydrate )
Emergency food rations (critical survival food)
One plastic sheet (can be helpful for shelter or to collect rainwater)
Chocolate bars (another food supply)
Fishing rods (helpful, but no guarantee of catching food)
Rope (can be handy, but not necessarily essential for survival)
A floating seat cushion (usable as a life preserver)
Shark repellant (could be important when in the water)
A bottle of rum (could be useful for cleaning wounds)
A radio (could be very helpful but there’s a good chance you’re out of range)
A sea chart (this is worthless without navigation equipment)
A mosquito net (unless you’ve been shipwrecked somewhere with a ton of mosquitos, this isn’t very useful)

To get the activity underway, divide your group into teams of five and ask each team member to take ten minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance in the respective column. Then, give the full team ten minutes as a group to discuss their individual rankings together and take group rankings, listed in that respective column. Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with those of the group as a whole.

Finally, read out the correct order according to the US Coast Guard, listed above.

The goal of this activity is for everyone to be heard and to come to a decision together about what they need most to survive.

If your team works remotely, you can also do this activity online. Using a video conferencing tool like Zoom , you can bring your group together and separate teams into “break-out rooms” where they’ll take their time individually and then regroup together. At the end, you can bring them back to the full video conference to go through the answers together.

colleagues thinking outside the box with a domino effect challenge team building problem solving activity

Many problems are intricately complex and involve a ton of moving parts. And in order to solve this type of problem, you need to be able to examine it systematically, one piece at a time.

Especially in the business world, many problems or challenges involve multiple different teams or departments working through their respective portions of a problem before coming together in the end to create a holistic solution.

As you can imagine, this is often easier said than done. And that’s why it’s so important to practice this ability.

With a collaborative team building problem solving activity like Domino Effect Challenge, that’s exactly what you’ll need to do as you and your group work to create a massive, fully functional chain reaction machine.

Here’s how it goes.

Your group will break up into teams, with each team working to complete their own section of a massive “Rube Goldberg” machine. Then, all teams will regroup and assemble the entire machine together. You’ll need to exercise communication, collaboration, and on-the-fly problem solving in order to make your chain reaction machine go off without a hitch from start to finish.

reverse pyramid is a team building activity that makes colleagues think about problems in new ways

Being a great problem-solver means being adaptable and creative. And if you’re looking for a quick and easy team building problem solving activity, you’ll love the reverse pyramid.

The idea here is simple: break your group out into small teams and then stand in the form of a pyramid.

Your challenge is to flip the base and the peak of the pyramid – but you can only move three people in order to do so.

Alternatively, rather than doing this activity with people as the pyramid, you can do another version – the Pyramid Build – using plastic cups instead.

This version is a little bit different. Rather than flipping the base of a pyramid to the top, you’ll need to build the pyramid instead–but in reverse, starting from the top cup and working down.

With this version, you’ll need 36 cups and one table per group. We recommend groups of five to seven people. Give your group 20 to 30 minutes to complete the activity.

To get started, place one cup face down. Then, lift that cup and place the subsequent two cups underneath it.

The real challenge here? You can only lift your pyramid by the bottom row in order to put a new row underneath – and only one person at a time can do the lifting. The remaining group members will need to act quickly and work together in order to add the next row so that it will balance the rest of the pyramid.

If any part of your pyramid falls, you’ll need to start over. Whichever team has the most complete pyramid when time runs out will be the winner!

solving a crime is a great way for team members to use problem solving skills

The value of being able to approach problems analytically can’t be overstated. Because when problems arise, the best way to solve them is by examining the facts and making a decision based on what you know.

With CI: The Crime Investigators, this is exactly what your team will be called upon to do as you put your detective’s hats on and work to solve a deadly crime.

You’ll be presented with evidence and need to uncover and decipher clues. And using only the information at your disposal, you’ll need to examine the facts in order to crack the case.

Like many of our team building problem solving activities, CI: The Crime Investigators is available in a hosted format, which can take place at your office or an outside venue, as well as a virtually-hosted format that uses video conferencing tools, or a self-hosted version that you can run entirely on your own.

team pursuit team building is great for problem solving skills

Each member of your team has their own unique strengths and skills. And by learning to combine those skills, you can overcome any challenge and solve any problem. With Team Pursuit, you and your team together to tackle challenges as you learn new things about one another, discover your hidden talents, and learn to rely on each other.

This team building problem solving activity is perfect for high-energy groups that love to put their heads together and work strategically to solve problems as a group.

Collaborate with your colleague to design and build different segments of a bridge. At the end, see if the sections come together to create a free-standing structure!

domino effect challenging is a brain busting winter team building activity

Together as a group, see if you and your colleagues can build a gigantic “chain-reaction” machine that really works!

In smaller groups, participants work together to solve the challenge of creating sections of the machine using miscellaneous parts, and at the end, you’ll have to collaborate to connect it all together and put it in motion.

The case is fresh, but here’s what we know so far: we’ve got an up-and-coming actress who’s been found dead in her hotel room following last night’s awards show.

We have several suspects, but we haven’t been able to put the crime on any of them for sure yet. Now, it’s up to you and your team of detectives to crack the case. Together, you’ll review case files and evidence including police reports, coroners’ reports, photo evidence, tabloids, interrogations, and phone calls as you determine the motive, method, and murderer and bring justice for the victim.

You’ll need to put your problem-solving skills to the test as you share theories, collaborate, and think outside the box with your fellow investigators.

code break is a cerebral indoor team building activity

Using Outback’s app, split up into small groups and put your heads together to solve a variety of puzzles, riddles, and trivia. The team who has completed the most challenges when time is up, wins!

Can you stay afloat in a body of water in a boat made entirely of cardboard? Now that is a problem that urgently needs solving.

With this team building problem solving activity, you and your colleagues will split into groups and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided – cardboard and tape.

Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats across the water!

colleagues doing a virtual team building problem solving activity

If you and your team are working remotely, don’t worry. You still have a ton of great virtual team building problem solving options at your disposal.

In this virtual escape room experience, your team will be transported into a pyramid cursed by a restless mummy. You’ll have to work together to uncover clues and solve complex challenges to lift the ancient curse.

team members doing a fun virtual clue murder mystery

You’ve probably never heard of a man named Neil Davidson. But your group will need to come together to solve the mystery of his murder by analyzing clues, resolving challenges, and figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit a deadly crime.

This activity will challenge you and your group to approach problems analytically, read between the lines, and use critical thinking in order to identify a suspect and deliver justice.

escape rooms are fun and unique team building problem solving activities

If you and your team like brainteasers, then Virtual Escape Room: Jewel Heist will be a big hit.

Here’s the backstory.

There’s been a robbery. Someone has masterminded a heist to steal a priceless collection of precious jewels, and it’s up to you and your team to recover them before time runs out.

Together, you’ll need to uncover hidden clues and solve a series of brain-boggling challenges that require collaboration, creative problem-solving, and outside-the-box thinking. But be quick! The clock is ticking before the stolen score is gone forever.

try virtual code break as a way to use problem solving skills with teammates

With Virtual Code Break, you and your team can learn to be adaptive and dynamic in your thinking in order to tackle any new challenges that come your way. In this activity, your group will connect on a video conferencing platform where your event host will split you out into teams. Together, you’ll have to adapt your problem-solving skills as you race against the clock to tackle a variety of mixed brainteaser challenges ranging from Sudoku to puzzles, a game of Cranium, riddles, and even trivia.

Curious to see how a virtual team building activity works? Check out this video on a Virtual Clue Murder Mystery in action.

trivia is a great problem solving activity for colleagues

Step into the Outback Time Machine and take a trip through time, from pre-pandemic 21st century through the decades all the way to the 60’s.

This exciting, fast-paced virtual trivia game, packed with nostalgia and good vibes, is guaranteed to produce big laughs, friendly competition, and maybe even some chair-dancing.

Your virtual game show host will warm up guests with a couple of “table hopper rounds” (breakout room mixers) and split you out into teams. Within minutes, your home office will be transformed into a game show stage with your very own game show buzzers!

And if your team loves trivia, check out our list of the most incredible virtual trivia games for work teams for even more ideas.

6. Virtual Jeoparty Social

Virtual Jeoparty Social is a fun high energy virtual team building activity

If your remote team is eager to socialize, have some fun as a group, and channel their competitive spirit, we’ve got just the thing for you! With Virtual Jeoparty Social, you and your colleagues will step into your very own virtual Jeopardy-style game show—equipped with a buzzer button, a professional actor as your host, and an immersive game show platform! Best of all, this game has been infused with an ultra-social twist: players will take part in a unique social mixer challenge between each round.

With the right team building problem solving activities, you can help your team sharpen their core skills to ensure they’re prepared when they inevitably face a challenge at work. And best of all, you can have fun in the process.

Do you have any favorite team building activities for building problem-solving skills? If so, tell us about them in the comments section below!

Learn More About Team Building Problem Solving Activities

For more information about how your group can take part in a virtual team building, training, or coaching solution, reach out to our Employee Engagement Consultants.

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Team Building Exercises – Problem Solving and Decision Making

Fun ways to turn problems into opportunities.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Whether there's a complex project looming or your team members just want to get better at dealing with day-to-day issues, your people can achieve much more when they solve problems and make decisions together.

By developing their problem-solving skills, you can improve their ability to get to the bottom of complex situations. And by refining their decision-making skills, you can help them work together maturely, use different thinking styles, and commit collectively to decisions.

In this article, we'll look at three team-building exercises that you can use to improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team.

Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills

Use the following exercises to help your team members solve problems and make decisions together more effectively.

Exercise 1: Lost at Sea*

In this activity, participants must pretend that they've been shipwrecked and are stranded in a lifeboat. Each team has a box of matches, and a number of items that they've salvaged from the sinking ship. Members must agree which items are most important for their survival.

Download and print our team-building exercises worksheet to help you with this exercise.

This activity builds problem-solving skills as team members analyze information, negotiate and cooperate with one another. It also encourages them to listen and to think about the way they make decisions.

What You'll Need

Up to five people in each group.
A large, private room.
A "lost at sea" ranking chart for each team member. This should comprise six columns. The first simply lists each item (see below). The second is empty so that each team member can rank the items. The third is for group rankings. The fourth is for the "correct" rankings, which are revealed at the end of the exercise. And the fifth and sixth are for the team to enter the difference between their individual and correct score, and the team and correct rankings, respectively.
The items to be ranked are: a mosquito net, a can of petrol, a water container, a shaving mirror, a sextant, emergency rations, a sea chart, a floating seat or cushion, a rope, some chocolate bars, a waterproof sheet, a fishing rod, shark repellent, a bottle of rum, and a VHF radio. These can be listed in the ranking chart or displayed on a whiteboard, or both.
The experience can be made more fun by having some lost-at-sea props in the room.

Flexible, but normally between 25 and 40 minutes.

Instructions

Divide participants into their teams, and provide everyone with a ranking sheet.
Ask team members to take 10 minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance. They should do this in the second column of their sheet.
Give the teams a further 10 minutes to confer and decide on their group rankings. Once agreed, they should list them in the third column of their sheets.
Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with their collective ones, and consider why any scores differ. Did anyone change their mind about their own rankings during the team discussions? How much were people influenced by the group conversation?
Now read out the "correct" order, collated by the experts at the US Coast Guard (from most to least important): - Shaving mirror. (One of your most powerful tools, because you can use it to signal your location by reflecting the sun.) - Can of petrol. (Again, potentially vital for signaling as petrol floats on water and can be lit by your matches.) - Water container. (Essential for collecting water to restore your lost fluids.) -Emergency rations. (Valuable for basic food intake.) - Plastic sheet. (Could be used for shelter, or to collect rainwater.) -Chocolate bars. (A handy food supply.) - Fishing rod. (Potentially useful, but there is no guarantee that you're able to catch fish. Could also feasibly double as a tent pole.) - Rope. (Handy for tying equipment together, but not necessarily vital for survival.) - Floating seat or cushion. (Useful as a life preserver.) - Shark repellent. (Potentially important when in the water.) - Bottle of rum. (Could be useful as an antiseptic for treating injuries, but will only dehydrate you if you drink it.) - Radio. (Chances are that you're out of range of any signal, anyway.) - Sea chart. (Worthless without navigational equipment.) - Mosquito net. (Assuming that you've been shipwrecked in the Atlantic, where there are no mosquitoes, this is pretty much useless.) - Sextant. (Impractical without relevant tables or a chronometer.)

Advice for the Facilitator

The ideal scenario is for teams to arrive at a consensus decision where everyone's opinion is heard. However, that doesn't always happen naturally: assertive people tend to get the most attention. Less forthright team members can often feel intimidated and don't always speak up, particularly when their ideas are different from the popular view. Where discussions are one-sided, draw quieter people in so that everyone is involved, but explain why you're doing this, so that people learn from it.

You can use the Stepladder Technique when team discussion is unbalanced. Here, ask each team member to think about the problem individually and, one at a time, introduce new ideas to an appointed group leader – without knowing what ideas have already been discussed. After the first two people present their ideas, they discuss them together. Then the leader adds a third person, who presents his or her ideas before hearing the previous input. This cycle of presentation and discussion continues until the whole team has had a chance to voice their opinions.

After everyone has finished the exercise, invite your teams to evaluate the process to draw out their experiences. For example, ask them what the main differences between individual, team and official rankings were, and why. This will provoke discussion about how teams arrive at decisions, which will make people think about the skills they must use in future team scenarios, such as listening , negotiating and decision-making skills, as well as creativity skills for thinking "outside the box."

A common issue that arises in team decision making is groupthink . This can happen when a group places a desire for mutual harmony above a desire to reach the right decision, which prevents people from fully exploring alternative solutions.

If there are frequent unanimous decisions in any of your exercises, groupthink may be an issue. Suggest that teams investigate new ways to encourage members to discuss their views, or to share them anonymously.

Exercise 2: The Great Egg Drop*

In this classic (though sometimes messy!) game, teams must work together to build a container to protect an egg, which is dropped from a height. Before the egg drop, groups must deliver presentations on their solutions, how they arrived at them, and why they believe they will succeed.

This fun game develops problem-solving and decision-making skills. Team members have to choose the best course of action through negotiation and creative thinking.

Ideally at least six people in each team.
Raw eggs – one for each group, plus some reserves in case of accidents!
Materials for creating the packaging, such as cardboard, tape, elastic bands, plastic bottles, plastic bags, straws, and scissors.
Aprons to protect clothes, paper towels for cleaning up, and paper table cloths, if necessary.
Somewhere – ideally outside – that you can drop the eggs from. (If there is nowhere appropriate, you could use a step ladder or equivalent.)
Around 15 to 30 minutes to create the packages.
Approximately 15 minutes to prepare a one-minute presentation.
Enough time for the presentations and feedback (this will depend on the number of teams).
Time to demonstrate the egg "flight."
Put people into teams, and ask each to build a package that can protect an egg dropped from a specified height (say, two-and-a-half meters) with the provided materials.
Each team must agree on a nominated speaker, or speakers, for their presentation.
Once all teams have presented, they must drop their eggs, assess whether the eggs have survived intact, and discuss what they have learned.

When teams are making their decisions, the more good options they consider, the more effective their final decision is likely to be. Encourage your groups to look at the situation from different angles, so that they make the best decision possible. If people are struggling, get them to brainstorm – this is probably the most popular method of generating ideas within a team.

Ask the teams to explore how they arrived at their decisions, to get them thinking about how to improve this process in the future. You can ask them questions such as:

Did the groups take a vote, or were members swayed by one dominant individual?
How did the teams decide to divide up responsibilities? Was it based on people's expertise or experience?
Did everyone do the job they volunteered for?
Was there a person who assumed the role of "leader"?
How did team members create and deliver the presentation, and was this an individual or group effort?

Exercise 3: Create Your Own*

In this exercise, teams must create their own, brand new, problem-solving activity.

This game encourages participants to think about the problem-solving process. It builds skills such as creativity, negotiation and decision making, as well as communication and time management. After the activity, teams should be better equipped to work together, and to think on their feet.

Ideally four or five people in each team.
Paper, pens and flip charts.

Around one hour.

As the participants arrive, you announce that, rather than spending an hour on a problem-solving team-building activity, they must design an original one of their own.
Divide participants into teams and tell them that they have to create a new problem-solving team-building activity that will work well in their organization. The activity must not be one that they have already participated in or heard of.
After an hour, each team must present their new activity to everyone else, and outline its key benefits.

There are four basic steps in problem solving : defining the problem, generating solutions, evaluating and selecting solutions, and implementing solutions. Help your team to think creatively at each stage by getting them to consider a wide range of options. If ideas run dry, introduce an alternative brainstorming technique, such as brainwriting . This allows your people to develop one others' ideas, while everyone has an equal chance to contribute.

After the presentations, encourage teams to discuss the different decision-making processes they followed. You might ask them how they communicated and managed their time . Another question could be about how they kept their discussion focused. And to round up, you might ask them whether they would have changed their approach after hearing the other teams' presentations.

Successful decision making and problem solving are at the heart of all effective teams. While teams are ultimately led by their managers, the most effective ones foster these skills at all levels.

The exercises in this article show how you can encourage teams to develop their creative thinking, leadership , and communication skills , while building group cooperation and consensus.

* Original source unknown. Please let us know if you know the original source.

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15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities

In this article you will find:

15 problem-solving activities for your team to master
Frequently asked questions about team building

Here are 15 problem-solving activities for your team to master:

15 Problem-Solving Activities

1. a shrinking vessel.

Why adaptability is important for problem-solving:

Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster, according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before. People, teams, and organizations that can adapt will come out on top.

What You'll Need:

A rope or string

Instructions:

1. Using the rope, make a shape on the floor everyone can fit into.

2. Slowly shrink the space over a time period of 10-15 minutes.

3. Work together to figure out how to keep everyone within the shrinking boundaries.

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Helps with: Collaboration Why collaboration is important for problem-solving: “Collectively, we can be more insightful, more intelligent than we can possibly be individual,” writes Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline. We can solve problems better as a team than we can alone, which means developing your team's collaboration skills will lead to better problem-solving outcomes.

What You'll Need (per team):

20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti

1 roll of masking tape

1 yard of string

1 marshmallow

1. The goal of this exercise is to see which team can use the materials provided to build the tallest tower within an allotted time period. The tower must be able to stand on its own.

2. To make this exercise more challenging, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower. This team problem-solving exercise helps teams think on their toes while building camaraderie and leadership.

3. Egg Drop

Why decision-making is important for problem-solving:

Making decisions isn't easy, but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices. Train your team's decision-making muscle and they will become more adept at problem-solving.

A carton of eggs

Basic construction materials such as newspapers, straws, tape, plastic wrap, balloons, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc., tarp, or drop cloth

A parking lot, or some other place you don't mind getting messy!

1. Each team gets an egg and must select from the construction materials.

2. Give everyone 20-30 minutes to construct a carrier for the egg and protect it from breaking.

3. Drop each egg carrier off a ledge (i.e. over a balcony) and see whose carrier protects the egg from breaking.

4. If multiple eggs survive, keep increasing the height until only one egg is left.

4. Stranded

Helps with: Communication and Decision-Making Why communication is important for problem-solving:

More employees work remotely than ever before. Good communication skills are vital to solving problems across increasingly virtual teams. Working on communication skills while your team is together will help them better solve problems when they're apart.

Your team has been stranded in the office. The doors are locked, and knocking down the doors or breaking the windows is not an option. Give your team 30 minutes to decide on 10 items in the office they need for survival and rank them in order of importance. The goal of the game is to have everyone agree on the 10 items and their ranking in 30 minutes.

1. Divide everyone into small teams of two or more.

2. Select an overseer who isn't on a team to build a random structure using Lego building blocks within 10 minutes.

3. The other teams must replicate the structure exactly (including size and color) within 15 minutes. However, only one member from each group may look at the original structure. They must figure out how to communicate the size, color, and shape of the original structure to their team.

4. If this is too easy, add a rule that the member who can see the original structure can't touch the new structure.

Collaboration

A lockable room

5-10 puzzles or clues (depending on how much time you want to spend on the game)

The goal of this exercise is to solve the clues, find the key, and escape a locked room within the time allotted.

Hide the key and a list of clues around the room.

Gather the team into the empty room and "lock" the door.

Give them either 30 minutes or 1 hour to find the key using the clues hidden around the room.

7. Frostbite

Decision Making, Adaptability What You'll Need:

A blindfold

1 packet of construction materials (such as card stock, toothpicks, rubber bands, and sticky notes) for each team

An electric fan

Picture this... Your employees are Arctic explorers adventuring across an icy tundra! Separate them into teams of 4-5 and have them select a leader to guide their exploration. Each team must build a shelter from the materials provided before the storm hits in 30 minutes. However, both the team leader's hands have frostbite, so they can't physically help construct the shelter, and the rest of the team has snow blindness and is unable to see. When the 30 minutes is up, turn on the fan and see which shelter can withstand the high winds of the storm.

8. Minefield

An empty room or hallway

A collection of common office items

1. Place the items (boxes, chairs, water bottles, bags, etc.) around the room so there's no clear path from one end of the room to the other.

2. Divide your team into pairs and blindfold one person on the team.

3. The other must verbally guide that person from one end of the room to the other, avoiding the "mines." 4. The partner who is not blindfolded can't touch the other.

5. If you want to make the activity more challenging, have all the pairs go simultaneously so teams must find ways to strategically communicate with each other.

9. Blind Formations

1. Have the group put on blindfolds and form a large circle.

2. Tie two ends of a rope together and lay it in a circle in the middle of the group, close enough so each person can reach down and touch it.

3. Instruct the group to communicate to create a shape with the rope a square, triangle, rectangle, etc.

4. If you have a very large group, divide them into teams and provide a rope for each team. Let them compete to see who forms a particular shape quickest.

10. Line up Blind

1. Blindfold everyone and whisper a number to each person, beginning with one.

2. Tell them to line up in numerical order without talking.

3. Instead of giving them a number, you could also have them line up numerically by height, age, birthday, etc.

11. Reverse Pyramid

1. Have everyone stand in a pyramid shape, horizontally.

2. Ask them to flip the base and the apex of the pyramid moving only three people.

3. This quick exercise works best when smaller groups compete to see who can reverse the pyramid the fastest.

12. Move It!

Chalk, rope, tape, or paper (something to mark a space)

1. Divide your group into two teams and line them up front to back, facing each other.

2. Using chalk, tape, rope, or paper (depending on the playing surface), mark a square space for each person to stand on. Leave one extra empty space between the two facing rows.

3. The goal is for the two-facing lines of players to switch places.

Place these restrictions on movement:

Only one person may move at a time.

A person may not move around anyone facing the same direction.

No one may not move backward.

A person may not move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

13. Human Knot

1. Have everyone stand in a circle, and ask each person to hold hands with two people who aren't directly next to them.

2. When everyone is tangled together, ask them to untangle the knot and form a perfect circle without letting anyone's hand.

Our last two problem-solving activities work best when dealing with an actual problem:

14. Dumbest Idea First

Instant Problem Solving What You'll Need:

1. "Dumb" ideas are sometimes the best ideas. Ask everyone to think of the absolute dumbest possible solution to the problem at hand.

2. After you have a long list, look through it and see which ones might not be as dumb as you think.

3. Brainstorm your solutions in Wrike. It's free and everyone can start collaborating instantly!

15. What Would X Do

1. Have everyone pretend they're someone famous.

2. Each person must approach the problem as if they were a famous person. What options would they consider? How would they handle it?

3. This allows everyone to consider solutions they might not have thought of originally.

Looking for more team building games? Check out these virtual icebreaker games Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities that Don't Suck.

What is the team building process?

This process of learning to work together effectively is known as team development. Bruce Tuckman, an educational psychologist, identified a five-stage development process that most teams follow to become high performing. He called the stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.

What is team building?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines team building as: “The action or process of causing a group of people to work together effectively as a team, especially by means of activities and events designed to increase motivation and promote cooperation.”

How often should you schedule team-building activities?

One of the most important aspects of team building is that it is an ongoing process. One team-building session can be effective, but your team could benefit more from multiple sessions. In fact, it may be beneficial to make it a part of your regular program. For team building to be effective, you should repeat it as often as you feel it is useful. This largely depends on the activity you choose. You can do quick activities on a more regular basis since they don't interfere with the regular work schedule. You will probably conduct longer, more elaborate activities less frequently so the team can get work done.

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The importance of problem-solving skills in today’s workplace

According to a 2019 report by McKinsey , soft skills are increasingly important in today's world — and problem-solving is the top area in which skills are lacking. A company or team’s success weighs heavily on the willingness of managers to help employees improve their problem-solving abilities. Team building activities targeting focus areas like communication and collaboration, adaptability, or strengthening decision-making techniques help.

All problem-solving processes start with identifying the problem. Next, the team must assess potential courses of action and choose the best way to tackle the problem. This requires a deep understanding of your team and its core strengths. A problem-solving exercise or game helps identify those strengths and builds problem-solving skills and strategies while having fun with your team.

Problem-solving games aren't for just any team. Participants must have an open mind and accept all ideas and solutions . They must also have an Agile mindset and embrace different structures, planning, and processes. Problems usually arise when we least expect them, so there's no better way to prepare than to encourage agility and flexibility.

Another aspect to keep in mind when engaging in problem-solving games and activities: There are no winners or losers. Sure, some games might end with a single winner, but the true goal of these exercises is to learn how to work together as a team to develop an Agile mindset. The winning team of each game should share their strategies and thought processes at the end of the exercise to help everyone learn.

Here’s a list of fun problem-solving activity examples to try with your team. From blindfolds to raw eggs, these problem-solving, team-building activities will have your team solving problems faster than Scooby and the gang.

Classic team-building, problem-solving activities

1. a shrinking vessel.

Helps with: Adaptability

Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster , according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before . People, teams, and organizations that can adapt will come out on top.

What you’ll need:

A rope or string

Instructions:

1. Using the rope, make a shape on the floor everyone can fit into.

2. Slowly shrink the space over 10-15 minutes.

3. Work together to figure out how to keep everyone within the shrinking boundaries.

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Helps with: Collaboration

Why collaboration is important for problem-solving: “Collectively, we can be more insightful, more intelligent than we can possibly be individually,” writes Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline . We can solve problems better as a team than we can alone, which means developing your team’s collaboration skills will lead to better problem-solving outcomes.

What you’ll need (per team):

20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti
1 roll of masking tape
1 yard of string
1 marshmallow

1. The goal of this exercise is to see which team can use the materials provided to build the tallest tower within an allotted time period. The tower must be able to stand on its own.

2. To make this exercise more challenging, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower. This team problem-solving exercise helps people think on their toes while building camaraderie and leadership.

3. Egg Drop

Helps with: Collaboration, decision-making

Why decision-making is important for problem-solving: Making decisions isn’t easy , but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices. Train your team’s decision-making muscles and they will become more adept at problem-solving.

A carton of eggs
Basic construction materials such as newspapers, straws, tape, plastic wrap, balloons, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc., tarp, or drop cloth
A parking lot, or some other place you don’t mind getting messy!

1. Each team gets an egg and must select from the construction materials.

2. Give everyone 20-30 minutes to construct a carrier for the egg and protect it from breaking.

3. Drop each egg carrier off a ledge (i.e. over a balcony) and see whose carrier protects the egg from breaking.

4. If multiple eggs survive, keep increasing the height until only one egg is left.

4. Stranded

Helps with: Communication, decision-making

Why communication is important for problem-solving: More employees work remotely than ever before. Good communication skills are vital to solving problems across virtual teams . Working on communication skills while your team is together will help them solve problems more effectively when they’re apart.

Here's the setting: Your team has been stranded in the office. The doors are locked, and knocking down the doors or breaking the windows is not an option. Give your team 30 minutes to decide on ten items in the office they need for survival and rank them in order of importance. The goal of the game is to have everyone agree on the ten items and their rankings in 30 minutes.

Creative problem-solving activities

Helps with: Communication

What you'll need:

1. Divide everyone into small teams of two or more.

2. Select an overseer who isn't on a team to build a random structure using Lego building blocks within ten minutes.

4. If this is too easy, add a rule that the member who can see the original structure can't touch the new structure.

A lockable room
5-10 puzzles or clues (depending on how much time you want to spend on the game)

1. The goal of this exercise is to solve the clues, find the key, and escape a locked room within the time allotted.

2. Hide the key and a list of clues around the room.

3. Gather the team into the empty room and "lock" the door.

4. Give them 30 minutes to an hour to find the key using the clues hidden around the room.

7. Frostbite

Helps with: Decision-making, adaptability

A blindfold
1 packet of construction materials (such as card stock, toothpicks, rubber bands, and sticky notes) for each team
An electric fan

Instructions: Your employees are Arctic explorers adventuring across an icy tundra! Separate them into teams of four or five and have them select a leader to guide their exploration. Each team must build a shelter from the materials provided before the storm hits in 30 minutes. However, both the team leader’s hands have frostbite, so they can’t physically help construct the shelter, and the rest of the team has snow blindness and is unable to see. When the 30 minutes is up, turn on the fan and see which shelter can withstand the high winds of the storm.

8. Minefield

An empty room or hallway
A collection of common office items

1. Place the items (boxes, chairs, water bottles, bags, etc.) around the room so there's no clear path from one end of the room to the other.

2. Divide your team into pairs and blindfold one person on the team.

3. The other must verbally guide that person from one end of the room to the other, avoiding the "mines."

4. The partner who is not blindfolded can't touch the other.

5. If you want to make the activity more challenging, have all the pairs go simultaneously so teams must find ways to strategically communicate with each other.

9. Blind Formations

1. Have the group put on blindfolds and form a large circle.

2. Tie two ends of a rope together and lay it in a circle in the middle of the group, close enough so each person can reach down and touch it.

3. Instruct the group to communicate to create a shape with the rope — a square, triangle, rectangle, etc.

4. If you have a very large group, divide them into teams and provide a rope for each team. Let them compete to see who forms a particular shape quickest.

Quick and easy problem-solving activities

10. line up blind.

1. Blindfold everyone and whisper a number to each person, beginning with one.

2. Tell them to line up in numerical order without talking.

3. Instead of giving them a number, you could also have them line up numerically by height, age, birthday, etc.

11. Reverse Pyramid

Helps with: Adaptability, collaboration

1. Have everyone stand in a pyramid shape, horizontally.

2. Ask them to flip the base and the apex of the pyramid moving only three people.

3. This quick exercise works best when smaller groups compete to see who can reverse the pyramid the fastest.

12. Move It!

Chalk, rope, tape, or paper (something to mark a space)

1. Divide your group into two teams and line them up front to back, facing each other.

2. Using the chalk, tape, rope, or paper (depending on the playing surface), mark a square space for each person to stand on. Leave one extra empty space between the two facing rows.

3. The goal is for the two facing lines of players to switch places.

4. Place these restrictions on movement:

Only one person may move at a time.
A person may not move around anyone facing the same direction.
No one may not move backward.
A person may not move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

13. Human Knot

1. Have everyone stand in a circle, and ask each person to hold hands with two people who aren’t directly next to them.

2. When everyone is tangled together, ask them to untangle the knot and form a perfect circle — without letting go of anyone's hand.

Our last two problem-solving activities work best when dealing with an actual problem:

14. Dumbest Idea First

Helps with: Instant problem-solving

1. "Dumb" ideas are sometimes the best ideas. Ask everyone to think of the absolute dumbest possible solution to the problem at hand.

2. After you have a long list, look through it and see which ones might not be as dumb as you think.

3. Brainstorm your solutions in Wrike. It's free and everyone can start collaborating instantly!

15. What Would X Do

1. Have everyone pretend they're someone famous.

2. Each person must approach the problem as if they were their chosen famous person. What options would they consider? How would they handle it?

3. This allows everyone to consider solutions they might not have thought of originally.

Looking for more team-building and virtual meeting games? Check out these virtual icebreaker games or our Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities that Don't Suck.

Additional resources on problem-solving activities

Problem-Solving Model : Looking for a model to provide a problem-solving structure? This detailed guide gives you the tools to quickly solve any problem.
The Simplex Process: Popularized by Min Basadur's book, The Power of Innovation , the Simplex Process provides training and techniques for each problem-solving stage. It helps frame problem-solving as a continuous cycle, rather than a “one and done” process.
Fun Problem-Solving Activities and Games : Looking for more ideas? Check out this list of interesting and creative problem-solving activities for adults and kids!
The Secret to Better Problem-Solving: This article provides tips, use cases, and fresh examples to help you become a whiz at solving the toughest problems.

How to organize problem-solving activities with Wrike

If you want to make problem-solving activities more effective, consider using team collaboration software such as Wrike.

Wrike’s pre-built actionable meeting notes template helps you keep track of meeting discussions, assign action items, and keep everyone in the loop. It’s an effective tool to streamline your problem-solving sessions and turn insights into real projects.

Brianna Hansen

Brianna is a former Content Marketing Manager of Wrike. When she’s not writing about collaboration and team building games, you’ll find her in the kitchen testing out the latest recipes, sharing her favorite wine with friends, or playing with her two cats.

7 Teamwork Terrors and How to Conquer Them

Since the dawn of man, teamwork and cooperation has been the preferred method of getting things done. From the pyramids of Giza to the Golden Gate Bridge, we rely heavily on teams of engineers and architects to create such majestic masterpieces. However, where there is teamwork, there is work required to be a team. Too many voices and conflicting opinions can lead to a giant headache and bring productivity to a grinding halt. Throw in egos, politics, and laziness and you've got a recipe for disaster. Here are 7 barriers that harm the harmony of your team: 1. Anchoring Have you ever been part of a group brainstorming session where, once two or three ideas have been shared, new ideas stop flowing and the group sort of shuts down? That’s anchoring. Teams get mentally stuck on the first few ideas and stop thinking of new solutions. Avoid the anchoring trap with these 7 brainstorming tricks, including brain writing. Be sure to keep all types of workers in mind with team building exercises for remote workers, so everyone feels included in the creative conversation. 2. Groupthink This teamwork barrier occurs when a majority of the group conforms to one idea despite their own concerns and insights, perhaps due to laziness, fear of judgement, time limitations, or being subjected to peer pressure from other members of the group. Because this is another common brainstorming risk, techniques like Stepladder and Round Robin brainstorming encourage everyone in the group to share their thoughts before settling on a course of action. 3. Social Loafing "If I don't get around to it, then someone on my team will just do it for me." If you've said this to yourself, then you're guilty of social loafing. Don't pat your lazy self on the back quite yet, you might have just cost your team some valuable productivity! Social loafing is the act of putting in less effort for a team project than you would for a solo task. This forces other team members to pick up the slack and possibility grow to resent you. One way to avoid this is by breaking a project into individual tasks and holding each team member accountable for certain steps. See how Wrike can help you assign tasks and delegate big projects. 4. Unresolvable Conflict Even the most successful teams sometimes experience conflict due to differences in opinion, perspectives, and experiences. However, if there is no way to resolve the conflict, then conflict harms your project's outcome. Unresolvable conflict can be caused by unclear goals and expectations for the project at hand, so avoid it by clearly communicating goals with the team and helping everyone understand their role. 5. Confirmation Bias Confirmation bias is the tendency to only accept information or evidence that confirms your own preconceptions. This bias can quickly become a roadblock when trying to iron out team conflict or justify a decision, and it can potentially lead to the Halo/Horn Effect (see below) and compromise good decision-making. To ward off this bias, challenge your beliefs and play devil's advocate. The Six Thinking Hats technique can also help you see a different perspective on the issue. 6. Halo/Horn Effect The way you perceive an individual strongly affects how you interact with them. If they made a poor first impression, or an offhand comment rubbed you the wrong way, you may have a subconscious bias against them. When that individual voices an opinion, you might automatically be more critical than you normally would. This can work to the opposite effect too. When someone you like shares their opinion, you might have a tendency to agree. When making big team decisions, try to be aware of this bias and focus on the best outcome for the team. 7. Overconfidence Effect Your perceptions and experiences inevitably shape who you are — but they can also lead to subtle mental biases that result in flawed decision making. The Overconfidence Effect happens when you accept or reject an idea based purely off a hunch with no evidence to back you up. (In fact, studies show that entrepreneurs are more likely to fall for this mental fallacy, rejecting others' ideas because of the false belief that they know what's best.) Don't fall for this mental trap! Always research new information and seek objective evidence to combat confirmation bias (and hopefully learn something new as well). What other teamwork barriers have you experienced? We'd love to hear how you resolved your teamwork troubles in the comments!

13 Awesome Team-Building Games (Infographic)

Whether you want to do new hire orientation icebreakers or just bond your team closer together, check out our list of awesome team building games that you and your team will want to play over and over again.

6 Different Team Effectiveness Models to Understand Your Team Better

Understanding these 6 team effectiveness models can help you figure out which model to adopt for your own team. Or it may simply help shed light into what's working in your own group, and how to help improve what's lacking.

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Fun Team-Building Problem-Solving Activities

Teamwork is what allows organizations to overcome their biggest obstacles and thrive in a crowded global marketplace. As Andrew Carnegie said generations ago, teamwork is what enables “people to attain uncommon results.” When teams work together effectively, they can give their employers a competitive edge and increase their individual and collective levels of success. Even teams that sometimes seem like they’ll work seamlessly on paper fail to meet, let alone exceed, the mark, whatever that goal might be. As a manager, it’s your job to help the team you oversee succeed. One way you can do that is by engaging your team in some fun team-building problem-solving activities.

It’s important to note that the point of those activities isn’t to ensure everyone likes one another. While it would be great if your entire team consisted of friends, the odds are better than not that some team members may simply not like others—and that’s okay! A team doesn’t have to consist of BFFs to be effective and goal-oriented. In fact, the differences that exist between the members of your team will give everyone a chance to learn, gain alternative points of view, and achieve greater effectiveness.

Creative Problem-Solving Activities from Let’s Roam

The experts at Let’s Roam have carefully constructed a series of team-building activities that will help you to build stronger connections, increase productivity, and improve morale. These exercises can be used in the office, or virtually for remote teams, and focus on problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and more. Our planners will work with you to ensure that your next event is a worthwhile endeavor for your staff, so don’t hesitate. Get started today!

The Two Cs: Communication and Collaboration

For the members of a team to work well together, they must know how to communicate and collaborate. Those two critical skills will be the basis for your team’s ultimate success. Luckily, some team-building activities are designed to enhance employee communication and collaboration abilities.

The Best Team-Building Problem-Solving Activities

Can you tell what i changed.

“Can You Tell What I Changed?” is a communication activity that doesn’t take too long. To get started, divide your team into two groups and have each one form a line that faces the other. Give the members in each line the opportunity to observe the individual standing across from them for a minute or two.

Instruct one line to turn around and have the members of the other make five changes to their appearance. Those changes can be as simple as letting their hair out of a ponytail, removing a pair of glasses, and/or taking off a tie. After the members of the second line are done making changes, have the people in the first line turn back around. Ask the members of the first line to identify the changes they recognize.

This activity is a great icebreaker for teams that were only recently put together. It’s also an innovative way to enhance people’s observation skills and to get them to pay attention to things they may overlook otherwise.

Let’s Create a Story for the Ages

Creativity is an important skill that’s often necessary for problem-solving. “Let’s Create a Story for the Ages” is an effective team-building exercise that will enhance your team’s ability to communicate and think creatively.

To prepare for this activity, gather a series of sequential pictures that are big enough for everyone to see. Hang those pictures in the front of the room and have your team sit down where they can see them.

Ask one team member to start a story by coming up with one line about the first picture. Once that person shares the story’s opening line, have another person repeat what was just said and come up with the next sentence. Continue in this manner until your team has told a complete tale that covers all the pictures on display.

A variant of the activity just described is to divide your group into small teams, each consisting of four or five people. Give each of the new teams a piece of paper, pen, and 15–20 minutes to write its own story about the pictures. When the time limit expires, have each team present its story to the rest of the group. After each team has read its tale, allow your whole team to discuss the different interpretations of the pictures.

We Stand Together

“We Stand Together” is a fun, at times guffaw-inducing activity that requires employees to communicate and collaborate to succeed. Divide your team into pairs and have each pair sit back-to-back with their arms linked. The goal of each pair is to then stand up as one without unlinking their arms. Once a duo accomplishes this task, you can assign another pair to the first so that all four can attempt to achieve the same goal together.

Whether they’re working in a pair or foursome, participants will have to communicate and collaborate to stand as one. If anyone is ticklish, be prepared for your whole team to enjoy a few moments of shared laughter, which can truly go a long way in uniting your team.

Activities to Improve Team-Building and Problem-Solving Skills

When you’re confident your team has developed the collaboration and communication skills to succeed as one, it’s time to move on to activities that will help them develop the team-building and problem-solving abilities they’ll need to succeed as a unit. Be sure to pick activities that will help everyone develop the critical talents they’ll need to succeed.

For example, problem-solving requires team members to brainstorm, flex their logical and lateral thinking muscles, actively listen, engage their creativity, and adopt a “what if” mentality. Whereas communication and collaboration are the basis for successful team-building and problem-solving, these other abilities are what your team needs to build on top of that foundation, so to speak.

Build a Campsite

While taking your team on an outdoor retreat may help members develop some team-building and problem-solving skills, that’s not what’s being suggested here. Instead, you can move the furniture in a conference to the side and gather the following items: a small tent, some tennis balls or softballs, and enough chairs and blindfolds for every member of your team.

Divide your team into groups of five or six. Pick one group to kick things off, instructing them to bring their chairs closer to the tent and balls while having the others move their chairs back. The chosen group members should then put on their blindfolds and attempt to make a campsite.

The goal is for them to put up the tent, construct a ring for a campfire using the balls, and position their chairs around the fire ring all while blindfolded. To accomplish this feat, the group will have to work together and solve problems along the way. This activity is fantastic for developing adaptability to challenging conditions.

The Lego Challenge

If you have young kids, then you know that stepping on a Lego without a shoe on isn’t a fun experience. Now, you have reason to go around, collect all those pain-inducing building blocks, and put them to use without feeling guilty. Just be sure you collect enough Legos!

Divide your team into groups under ten. Give each group a set of Lego blocks. Instruct each group to build a structure using their playthings, but only share scant details about what the final structures should look like or what their purpose should be. Give the groups an hour or more to finish their projects depending on how many Legos they have to work with. When the designated amount of time expires, let each group show off its creation and explain what it is. Then, allow your whole team to discuss the various structures, the motivations behind each one, and how improvements might be made.

The goals of this team-building activity are to refine problem-solving techniques improve communication between team members.

Untying the Knot

“Untying the Knot” is a really fun activity to engage your team with. Depending on the size of your team, the whole team can do this as one, or you may have to parcel out members into several groups of ten or less. Assuming your team is small enough to do this together, have everyone stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle facing each other. Each person should extend their right hand and take ahold of someone else’s.

Everyone should then do the same with their left hands, making sure they don’t grab the two hands of the same individual who’s across from them. The result will be a hand-holding human knot, which your team members must work together to untangle without letting go of anyone’s hands.

Although this activity may seem simple enough, it will challenge your employees to engage in teamwork before they’re “free.” It will also require some creative thinking and innovative problem solving for the activity to come to an end.

Red Rover Variant

You might remember dashing across the street while trying to avoid being tagged as a kid when you played “Red Rover,” but this variant of the childhood game is comparatively tame and less physically tiring. At least, it’s meant to be tamer and less physically taxing.

Your entire team can do this activity together, or you can break the large group into smaller teams. If you’re dividing your staff into groups, have each one pick a person who’ll act as the “farmer.” The remaining members of each group will assume the role of villagers.

The farmer in each group is responsible for transporting three things to the other side of a figurative river using a boat. A dog, some rice, and a chicken are the things the farmer must get to the other bank. The farmer’s dilemma is as follows:

The farmer can only transport one thing on the boat
Leaving the chicken and the dog on the same shore without supervision isn’t feasible because the dog might eat the chicken
Similarly, the chicken can’t be left unsupervised with the rice because the animal may consume the grain

How will the farmers and their respective villagers complete the task of getting all three items to the other shore with those constraints? After the game, allow some time to come together to assess their approaches and discuss the different outcomes.

If you want to enhance your team’s problem-solving skills with “Egg Drop,” it’s best to warn your employees to dress down a few days in advance of this team-building activity, as things have the potential to get messy. As you may have inferred from the name of this game, you’ll also need to get some eggs to play, as well as a few other supplies.

You’ll divide your team into two or more groups. Each group will be charged with creating some sort of protective packaging for its eggs. The goal is for each group to fashion packaging that will protect the eggs from breaking when they’re dropped from a pre-determined height.

To incentivize your team, designate a reward that the winning group will get to enjoy and tell everyone what the prize is before the competition begins. The team that designs the packaging that keeps the most eggs wins.

If you’re on a tight budget, don’t worry! You can still come up with a prize that won’t cost much, or perhaps won’t cost anything at all. For example, you can let each member of the winning team park in your parking spot for a day. Alternatively, you can let the winning group enjoy an extra day of causal dress the following week.

What Would You Do

While there will be some instances when your team will have a lot of time to solve a problem, it’s likely your employees will have to make decisions fast at other times. To give your team members the chance to practice their quick decision-making abilities, you may want to set aside time for them to engage in an activity called “What Would You Do.”

In this activity, each team member will be given the opportunity to pretend to be the famous person of their choice. Once in that role, the famous individual will be presented with a problem. First, the person must decide if the problem is even worth solving. If it is, the individual must come up with potential solutions in a set period of time. After those solutions are divulged, the team can discuss them and look for possible improvements to each suggested resolution.

Puzzling (AKA “The Barter Puzzle”)

Your employees might find themselves puzzled when they play “Puzzling.” For this activity, you will need to divide your team into smaller groups and come prepared with a different jigsaw puzzle for each group. Before giving each its puzzle, mix a few pieces into the boxes that will be given to other groups.

As each group labors to be the first team to finish its puzzle, its members will eventually realize some key pieces are missing. When the other groups come to the same realization, they’ll need to identify which group or groups have the pieces they need and figure out a way to get them.

The ensuing inter-group bartering may include things like loaning a member to another group. It may also include bribes like buying lunch. Whatever tactics are used, your employees are sure to have a good, collective laugh as they engage their powers of persuasion, teamwork, and problem solving—and there’s nothing puzzling about that, is there?

Escape Room

In recent years, escape rooms have become pretty common and readily accessible in many locations. Even if one isn’t located close to your business, you can create one in your building with just a bit of effort.

The point of an escape room is to challenge the people in the room to work together to find the key and get out of the locked space. Themed escape rooms give you the chance to challenge your team in different ways that are in keeping with various subjects.

For your team to get out of the room, your employees will have to uncover and decipher a series of clues. Every clue will point them in the direction of another hint they’ll need to act upon until they find the final clue that will identify the key’s hiding spot.

Scavenger Hunt

You can involve your team in an indoor or outdoor company scavenger hunt , but this type of activity is even more engaging when you plan it across multiple locations. The goal of a scavenger hunt is for your employees to find sundry items that are either widely accessible or hidden in different places. With each successive discovery, your employees will find a clue that indicates where the next item on their list of things to recover is located.

You can add an element of competition to a scavenger hunt by dividing your team into small groups that will compete to see which group will find all the things on their list first. Heightening that spirit of competition is easy. All you have to do is announce an enticing prize that will be given to the winning group before the hunt begins.

Can You Build It

“Can You Build It” is a game that requires participants to make careful observations, communicate clearly, solve problems, and work as a team. For this game, you’ll need to break out the Legos once again or pick up different materials that can be used to create a structure that you’ll build in advance of your employees engaging in this activity.

To start, hide the structure you built so that no one can see it. Give your team the materials they’ll need to recreate what you made. Allow one person to see your structure. That individual will then describe the structure to the rest of the team and the team will work together to try to recreate it.

If your team fails to make a facsimile of your structure, let someone else take a peek at your creation. Your team will then try to recreate the structure again. The activity will continue in a similar manner until your team successfully and accurately replicates your structure.

This activity engages many of the talents that are necessary for effective team building and problem solving. It requires teammates to trust each other and brainstorm, for example. Communication, observing, and coming up with clever solutions are also required in “Can You Build It.”

That’s One Way to Hula

All you need for “That’s One Way to Hula” is a hula-hoop and some good-spirited employees. For this activity, have your team stand in a circle holding hands. Break the circle by separating two of those joined hands and slip a hula-hoop onto the arm of one of the participants before rejoining their hands. The challenge then becomes for each participant to pass the hula-hoop to a coworker without letting go of the hands the person is holding.

If your team is large, consider separating it into groups. By doing this, you can create a competition to see which group can get the hula-hoop around the entire ring of participants the fastest.

Plan a Fundraiser

While encouraging your team to volunteer is certainly laudable, the problem with doing so is that your team’s success isn’t in the capable hands of its members. If, for example, your team volunteers at an animal rescue, your employees will be told what to do and how and when to do their assigned tasks.

Although volunteering is undeniably worthwhile, rewarding, and necessary for many non-profits, having your team plan a fundraiser may be a better way to give back to others. By planning a fundraiser, your team will have to work together to choose the type of event you’ll host. Your employees will then need to develop a plan to achieve their common objective.

From picking a venue to choosing how to market the fundraiser, deciding who’ll be invited to the event, identifying a realistic fundraising goal, and much more—your team will have plenty to decide and a lot of tasks to execute to pull off a successful event. As is the case with a lot of functions, even ones for great causes, obstacles will probably arise, which your employees will need to come together to overcome.

Social responsibility is one of the key drivers behind employee engagement across industries. Engaging your team with a fundraiser is a great way to improve their team-working and problem-solving abilities while helping them feel more satisfied with their jobs.

As a bonus, putting together a fundraiser can help your business generate some goodwill and increase customer loyalty. Increasingly, consumers are seeking out businesses that share their values. By having your team plan a fundraiser, you can demonstrate that your organization cares about the same things that your ideal customers do.

Team-building and problem-solving activities are a win-win for your team, your business, and your target audience. In addition to facilitating the development of professional skills, these exercises can help you to come away with a clear indication of which team members have the greatest potential to evolve into future team leaders.

Have you utilized team bonding activities? Use the comment section below to let us know which problem-solving activities you have tried and whether or not you experienced positive results.

If you want to start team-building with your employees, don’t hesitate to contact Let’s Roam to help you to plan and customize company events . Whether your group is in an office, remote, or a combination of stationary and virtual teams , our professional guides will help you every step of the way!

Frequently Asked Questions

The expert event guides at Let’s Roam have documented several effective problem-solving exercises . They also offer team-building activities including scavenger hunts , custom trivia , and more.

In addition to facilitating the development of skills such as communication, collaboration, and adaptability, problem-solving exercises can help business managers to identify future team leaders.

You can help your team with a series of problem-solving activities . Plan team-building events that will challenge employees’ collaborative skills, problem-solving techniques, and leadership abilities.

Need help planning a team-building event?

Schedule a quick, complimentary 15 minute chat with an event planner to book your next team building event with breeze., featured products & activities.

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17 team building problem-solving activities that actually work

Wouldn’t it be great to go to work every day and everything just … works? While that’s a lovely daydream, in reality, we face challenges from time to time.

And when it comes to challenges, one thing remains true: Having a team you can rely on makes whatever it is way easier to deal with.

It’s time to support your team in their personal growth and work on those problem-solving skills. The best way to do that is through some targeted team building activities .

We’ve compiled a list of the best problem-solving activities, sorted by duration and your team’s needs. Bonus point: A lot of them are free !

Effective team building problem-solving activities

One of the most daunting aspects of team building is looking up ideas for things to do, not knowing whether they work. So we did the hard part for you and hand-picked the best team building activities to overcome obstacles.

1. Improve collaboration with Work Buddy

Price: 14-day free trial, afterwards 7€ per user

Time : 15-20 minutes

Best for: Improving collaboration through understanding other team members' work preferences

Work Buddy is an innovative way to get teams on the same page! It's a fun and interactive quiz that helps team members understand each other better, leading towards improved collaboration. Through this session, you'll gain insights into your colleagues' working style - hours they prefer communicating during, their long-term goals, and more - which can help create stronger relationships within the workplace for more effective achievement of shared objectives. Work Buddy is free to try .

Boost team performance with Gomada's activity 'Work Buddy'

2. Practice to become a Communication Master

Best for: Exploring and understanding communication biases in the team

You're not alone if you've noticed misunderstandings or inefficient communication in your team. According to a recent study, 86% of knowledge workers report experiencing communication issues at work . Shortcomings in communication are estimated to lead to losses in profit of more than one trillion $ each year in the US alone.

Communication Master is an activity that helps your team practice explaining ideas in a clear and efficient way. It's challenging and fun, and you can try it for free .

Improve communication within the team with Gomada's Communication Master activity.

3. Follow the GROW process

Price: Free

Time : 2-3 hours

Best for: Taking a tried and tested approach to problem-solving

Arguably the best way to tackle organizational problems is by applying a model already tried and tested in business coaching. The GROW model is precisely that. GROW is an acronym in which each letter represents a step in the problem-solving process.

How it works:

G - Goal: Align on the goal(s) you want to achieve. Be as precise as possible and include numbers, time frames, etc.
R - Reality: Observe where you are on the journey to achieve your goal. What still lies ahead of you?
O - Obstacles & Options: Which obstacles does your team currently face, and which challenges do you anticipate in the future? Consider various approaches to overcoming the (possible) roadblocks.
W - Way forward: Write down concrete action steps that you will take moving forward, including responsibilities and timelines.

Watch this role play video to see how you can put GROW into action.

4. Assess personality types

Price: Free Time: 60-90 minutes

Best for: Increasing empathy and enhancing teamwork

If your teammates constantly clash with each other, chances are they have different personality types. Understanding differences within your team is critical for good collaboration and teamwork, the pillars of successful problem-solving. To get going, take a personality test together and learn about each other's strengths and weaknesses. Have a follow-up discussion to talk about how you can collaborate better in the future.

Question starters for your discussion:

Were you surprised by your results?
Where does your personality benefit your work?
How can you balance out each other's weaknesses?
How can you build on each other's strengths?
Have you found a new appreciation for your teammates?

5. Have a well-being talk

Price: Free Time: 60 minutes ‍

Best for: Making sure your team is mentally prepared to tackle problems

If you feel like your team is lacking motivation and not on the top of their game, it may be time for a well-being check-in. Have an open conversation about mental health and your employees' feelings. Identify triggers for stress in the workplace; these typically include:

Content of the job
Role within the organization
Professional development
Work relationships
Company culture
Working conditions
Personal reasons

Once you have identified the most prominent issues, create an action plan to improve your team’s mental well-being. If you need help facilitating this, Confetti offers a Mental Health Workshop led by a professional expert.

6. Online hackathon

Price: Free

Time: 24-48 hours

Best for: Boosting teamwork and innovation; Solving a specific problem in your organization

A hackathon is an event in which people of different disciplines come together to solve a common, real-world problem. It is the perfect activity for quickly innovating processes within your organization. Hosting a hackathon online allows you to invite team members from all around the world.

There are already great resources about organizing virtual hackathons available. To get you going, here’s a quick rundown on the most important steps:

Settle on the problem that your team should tackle, develop the deliverables, and invite industry experts to serve as a jury
Choose a video conferencing platform so the participants can stay in touch throughout the hackathon
Divide your team into smaller action teams. This works best if you involve different departments to mix and match different strengths and skillsets
When the day of the hackathon arrives, hold a kick-off meeting to explain the process of the event
Have fun and get excited about great results

Leah Buchholz

Remote Expert & Jr. Content Marketer

Large groups

Prep required

Share fun facts and bond with a team quiz

Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.

share-fun-facts-and-bond-with-a-team-quiz

Run a guided recognition activity

run-a-guided-recognition-activity

Organize a virtual cooking class

Hire a professional chef to help your team cook a delicious lunch or dinner. May be difficult for co-workers with families. To find providers and get tips, read our blog about virtual cooking classes.

organize-a-virtual-cooking-class

Hire a stand-up comedian

hire-a-stand-up-comedian

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Table of contents

Discover virtual team building with Gomada

Gomada auto-generates the optimal activity sequence for your team. All you need to do is schedule the activity.

Virtual team building problem-solving activities

If your team is working in a remote or hybrid setting and you’re looking for some fun games that strengthen problem-solving skills, the following activities are a match.

Related : The best team building software tools & apps.

7. Yes, and …

Time: 5-15 minutes

Best for: A quick game to foster creativity and flexibility

One of the best ways to strengthen your team’s ability to think quickly and adapt to unknown scenarios is through improv games. This one is perfect for beginners as it doesn’t require any acting, and your team can participate from the comfort of their home office chairs.

To play the game, one person begins to tell a story, and the rest of the team has to build on it by replying with "yes, and". One after the other, everyone contributes one or two sentences, but people have to react quickly to keep the flow of the story going.

You can determine the order in advance, for example, by first name or age, or keep it open to increase the difficulty level.

8. Flash of genius

Time: 15- 20 minutes

Best for: Quick thinking, boosting creativity, healthy competition

Have you ever had a flash of inspiration at a random moment? The one that prompts you to jot down your brilliant idea on a piece of paper or a napkin? That’s what this game is all about.

Before the game starts, you have to prepare several problem statements. These can be real, like ‘A team from another department constantly messes up your work. What do you do?’ or imaginative, such as ‘Aliens have landed on planet earth and kidnapped humans. What do you do?’. During the session, the participants then need to develop solutions to these problems.

Split the team into small groups and ask everyone to write down their approaches on a digital collaboration board
After two minutes of brainstorming, every team gets one more minute to decide on their number one solution
For the finale, everyone presents their approach to the rest of the group

9. Codenames

Time: 15-30 minutes

Best for: Thinking outside the box, risk evaluation, communication

Codenames was initially released as a card game but is now also available as an online version. In this game, two teams must try to identify agents hiding behind codenames.

The playing field consists of 25 cards labeled with codenames (random words)
Both teams assign one spymaster who gets to see under which cards the agents for their team are hiding. The spymasters take turns giving their team members clues to find the right cards, but with one big restriction – they can only say one word.
The goal is to find all the right words before the other team finishes.

To be the fastest team, it is useful to give clues that connect different terms, but players have to be careful not to guess the cards that belong to the other group. Thus, the participants must find the right balance between risk-taking and passing on an opportunity to score.

10. Domino effect

Price: 0- 29€/person

Best for: Collaborating asynchronously and working together on one goal

The idea behind this activity is simple; you knock over one object that sets a second in motion, which is followed by a whole chain of reactions. What makes it difficult is that the team has to create this domino effect without being in the same place. Therefore, each team member has to create one part of the process and film it.

This is what it looks like:

Person 1 begins the series by knocking over a random object and making a video of it; let’s say they choose a ball that knocks down a book
They inform person 2, who creates a video of a book falling onto a bottle.
Then, person 3 has to start their video with a bottle falling on the object of their choice and so on.
In the end, all videos are cut together.

The activity requires strategic thinking and good communication to have a consistent string of domino effects and is perfect for teams who work across different time zones. You can either set it up yourself or get a professional agency to support you.

11. Escape room

Price: 0-30€/person

Time: 15-90 min.

Best for: Refining attention to detail and logical thinking with a gamified experience

If you’re not already familiar with the concept of escape rooms, you’re missing out! In short, your team has to solve various puzzles and riddles while following a mystery tale. Only if they find the hidden clues will they reach the solution and escape the room.

This makes escape rooms an excellent problem-solving team building activity for adults. Participants have to practice their patience and logical thinking. Virtual escape games usually take place over a video conferencing tool so participants can discuss their ideas as the game proceeds. One of our favorite escape room experiences is this Sherlock-inspired detective story.

12. Panel of Experts

Time: 15-30 min.

Best for: Helping team members to step out of their comfort zone through improvisation

Panel of Experts is another improv game that is great for fostering creativity and spontaneity as your team will have to create dialogues without any prior preparation and script.

How it works:

You determine one show host and two to four ‘experts’; the rest of the team will act as an audience.
Everybody in the audience can call in a topic they would like the group to discuss for two minutes. Collect all ideas and agree on a topic to start with.
The actors now have to engage in a conversation in their respective roles.
After each round, assign the roles to new team members.

Your team will have collaboratively put up some entertaining scenes, and who knows, maybe you will discover some actual special-interest knowledge.

13. Sort the group

Time: 10-15 minutes

Best for: Improving communication; Getting to know your team

Sort the group exercises are exactly what they sound to be: As a team, you have to get in order following different attributes like height, age, duration at the company; you name it. The difficulty lies within the fact that you aren’t allowed to talk or write. Team members have to develop other ways to communicate and get in order.

Pro tip: You can open a shared document, write down the names of the participants and rearrange them until everyone agrees on the final result.

Trust Activity

Ups & Downs

Core dimension

What cheers us up and tears us down can be very different. Get to know your team’s motivators and demotivators.

Offline problem-solving activities for team building

If you’re pumped to do some team building in person , we’ve picked the right activities for you.

14. The minefield

Price: 0-10€

Best for: Practicing communication and listening skills and advancing trust between team members

This classic team building activity works very well to build trust in your team without the awkwardness of trust falls or entangling human knots. You’ll have to prepare a playing field beforehand, consisting of a starting and finishing line, and put some obstacles (e.g., bottles) in between.

Divide the team into several small groups. Each team lines up at the edge of the playing field.
Each participant is given a blindfold to put on when it is their turn. You can use face masks or anything else to cover the eyes.
After giving the go, the groups must try to guide their 'blind' teammates through the minefield using verbal instructions alone. If a person touches an object, they have to start over. If they make it through the minefield, the next person can start.
The fastest team wins.

Pro tip: To make the game more difficult, you can rule that players cannot give directions (front, side, back) but must think of a code to guide their teammates.

15. Picking up trash

Time: 30 minutes - 3 hours

Best for: Teams looking to make a real impact beyond simple games

What better way to connect with your team than simultaneously doing something great for the environment? Have your team walk around the area around your office and pick up trash together. Afterward, you come together and brainstorm ideas on how to tackle the garbage problem. Maybe your neighborhood could profit from some more trash cans? Higher fines for littering? A better deposit system? Get creative!

You can also turn it into a challenge. To do so, divide your crew into smaller groups and assign each one the task of collecting as much rubbish as they can. After some time, you evaluate who had the most original approaches and picked up the most trash.

Either way, you train your problem-solving skills on a real-world issue and do some good for nature.

16. Speed-dating

Time: 10-20 minutes

Best for: Fostering 1:1 conversations around work issues

While speed dating is best known for finding new romantic partners, it can also be applied to the working environment.

Here is how it works:

Divide the team into two groups, one of which positions itself in an inner and the other in an outer circle. There should always be two people facing each other. If you’re an uneven number, create one pair that always moves together.
A game leader asks a question for which both partners have one minute to answer.
Then the inner circle moves so that two new team members are facing each other.
The game ends when everyone has returned to their original partner.

Some questions to inspire your own:

If you could change one thing in your workday, what would it be?
Would you rather have more time or more money? Why?
What would you do if your laptop suddenly just stopped working?

17. Scavenger hunt

Price: Varies

Time: 2-3 hours

Best for: Fostering cross-team collaboration and boosting team morale

Another classic team-building activity that is great for promoting problem-solving. You have to work together as a team to find clues that will ultimately lead you to a goal.

As far as preparation goes, you will have to decide between setting up the activity yourself or a professional provider. Depending on which option you choose, you will have to invest more money or time (yes, we are referring to the last game here). Either way, your joint search will have your team think outside the box and socialize with others.

What are the benefits of problem-solving team building activities for businesses?

Problem-solving is an essential skill for every team. In particular, strengthening your team member’s decision-making and adaptability skills will ensure that your daily operations run a bit smoother; say a new process isn’t going as planned, or an essential co-worker falls sick, your team will be able to handle it. You also set out your organization for success when facing more drastic challenges, such as, uh, a global pandemic or changes in the company’s strategy.

Some of the skills your team will improve on when regularly engaging in problem-solving team building activities are:

Out-of-the-box thinking
Communication
Creativity
Flexibility
Collaboration

Using team building problem-solving games

Investing time into team building activities that support problem-solving is the best way to empower your team in their abilities to overcome work challenges. Whether you’re an experienced leadership team looking to boost your decision-making and critical thinking skills or a young team working on collaboration and communication , these activities set you up for success.

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The Biggest and Best Resource for Team Building Questions

By Becky Simon | July 7, 2017 (updated September 20, 2023)

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In business, teamwork is more important than ever, but getting people to cooperate toward a common goal isn’t easy. Successful teamwork requires aligning a number of factors, including strong leadership, a sturdy organizational framework, and the right technology for connecting remote teams.

Of course, we must consider other factors as well. The failure of interpersonal relationships is one of the biggest causes of team breakdowns. Politics, infighting, mistrust, and even sabotage can thwart a team leader’s best efforts.

To counteract these issues, you can build and strengthen relationships with team building questions. In this article, we’ve created the ultimate resource for team builder questions. The following guide includes more than 230 questions in various categories such as icebreakers, personal interests, trivia, and values, plus games and activities using team building questions. You can even download Getting to Know You Bingo cards.

An Overview of How Team Building Questions Can Help Your Team

How well does teamwork work? And, why is teamwork so much work? These sound like tongue twisters, but they are relevant questions in today’s workplace.

We hear a lot about how important teamwork is, and many organizations spend a great deal of time and resources seeking to foster it. However, the reality is that we’re not very good at it, and we don’t like it very much.

According to a 2013 survey by the University of Phoenix, only about a quarter of American workers who have worked on teams say they prefer teamwork to working on their own — even though almost all of them say that teams serve an important function in the workplace. Put simply, only one in four people who say teamwork is important actually prefers working on a team to working on their own.

That’s a pretty dramatic discrepancy. However, it’s not surprising, given that seven in 10 workers who have taken part in teams have experienced a dysfunctional team at least once. (See the aforementioned survey.) Moreover, dysfunctional doesn’t simply mean unproductive - it can mean downright ugly. Forty percent say they’ve seen a verbal confrontation between teammates, and 15 percent say they’ve actually seen arguments escalate into physical confrontations. In addition, about a third say they’ve seen teammates start rumors about each other.

These numbers make clear that many teams struggle with maintaining good relationships. Consequently, they struggle to create synergy. (Synergy refers to an interaction producing a sum greater than the parts, and is what differentiates a team from a group of people simply working together mainly to meet individual goals.) Teams use specialization, complementation, and coordination of efforts to achieve a common goal. A team without synergy isn’t really a team at all.

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Team Building Questions Boost Team Cohesiveness

Of course, just because teammates get along doesn’t mean the team will succeed in its objectives. Teamwork entails lots of moving parts. Team cohesiveness is vital, but ineffective leadership, a lack of direction or motivation, resource cuts, competing responsibilities, or any number of other hurdles can undermine this cohesion.

Picking members for a team may be an inexact science, but there’s a method to choosing teammates who occupy different, complementary roles. If they don’t, you could end up with a group of people who think similarly and get along but don’t have much synergy.

Furthermore, in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team , business consultant Patrick M. Lencioni writes that people with close personal relationships may hesitate to hold each other accountable because they’re afraid of damaging these relationships. So, some types of personal relationships may actually not benefit the team’s performance.

While that’s an important caveat, a team’s cohesiveness and ability to get along remain critical to its performance. This is because a team that lacks cohesion and chemistry is likely to underperform - even if it has everything else going for it. For one, we know that workplace team relationships are associated both with employee well-being (unsurprising given that half of American employees spend more time at work than by themselves and with family) and with employee engagement. Employee engagement, in turn, is associated with a number of performance outcomes . At a time when, according to Gallup data from 2016 and 2017, only about one in three American employees is engaged at work , people with friends among their coworkers find work much more satisfying. Those who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be fully engaged at work .

In a Harvard Business Review article “We All Need Friends at Work ” ,leadership author Christine M. Rierdan writes that camaraderie creates a shared sense of purpose and a we’re-all-in-this-together mentality. In effect, this camaraderie increases the extent to which people identify with the group. As people identify more with a group, they expend more effort to meet the group’s goals, a psychological phenomenon called social laboring . Also, allowing people to relate to each other by building positive relationships decreases hostility and the likelihood of damaging conflict.

Team Building Questions Help Teams Break Through Relationship and Technology Barriers

Teams maximize their potential when positive relationships span 360 degrees, rather than just form horizontally between teammates. Key relationships extend vertically to one’s boss and direct reports. That doesn’t mean everyone should be buddies with their boss and subordinates (they probably shouldn’t). However, there’s strong evidence that building a relationship of trust and respect with your boss, as well as perceiving yourself to be part of your boss’ inner circle, leads to improved performance . Also, on an emotional level, an employee’s relationship with a boss is one of the most important determinants of their job happiness. We’ve all heard the adage about people quitting their bosses, not their jobs. A 2016 study shows that the vast majority of respondents (93 percent) believe trust in their direct manager is essential to workplace satisfaction.

So, we know that building relationships of mutual trust, respect, and even friendship between teammates and bosses improves the quality of the team experience as well as the level of job satisfaction and performance. Why, then, do so many teams struggle with building these relationships?

The answer is simple: You can’t force relationships. Instead, you must foster them by giving teammates the opportunity to build, grow, and maintain bonds.

This is where team building becomes relevant. Team builders seek to enhance interpersonal relationships and communication, team spirit, and team identity. All of these factors contribute to synergy.

Creating synergy through team building has never been more relevant than in this technology-dominated era. The drive for more efficient and instantaneous business communication means that coworkers today are more likely to communicate by email, app, text message, mobile device, or online platform than by in-person interaction. One survey finds that 95 percent of managers and senior executives plan to use these tools over in-person meetings .

This trend has created a desire to “disconnect to connect,” i.e., take a step away from technology to nurture relationships. While a status update shares critical information, it doesn’t do much to strengthen the bonds among team members. A face-to-face team builder activity like asking thought-provoking and revealing questions will foster those connections.

The History of Workplace Team Building Activities

We can trace the history of organizational team building in the United States back to the late 1920s. The Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago conducted research now known as the Hawthorne Experiments . Harvard University Professor Elton Mayo began experimenting with how physical conditions at the workplace affected productivity. He then grew interested in how psychological and social phenomena impacted productivity. His eventual findings included the following observation: positive group identity, a sense of group and individual achievement, good individual relationships with the manager, and a more democratic approach to decision making all improve productivity.

Team building went mainstream in the 1970s and 1980s when the focus of American organizational practice shifted from individual performance to team performance. As Dr. Marilyn S. Wesner of George Washington University’s Executive Leadership Doctoral Program in Human and Organizational Learning describes in her history of organizational team building , organizations began offering team-based reward systems. As assigning work to teams became more common at companies and other organizations, interest in team building among personnel training practitioners skyrocketed. Team building expanded to emphasize frontline workers rather than just managerial staff (as had been the case before the 1970s), and the field turned toward finding solutions to real workplace problems.

By the 1990s, consulting firms were offering team builder methods and activities as part of their approach to improving organizational performance, a practice that continues today. With the arrival of the Millennial workforce, team building activities have grown to embrace the element of fun by incorporating competition and gameplay. You can find an exhaustive resource for team building activities and games here and here .

The simplest team building exercises in use today involve team builder questions. These provide a platform for conversation, relieving interpersonal tensions, and a non-threatening opportunity to talk about themselves, therefore allowing participants to build positive relationships.

Team Building Question Categories and How to Use Them

Team building questions can be broadly categorized by what they aim to do. Icebreakers get new people comfortable with each other and can also “break the ice” at the start of a meeting, conference, workshop, seminar, or retreat to set the tone for group work.

Questions about personal tastes, hobbies, and pastimes help people discover what they have in common, and provide food for conversation and perhaps even suggestions on how to make workplaces more employee friendly. Humorous questions bond people through laughter, which de-stresses everyone a little. Problem-solving questions allow people to exercise teamwork skills while promoting friendly competition. Questions relating to values and a sense of purpose allow people to learn about what drives them, which fosters motivation and team spirit.

We’ll discuss each of these categories in more detail later, but all of them share some broad aims. First, they encourage communication by creating an opportunity that inspires everyone (even shy people) to participate. Second, these questions give people the chance to share personal details about themselves that they otherwise might not, and an opportunity to open up, empathize with each other, and build trust with both peers and supervisors. In workplaces dominated by digital interactions, these moments would otherwise be hard to come by.

In case you need to get buy-in for a team building questions event, here is a recap of all the benefits of and purposes for using questions with teams:

Breaking the ice
Fostering communication
Encouraging “disconnect to connect”
Learning each other’s values
Increasing trust in the boss and each other
Increasing participation, even that of shy people
Relieving stress
Generating laughter, happy feelings
Promoting healthy competition
Getting to know one another
Revealing more about the personal side of people
Strengthening bonds
Discovering what drives other people

Types of Team Builder Questions for Every Occasion

You can use team building questions almost any time, provided, of course, that they don’t get in the way of important work.

Icebreakers are a good idea when convening new groups of people, whether teams or simply groups attending workshops, conferences, or seminars. Humorous questions can be a welcome break during periods of stress or when people simply need to recharge. Problem-solving questions work best when your group is away from the regular workplace, especially at retreats or picnics. Questions about values and a sense of purpose can set the tone for recognizing and appreciating colleagues’ efforts. Finally, you can use questions about tastes, hobbies, and pastimes to learn about each other when your colleagues have a few minutes to spare, such as during commutes or over lunch.

Team building questions work best when used in face-to-face interactions. Managers may use them to open sessions or incorporate them into games, such as Icebreaker Bingo or Circle of Questions . If getting everyone together in the same place at the same time is too difficult, you might post a daily question on a wall where everyone can see it, or, if all else fails, email questions to colleagues once a week, and give incentives for replies. You can circulate the answers to keep the cycle going.

Unfortunately, we sometimes view team building questions as a fun, but forgettable activity. To counter this tendency, try using questions that encourage people to talk about intellectual or skill-based interests (these interactions will have more staying power). Good discussion topics include favorite books, hobbies, and talents (e.g., playing an instrument, dancing, running long distance, etc.).

Occasionally, team builder questions reveal things about teams that a manager can use to make long-term improvements to the workspace or the team dynamic. For example, there’s evidence that playing music in the workplace correlates positively with changed moods and improved quality of work - if your team building questions reveal that half the people on your team like piano jazz, it may be worth updating the office playlist. If you discover that a few members of your team really love their goldfish, perhaps it’s time to rethink the office policy on pets. And, if someone wants to try hiking a trail after a teammate tells them about it, that’s a valuable idea for the next office retreat. Travel is an excellent way to connect people, and physically challenging trips can do wonders for strengthening team bonds.

Finally, you can connect people’s responses to team building questions to the results of their personality assessments, such as the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) . This exercise will help teammates understand how responses to problem-solving and value-based questions are indicative of personality types and thinking styles. Some personality classifications may be quite abstract and difficult to link to behavior, so questions help contextualize how personalities influence the way people fill roles and functions at work.

How Not to Use Team Building Questions

We have made a good case for the value of asking questions when you are building a team. However, remember that it’s crucial to ask these questions in an appropriate setting so they don’t backfire.

You can use questions as a stepping stone to increase openness, trust, and camaraderie among team members. However, group members often cover a wide personality spectrum. So, be sure to select questions that encourage sharing and sociability rather than vulnerability. For example, avoid questions like, “What has been your worst failure and why?”

Even some questions that seem innocuous, such as, “What would you change first about our office?” could be stressful. People may worry that their responses will displease the manager or won’t be kept confidential. Team members will then be unlikely to answer honestly, with overly confrontational questions defeating the purpose of the exercise.

Naturally, you should also avoid divisive, gossip-oriented, or intimate questions about sex, politics, office romance, and money. Other off-limits topics include opinions regarding senior staff, salaries, and hot-button cultural, legal, and religious issues.

The Ultimate List of Team Building Questions

Now that you know why and when to use team builder questions, you’re probably looking for the ideal material to get you started: great questions. We’ve got you covered.

In the sections below, you’ll find a list of over 230 questions spread across several categories: icebreakers; personal hobbies, tastes, and pastimes; humorous questions; problem-solving questions; values and sense-of-purpose questions; and trivia questions. You’ll also find information on how best to use each question type.

Icebreaker Team Building Questions

A perennial favorite with new teams, icebreakers warm up groups and reduce the awkwardness of meeting several new people at once. Since their primary aim is to introduce people to new colleagues or teammates, icebreakers typically prompt sharing personal details. Unsurprisingly, introverts or shy people often dislike icebreakers, even if those icebreakers are well-designed and conducted. Moreover, icebreakers can feel like a chore if they aren’t tailored to a group’s makeup, function, or relevant activities.

A well-designed icebreaker introduces people to each other while setting up the group for the activities to follow. For example, an icebreaker for a team of junior news reporters and editors may ask people to talk about the most challenging story they’ve ever covered or, on a lighter note, the funniest typo they’ve ever let slip into print or on the air.

Following are a list of 83 icebreakers to get your team going:

If you could be any animal for a week, which would you choose to be and why?
Who’s your favorite superhero and why?
What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer?
Do you have any pets?
What is/was the name of your favorite pet?
Who is your favorite cartoon character and why?
Describe yourself in three words.
Where did you grow up?
When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do?
What is your favorite movie quote?
Show us the most interesting thing you have in your purse/wallet.
At which store do you shop the most?
What’s the longest time, in a single stretch, that you’ve ever been in a car?
What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve ever worn?
What’s the lowest grade you ever received in college, and which class was it for?
How many keys are on your key ring right now?
What’s your favorite song?
How many siblings do you have, and where are you in the order?
What is one food you can’t give up?
Which sport do you most like to watch?
Describe your team in one word.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise most people who know you.
What do you admire most about the person to your right?
What is your favorite outdoor activity?
What do you do to beat stress?
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
What’s your favorite genre of movie?
What’s your favorite genre of music?
What is your dream car?
What’s the most surprising thing that’s ever happened to you in another country?
Are you a plant person?
What kind of chocolate do you prefer — white, dark, or milk?
Do you have a favorite animal?
What was your favorite TV show as a teenager?
Where were you, and what were you doing when [insert name of famous event] happened?
Have you ever written a letter to the editor of, or an article or opinion piece for, the local paper?
How many languages can you speak?
Are you good at fixing things?
Which is your least favorite fruit?
How long have you lived in [insert name of place]?
What do you like to do on weekends?
What’s your favorite color?
What’s your favorite nursery rhyme?
Have you ever traveled in a submarine or helicopter, or on a dogsled?
Who played at the first live concert you ever attended?
Have you ever climbed a mountain or run a marathon?
Which sports team(s) do you support?
What’s your favorite video game?
Have you met anyone famous in the last year? If you have, may I see a photo?
Do you cook? What’s your favorite recipe?
Do you play a musical instrument?
Name one movie you think should have had a sequel.
What was your favorite board/card game as a child?
Have you ever driven anything other than a car or light truck?
What’s your favorite time of year?
When it comes to candy, what is your guilty pleasure?
Can you read music?
What do you like on your pizza?
What’s the oldest article of clothing you still wear?
Have you ever skydived? Would you?
What’s the longest book you’ve ever read?
What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Which show are you currently watching?
What do you usually have for breakfast?
What is your middle name?
What is your favorite junk food?
What car do you drive?
What color is your kitchen?
Which is your favorite brand of clothing?
Where would you like to move when you retire?
What happened on your worst birthday?
What is your favorite dessert?
Which is your favorite flower?
What date on your calendar are you looking forward to this year?
Which is your favorite restaurant in [insert name of place]?
What is your favorite drink?
Do you prefer dancing with others or alone?
If I opened your closet, I would find __________.
Who is your favorite comic-book character?
Who is your favorite artist?
What is your favorite work of art?
Are you good at imitating foreign accents?
Tattoos: yes or no?

Download Icebreaker Team Building Questions - PDF

Team Building Questions about Personal Tastes, Hobbies, and Pastimes

Like icebreakers, questions about personal tastes, hobbies, and pastimes help people learn about each other. Typically, however, managers do not use this category of questions for first-time groups, as the value of these questions lies almost exclusively in helping people build upon existing conversations and relationships.

Although you can use questions about personal tastes, hobbies, and pastimes along with other team building activities, this particular category of questions can make conversations with time limits feel strained. As such, these questions work best when you use them in informal settings with no time limit.

Here is a list of team building questions about personal tastes, hobbies, and pastimes:

If you could paint a portrait of anyone, who would you paint?
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
How many books have you read this year?
What thing are you most afraid of?
What was your favorite book as a child?
When people compliment you, they’re most likely to comment on your __________.
Which celebrity would you hate to sit next to on a plane?
Who is your favorite U.S. president?
What do you think is your best feature?
What has been your most exotic trip?
Which song are you likely to have on repeat this week?
If you could change one aspect of your appearance, what would it be?
What genre of music do you dislike?
What is your favorite type of cuisine and why?
Have you ever seen a phenomenon you still can’t explain?
If you had a time machine and could make a single, one-way trip, where would you go?
Which award would you most like to win and why?
Tell us your earliest childhood memory.
What’s the best thing to happen to you this year?

Download Team Building Questions - PDF

Humorous Questions for Team Building

Humorous questions can work for almost any group of people as long as the setting, context, and content of those questions are appropriate. They serve a variety of purposes, from helping new people get comfortable with each other to relieving stress.

Here are 42 fun and funny questions:

If someone made a movie about my life, it would be a __________ (genre), and I’d be played by __________ (actor/actress name).
While on a date, what’s your biggest pet peeve?
What is the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Who is the quirkiest person in your family?
Tell us about one of your quirks.
What is your favorite joke?
If you were on Mars, what would you do for fun?
I’d hate to be stuck in an elevator with __________.
Where would you go if you were invisible?
When I dance, I look like __________.
Tell us about a person you’ve met and wish you hadn’t.
What’s your biggest pet peeve in general?
If I had a yacht, it would be named __________.
What’s the best thing about being really tall?
If you could change your nationality, what would you change it to?
How long do you take to get out of bed?
Which TV sitcom family would you fit into best?
What is the best insult you can think of?
What fashion trend do you just not understand?
If I were a dictator, I’d name my country __________.
If I could give myself a nickname, it would be __________.
Tell us about the worst haircut you’ve ever had.
How would your worst enemy describe you?
What one sentence would you most like to hear from your boss tomorrow morning?
Which TV game show would you have the best chance of winning?
If you were a chef, your least favorite dish would be __________.
Who is your favorite comedian?
What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
Which famous person do you think you look like?
When I write my autobiography, I’m going to call it __________.
What’s the most exotic dish you’ve ever eaten?
What is something about you most people would find funny if they knew?
How would you describe what you do for a living to a bunch of five-year-olds?
What never fails to make you laugh?
What would you name your pet monkey?
If you had a Second Life avatar, what would they look like?
What makes you geek out?
Which famous person would you ask to autograph your cast?
Which city in America should not be included on a map for tourists? Why?
When did you last get the giggles in an awkward place?
How can you tell if someone’s a nerd?
If you had the chance, would you choose to stay your current age forever?

Download Humorous Questions for Team Building - PDF

Problem-Solving Questions for Team Builders

Problem-solving questions are a more functional sub-category of team builder questions. Although (like other types of questions) they encourage people to learn about each other, team members gain practical insights from solving problems together. For example, problem-solving questions can reveal individual thinking styles, functional strengths and weaknesses, and the ability to cope with pressure.

The best problem-solving questions include tasks that bring some novelty to skills that participants regularly use in team work. These questions work best with groups of people who already know each other but haven’t worked as a team before.

Here are some problem-solving questions for team builders:

Have you ever had to do something for work you knew you’d struggle with? How’d you prepare for it?
Which developing technology do you think will transform the future?
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?
If you could add a word to the dictionary, what would it be?
What upcoming technological innovation do you think will impact you most during the next five years?
How would you spend a million dollars in 24 hours?
What one skill should everyone on Earth have?
If you had an extra hour of time each day, how would you use it?
Would you rather have the power to become invisible or read minds? Why?
Describe one time you took a huge leap of faith. Did it pay off?
What color would you paint this room?
Which of your five senses do you think is the strongest? Which is the weakest?
Share a good riddle or brain teaser with the group.
Which amenity do you think your workspace currently lacks?
If you had a chance to rescue an armful of your possessions during a natural disaster, what would you grab?
If you had to pick only one type of food to survive on for a week, what would you pick?

Download Problem-Solving Questions for Team Builders - PDF

Values and Sense-of-Purpose Questions for Team Building

Questions about teammates’ values and sense of purpose are appropriate for teammates who already know each other and how they’re supposed to work together. This is because these questions require a considerable degree of openness and familiarity with the task at hand. As such, they’re not appropriate for teams who are convening for the first time.

For teammates who do know each other, questions about values offer a useful perspective on colleague conduct. In turn, this knowledge enables teammates to recognize each other’s contributions to the team. Sense-of-purpose questions are excellent for creating and recharging team spirit and motivation. Both types of questions can also increase the extent to which individuals identify with the team and its mission.

Following are 46 values and sense-of-purpose questions:

Which living person do you admire most?
What is your dream job?
If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be?
What would you do with fifteen minutes of fame?
What one thing do you own that you wish you didn’t?
What is your biggest addiction?
If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
What do you think is the most important quality in a friend?
What is the worst job you could have?
What is the meanest thing you’ve ever said to someone in person?
If you could call the president, what would you say to him?
Have you had a lifelong dream?
If I were running for president, my campaign slogan would be __________.
What product would you refuse to promote?
If I were a teacher, I’d teach __________.
What is the most useful advice you’ve ever received?
Which dead person would you like to add to Mount Rushmore?
With a million dollars, I would__________.
Who is your hero?
If I could write a note to my favorite school teacher, I’d say __________.
What’s the best gift anyone could give you?
If you were the host of a national talk show, who would you invite as your first guest?
What personal attribute do you think your current role demands above all else?
If you were healthy, wealthy, and had plenty of time, would you stick with your job?
Which three persons, living or dead, would you invite to dinner?
What do you plan to do once you retire?
Which person, living or dead, would you like to have as your mentor?
If you could be rid of one of your fears, which would it be?
What person do you think has had the greatest influence on your life so far?
If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
What single event did the most to change the way you see the world?
If you could grant yourself a new professional or personal skill, what would it be?
My dream business would be __________.
When was the last time you stayed up all night because you were excited about something?
What personal trait do you dislike most in yourself?
Do you volunteer anywhere?
What advice would you give to an 18-year-old version of yourself?
What future event would you most like to see?
The time I waited longest in line was to get __________.
What did you want to be when you were little? What did you actually become?
For me, the perfect day is __________.
What was the highlight of the year for your team? What might have happened if you hadn’t been part of the team?
If you knew you only had one year left to live, what would you change about the way you live?
What is the thing you most want people to say about you at your funeral?
What thing would you most regret not doing by the end your life?
What is the most important thing you have learned in the past year?

Download Values and Sense-of-Purpose Questions for Team Building - PDF

Trivia Questions for Team Building

There are lots of great resources for trivia questions. You can even use cards from the game Trivial Pursuit for suggestions, or search online for general trivia questions. Here are some examples:

Name all the signs of the zodiac.
What color jersey does the winner of each stage of the Tour de France wear? (Yellow)
Which chess piece can only move diagonally? (Bishop)
Who invented champagne? (Benedictine monk Dom Perignon)
What animal needs the least sleep? (Giraffes at 30 minutes a day)
In the Spider-Man series, who is Peter Parker’s best friend? (Harry Osborn)

For team building in a company or organization, it can be especially effective to use trivia questions related to the workplace. You can divide into smaller groups and send people off for 30 minutes to research the answers. Some questions you can use for this exercise include:

Who are the youngest and oldest full-time employees?
What’s the most expensive item in the cafeteria or vending machine, and how much does it cost?
What is the coffee shop closest to the office, and how far away is it in feet or miles?
What department occupies the most office space?
Who founded the organization?
What year was the company founded?
When did the organization get its first website?
What is the company motto or tagline?
How many lawyers work at the company full-time?
What is the most popular product or service the organization offers?
How many locations does the company have?
Does the organization give anything to employees who retire? If so, what is the gift?
How many sports teams does the company have? What sports are they?
How many organization-wide social events does the company hold each year?
What color is the carpet in the CEO’s office?
Name the charities that the organization supports.
What are all the different ways employees commute to work?
Whose signature appears on your paycheck?

Download Trivia Questions for Team Building - PDF

How to Use Team Building Questions: Activities and Games

Although we normally think of people answering team builder questions one by one around a circle, you can actually use these questions in many other ways.

If you’re looking to get people up and moving, a game or activity based on these questions is a great idea. And, if you want to introduce a little competition, divide your staff into teams that compete against each other. Ask team building questions like, “What things would you need to survive on a desert island?” or “What color should you paint the office?” and see who comes up with the best solution. Check out these ways to use team building questions:

Person Bingo: Fill the squares on a bingo card with uncommon personality characteristics you might hear in response to some of the icebreaker questions, such as whether someone plays the flute or runs marathons. Give everyone a copy of the card. Participants have to talk to each other to find the people who possess the characteristics listed in the squares on the card. When they do, they can enter that person’s name on the corresponding square. The first person to fill up all their squares with the names that correspond to the characteristics wins.

Download “Get to Know You” Bingo

Switch Sides If: This is a fun exercise and also gets people moving, so it can be a good transition activity or way to break up a long session. This activity helps people see who they have things in common with. In a room with plenty of space for your group, divide the room in half with masking tape. Start by having people stand wherever they want. Then, tell people to switch sides in response to your questions. These can be questions like, “Are you a morning person or a night person?” or “Do you speak another language?” (If people switch sides for the latter, have them tell someone what language they speak.)
Question Ball Toss: Take a large, inflatable beach ball, and write questions on it in marker. Get your group in a circle, and toss the ball. Whoever catches it answers the question on the ball that is closest to his or her right thumb. After answering, he or she tosses the ball to someone else. There are also some pre-made versions of the ball, such as this one .
“Tell Us” Candy Game: Get a bag of different-colored candy, such as hard candies, M&Ms, or Skittles. Have each person in the group pick three or four pieces of candy. For each candy color, assign a question. For example, red could be: “What has been your favorite travel experience?” Or, green could be, “What has been your proudest work accomplishment of the past year?” Go around the room and have people answer questions according to the colors of candy they selected.
Circle of Questions: Have the group form two concentric circles, with those comprising the inner circle facing outward and those comprising the outer circle facing inward so that pairs of people are face to face. Each pair has a set amount of time — usually a few minutes — during which both members must answer a question called out by the facilitator that relates to personal tastes, hobbies, or pastimes. Once the time limit is up, the inner circle rotates clockwise and the outer, counterclockwise (or vice versa) so that everyone has a new partner for the next round of questions.
Team Effectiveness Exercise: This is an exercise to use with mature teams. Have each person answer two questions about each member of the team. Questions may include the following: “What is the person’s most important attribute for the team?” and “What is the person’s attribute that detracts from the team the most?” Start with the team leader, and have everyone read their positives about him or her. Ask the leader if there are any questions or surprises. Then, repeat the process with the negatives. Follow these directions with each member of the team. At the end, ask each person for one or two pieces of feedback they plan to work on.

For more ideas, check out the team building resources on Pinterest .

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Team Building Questions: 150 Purposeful Examples to Boost Group Dynamics

By Status.net Editorial Team on January 12, 2024 — 15 minutes to read

Types of Team-Building Questions Part 1
Designing Effective Team-Building Questions Part 2
150 Examples of Purposeful Team-Building Questions Part 3
Evaluating the Impact of Team-Building Questions Part 4

The strength of a team lies not just in the collective skills of its members, but in the depth of the connections they share and the trust they build together. Team-building questions can help create stronger connections within your team and foster a collaborative work environment.

This article provides a comprehensive list of thoughtfully crafted questions that aim to open channels of communication, encourage mutual understanding, and unlock the potential of every team member. The questions are structured to inspire reflection, provoke discussion, and promote a sense of belonging and purpose.

Part 1 Types of Team-Building Questions

Ice breakers.

Ice breakers are essential for easing people into conversations, especially when team members have not interacted much before. Here are some examples:

What’s your favorite hobby outside of work?
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
What’s the last movie or show you watched and enjoyed?

Related: Smart Icebreaker Questions for Work

Problem-Solving Exercises

To improve your team’s decision-making abilities and creative thinking, introduce problem-solving exercises. These questions can help stimulate brainstorming sessions and collaboration:

How would you improve our current project management process?
What is a challenge you faced recently, and how did you overcome it?
Can you suggest a new solution to an existing problem we have been facing?

Trust-Building Activities

Trust is an essential component of any successful team. Use these questions to facilitate trust-building exercises:

Share a time when you had to rely on a team member for support.
What strengths do you believe your teammates bring to the table?
If you were to choose a teammate to complete a challenging task, who would it be and why?

Related: How to Build Trust in the Workplace [18 Effective Solutions]

Feedback and Reflection Prompts

Regular feedback and reflection are crucial for the growth and development of your team. You can encourage open discussions with these questions:

How can we improve on our latest project or process?
What did you learn from the latest team collaboration?
What is one aspect of the team dynamic that you think works well, and one that requires improvement?

Communication Enhancers

Strong communication is key to successful team collaboration. Implement communication-enhancing exercises to help improve understanding and rapport among team members:

Describe a complex concept in simple words.
Summarize a recent project or meeting in five main points.
Role-play a scenario where you need to communicate complex instructions to a team member.

Part 2 Designing Effective Team-Building Questions

When designing team-building questions, consider the purpose behind them. You want to foster stronger relationships, increase communication, and promote a collaborative atmosphere within your team. Keep your questions open-ended to encourage deeper conversation and make sure they are relevant to your team members’ experiences.

Know your objectives : Identify the specific goals you want to achieve through your team-building activity. These may include establishing trust, improving problem-solving skills, or identifying individual strengths and weaknesses.
Keep the questions balanced : Strive for a mix of light-hearted, personal, professional, and thought-provoking questions. This allows your team members to engage in a variety of conversations and ensures that everyone feels comfortable participating.
Avoid controversial or sensitive topics : Steer clear of topics that could potentially create conflict or make team members uncomfortable. Focus on questions that bring people together rather than pushing them apart.
Tailor the questions to your team : Consider the unique dynamics within your group, such as different cultural backgrounds, age groups, and professional experiences. Use your understanding of team members to craft questions that resonate with them and help them connect with one another.

Part 3 150 Examples of Purposeful Team-Building Questions

1. What’s one skill you’d like to develop that would help you in your current role?
2. Can you share a recent success story from your work or personal life?
3. What motivates you to come to work every day?
4. How do you prefer to receive feedback?
5. What’s one personal goal you’re working towards right now?
6. What’s your favorite way to unwind after a busy week?
7. Can you tell us about a time you overcame a significant challenge?
8. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
9. How do you manage stress in high-pressure situations?
10. What’s one thing you’d like the team to know about you that we might not already know?
11. What’s your favorite team-building activity, and why?
12. How do you define success for yourself, both personally and professionally?
13. What’s a work-related skill you’d like to learn or improve?
14. What are your thoughts on work-life balance, and how do you achieve it?
15. Can you share an example of a great team you’ve been part of in the past?
16. What’s one thing you believe every team should do to work effectively?
17. How do you contribute to creating a positive team environment?
18. What’s your approach to handling disagreements within a team?
19. What’s your favorite project you’ve ever worked on, and why?
20. How do you prioritize tasks when everything seems urgent?
21. What’s a hobby or activity you enjoy that might surprise us?
22. How do you like to be recognized for your work?
23. What’s an area of your work you’re particularly passionate about?
24. Can you share a book or podcast that has influenced your professional life?
25. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?
26. How do you approach learning something new?
27. What’s your strategy for staying organized?
28. Can you describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change at work?
29. What’s your favorite aspect of our company culture?
30. How do you feel your role contributes to the team’s success?
31. What’s one piece of technology that helps you be more productive?
32. Can you share a time when you helped a team member succeed?
33. What’s your approach to work-life integration, especially with remote work?
34. How do you think our team can improve collaboration?
35. What’s one thing you’d like to change about our team meetings?
36. How do you approach setting goals for yourself?
37. What’s something new you’ve learned in the past month?
38. What’s the most valuable feedback you’ve received from a team member?
39. How do you think we can foster creativity within our team?
40. What’s your approach to conflict resolution?
41. How do you like to celebrate team achievements?
42. What’s one thing that you think would improve our team’s communication?
43. Can you share an experience where teamwork led to great results?
44. How do you approach mentorship, either as a mentor or a mentee?
45. What’s your favorite part about working in a team environment?
46. How do you think our team can better support one another?
47. What’s one professional skill you admire in someone on the team?
48. How do you stay motivated when working on long-term projects?
49. What’s one change you’ve seen in the team that you’re excited about?
50. How do you think we can make our team meetings more engaging and productive?
51. What’s one thing you’d like to learn from someone else on the team?
52. Can you tell us about a time when you had to take the lead on a project?
53. How do you approach giving constructive criticism to a team member?
54. What’s your favorite team success story?
55. How do you think diversity within our team strengthens our work?
56. What’s one way you stay focused when there are many distractions?
57. How do you approach work when you’re not feeling particularly motivated?
58. What’s your strategy for making decisions in a group setting?
59. Can you share a personal achievement that has significantly impacted you?
60. How do you think we can better utilize each team member’s strengths?
61. What’s one thing you think our team should celebrate more often?
62. How do you approach balancing teamwork with individual responsibility?
63. What’s one new initiative you’d like to see our team undertake?
64. How do you feel about taking risks in work?
65. What’s your favorite memory with this team?
66. How do you approach maintaining professional relationships in a remote work environment?
67. What’s one thing you’d like to improve about our team’s workflow?
68. Can you share a time when you received exceptional support from a team member?
69. What’s one area of your work you’re looking to improve, and how can the team help?
70. How do you approach setting personal boundaries at work?
71. What’s one thing that you feel would help our team collaborate more effectively with other departments?
72. How do you deal with burnout or work fatigue?
73. What’s one way you think our team can contribute to the company’s overall mission?
74. Can you share a time when a team member’s unique skill set greatly contributed to a project?
75. How do you think we can make our team more inclusive?
76. What’s a challenge you think our team is currently facing, and how can we overcome it?
77. How do you think we can measure our team’s progress effectively?
78. What’s one thing you appreciate about each person on the team?
79. How do you approach learning from mistakes, either yours or the team’s?
80. What’s one way we can make new team members feel welcome?
81. How do you think we can encourage more innovation within our team?
82. Can you share a time when you had to rely on the team to succeed?
83. What’s one way you think we could improve our team’s problem-solving process?
84. How do you approach maintaining a positive attitude during challenging times?
85. What’s one thing you’ve done that has significantly improved team dynamics?
86. How do you think we can make our workspace (physical or virtual) more conducive to productivity?
87. What’s one personal value that you bring to your work?
88. Can you share a time when a team project didn’t go as planned, and what you learned from it?
89. How do you think we can better align our team goals with the company’s strategic objectives?
90. What’s one way we can better support each other’s professional development?
91. How do you think we can enhance transparency within the team?
92. What’s one thing you would do to improve our team’s customer/client service?
93. Can you share how you’ve adapted to changes within the team or company?
94. What’s one thing you think we should do to start our team meetings on a high note?
95. How do you balance being assertive with being collaborative in a team setting?
96. What’s one way you think we can reduce misunderstandings within the team?
97. Can you share a time when you felt proud to be part of this team?
98. How do you think we can make our team’s communication more effective, both internally and externally?
99. What’s one thing you think would make our team more agile and adaptable?
100. How do you think we can celebrate individual contributions without creating competition within the team?
101. What’s one professional challenge you’re currently facing, and how can the team support you?
102. How do you approach maintaining a work-life balance with the increasing demands of our industry?
103. What’s one innovative idea you have that could improve our team’s workflow?
104. Can you share a personal passion that influences your work ethic?
105. How do you think we can enhance our team’s resilience to industry shifts?
106. What’s one way we can encourage more open and honest communication within the team?
107. How do you approach maintaining enthusiasm for repetitive tasks?
108. What’s one thing you’d like to achieve as a team in the next year?
109. How do you stay updated with industry trends and apply them to your work?
110. What’s one way we can make our team’s virtual meetings more interactive and engaging?
111. Can you share a time when you had to juggle multiple priorities and how you managed it?
112. How do you think we can better integrate work and personal development opportunities?
113. What’s one thing you’d like to change about the team’s approach to project management?
114. Can you share a positive impact our team has had on the community or within the company?
115. How do you think we can improve our response to customer/client feedback as a team?
116. What’s one thing you admire about our team culture, and how can we strengthen it?
117. How do you approach staying motivated when faced with routine tasks?
118. What’s one thing you believe would help our team respond better to unexpected challenges?
119. How do you think we can foster a sense of ownership and accountability within the team?
120. Can you share a time when cross-functional collaboration led to a great outcome for the team?
121. What’s one way we can make our team’s success more visible within the company?
122. How do you think we can encourage each other to take on leadership roles or initiatives?
123. What’s one thing you think would help our team manage time more effectively?
124. Can you share how a past failure led to growth or learning for the team?
125. How do you approach incorporating feedback from team members into your work?
126. What’s one way we can encourage continuous learning and improvement within the team?
127. How do you think we can balance team cohesion with the need for individual creativity?
128. Can you share a time when you felt particularly supported by the team during a difficult project?
129. What’s one thing you think would help our team stay ahead of the curve in our industry?
130. How do you approach building trust with new team members?
131. What’s one way we can improve the onboarding process for new team members?
132. Can you share how you’ve contributed to a positive change within the team or company?
133. How do you think we can implement a system that encourages and tracks individual contributions to the team’s goals without creating unnecessary competition?
134. How do you think we can create a more empowering environment for team members?
135. What’s one way we can streamline our communication to avoid information overload?
136. Can you share a time when you had to advocate for the team’s interests?
137. What’s one thing you think would help our team maintain high energy levels during crunch times?
138. How do you approach setting personal and professional boundaries to avoid burnout?
139. What’s one way we can encourage risk-taking and innovation within the team?
140. Can you share how you’ve seen personal growth from working within this team?
141. What’s one thing you think would help our team better connect with our target audience or customers?
142. How do you think we can make our team meetings more outcome-oriented?
143. What’s one way we can better leverage each other’s expertise in our daily work?
144. Can you share a time when the team’s diversity led to a better solution or outcome?
145. What’s one thing you think would help our team stay more organized and efficient?
146. How do you approach balancing detail-oriented tasks with big-picture thinking?
147. What’s one way we can encourage more proactive problem-solving within the team?
148. Can you share how a change in perspective has helped you in your role?
149. What’s one thing you think would help our team better navigate interdepartmental challenges?
150. What’s one thing you think would help our team better manage stakeholder expectations?

Part 4 Evaluating the Impact of Team-Building Questions

Evaluating the impact of team-building questions is essential to understand how well these questions improve team cohesion, productivity, and overall performance. By gauging the effectiveness of these questions, you can identify areas for improvement and make adjustments as needed.

First, pay attention to the response of your team members. Notice if they seem engaged, attentive, and interested during the team-building activities. Their body language, participation, and willingness to share their thoughts are indicators of a positive impact.
Another important aspect to consider is the feedback you receive from team members. Encourage your team to provide their insights and opinions on the effectiveness and relevance of the questions used. Did they feel comfortable answering the questions? Were the questions helpful in bringing out their thoughts, ideas, or personal experiences? Take their suggestions on board, and make necessary improvements based on this feedback.
You can also measure the impact of team-building questions by evaluating the outcome of your team’s performance. Assess whether there have been any improvements in productivity, collaboration, and overall job satisfaction. For instance, if your team is now completing projects faster, with clearer communication, and with fewer miscommunications, this might be an excellent indicator of the effectiveness of your team-building questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What icebreaker questions can we use to start our team-building session on a fun note.

Icebreaker questions are an excellent way to break the monotony and help people loosen up. You can try out these questions at the start of your team-building session:

If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Share an embarrassing moment.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, which three items would you choose to have with you and why?

How can we incorporate fun activities into team building to enhance collaboration?

You can spice up team building by incorporating exciting activities that foster collaboration. Consider activities like:

Escape rooms
Improv workshops
Scavenger hunts
Outdoor adventure activities (e.g., hiking, rafting)
Partner or group cooking classes These engaging activities often require good communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

What questions could help identify individual strengths and roles within a sports team?

To better understand each team member’s unique strengths and roles, consider asking:

What do you enjoy most about your position on the team?
How do you demonstrate leadership on and off the field?
What’s your biggest achievement in sports?
What strategies or techniques do you use under pressure?
How do you contribute to team morale? These questions will help determine how each member excels and how their unique abilities contribute to the overall team dynamic.

What are effective questions to foster trust and openness in our team?

What’s one experience that made you feel proud to be on this team?
Do you feel comfortable sharing personal or work-related challenges with team members? Why or why not?
What steps can we take to improve trust among team members?
How can we be more supportive of each other?
Is there a time when you felt let down or unsupported by the team? How can we prevent that from happening again?

Can you provide examples of discussion prompts that promote leadership development during team building?

Leadership development can be encouraged through various discussion prompts, such as:

How would you handle a disagreement between team members?
Share an example of when you took the initiative or led a project.
What leadership qualities do you admire in others, and why?
How do you motivate and inspire your team?
What steps would you take to delegate tasks effectively?

In what ways can we explore team members’ motivations to create a more cohesive unit?

Understanding each team member’s motivations can contribute to a more cohesive unit. Some ways to explore them are:

Ask team members what drives them to perform their best.
Encourage team members to share their personal and professional goals.
Initiate group discussions on how the team’s objectives align with individual motivations.
Have a mentorship program where team members can explore different motivations and goals.
Identify how individual motivations contribute to the team’s overall success. These approaches allow you to tailor team-building activities that align with your team’s diverse motivations, ultimately resulting in a stronger, more cohesive unit.
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Growth Tactics

Ultimate List of 200 Team Building Questions for Work

1 1. Icebreaker Questions for Team Building
2 2. Questions for Building Trust among Team Members
3 3. Virtual Team Building Questions
4 4. Fun Team Building Questions
5 5. Creative Team-Building Questions
6 6. Personal Development Questions for Team Building
7 7. Would You Rather Questions for Team Building
8 8. Building Effective Communication through Questions
9 Conclusion

In any workplace, building a strong and cohesive team is crucial for success. One effective way to foster teamwork and connection among team members is through team building activities. And what better way to kickstart these activities than with engaging questions? In this blog post, we have compiled 200 team building questions for work that will help you break the ice, build trust, encourage communication, and create a positive team culture .

Whether you’re leading a virtual team , a small team, or a large team, these questions are tailored to suit your needs. So, let’s dive in and discover the power of team building questions in bringing your team together and achieving collective goals.

1. Icebreaker Questions for Team Building

Icebreaker questions are the perfect way to kick off team building activities and create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. They help break down barriers, encourage communication, and allow team members to get to know each other on a personal level. Here are 25 icebreaker questions that you can use to start your team building sessions:

What is your favorite hobby outside of work?

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

What is the best vacation you’ve ever been on?

What is your go-to comfort food?

If you could travel back in time, which era would you visit and why?

What is one thing on your bucket list?

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?

What is something most people don’t know about you?

What is your favorite book or movie and why?

What is your spirit animal and why?

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

What is your favorite way to relax and de-stress?

If you could learn a new skill, what would it be and why?

What is your favorite season and why?

What is something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?

If you could invite three people, dead or alive, to a dinner party, who would they be?

What is your favorite quote or motto?

What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you want to have with you?

What is a talent or skill that you have that not many people know about?

What is your favorite way to unwind after a long day?

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be and why?

What is one place you’ve always wanted to visit?

What is your favorite thing about working as part of a team?

These icebreaker questions will help your team members feel more comfortable, and open up, and create a positive and inclusive team culture . Use them at the beginning of your team building activities to set the tone for open communication and collaboration.

2. Questions for Building Trust among Team Members

Building trust is essential for creating a strong and cohesive team. These questions are designed to help team members understand each other on a deeper level, foster empathy, and create an environment of trust and support. Encourage open and honest discussion , ensuring that team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences. Here are 25 questions that can facilitate trust-building among team members:

What is a challenge you’ve faced in your career and how did you overcome it?

Can you share a time when you made a mistake and how you took responsibility for it?

What are your biggest strengths and how can they contribute to the team’s success?

How do you handle conflicts and disagreements within a team?

Can you recall a time when you had to trust someone else completely? How did it make you feel?

What are your expectations from your team members in terms of trust and reliability?

How do you build trust with someone you’ve just met?

Can you share an example of a time when your trust was broken? How did it impact you?

What do you value most in a team member?

How do you build trust with someone who has a different communication style than you?

Can you share an experience when you had to trust your intuition or gut feeling?

How do you show your trust in your team members?

Can you describe a situation where you had to admit a mistake and how it affected your relationship with your team?

How do you ensure that everyone on your team feels heard and valued?

Can you share a time when you had to trust someone’s expertise even if it was out of your comfort zone?

How do you rebuild trust in a team after it has been strained?

Can you give an example of a time when you had to trust a team member’s decision-making abilities?

How do you establish trust with team members who have different cultural backgrounds?

Can you recall a situation when someone’s trust in you made a significant impact on your performance?

How do you handle confidential information within a team to ensure trust is upheld?

Can you share an experience where you had to trust a team member’s commitment despite their past mistakes?

How do you establish trust when working in a virtual or remote team?

Can you describe a situation when honesty was crucial in building trust with your team?

How do you ensure transparent communication to maintain trust in a team?

Can you recall a time when you had to trust a team member’s ability to meet a deadline? How did it turn out?

Use these trust-building questions to deepen connections, establish a culture of honesty and reliability, and foster a strong sense of trust within your team. Building trust takes time, but it’s an essential foundation for a high-performing team.

3. Virtual Team Building Questions

Virtual team building is crucial for creating a sense of camaraderie and connection among remote team members. These questions are designed to facilitate engagement, foster virtual teamwork, and encourage team members to bond despite physical distance. Use them in virtual team building activities to promote collaboration and strengthen relationships. Here are 25 virtual team building questions:

What is your favorite thing about working in a virtual team?

How do you stay motivated while working remotely?

What is one creative way you’ve found to stay connected with your team members?

What is your go-to online collaboration tool or platform?

How do you overcome feelings of isolation in a virtual work environment?

How do you maintain work-life balance while working from home?

What is your favorite virtual team building activity or game?

How do you ensure effective communication while working remotely?

What strategies do you use to build trust among virtual team members?

How do you celebrate team accomplishments and milestones in a virtual setting?

What is your best tip for managing time effectively while working remotely?

How do you handle technical challenges or internet connectivity issues during virtual meetings?

What opportunities do you see for personal growth and development in a virtual team?

How do you foster a sense of belonging and inclusion in a virtual work environment?

What is one skill you’ve developed since working in a virtual team?

How do you maintain team morale in a virtual setting?

What is your favorite virtual team building icebreaker or warm-up activity?

How do you ensure active participation and engagement during virtual meetings?

What has been the most challenging aspect of working in a virtual team?

How do you build relationships and network with colleagues in a virtual environment?

What strategies do you use to manage distractions while working remotely?

How do you maintain focus and productivity in a virtual work environment?

What is one lesson you’ve learned from working in a virtual team?

How do you establish boundaries between work and personal life when working from home?

What are your top three tips for successful virtual team collaboration?

These virtual team building questions are designed to promote communication, engagement, and relationship-building among remote team members. Use them to create meaningful connections and a positive team culture, even when physically separated.

4. Fun Team Building Questions

Team building activities can be made more enjoyable and engaging by incorporating fun and lighthearted questions. These questions aim to create a positive and energetic atmosphere, allowing team members to bond and have a good time together. Use them in team outings, social events, or even as icebreakers during meetings. Here are 25 fun team building questions:

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three items would you want to have with you?

What was your favorite childhood game or activity?

If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go and why?

What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you at work?

What is your all-time favorite movie quote?

If you could have dinner with any famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

What is your go-to dance move?

If you were a character in a book or movie, who would you be and why?

What is the most interesting or unique skill you possess?

If you could have a fictional pet, what would it be?

What is your favorite joke or funny story?

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

What is your favorite way to unwind and de-stress?

If you could time travel, which era would you visit and why?

What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

If you could have any talent, what would you choose to have?

What is your favorite board game or card game?

If you could be a character in a video game, who would you be and why?

What is the silliest fear you have?

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would you choose?

What is the most memorable vacation you’ve ever taken?

If you could magically acquire a new skill overnight, what would you choose?

What is your favorite funny or viral YouTube video?

These fun team building questions are designed to bring laughter, light-heartedness, and camaraderie to your team. Incorporate them into your team building activities to create a positive and enjoyable atmosphere where team members can relax, bond, and have fun together.

5. Creative Team-Building Questions

Fostering creativity within a team can lead to innovation, problem-solving, and a more dynamic work environment . These creative team-building questions are designed to inspire imagination, spark new ideas, and encourage out-of-the-box thinking among team members. Use them in brainstorming sessions, team meetings , or as icebreakers to promote collaboration and boost creativity. Here are 25 creative team-building questions:

If you could create a brand new product or service, what would it be and why?

What is the most creative solution you’ve come up with to solve a problem?

If you had unlimited resources, what project would you start and why?

What is one innovative idea or concept that you think could revolutionize our industry?

If you could redesign our workspace, how would you make it more creative and inspiring?

What is one skill or talent you would like to develop to enhance your creativity?

If you could collaborate with any artist or creative professional, who would it be and why?

What is one small change we could make to improve our team’s creative output?

If our team had a theme song, what would it be and why?

What is the most unusual or unconventional idea you’ve ever had?

If you could travel back in time to meet a famous artist or inventor, who would you choose and why?

What is one creative project or hobby you enjoy outside of work?

If you were to write a book or create a movie, what would the storyline be?

What is one creative exercise or activity that always sparks your imagination?

If you could take a class or workshop to learn a new creative skill, what would it be?

What is one way we could infuse more creativity into our team meetings or presentations?

If you could have a personal mentor who is a creative genius, who would it be and why?

What is your favorite creative medium or form of artistic expression?

If you had a magic wand, what problem would you solve with it?

What is the most inspiring piece of art or design you’ve ever encountered?

If you could have a dream collaboration with any company or organization, who would it be and why?

What is one daring idea that you’ve been hesitant to share, but think could be game-changing?

If you could choose any fictional character to join our team, who would it be and why?

What is one unconventional approach you’ve taken in the past that yielded surprising results?

If you were to create a workshop or training session on creativity, what would be the key takeaways?

Use these creative team-building questions to unlock hidden talents, inspire innovative thinking, and create a culture of creativity within your team. Encourage open-mindedness and exploration of new ideas to foster a more dynamic and imaginative work environment.

6. Personal Development Questions for Team Building

Team building is not only about fostering collaboration and camaraderie but also about personal growth and development. These personal development questions aim to deepen self-awareness, encourage reflection, and promote growth among team members.

Use them in one-on-one sessions, team-building workshops, or as conversation starters during team meetings. These questions can help individuals gain insights about themselves, set goals, and support each other’s personal development journeys. Here are 25 personal development questions for team building:

What is one skill or ability you would like to improve or develop further?

What is your biggest professional achievement to date and what did you learn from it?

How do you handle and overcome challenges or setbacks at work?

What motivates you to perform at your best?

What is one personal goal you would like to achieve in the next year?

How do you manage your work-life balance?

What is your preferred learning style and how do you apply it in your work?

What are the top three values that guide your decision-making process?

How do you handle work-related stress or pressure?

What is one area of personal or professional growth that you have been working on recently?

What strategies do you use to stay focused and productive?

How do you actively seek feedback and incorporate it into your development?

What steps do you take to continuously improve your skills and knowledge?

What is one book or resource that has had a significant impact on your personal or professional life?

How do you foster a positive and growth-oriented mindset?

What is one area where you feel you could benefit from additional support or training?

How do you approach teamwork and collaboration in order to achieve collective goals?

What is your definition of success and how do you measure it?

How do you manage and prioritize your time and tasks?

What steps do you take to adapt and embrace change in the workplace?

How do you nurture your creativity and seek inspiration?

What is one limiting belief or self-doubt that you would like to overcome?

How do you celebrate and acknowledge your accomplishments?

What are your career aspirations and how do you plan to achieve them?

How do you actively seek opportunities for personal and professional development?

These personal development questions for team building can help team members gain insights into their own growth areas and support each other’s progress. Encourage open and honest conversations to foster a supportive and collaborative culture of personal development within the team.

7. Would You Rather Questions for Team Building

Engaging in playful and thought-provoking activities can not only foster camaraderie but also encourage teamwork and decision-making skills within a team. “Would You Rather” questions are a fun way to get team members to make choices, share their preferences, and engage in lighthearted discussions.

Use these questions as icebreakers, team-building exercises, or energizers during meetings to promote interaction and create a positive and enjoyable team environment. Here are 25 “Would You Rather” questions for team building:

Would you rather have a month of Fridays or a year of Sundays?

Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?

Would you rather have the ability to read minds or control time?

Would you rather always be overly early or chronically late?

Would you rather be able to speak all languages fluently or play any musical instrument?

Would you rather have the power to teleport or the ability to speak with animals?

Would you rather live in the mountains or by the beach?

Would you rather have a photographic memory or the ability to forget anything you choose?

Would you rather have a famous singing voice or be a brilliant dancer?

Would you rather be an expert in art or science?

Would you rather have the power of super strength or telekinesis?

Would you rather live in a world without technology or a world without books?

Would you rather have the power to control the weather or have the ability to heal any illness?

Would you rather always have to wear a costume or always have to wear formal attire?

Would you rather have the power of super speed or the power of invisibility?

Would you rather have a personal chef or a personal chauffeur?

Would you rather travel to the past or the future?

Would you rather be able to speak to animals or speak all human languages fluently?

Would you rather have the ability to teleport or be able to time-travel?

Would you rather have the ability to breathe underwater or have the power to fly?

Would you rather have an unlimited supply of money or an unlimited supply of free time?

Would you rather have the ability to speak to the dead or see into the future?

Would you rather always have to sing or always have to dance in public?

Would you rather have the power to control minds or control the elements?

Would you rather be able to go back in time and fix your biggest regret or see into the future and know what will happen?

These “Would You Rather” questions can help team members engage in light-hearted discussions, build rapport, and encourage decision-making skills. Enjoy the playful and fun atmosphere while also fostering teamwork and collaboration.

8. Building Effective Communication through Questions

Effective communication is a cornerstone of successful teamwork, and asking the right questions is key to fostering clear, meaningful, and open dialogue among team members. By encouraging thoughtful and reflective conversations, these questions can help build trust, understanding, and effective collaboration.

Use them during team meetings, brainstorming sessions, or one-on-one interactions to promote active listening, problem-solving, and empathy. By engaging in these communication-building questions, team members can enhance their communication skills and contribute to a more harmonious and productive work environment. Here are 25 questions for building effective communication:

What do you need from me or others to feel supported and encouraged in your work?

How can we improve our team’s communication and collaboration?

What obstacles or challenges do you encounter when trying to communicate your ideas effectively?

What communication style do you prefer, and how can we adapt to accommodate different styles within the team?

Can you share an example of a time when effective communication led to a positive outcome for a project or team?

How do you ensure that everyone on the team feels heard and valued during discussions?

How can we encourage more open and honest communication within the team?

Are there any communication norms or practices that you feel should be established or improved upon within our team?

What strategies do you use to ensure that your messages are clear and easily understood by others?

How do you handle disagreements or conflicts within the team to maintain effective communication and working relationships?

Can you share a time when miscommunication caused challenges or misunderstandings within the team?

How do you gather feedback from others to ensure that your communication is effective?

How can we create a safe and inclusive environment for team members to share their ideas and concerns openly?

Are there any communication barriers or patterns that you have observed within our team, and how can we address them?

How do you adapt your communication approach when working with different personality types or backgrounds?

Can you provide an example of a situation where active listening played a crucial role in achieving a successful outcome?

How can we use technology or tools effectively to enhance our team’s communication and collaboration?

What strategies do you use to ensure that important information is effectively conveyed to all team members?

How can we balance the need for concise communication with the need for providing sufficient context and clarity?

Can you share a time when asking the right questions led to a breakthrough or innovative solution?

How do you handle giving and receiving constructive feedback within the team?

What role does empathy play in effective communication, and how can we foster empathy within our team?

Can you provide an example of a time when miscommunication led to a negative outcome, and what was learned from that experience?

How can we encourage active participation and engagement from all team members during meetings and discussions?

What strategies do you use to ensure that important information is not lost or distorted when communicating across different channels or mediums?

These communication-building questions can help team members enhance their communication skills, build stronger relationships, and create a more productive and cohesive team environment. By promoting effective communication, teams can overcome challenges, achieve shared goals, and foster a culture of collaboration and mutual support.

By utilizing these question-based activities and exercises, team leaders can help their teams develop essential skills that fuel productivity, innovation, and mutual support. Effective communication plays a crucial role in building trust, understanding, and cohesive teamwork.

Remember, effective communication is a two-way street. It requires active listening, empathy, and a willingness to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives. By fostering an environment where team members feel encouraged to ask questions, share ideas, and provide feedback, leaders can create a culture of open communication and continuous improvement.

In conclusion, the power of questions cannot be underestimated when it comes to team building and effective communication. By incorporating these question-based activities into team meetings, workshops, and daily interactions, leaders can cultivate a strong sense of unity, collaboration, and shared purpose within their teams. So, start asking the right questions today, and watch your team’s communication flourish!

Work Wizardry

190 powerful team building questions for work to boost productivity & profits.

Afia Yaseen

Updated on: May 1, 2024

Early in my career, I dreaded team meetings. The awkward silences were excruciating! Then, I discovered the power of Team Building Questions for Work…

Team building is the cornerstone of a successful and harmonious workplace, where collaboration, communication, and camaraderie are essential for achieving common goals. One powerful way to strengthen teams and foster a positive work environment is through engaging team building questions for work.

In this blog post, I delve into the world of team building questions for work, exploring a variety of categories designed to spark conversations, promote understanding, and enhance teamwork .

Research has shown that team building questions can have a significant impact on various aspects of workplace dynamics. A study found that the use of icebreaker questions during team meetings led to increased trust, improved communication, and enhanced problem-solving abilities among team members.

Another study published in the Harvard Business Review highlights the power of vulnerability in team building. The study suggests that creating a safe space for team members to share personal stories and experiences can lead to increased trust, empathy, and ultimately, stronger team bonds.

Intrigued? The secret lies in powerful team building questions. These questions can unlock a treasure trove of benefits:

Stronger Connections
Creative Problem-solving
A Happier & more Motivated Team

In this comprehensive blog post, we will explore a diverse range of team building questions for work that can help organizations unlock the full potential of their teams , enhance collaboration , and create a more engaging and productive work environment .

5. How will I know if team building questions are effective?

Team building questions for work.

We’ll explore different types of team building questions for work that you can use to achieve various goals. From breaking the ice and fostering connections to sparking creativity and problem-solving skills. With the right questions, you can create a fun and engaging environment that paves the way for a more successful and collaborative team.

Fun Team Building Questions for Work

What they can DO?

Sometimes team building can feel forced and…well, boring. But it doesn’t have to be that way! A little lighthearted fun can go a long way in breaking the ice, boosting morale, and fostering a more creative and collaborative work environment.

Here’s the science behind the silliness: laughter is a powerful tool. It reduces stress, builds trust, and strengthens bonds. When team members connect on a personal level, they’re more likely to communicate openly, work together effectively, and achieve incredible things .

Now, let’s get to the good stuff! Here are some unique team building questions for work

to get your team giggling and building connections:

You’re stuck in an elevator with a celebrity for an hour. Who is it and what do you talk about?
What’s the most embarrassing work email you’ve accidentally sent?

( Note : Keep it anonymous for maximum amusement!)

What’s the ringtone on your phone that best describes your work personality?
Would you rather have an office pet that can talk but constantly gossip, or a pet that can fly but leaves a trail of destruction?
If your co-worker was a movie character, who would they be and why?
What’s the weirdest talent you (or someone you know) has?
Imagine you have a superpower that makes everything you touch turn into your favorite food. What is it, and how does this affect your workday?
You’re given an unlimited budget to redesign the break room. What wacky features does it have?
If your desk could talk, what embarrassing work secret would it reveal?
You’re shrunk to the size of a paperclip and have to navigate your workspace. What are the biggest challenges you face?
You win a free team outing! Describe the most outlandishly fun activity you could do together.
What’s the weirdest food combination you enjoy?
If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future?
Share a hilarious work-related anecdote that still makes you chuckle.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you bring?
What’s the funniest joke you’ve heard recently?

Benefits Beyond the Giggles:

Break the ice
Encourage laughter
Build a positive atmosphere
Strengthen relationships

The Takeaway:

Incorporating these fun team-building questions into your workplace activities isn’t just a distraction – it’s an investment in your team’s success. By fostering a sense of camaraderie, boosting morale, and strengthening relationships, you’re laying the foundation for a truly exceptional team.

Get to know you Team Building Questions for the Workplace

What They Can Do

Building a strong team goes beyond technical skills and project deadlines. It’s about creating a sense of connection and fostering a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and comfortable contributing. Here’s where “Get to Know You” team-building questions come in.

What’s the most interesting thing on your desk and why?
What’s your dream vacation spot and why?
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
What’s a cause you’re passionate about?
What’s your favorite way to unwind after work?
If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
What’s your favorite book/movie/podcast and why?
What’s the most interesting fact you know?
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
What’s your biggest professional dream?
What’s a skill you’d like to learn and why?
What’s your favorite board game and why?
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
What’s your favorite thing about working here?
If you could have lunch with any historical figure, who would it be and why?

These questions go beyond the typical “what’s your name?” introductions. They encourage team members to share personal interests, backgrounds, and experiences. This fosters a sense of camaraderie, strengthens relationships, and ultimately leads to:

Improved Communication
Enhanced Collaboration
Increased Productivity

Investing time in “Get to Know You” team building is an investment in your company’s success. By fostering a sense of connection and mutual understanding, you create a team that’s not only skilled but also supportive, collaborative, and ready to achieve remarkable things together.

Don’t forget to read this article: Top 17 Unique Workplace Team Building Exercises: Ready, Set & Teambuild!

Very Funny Team Building Questions for Work Colleagues

What They Can Do:

Incorporating humor and playfulness into team building activities can be an excellent way to boost morale, encourage creativity, and foster a sense of camaraderie among colleagues.

Plus, a healthy dose of hilarious team building can do wonders for your workplace.

These questions are designed to be light-hearted and humorous, encouraging team members to share their funny stories and experiences. By incorporating these questions into your team building activities, you can create a relaxed and playful atmosphere that fosters creativity, collaboration, and camaraderie among your colleagues.

Here are some very funny team building questions that can help you achieve these goals:

If your desk chair could talk, what embarrassing work secret would it reveal?
What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever lied about?
If you were a pizza topping, what would you be and why?
If your job had a warning label, what would it say?
What’s the most embarrassing thing your computer has autocorrected in a work email?
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you while working?

Let’s get weird & funnier!

If your boss’s personality was a type of cheese, what cheese would it be and why?
Why did the spreadsheet go to therapy?
What do you call a parade of rabbits hopping backwards?
Why did the computer go to the doctor?
Why don’t scientists trust atoms anymore?
Why did the computer screen go to therapy?
Why did the bicycle fall over?
What do you call a fish with a bad memory?
Why did the banana go to the doctor?
Why was the maths book sad?
Boost Morale
Enhance Communication
Strengthen Team Bonding
Promote Creativity
Improve Engagement

The Takeaway :

The takeaway from integrating very funny team building questions is the cultivation of a workplace culture that values laughter, creativity, and strong relationships. Through these light-hearted interactions, You can boost morale, enhance communication, strengthen team bonding, promote creativity, and improve overall engagement among the team members.

Deep Ice Breaker Questions for Work Team Building

Team building often focuses on lighthearted fun or basic introductions. But what if you could go beyond the surface level and forge truly meaningful connections within your team? Deep Icebreaker questions are your key. These questions delve into personal values, motivations, and aspirations, fostering a sense of trust, vulnerability, and shared humanity.

Questions:

What is a lesson you learned from a challenging experience that has shaped who you are today?
If you could have a conversation with your younger self, what advice would you give?
How do you handle failure or setbacks in your professional life?
How do you approach conflict resolution in a team setting?
What inspires you to stay motivated and engaged at work?
What is a project or task that challenges you to step out of your comfort zone?
How do you contribute to creating a positive and inclusive work environment?
Who is your biggest role model and why?
What does being part of a successful team mean to you?
What skills or knowledge would you like to share with your team?

Bonus Questions (for a truly safe space):

What’s a time you felt misunderstood at work?
Have you ever faced a personal or professional setback? How did you overcome it?
What can we, as a team, do to better support each other?
Stronger Bonds
Increased Trust

You Might Love: Top 18 Unconventional Team Building Activities For Work To Energize Your Team And Boost Productivity

Would You Rather Questions for Work Team Building

Sometimes, team building can feel like a one-way street of information or forced interactions. But what if you could inject a dose of fun while still fostering connections and revealing interesting personalities? Enter the “Would You Rather” questions! These playful scenarios spark lively discussions, encourage critical thinking, and offer a lighthearted window into your colleagues’ preferences and values.

Would you rather work in the office or remotely?
Would you rather lead a team or be part of one?
Would you rather have a job with a high salary and long hours or a lower salary and more free time?
Would you rather climb a career ladder or make your own path?
Would you rather speak at a conference or be part of the audience?
Would you rather have the ability to read minds or control the weather?
Would you rather give a presentation in front of your entire company or be stuck in an elevator with your boss for an hour?
Would you rather have a job that is super challenging but very rewarding or a job that is easy but boring?
Would you rather have invisibility or the ability to teleport anywhere in the world?
Would you rather have a job with a lot of travel or a job that allows you to work from home permanently?
Would you rather have a bigger salary or the chance of higher bonuses?
Would you rather lead a startup or be the CEO of an established company?
Would you rather have a dress code or wear whatever you like?
Would you rather have your dream job or your dream home?
Would you rather prioritize short-term or long-term goals?

Bonus Round: Customize It!

Take the fun a step further by creating “Would You Rather” scenarios specific to your industry or company culture.

Enhanced Team Bonding
Breaking the Ice
Positive Work Environment
Encouraging Communication
Uncovering Personalities

“Would You Rather” questions are a simple yet powerful tool for building a more engaging and connected team. By sparking lighthearted discussions and revealing hidden personalities, you foster a more positive and collaborative work environment. So, gather your team, throw out some scenarios, and prepare to be surprised by the insightful and hilarious insights you’ll uncover!

This or That Work Questions for Team Building

Looking for a quick and easy way to get your team talking and interacting? “This or That” questions are your secret weapon. These rapid-fire choices encourage lighthearted competition, reveal hidden preferences, and create a fun, casual atmosphere for team building.

This or That: Emails or meetings?
This or That: Early bird or night owl?
This or That: Coffee or tea?
This or That: Deadlines or flexibility?
This or That: Team player or independent worker?
This or That: Open office or private workspace?
This or That: In-person meetings or video conferences?
This or That: Planning every detail or going with the flow?
This or That: Learning a new skill or mastering an existing one?
This or That: Working from home or working in the office?
This or That: Team-building activities or individual goals?
This or That: Public recognition or private appreciation?
This or That: Beach vacation or mountain retreat?
This or That: Creative freedom or structured process?
This or That: Public speaking or written communication?
This or That: Work-life balance or career advancement?
This or That: Fast-paced environment or relaxed atmosphere?
This or That: Technology integration or traditional methods?
This or That: Feedback and criticism or positive reinforcement?
This or That: Long-term goals or short-term achievements?
This or That: Leadership role or supporting role?
This or That: Creative expression or analytical thinking?
This or That: Work-life integration or clear boundaries?
This or That: Continuous learning or established expertise?

Bonus Round:

Industry Specific: Craft “This or That” questions related to your specific industry or company culture.
Thematic Twists: Choose a theme for your questions, like “Productivity Powerhouses” (multitasking vs. focused work periods) or “Office Essentials” (pen and paper vs. digital tools).
Easy Icebreaker
Quick Connections
Fun & Energizing

“This or That” questions may be simple, but their impact on team building is undeniable. By creating a fun and engaging atmosphere, you encourage interaction, spark connections, and ultimately build a stronger, more cohesive team. So, don’t underestimate the power of a quick “This or That” session to boost team spirit and get the conversation flowing!

Suggested Reading: Top 21 Distinctive Team Building Games For Work: The Ultimate Guide For Workplay

Never Have I ever Questions for Work Team Building

Team building can sometimes feel superficial, focusing on forced interactions that don’t reveal much about your colleagues. But what if you could use a simple game to uncover hidden experiences, surprising talents, and shared moments of (work-appropriate) awkwardness? Enter “Never Have I Ever” questions for work team building!

Never have I ever accidentally replied to all on an email I shouldn’t have.
Never have I ever stayed up all night working to meet a deadline.
Never have I ever presented an idea and then completely forgotten the details.
Never have I ever fallen asleep during a conference call (and gotten away with it!).
Never have I ever used a funny meme to lighten the mood in a serious email chain.
Never have I ever pretended not to see an error message on the printer because I didn’t feel like fixing it.
Never have I ever told a white lie about my workload to avoid taking on more work.
Never have I ever celebrated a successful project with an impromptu dance party in the office.
Never have I ever tried a food that most people find strange.
Never have I ever traveled to a country where I don’t speak the language.
Never have I ever completely misread a social situation.
Never have I ever stayed awake all night reading a book I couldn’t put down.
Never have I ever gotten lost in a museum for hours.
Never have I ever had a meeting run overtime.
Never have I ever taken on tasks that were not in my job description.
Never have I ever applied for a job I knew I was unqualified for.
Never have I ever participated in a strike or walkout.
Never have I ever been caught gossiping about a coworker.
Never have I ever had a job that required me to travel frequently.
Never have I ever felt like I was the smartest person in the room.
Never have I ever accidentally used the ‘Reply All’ function in an email.
Never have I ever completed a task at the last possible minute.
Never have I ever secretly applied for another job while still employed.
Never have I ever worked through the night to meet a deadline.
Never have I ever helped a colleague with a personal problem.
Never have I ever organized a surprise party for a coworker.
Never have I ever been part of a successful project from start to finish.
Never have I ever had a disagreement with a manager.
Never have I ever ghosted a group chat and responded way too late with a gif.
Never have I ever started several books and not finished a single one.
Breaking Down Barriers
Promotes Understanding
Builds Trust
Building Connections
Discovering Hidden Gems

“Never Have I Ever” questions for work team building are a simple yet powerful tool for building stronger connections. By encouraging vulnerability and revealing unexpected details, you create a more positive, collaborative, and human work environment. So, gather your team, get ready to share a few laughs (and maybe some embarrassing stories!), and watch your team spirit soar!

Holiday Questions for Team Building at Work

The holiday season is a time for joy, connection, and (of course) a little fun at work. But beyond the office parties and festive decorations, it’s also a perfect opportunity to strengthen team bonds through some fun and festive team-building activities. Here’s where Holiday Questions for Work Team Building come in!

What’s your favorite holiday memory from childhood?
What’s the weirdest or most wonderful holiday tradition your family has?
What’s your dream holiday vacation spot and why?
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
What’s the one thing you look forward to most during the holiday season?
What are you most excited to give (or receive) this year?
If you could have any holiday treat delivered to your desk daily, what would it be?
Would you rather build a snowman or have a snowball fight?
If you could have a movie-style “meet cute” moment with a celebrity under the mistletoe, who would it be and why?
If you could spend the holidays anywhere in the world, where would you go?
What is the most unique holiday dish you’ve ever tried?
If you could travel back in time to any holiday in history, which one would you choose?
If you could host a holiday party for your colleagues, what theme would you choose?
What is the most unusual holiday tradition you’ve encountered?
If you could have a holiday-themed pet, what would it be?
If you could be any holiday character, who would you be?

Favorite Cheezylicious Question:

If you could invent a new holiday, what would it be?
Celebrating Diversity
Boost Holiday Spirit
Spark Conversations
Break Down Barriers
Improving Engagement

Holiday Questions for Work Team Building offer a delightful way to celebrate the season and strengthen your team. These questions and activities, you create a more positive and connected work environment, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared joy during this special time of year. So, gather your team, grab some hot cocoa (or your favorite holiday beverage!), and get ready to spread some festive cheer!

Interesting Office Team Building Questions for Work Meetings

What if you could inject a dose of engagement and team spirit right into your meeting agenda? Interesting office team-building questions are your secret weapon! These thought-provoking questions spark curiosity, encourage interaction, and can even lead to unexpected breakthroughs.

Icebreaker Warm-Up (5 Minutes):

What’s the most interesting article you’ve read recently that’s not work-related? ( Broadens perspectives and sparks conversation. )
If you could have any historical figure join our team meeting for 10 minutes, who would it be and why? ( Encourages creativity and reveals interests.)
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? ( Offers valuable insights and fosters a learning environment. )

Teamwork and Problem-Solving (10 Minutes):

If our company could launch a completely new product or service, what would it be and why? ( Encourages creative brainstorming and collaboration .)
Imagine we woke up tomorrow with a random superpower relevant to our work. What would it be and how would it affect our team dynamics? ( Fun and lighthearted, but also encourages thinking about strengths and weaknesses. )
You’re stranded on a desert island with limited resources. What skill or knowledge from someone on this team would be most valuable for survival? ( Highlights individual strengths and builds appreciation .)
What is one thing you appreciate most about your team members?
If you could change one thing about our work environment, what would it be?
What is your favorite part of your daily work routine?
How do you think our company could improve the employee experience?
What is the most valuable skill you’ve learned in your current role?
If you could switch jobs with anyone in the company, whose role would you choose?
What is the most challenging part of your job, and how do you overcome it?
How do you think our team could better support each other’s professional development?
How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance while working remotely?
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a coworker?
What is the one thing you wish you had known when you first started this job?
How do you think our company culture could be improved?
If you could give our team one piece of advice, what would it be?
What is the most memorable moment you’ve had with your colleagues?
How do you think our team could better celebrate our successes and milestones?

Creative Thinking and Innovation (5 Minutes):

If you could completely redesign our office space to boost creativity and collaboration, what changes would you make? (E ncourages outside-the-box thinking and fosters a more inspiring workspace .)
Let’s imagine our industry is facing a completely new challenge. What unconventional approach could we take to overcome it? ( Promotes innovative problem-solving and challenges assumptions .)
If you could design your ideal workspace, what would it look like?
What is the most rewarding project you’ve worked on during your time here?
What is the most innovative idea you’ve had at work, and how did you implement it?
Boost Participation
Spark Creativity
Improve Problem-Solving
Improve Collaboration

Interesting office team-building questions are more than just a fun diversion. They’re a powerful tool for boosting engagement, fostering creativity, and ultimately building a more productive and innovative team.

Check Out: Your Complete Guide To Team Building Activities In The Workplace (20+ Activity Ideas)

Best Team Building Trivia Questions for Work

Team building doesn’t have to be all kumbaya moments and awkward icebreakers. Sometimes, a little healthy competition can be just what your team needs! Best Team-Building Trivia Questions for Work offer a fun and engaging way to:

Spark Friendly Competition
Test Your Team’s Knowledge
Create a Fun Atmosphere

General Knowledge:

What is the national animal of Canada? (Beaver)
What is the world’s tallest building? (Burj Khalifa)
How many keys are on a standard piano? (88)
What is the capital of France? (Paris)
What element is the main component of the sun? (Hydrogen)

Pop Culture:

What was the first social media platform ever created? (Six Degrees)
What fictional detective lives at 221B Baker Street? (Sherlock Holmes)
Who painted the Mona Lisa? (Leonardo da Vinci)
What is the highest-grossing movie of all time? (Avatar) (as of April 2024, subject to change)

Work-Related Trivia (Adapt to Your Industry):

Who is considered the “father” of modern management? (Frederick Winslow Taylor)
What does the acronym “ROI” stand for? (Return on Investment)
What is the world’s best-selling book (excluding religious texts)? (Don Quixote)
In which year was the internet invented? (Depends on definition, but generally accepted as the late 1960s)
What is the name of the world’s largest search engine? (Google)

Bonus Round:

I would like to introduce the BEST of All! Which is “History of the Office”.

Pump up the engagement with a Visual Round . Flash images of company logos, historical figures related to your industry, or even pictures of your own office (can they guess whose messy desk it is?).

Think Tank Time! Challenge your team’s collaborative spirit with a Brainstorming Bonus . Pose a question that requires them to combine their knowledge and creativity.

For example: “Your company mascot has come to life! But it’s causing chaos in the office. How do you use your unique team skills to wrangle this mascot and restore order (all while keeping it work-appropriate)? “

Best Team-Building Trivia Questions for Work are a win-win situation. They create a fun and engaging atmosphere, foster healthy competition, and even promote learning within your team.

1. Won’t team building questions for work take away from valuable work time?

While they do require some dedicated time, team-building questions can actually improve efficiency in the long run. By fostering stronger connections and communication, teams can collaborate more effectively and resolve issues faster.

2. Are these questions appropriate for remote teams?

Absolutely! Many of the questions in this post can be easily adapted for virtual settings. You can use video conferencing tools or online platforms to conduct team-building activities and discussions.

3. How often should we incorporate team building questions?

Regularly incorporating team-building questions is key. You can use them at the start of meetings, during breaks, or even as a virtual coffee break activity. Aim for short, engaging sessions a few times a week.

4. How can I choose the right questions for my team?

Consider your team’s dynamics and goals. If you’re looking to break the ice, use fun and lighthearted questions. For deeper connections, try “Deep Ice Breaker” or “Never Have I Ever” questions.

Look for signs of improved communication, collaboration, and problem-solving within your team. Pay attention to increased participation in meetings and a more positive overall team spirit.

Team building isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process. By incorporating powerful team building questions into your workplace routine, you can cultivate a strong, cohesive team that thrives on collaboration, creativity, and shared success. Remember, a little effort can go a long way in building a team that’s not only productive but also a joy to work with. So, unleash the power of team building questions for work and watch your team soar!

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45 team building games to improve communication and camaraderie

Team building games bring everyone together without the added pressure of work. Here, we’ve listed 45 of the top team building activities broken down by icebreaker, problem solving, indoor, and outdoor games.

As Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana puts it, “Creating a shared experience for teams to build relationships is one of the best ways to increase trust and encourage collaboration."

Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor activities, quick icebreaker games, or activities to bond with your remote team members, we compiled a list of over 45 team building games that you’ll actually enjoy.

How to make team building inclusive

Teams with an inclusive culture tend to be more transparent, supportive, and happy because everyone feels accepted. It’s essential to make any team activity feel productive and enjoyable for the entire group, regardless of personalities or skill sets. Whether you’re working on building an inclusive remote culture or want in-person teams to feel more comfortable together, consider the following for an inclusive team building experience:

Inclusive team building means including everyone. Depending on the type of team building activity, you may benefit from hiring an outside expert to facilitate a team building event that everyone can participate in. Plus, the activity may feel more authentic because a professional is guiding you.

If you have introverts on the team, they may not be as excited about an exercise that involves lots of social interaction and do better in small groups.

Teammates with speech, sight, or hearing impairments may feel left out during a game that involves blindfolding players and communicating without looking at each other.

Physically active games could exclude physically impaired teammates.

Before choosing one of the team building games from this list, take stock of everyone's abilities. Find an activity that everyone on your team can participate in. Maybe even send out an anonymous poll to see what kinds of activities your team would be willing to partake in. Ultimately, the best team building activity will be the one that everyone can enjoy.

Team icebreaker games

Icebreaker questions and activities are the perfect “getting to know you” games but they’re also fun to play with teammates you’ve known for a long time. You can play them to get everyone up to speed for a meeting (especially on those 8am calls) or use them to introduce new team members.

1. Two truths, one lie

Team size : 3+ people

Time : 2–3 minutes per person

How to play : Ask everyone in the group to come up with two facts about themselves and one lie. The more memorable the facts (e.g., I went skydiving in Costa Rica) and the more believable the lies (e.g., I have two dogs), the more fun the game will be! Then, ask each team member to present their three statements and have the group vote on which one they think is the lie.

Why this exercise is great : This game is perfect for groups who don’t know each other well yet. The details you share can be used as building blocks for late conversations (“What else did you do in Costa Rica?”) to give you a better idea of who you’re working with.

2. Penny for your thoughts

Team size : 5+ people

How to play : You’ll need a box full of pennies (or other coins) with years only as old as your youngest team member (not the time to brag about your 1937 collector’s penny). Ask every team member to draw a coin from the box and share a story, memory, or otherwise significant thing that happened to them that year. This can be anything from learning how to ride a bike to landing your first job.

Why this exercise is great : This is a fun twist on a stress-free and simple icebreaker that gives everyone the chance to share a personal story with their team. You can play multiple rounds if the stories are on the shorter side or let team members elaborate on their stories to gain deeper insight into their lives.

3. Mood pictures

How to play : Prepare a variety of images before you play. You can collect newspaper clippings, magazine cutouts, postcards, and posters or print out different images from the internet (Pinterest is a great spot). The images should show landscapes, cities, people, shapes, or animals in a variety of colors and perspectives.

Lay all the images out and ask team members to each pick one that resonates with their current mood. Once everyone has picked an image, ask them to share what they resonated with, how it makes them feel, and why they picked it.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to get a meeting or a workshop started because it allows you to get a feel of the room in a creative and unexpected way. You don’t always have to ask your team to pick an image that reflects their mood—it can also be their expectations for a workshop, their feelings about a current project, or how they hope to feel at the end of the day. As they say, a picture’s worth a thousand words, so this exercise makes talking about feelings easier for a lot of people.

4. One word exercise

Time : 5–10 minutes

How to play : Pick a phrase related to the meeting topic and ask everyone to write down one word that comes to mind on a post-it. Then, gather these words on a whiteboard or put them in a presentation. For example, if you’re hosting a meeting about your annual holiday event. Everyone would take a moment to respond with the first word that comes in their head. If the team is responding with words like stress or exhaustion, you might want to rethink your process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a way to collect opinions, thoughts, or feelings about a meeting that’s well within most people’s comfort zone. You’ll have the chance to read the room before diving into the topic and may uncover some concerns or questions to focus on, which will make the meeting more beneficial to everyone.

5. Back-to-back drawing

Team siz e: 4+ people

Time : 5–10 minutes

How to play : Split your team into groups of two and make them sit back to back. Hand one person a pen and piece of paper and show the other person a picture of something that’s fairly simple to draw (e.g., a car, a flower, a house). This person now has to describe the picture to their teammate without actually saying what the item is so they can draw it. They’re allowed to describe shapes, sizes, and textures but can’t say, “Draw a lily.” Once the blind drawing is finished, compare it with the original to see how well you communicated.

Why this exercise is great : This activity is a fun way to polish your communication skills, especially your listening skills. It also gives your team a chance to get creative and innovative by thinking outside the box to describe the image to their teammate.

6. Birthday line up

Team size : 8+ people

Time : 10–15 minutes

How to play : Ask your entire team to form a line in order of their birthdays without talking to each other. You can encourage other forms of communication like sign language, gestures, or nudges. If you want to add a little bit of pressure and excitement to the exercise, add a time limit!

Why this exercise is great : Besides learning everyone’s birthday (which can always come in handy as a conversation starter later on), this exercise encourages your team to learn to communicate towards a common goal without using words. Although this can be a challenge and get frustrating, this exercise promotes problem framing skills, cooperation, and non-verbal communication skills.

7. Charades

Team size : 8–10 people

Time : 10–25 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five people. The person who goes first is given or shown a random object (e.g., printer, stapler, keyboard) in private. They then have to demonstrate how to use the object without actually showing it in front of their team. Their team gets 30 seconds on the clock to shout out the correct word (you can adjust the time depending on the difficulty of the objects).

Then it’s the other team’s turn. You’ll keep playing until every team member has had the chance to demonstrate an object to their team.

Why this exercise is great : This classic game is a nice way to break up a mentally taxing day and get your team to do a creative exercise that isn’t work-related.

8. Swift swap

Team size : 10–20 people

How to play : Split your team into two groups and line them up facing each other. Team A gets a quick observation period (15–30 seconds) in which group members have to memorize as many things about the people in front of them as possible. Then team A turns around while team B changes as many things about their appearance as possible.

Anything from changing the line up order to swapping shoes with someone or changing your hairdo is fair game. After about 45 seconds, team A turns back around and gets 5–10 minutes to find out what’s changed. You can adjust the time depending on the size of your group.

Why this exercise is great : This game is a great way to break up a long day and take everyone’s minds off work for a little while. Your team also gets to practice time-sensitive non-verbal communication during the swapping phase.

9. Code of conduct

Time : 20–30 minutes

How to play : This game is a great way to tune into a new project or workshop. Write the two categories “meaningful” and “enjoyable” on a whiteboard and ask the group to share what they believe is needed to accomplish these two things for your project or workshop. This can be anything from “regular breaks'' to “transparency and honesty,” which could fall under either category.

Everyone will choose ideas that they agree are both meaningful and enjoyable . Record these values in a shared tool to establish the code of conduct for your upcoming project or workshop. This list will function as a reminder for the team to uphold these values.

Why this exercise is great : Whether it’s the first day of a workshop, the beginning of a new project, or simply a Monday morning, this exercise is great to get everyone on your team on the same page. By establishing group norms and values early on and holding everyone accountable with a written code of conduct, you can create a sense of cohesiveness. If you’d like to do this exercise virtually, use our team brainstorming template to collect everyone’s thoughts.

10. Common thread

Team size : 10+ people

Time : 30 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three to five people. Then ask your team to find things everyone in their group has in common. This can be a favorite TV show, an ice cream flavor nobody likes, or a common hobby. Encourage your teammates to find common threads that aren’t too superficial or obvious. The more things they can find that everyone in the group has in common, the better! If you have the time, bring everyone together afterward and ask the teams to share their experiences.

Why this exercise is great : This fun game allows your team to find commonalities that they may not get a chance to discover otherwise. It’s also a great way to reunite teams that feel a bit divided. Talking about shared likes and dislikes can be helpful to reconnect you with teammates.

Remote or virtual team building games

Bonding with your teammates can be more difficult when you’re working remotely. Remote or virtual team building games can improve remote collaboration , motivate teams , and create a sense of community even though you’re physically apart. You can use Zoom to connect with your teammates or do quick team building exercises via your remote work software during the day.

If your team is located across multiple time zones, you may have to get creative with scheduling. Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana encourages leaders to schedule these activities during normal work hours. Ensure that the activity is appropriate for all participants in all time zones so no one feels excluded. Using work hours for these exercises can also increase the participation rate because you’re not interfering with personal time.

11. Show and tell

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to bring something they’re proud of or that brings them joy to your next meeting. This can be anything from a pet to a plant, a painting they did, or a certificate they received. Everyone gets two to three minutes to show off their item and answer questions from the team if they have any.

Why this exercise is great : Show and tell isn’t just fun for kids, it’s also a great way to connect with your team. You’re probably going to learn something new about your teammates and may get a couple of conversation starters for your next meeting from this game.

12. Photo caption contest

How to play : Collect a few funny photos—for example a few memes that have recently been circling the internet. Send these to your team before the meeting and ask everyone to submit their best photo caption for each image. You can put these together in a quick presentation and present them to your team during the call. You can have a good laugh together and even vote for the best captions.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a fun way to get creative as a team and have a good laugh together.

13. Morning coffee

Time : 15–30 minutes

How to play : Schedule regular coffee calls for your remote team to give everyone a chance to get to know each other like they would in an office setting. You can schedule team calls with four to five people or randomly assign two people to each other that switch every time. You can offer these casual calls once a week, bi-weekly, or once a month, depending on your team size and the interest in this opportunity.

Why this exercise is great : Remote teams don’t often get a chance to just chit-chat and get to know each other without talking about work or feeling like they’re wasting meeting time. By designating 15–30 minutes on a regular basis to a casual call, your team members will have a chance to bond with people they might not typically interact with.

14. Lunch and learn

How to play : Hold a weekly or monthly “lunch and learn” where one team member presents a topic to the whole team during their lunch break. This presentation can be on a tool everyone uses at work, on a lesson learned from a recent project, or even on a book they read that everyone can learn from.

Why this exercise is great : These events are a great opportunity for your team to connect in a more casual yet educational setting. If your team budget allows, send restaurant gift cards to your team members so they can order lunch for the call.

15. Online group game

Time : 30–60 minutes

How to play : Invite your team to play a game online together. This can be an actual video game if everyone happens to use the same console at home or you can download an interactive game (like Jackbox ) which you can screen share with the rest of the group.

Why this exercise is great : Playing a video game or an interactive game that has nothing to do with work can be a fun way to switch things up, create a more casual work environment, and get to know each other better. It will also give people with great sportsmanship a chance to shine!

16. Trivia games

Team size : 6–20 people

Time : 30–90 minutes

How to play : Start a meeting with a quick game of trivia or host a regular virtual trivia night at the end of the work day. You can play a game of office trivia (e.g., facts about the company) or pick random other themes like TV shows, music, or national parks. To mix things up, ask other team members to host trivia night.

Why this exercise is great : Whether you’re making the trivia game office-themed or creating a regular team activity that takes everyone’s minds off of work, you’ll get to spend time with your team playing a competitive, educational, and entertaining game that gives everyone a chance to bond.

17. Quarterly challenge

Time : One month

How to play : Create an optional challenge for your team to participate in. The challenge can be centered around healthy eating, meditation, journaling, or reading. Create a chat or thread where your teammates can exchange their experiences, wins, and questions to keep each other motivated and accountable throughout the month.

Make sure your team knows that participation is optional. It never hurts to ask for feedback to spark future team challenge ideas.

Why this exercise is great : Creating a challenge like this for your team shows them that you care about their work-life balance. By offering a quarterly challenge, you provide your team with the opportunity to share an experience together. Plus, it’s always easier to complete a challenge when you have a team who supports you and an incentive to work toward.

18. Personality test

How to play : Send a personality test to your team and ask everyone to share their results in a chat or during your next team meeting. This can be a formal test like the Enneagram or StrengthsFinder . For something more lighthearted, you can send a fun quiz like the Sorting Hat to find out which Hogwarts house you belong in or a Buzzfeed quiz (e.g., “ What Kitchen Appliance Are You? ”).

Why this exercise is great : Depending on the type of quiz your team takes, this can become a funny icebreaker before you start a meeting or turn into a discussion on your team’s combined strengths and challenges.

Problem solving games

Playing problem solving games with your team helps them level up their teamwork skills, resolve issues, achieve goals, and excel together. Whether you’re using new brainstorming techniques or going out for a team adventure, these fun team building activities are the perfect way to improve your team's problem solving skills.

19. Your first idea

Team size : 5–12 people

Time : 10–20 minutes

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to write down the first idea that pops into their head when they’re presented with the problem. Compile the list and review it as a team.

A fun twist on this game is to ask everyone to write down their worst idea. After reviewing with the team, you may realize that some ideas aren’t that bad after all. You can play this game with a real-life problem, a fictional one, or when you’re brainstorming new ideas to pitch.

Why this exercise is great : We often get too much into our heads about problems and solutions. By writing down the first solution that comes to mind, we can uncover new perspectives and fixes.

20. Back of the napkin

Team size : 6–24 people

Time : 15–20 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four and present them with a variety of open-ended problems. These can be work-related, imaginary, or even environmental problems. Every team gets a napkin and pen that they have to sketch or write their solution on after they’ve discussed the issue as a group. These will then be presented to the rest of the team.

Why this exercise is great : Some of the best ideas have allegedly been recorded on napkins (hey, when creativity strikes you’ll write on anything). This game imitates this scenario while challenging your team to collaborate on solving a creative problem.

21. Create your own

How to play : Each team member will create an original problem-solving activity on their own and present it to the group. Whether this entails a physical, mental, or creative challenge is up to your team. If you have the time, play some of the games afterward!

Why this exercise is great : Coming up with your own games is fun and a real creative challenge. It also allows your team members to showcase their strengths by creating challenges they’ll be prepared to tackle.

22. Spectrum mapping

Team size : 5–15 people

How to play : Present your team with a few topics that you’d like their opinions and insight on. Write them down on a whiteboard and give everyone sticky notes and pens. Ask them to write down their thoughts and pin them on the whiteboard underneath the respective topic.

Now arrange the sticky notes as a team. Try to group similar ideas together to the left of the topic and post outliers toward the right side. This will create a spectrum of popular thoughts and opinions on the left and more extreme ideas on the right.

Why this exercise is great : This game will help you map out the diversity of perspectives your team has on different topics. Remember that unpopular opinions don’t have to be wrong. Embracing this diversity can help you uncover new perspectives and innovative ideas to solve problems you’re facing as a team.

23. What would “X” do?

Team size : 5–10 people

Time : 45–60 minutes

How to play : Present your team with a problem and ask everyone to come up with a famous person or leader they admire. This can be a celebrity, a business person, or a relative. Challenge your teammates to approach the problem as if they were that person and present their solution (extra points for playing in character).

Why this exercise is great : Getting stuck in your own head can often keep you from solving a problem efficiently and effectively. By stepping into the shoes of someone else, you may uncover new solutions. Plus, it’s fun pretending to be someone else for a little while!

24. Team pursuit

Time : 1–3 hours

How to play : Form groups of two to six people that will compete against one another in a series of challenges. You can buy a team pursuit package online or create your own game, which will take a good amount of prep time.

You’ll want to create a set of challenges for your team: cerebral challenges that test logic and intelligence, skill challenges like aptitude tests, and mystery challenges which usually ask for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking (e.g., come up with a unique handshake, take a fun picture, etc.).

Why this exercise is great : A solid game of team pursuit will create a fun challenge that gives everyone a chance to shine and show off their talents. Whether you’re a good runner, a quick thinker, or a creative mind, everyone will be able to contribute to the success of the team. This game will bring your team closer together and show them new sides of their teammates that they may not have been aware of.

25. Code break

Team size : 8–24 people

How to play : This brain teaser is a fun activity that you can play indoors or outdoors to challenge your team. Outback Team Building offers self-hosted, remote-hosted, and on-site hosted events that include several codes your teammates have to find and break to make it through the course.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge requires creative thinking, creates a competitive environment, and works with large groups because you can break off into smaller groups.

26. Escape room

Time : 2–3 hours

How to play : Visiting an escape room is always a unique experience and a great way to spend an afternoon with your team. If you have multiple escape rooms nearby, ask your team if they have a general idea of what theme they’d like to explore (e.g., history, horror, sci-fi) and try to pick something you’ll think everyone will enjoy.

If you’re super creative and have the time and resources, you can put together an escape room on your own!

Why this exercise is great : Solving the mysteries of an escape room with your team will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your teammates, foster communication and collaboration, build trust, and become a shared memory that connects you together.

Indoor team building games

Most of these indoor games can be played in an office, conference room, or a hallway with a small team, but you may need a bit more space if you’re inviting a larger group to join in.

27. Perfect square

Team size : 4–12 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four to six and ask them to stand in a tight circle with their group. Ask everyone to blindfold themselves or close their eyes and give one person a rope. Without looking at what they're doing, the teams now have to pass the rope around so everyone holds a piece of it and then form a perfect square. Once the team is sure their square is perfect, they can lay the rope down on the floor, take off their blindfolds (or open their eyes) and see how well they did.

Why this exercise is great : This game is about more than perfect geometric shapes, it’s an amazing listening and communication exercise. Because no one can see what they're doing, your team members have to communicate clearly while figuring out how to create a square out of a rope. Besides, it’s often really funny to see how imperfect the squares come out.

28. Memory wall

How to play : You’ll need a whiteboard and sticky notes for this game. Write different work-related themes on the whiteboard such as “first day at work,” “team celebration,” and “work travel.” Hand each teammate a few sticky notes and ask them to write down their favorite memories or accomplishments associated with one or more of these themes. Invite everyone to share these with the team to take a walk down memory lane and post the notes on the whiteboard as you go.

Why this exercise is great : This is a nice way to end a week, long day, or workshop because you’ll share positive experiences with one another that will leave your teammates smiling. If you’re finishing up a work trip or multi-day workshop, you can also do a slimmed-down version of this by asking everyone to share their favorite memory or biggest accomplishment of the last few days.

29. Turn back time

How to play : This team building exercise works best in a quiet atmosphere with everyone sitting in a circle. Ask your team to silently think of a unique memory in their lives. You can give them a few minutes to collect their thoughts. Then, ask everyone to share the one memory they’d like to relive if they could turn back time.

Not everyone may be comfortable opening up at first, so be sure to lead with vulnerability and make everyone in the room feel safe about sharing their moment.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to help your team members remember their priorities and bond on a deeper level. In a team that’s facing disconnection or stress, sharing personal highlights that aren’t work-related can help create a sense of togetherness. Although the exercise doesn’t take too long, it’s best to do it toward the end of the day so your team has a chance to reflect on what’s been said.

30. Paper plane

Team size : 6–12 people

How to play : Split your team into groups of two to four and hand out card stock. Give each team 10–15 minutes to come up with the best long-distance paper plane design (they’re allowed to do research on their phones or computers) and a name for their airline.

When the paper planes are done, have a competition in a long hallway or outside to see which plane flies the farthest.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires team members to collaborate on a project with a tight timeline. It is a great activity to practice communication skills, delegation, and time management.

31. Build a tower

Team size : 8–16 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five and provide them with 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. Challenge each team to build the tallest tower possible using only the supplies you gave them. When finished, the tower has to support the marshmallow sitting on top. Set the timer for 20 minutes and ask everyone to step away from their masterpiece when it runs out so you can crown a winner.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge is a great way to improve problem solving skills and communication within your team. Your team members will have to prototype, build, and present the tower in a short amount of time, which can be stressful. The better they work together, the more likely they are to succeed.

32. Flip it over

Team size : 6–8 people

How to play : Lay a towel, blanket, or sheet on the floor and ask your teammates to stand on it. The goal is to flip the piece over without ever stepping off of it or touching the ground outside of the fabric. You can make the challenge more difficult by adding more people to the team or using a smaller sheet.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires clear communication, cooperation, and a good sense of humor. It’s a great way to find out how well your teammates cooperate when presented with an oddly difficult task.

33. Sneak a peek

Team size : 4–20 people

How to play : Create a structure out of Lego pieces and hide it in a separate room. Divide your team into groups of two to four people and give them enough Legos to replicate the structure in 30 minutes or less.

One player per team is allowed to sneak a peek at the original structure for 15 seconds, then run back and describe it to their team. The person who gets to sneak a peek rotates so everyone gets to see the original at some point during the game. The team that first completes the structure as close to the original wins!

Why this exercise is great : During this game your team gets to focus on teamwork and communication. Since only one person at a time is allowed to look at the original, team members may see and describe different things. The more complex the structure is, the harder this game will be.

34. Pyramids

How to play : Pick a large open area for this game like a hallway, a meeting room, or the cafeteria. Divide your team into groups of four to six and give each team 10 paper cups. Ask the teams to stand in a line with about 8–10 feet between the team members. Now it’s a race against time!

The first person in each line has to build a pyramid with four cups at the base. Once they’re done, the second player has to help them carry the pyramid to their station (this can be on the floor or at a table). They can slide it on the floor or carry it together but if the pyramid falls apart, the players have to reassemble it on the spot before continuing their journey. At the next station, the second player has to topple the pyramid and rebuild it before the third player gets to help them carry it to the next station. This continues until the pyramid reaches the last station. The team that finishes first wins the game

Why this exercise is great : This game is fun to play during a mid-day break, fosters communication skills, and promotes teamwork.

35. Shipwrecked

Team size : 8–25 people

How to play : The premise of the game is that you’re stranded on a deserted island and only have 25 minutes to secure survival items off the sinking ship. Place items like water bottles, matches, food, etc., in the “shipwreck area.” You can also print pictures on index cards to make things a bit easier. The quantity of each item should be limited, with some items having more than others (e.g., more water than food, fewer tarps than teams, more knives than ropes, etc.).

Divide your team into groups of two (or more if it’s a large team). Once the clock starts, they have to gather as many items as they deem worthy from the shipwreck and rank them in order of importance. Since the items are limited (some more than others), the teams will not only have to prioritize the items within their own group of people but also negotiate, trade, and exchange items with other teams.

Why this exercise is great : This game will challenge problem-solving abilities, encourage collaboration, and enable your team to flex their leadership skills. Typically, teams with strong leadership qualities will have the most success in making these quick decisions.

36. Team flag

Time : 30–45 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four people and provide them with paper and pens. Each group now has to come up with an emblem or flag that represents their team. Once everyone has completed their masterpiece, they have to present it to the rest of the teams, explaining how they came up with the design. This exercise is also a great opportunity to discuss how each group identified their common values and created alignment during the design process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Your team will not only have to come up with a unique design that represents their collective identity but they’ll also have to collaborate on putting pen to paper and presenting their flag or emblem at the end of the game.

37. Salt and pepper

How to play : You’ll need a list of things that go well together like salt and pepper, left sock and right sock, day and night, peanut butter and jelly, or yin and yang. Write these words on individual pieces of paper and tape one sheet of paper on every team member's back.

Ask your team to mingle and find out what’s written on their back by asking questions that can only be answered with yes or no (e.g., “Am I sweet? Do you wear me? Am I cold?”). Once the participants find out who they are, they have to find their match!

Why this exercise is great : Your team can use this game to bond with one another and improve their communication skills. If you have a large team, this exercise also gives them a chance to interact with people they may not usually get to talk to.

38. Sell it

Time : 45–90 minutes

How to play : Ask your teammates to each bring a random object to the meeting. Everyone then has to come up with a logo, slogan, and marketing plan to sell this object. After 30 minutes, each team member has to present their new product to the rest of the team. If you have a larger team, divide them into groups of 2–4 people and ask them to collaborate on their product pitch.

Why this exercise is great : This game is great to switch things up if you don’t already work in marketing or sales. It’s also fun to play with others as it allows your team to get creative and have fun with everyday objects.

39. The barter puzzle

Time : 1–2 hours

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three or four people and give each a different jigsaw puzzle of the same difficulty level. Ask them to complete the puzzle as a team. The twist: each puzzle is missing a few pieces that are mixed in with an opposing team’s puzzle. The teams have to figure out ways to get the pieces they need from the other teams by negotiating, trading pieces, or even exchanging teammates. Every decision has to be made as a team. The first team to complete their puzzle wins.

Why this exercise is great : Every decision made will have to be a group decision which challenges your team to improve their problem solving skills.

Outdoor team building exercises

If you want to get a larger group together for a team building exercise, why not take things outside? Outdoor team building is also a great way to get your teammates to interact without the distractions of screens or smartphones. Whether you want to catch a breath of fresh air or get some sunshine together, these exercises will help you bond with your teammates outside of the office.

40. The minefield

Team size : 4–10 people

How to play : Create a minefield in a parking lot or another large, open space by sporadically placing objects like papers, balls, cones, and bottles. Split your team into groups of two and ask one person to put on a blindfold. The other person now has to guide the blindfolded teammate through the minefield only using their words. The blindfolded person is not allowed to talk and will be eliminated if they stop walking or step on anything in the minefield.

The objective of the game is to make it to the other side of the minefield. The teams can then switch so another person will be blindfolded and guided through the field on their way back. You can also distribute pieces the blindfolded person has to pick up on their way through the field to add another difficulty level.

Why this exercise is great : This game is not just a trust exercise for your teammates but also a fun way to practice active listening skills and clear communication.

41. Earth-ball

Team size : 5–20 people

Time : 15–45 minutes

How to play : You’ll need a balloon, beach ball, or volleyball for this activity. Ask your team to stand in a circle and keep the balloon or ball in the air for as long as possible. To make it a real challenge, no one can touch the ball twice in a row. The bigger your team, the more fun this game will be!

Why this exercise is great : This fun challenge is a great way to get your team moving. If you’re struggling to keep the ball up for longer, try to come up with a strategy to improve your time.

42. Scavenger hunt

How to play : Put together a scavenger hunt for your team. This can be in the form of a list of photographs they have to take (e.g., something red, all teammates in front of the company logo, the CEO’s car, etc.), items they have to collect (e.g., company brochure, yellow sticky note with manager’s signature on it, ketchup packet from the cafeteria, etc.), or other activities they have to complete on a designated route.

Why this exercise is great : The more people that tag along, the more fun this game will be. You can group people together who don’t know each other very well to allow them time to bond during this exercise. Try to come up with company-specific quests for your team so they learn a few fun facts along the way. You can offer prizes for the most creative team or the first to finish the challenge to boost motivation.

43. Egg drop

Time : 60–90 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two or three people and give each team a raw egg (keep some extras in case they break before the grand finale). Then put out supplies like tape, straws, rubber bands, newspapers, and balloons so the teams can build a structure for the raw egg that will protect it from a fall out of a second or third story window.

Each team has 60 minutes to complete their structure. When the time is up, ask your teams to gather their eggs and egg cages to drop them out of the window. This grand finale will reveal which team engineered and built the best cage.

Why this exercise is great : Collaborating on a design and building a cage will challenge your team’s problem solving and collaboration skills.

44. Team outing

Team size : Any

How to play : Plan an outing for your team. You could attend a cooking class or go to a museum together. If you want to have something your teammates can work toward, plan to run a 5K together or host a ping pong tournament. You can also do something more casual like inviting your team to hangout at a bowling alley after work where you can play a few games in a casual and fun setting.

Why this exercise is great : Taking your team somewhere new will help break down some of the walls we often build in a professional setting. While you’re still at a company function, you’re more inclined to connect through casual conversation at a restaurant or park than you would at the office.

45. Volunteer as a team

How to play : Organize a team event during your regularly scheduled workday. This can be a charity event, yard sale, or fundraiser for a cause your team cares about. Even though these are enjoyable, scheduling them during work hours makes this feel like more of a perk than an obligation.

If your team members have a few causes they’re truly passionate about, consider making this a monthly or quarterly event. You can also rotate the charities that you’re helping out to accommodate your team’s different interests.

Why this exercise is great : Experiencing helper’s high can improve your personal health and mental state. Sharing this rush that doing good can give you will help your team bond on a deeper level.

Benefits of team building

Team building is more than a fun break from your everyday routine at work. It also:

Improves communication, trust, and collaboration skills

Promotes a collaborative culture by bringing teammates together

Fosters agile decision making and problem solving skills

Boosts team productivity and morale

Uses creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking

Ashley Frabasilio believes that:

A common goal is to create a memorable and meaningful experience for folks to connect. Some questions to consider when planning an impactful team-building activity include: What do I hope folks walk away with? I.e., a new skill, a deeper connection to one another, personal development, a moment of delight, etc.”

Ask yourself these questions before proposing a team building activity so you can reap the full benefits of the exercise.

Bring your team together, creatively

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to build your team’s confidence, connection, and teamwork skills. While team building is fun, it’s also important to connect with your team on an everyday basis. To build one of those connections in your day-to-day work, the right collaboration software is key.

Looking for the right collaboration tool? See how Asana keeps your team connected, no matter where you’re working.

Related resources

How to accomplish big things with long-term goals

Fix these common onboarding challenges to boost productivity

30-60-90 day plan: How to onboard new hires with ease

15 types of employee performance reviews

66 team building activities to bring your team together (and have fun!)

Team building activities can make all the difference when it comes to job satisfaction , employee engagement and organizational success . But even with the best intentions, it’s not sufficient to simply bring a group of people together. Effective team building activities can help your group feel more connected and able to collaborate more effectively .

But how do you choose the right activity, and where do you get started when trying to encourage team bonding or alignement? We're here to help with this collection of simple and effective team building activities!

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What are team building activities?

Team building is an activity or process designed to help build connections between members of a team, create lasting bonds, and enable better teamwork and working practices.

Team building activities might include running team games and activities, holding group discussions, hosting away days, or simply doing things together as a team. They key is that the exercise is designed to bring your team together in a fun and engaging way.

What is the main purpose of a team building activity?

The main purpose of any team-building activity is on improving some aspects of how a team works together while bringing everyone together in a shared experience .

This might include working on communication, collaboration, alignment, team values, motivation, and anything else that can enable a group to work together more effectively. It might also include resolving conflicts, sharing skills, or simply bringing your group together in a shared experience.

Broadly speaking, any team building effort should be designed to help bring team members closer or find ways to first define and then move towards your shared goals as a group .

As Forbes notes , team building is “most important investment you can make for your people.” On this point, it’s worth noting that team building doesn’t just happen during the activity and so being purposeful your choice of exercise is important.

The best team building activities hold space for building connections in a way that spills over into day-to-day work and creates lasting bonds. It’s not enough to throw your team into an escape room or scavenger hunt without first thinking about why or how this will benefit your team!

After you’ve chosen some engaging team building activities, it’s time to design a complete process that will engage your team while achieving your desired outcomes.

SessionLab makes it easy to build a complete team building agenda in minutes . Start by dragging and dropping blocks, add activity timings and adjust your session flow to create an effective session.

What are the main types of team building activities?

Team building activities are games and exercises that help a group collaborate on a shared goal, discuss important issues constructively, share in a fun experience or find better ways of working together.

These activities can take forms – from quick and funny games you use in your regular meeting, or the may be part of a larger process or team development workshop.

Being purposeful and knowing the objective of your session means you can choose an activity accordingly. Sometimes, your team will come together because they have problems to solve, or you might just want to have fun and celebrate your wins. Pick the right activity for the right time to ensure your team is onboard and ready to engage!

Here are the main categories of team building activity that you might want to use with your team. We’ve made it easy to get started with the right activity for your team by including the length of each game, how many participants can play and how hard it is to run alongside clear instructions.

Team building activities for work

Starting the team building process can be difficult, especially if you’re working with a new team who don’t yet know each other well. The activities in this section are focused on helping teams and employees get to know each other better and start to develop bonds and trust.

Even if your team has been around a while, learning more about one another and building deeper bonds is useful for both team cohesion and group happiness. These are also great activities to use when trying to improve employee engagement and company culture – any organization is only as strong as the bonds between its people!

Try these team building games for work to encourage conversation and break the ice – especially if you’re working with a remote team who might not be in the office together.

3 Question Mingle

Conversation is often the best starting point when it comes to team building, but without structure, it can be difficult for groups to get moving. In 3 Question Mingle, each team member writes three questions on sticky notes and then has a one minute meeting with another person. They each ask another one question and then trade those post-its. Invite the group to move around the room asking questions in pairs and swapping questions afterwards.

Not only does this team building activity help an entire team get to know each other, but it also invites the group to ask the questions they want to ask. By combining structure with self direction, you can get your team building workshop off to the right start! Bonus points for adding those sticky notes to a memory wall for later reflection!

3 Question Mingle #hyperisland #team #get-to-know An activity to support a group to get to know each other through a set of questions that they create themselves. The activity gets participants moving around and meeting each other one-on-one. It’s useful in the early stages of team development and/or for groups to reconnect with each other after a period of time apart.

9 Dimensions Team Building Activity

Building better team relationships and improving group dynamics often means sharing something about ourselves and finding space to discuss and be honest. In this team building exercise, give each team member a set of red, green, yellow and blue dots alongside the 9 dimensions you’ll be looking at. Each participant puts a dot on each dimension based on whether they believe they’re crushing it or need to do more work.

By sharing some of their 9 dimensions, your team gets to surface things they’re proud of, as well as those that need work. You’ll explore what your group is aligned on in the debriefing section and then move forward together as a team.

9 Dimensions Team Building Activity #icebreaker #teambuilding #team #remote-friendly 9 Dimensions is a powerful activity designed to build relationships and trust among team members. There are 2 variations of this icebreaker. The first version is for teams who want to get to know each other better. The second version is for teams who want to explore how they are working together as a team.

Awareness Circle

Getting to know people is easier for some members of a group than it is for others. While extroverts can start chatting to new team members with ease, introverts may find it more difficult to bond with their team and create meaningful team bonds.

In this activity, you’ll encourage a group to get to know each other without speaking and show that everyone in a team has a connection. Another great takeaway from this activity is to take note of the diversity (or lack thereof) in the room and consider this as a point for future team development.

Awareness Circle #teampedia #team #icebreaker #opening This activity helps participants to get-to-know each other without saying a word.

Break the Ice with The Four Quadrants Activity

Sometimes pictures are better than words when it comes to helping a team get to know one another. Creative games like this one can also be especially effective at helping introverts or distanced teams share with the group.

Start by handing out sheets of paper and inviting each participant to draw a 2×2 grid and pose four questions to the group. Each team member draws their answer in one of the grid squares and once the time limit is up, invite the group to share. If you’re looking for a fun game that encourages creative thinking while being visual and memorable, look no further!

Break the Ice with The Four Quadrants Activity #team #icebreaker #get-to-know #teambuilding The Four Quadrants is a tried and true team building activity to break the ice with a group or team. It is EASY to prep for and set up. It can be MODIFIED to work with any group and/or topic (just change the questions). It is FUN, COLORFUL and works every time!

Just One Lie

Not all team building games need to reinvent the wheel. Particularly with new teams or groups that aren’t used to team building, keeping it simple with a tried and tested method can be your best bet.

Just One Lie is adapted from the well-known icebreaker two truths and a lie, though encourages participants to mingle and share lots of facts about themselves with one another – great for breaking the ice and getting to know one another too!

Just One Lie #icebreaker #energiser #team #get-to-know This method is adapted from the well-known icebreaker ‘Two Truths And A Lie’ to create an activity that you could return to throughout a meeting.

Both groups and individuals go through many twists, turns and changes throughout their life. At its best, team building not only helps create better teams but allows time for reflection and deeper sharing between participants.

With Life Map, encourage your group to draw or create a collage of their life story they can then share with the team. This kind of deeper getting to know your exercise can really help bring a team together and allow for meaningful self-reflection too!

Life map #team #teampedia #icebreaker #get-to-know With this activity the participants get to know each other on a deeper level.

Personal Presentation

Team building is all about building trust and openness between teammates. Sharing personal experiences and enlarging the social aspects of the group with presentations not only allows everyone to get to know each other but also encourages team development skills too.

For this team building method, ask each participant to prepare a presentation including three things that have shaped who they are as a person. Encourage creative thinking by asking teams to use simple drawings and words to visualize their presentation too.

Personal Presentations #hyperisland #team A simple exercise in which each participant prepares a personal presentation of him/herself sharing several important experiences, events, people or stories that contributed to shaping him or her as an individual. The purpose of personal presentations is to support each participant in getting to know each other as individuals and to build trust and openness in a group by enlarging the social arena.

Passions Tic Tac Toe

Helping employees get to know each other more deeply and connect beyond the scope of their job roles is a great space to explore with a team building exercise. In this activity, your entire team fills in a 3×3 grid with a passion or core value in each of the boxes. Then, ask your group to mingle and compare passions.

When someone finds a match, they each sign for the other person in that square of the grid. Declare your first winner as the person who gets three passions in a row. This team building exercise works well for remote workers and is a great way for your entire team to get to know each other a little better.

Passions Tic Tac Toe #get-to-know #values #icebreaker #thiagi This simple game that explores the concepts from these two quotations: “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you”. —Oprah Winfrey. “Getting to know someone else involves curiosity about where they have come from, who they are.” —Penelope Lively, novelist

Quick team building activities

Team building doesn’t have to take all day. While running dedicated team workshops like a team canvas workshop can have a profound effect on team dynamics, you can also run team building exercises in as little as 5-10 minutes.

In this section, we’ll share some effective yet quick team building activities you might use to warm-up your group or inject some team building into the start of a meeting or event. If you’re looking for 5-minute team building activities to easily slot into your meetings and events, this is a great place to start!

Best and Worst

Teambuilding activities are often at their most effective when you ignite the passions of everyone in a group and bring up talking points that enable people to share something of themselves with the team.

Best and Worst asks each participant to ask one question about the best and worst thing they want to learn from the group. For example, “What’s the best recipe you know?” or “What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?” After putting all the questions in a hat and choosing a random pair, invite the group to share their answers and related stories.

Best and Worst #teampedia #get-to-know #opening #icebreaker #team This activity could easily break the ice at the beginning of a workshop, enabling participants to get to know each other in a fast process.

Group Order

Supporting the get-to-know process at the start of a session or with a new team can be as simple as asking participants to group themselves together based on what they know about each other and inviting them to find out what they don’t.

This activity requires nothing more than getting your group together in a room and asking them to line themselves up in an order based on a criterion such as distance from home to the workplace, birth date in the calendar year or number of different countries visited. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get people talking and sharing when in pursuit of a common goal.

Group Order #get-to-know #energiser #icebreaker #thiagi #team This is an energizing activity that helps members of a group get to know each other, network, and recognize what they have in common.

Happiness Exercise

Good teams know how to appreciate one another and share joyful, happy experiences. When a new team is getting to know each other, using an exercise that encourages the sharing of positive stories and experiences not only allows people to connect but also builds a positive atmosphere in the room.

You might also use this team building activity at work or with a more established team. If your team has been going through a challenging period, it can be transformational to share things that make everyone happy and defuse stress or tension as a team.

Happiness exercise #teambuilding #icebreaker #warm up #remote-friendly This exercise is a simple application of the principles of Appreciative Inquiry.

Name Juggling

Working with new teams means having new names to learn. Team building starts with getting to know everyone, but how can we make this more fun and dynamic than simple introductions?

In this get to know you game, start by having everyone stand in a circle and introduce themselves by name. Introduce a ball and have people state someone’s name before throwing the ball to that person. That person thanks the person who passed the ball by name before then passing the ball on to someone else. Once people get comfortable, spice things up by introducing more balls and trying to keep them in the air!

Name Juggling #teampedia #icebreaker #energiser #get-to-know #team Name Juggling is another variation of a try-to-learn-everyone’s-name but the game guarantees high energy level as well as some strategic thinking.

Finding you have things in common with other team members is one of the cornerstones of effective teamwork and communication. While conversation games or other team building activities might ask for an in-depth approach, Open Fist helps teams bond with a simple, effective activity.

Sharing little known facts about ourselves can help teams be more cohesive and by limiting the number of shared facts to the amount of fingers on a hand, this quick team building activity can fit into an agenda with ease.

Open Fist #get-to-know #icebreaker #thiagi #team Teams work better when they find things in common. Stronger teams reduce turnover, increase pleasant interactions, and improve productivity.

Cross the Circle

Finding common ground and shared experiences across a diverse group is what team building is all about. In this playful team building activity, participants are encouraged to cross the circle in response to questions posed by a person in the middle.

For example, “Cross through the circle if you have worked here more than 5 years.” or “Cross through the circle if you can play an instrument.” After each stage, a new person gets to pose a question and your team gets to know one another and their commonalities in a simple, effective way.

Cross the Circle #teambuilding #get-to-know #energiser #team #thiagi This activity provides a playful way for participants to find commonalities among themselves.

This fast-paced exercise is fun but gently challenging game that helps create focus and presence in a group. Get started by getting your team into a circle and ask them to move a clap around the room quickly by having two members clap at the same time.

By asking your group to synchronize and move quickly, sync claps is a fun way to energize the room and help your group feel more connected.

Sync Claps #hyperisland #energiser This circle exercise is simple, but challenging and very effective for generating focus and alignment in a group. Participants stand in a circle and send a clap around the circle. Each clap involves two members of the group clapping their hands at the same time. The group tries to move the clap around the circle faster and faster with as much synchronization as possible. The exercise gets even more challenging when the “double clap” is introduced and the clap can change direction.

Fun team building activities

In an increasingly stressful environment of deadlines and meetings, it’s worth remembering the value of joy, play and simply have fun as a team.

Injecting fun and laughter into your team building event is effective on many levels. We often recommend starting a session with one of these activities, as they can help set a more relaxed and personable tone in an instant.

We’ve also found that some of the more memorable moments of our sessions have come out of these kinds of activities. It’s lovely to have something funny to reference in future meetings too!

Bringing team members out of their shells and loosening them up with a funny game can also help prevent existing hierarchies or team structures from affecting the team building session.

You can also use these funny team building activities to kick off your session, or when the energy levels drop and you need to get your team re-engaged for the team workshop ahead. Let’s take a look.

Having fun and energizing your team is a great way to kick off your team building event. Bang is a simple and effective game that encourages quick reactions and fun – perfect for both new and established teams to play together!

Start by electing a sheriff and having the rest of the group stand in a circle around them. The sheriff spins around and points at one person in the circle and says “bang!” That person then crouches as quickly as possible. The two people on either side of the person crouching must quickly point at each other and shout the other’s name. Whoever does not react quickly enough is eliminated. Try using this one at the beginning of a team building event to really loosen up the group!

Bang #hyperisland #energiser Bang is a group game, played in a circle, where participants must react quickly or face elimination. One person stands in the middle of the circle as “the sheriff”, pointing at other players who must quickly crouch while those on either side of them quickly “draw”. A good activity to generate laughter in a group. It can also help with name-learning for groups getting to know each other.

Build-a-Shake

Creating a secret handshake was something many of us did as kids. This team building activity taps into that same sense of creativity and also encourages team members to get to know each other while sharing and building on their handshake in pairs. By moving between pairs and teaching others the steps of your handshake, this also helps create group closeness and cohesion. We love team building activities or office games that encourage people to bring a little of themselves to the table and Build-a-Shake is a great example of that!

Build-a-Shake #teampedia #energiser #get-to-know #opening #team How to introduce yourself in a fun, creative way? Build a handshake!

Simple tasks that require team focus, cohesion, and awareness are great for any group working on team building. In Count Up, a team has to come together and count up to twenty with their eyes closed and without any other communication. People cannot say more than one number at a time, and if two people speak at the same time, the group must start over.

Though it seems simple, this team building exercise can really demonstrate the power of effective teamwork and is a great opener for a team building workshop.

Count Up #hyperisland #team #energiser #remote-friendly In this short exercise, a group must count up to a certain number, taking turns in a random order, with no two people speaking at the same time. The task is simple, however, it takes focus, calm and awareness to succeed. The exercise is effective to generate calm and focused collective energy in a group.

Follow the Leader

When performing online team building, simple activities are often the best strategy in ensuring participation and removing frustration. Follow the Leader is a great team building energiser suitable for online and offline teams.

In virtual settings, put Zoom into gallery view and invite people to perform an action in the frame of their screen that other participants have to follow. Being a little silly is encouraged and this team building exercise often results in laughter and energy as a result!

Follow the Follower #zoom #virtual #physical #teambuilding #connection #energiser #opening #remote-friendly #ericamarxcoaching One person is designated as the leader. Others copy exactly how the leader moves. The leader calls on a new person to be the leader, and so on. Follow the follower variation is when the leading gets passed to the entire group and no single person is leading.

Portrait Gallery

Creative team building activities are great for breaking the ice or energising a team via play. In Portrait Gallery, you and your team will collaboratively create portraits of everyone in the group and have a fun, electric set of portraits to display afterward.

Start by splitting your group into two teams. Team B will draw portraits of Team A, though every 10-15 seconds, they’ll pass their current drawing to the next person to continue. By the end of this team building game, you’ll have a set of eclectic portraits for everyone in the group and have broken the ice significantly too!

Portrait Gallery #hyperisland #team #icebreaker The Portrait Gallery is an energetic and fun icebreaker game that gets participants interacting by having the group collaboratively draw portraits of each member. The activity builds a sense of group because it results with each participant having a portrait drawn of him/herself by the other members of the group together. It also has a very colourful visual outcome: the set of portraits which can be posted in the space.

Fun team building games are a great way to start any group development process, and they’re even better if they energize the team too! Snowball is a great activity for getting people out of their seats and moving around while also breaking the ice.

Start by asking a question relevant to your group and ask each participant to write an answer on a piece of paper. Once that’s done, invite everyone to crumple their paper and come to the centre of the room to have a snowball fight! After a few minutes, ask everyone to keep a snowball and find the person who wrote the answer. Not only does this team building exercise invite energy into the room, but it encourages people to get to know each other too.

Snowball #get-to-know #opening #energiser #teambuilding #team This is a great activity to get people up and moving around in a playful way while still learning about each other. It can be related to any topic and be played at any time during the group’s life.

Celebrity Party

You’ve likely played the game where you stick the name of a random celebrity on your head while then asking questions to help you guess who it is. (Or at least seen a film where someone else does it!) It’s simple, but it absolutely works when you want to break the ice or just generate some laughter and conversation.

This classic team building game is a great way to warm up large groups, encouraging mingling and have fun too. Ask participants to be creative, keep it light and not to give hints and you have all the makings of an effective team building exercise.

Celebrity Party #teampedia #icebreaker #communication #diversity #team #action Great activity to help people warm up in a new environment.

Non-verbal improv

Whether you’re working with remote teams or co-located groups, having fun when you get together should never be undervalued. We love simple games that are also ways to begin conversations about how we’d like to work together more effectively.

This improv game is easy to touch and is a great way to build team connections while raising some smiles. Start by preparing some actions on post-it notes, such as drinking a glass of water or eating pasta. Next, invite participants to mime the action without speaking. Include more difficult and amusing scenarios to challenge the group and create some funny opportunities for team connection!

Non-verbal improv #improv game #energiser #fun #remote-friendly An improv game where participants must use non-verbal communication and actions to communicate a phrase or an idea to other players. A fun game that’s a great way to open a discussion on better communication!

Rock, Paper, Scissors (Tournament)

Encouraging team members to play and have fun is an often overlooked aspect of building better teams. Play is an inherently human activity, and by doing this as a team, we can start to see ourselves as more than just a group of people who work together.

In this version of Rock, Paper, Scissors, large groups pair off until only two players remain for a final showdown. We love that losing players become fans of the winners and cheer them on. This is a quick and easy team game that can build excitement and get the group ready for deeper team building activities to come!

Rock, Paper, Scissors (Tournament) #energiser #warm up #remote-friendly This is a fun and loud energiser based on the well-known “Rock, Paper, Scissor” game – with a twist: the losing players become the fan of the winners as the winner advances to the next round. This goes on until a final showdown with two large cheering crowds! It can be played with adults of all levels as well as kids and it always works!

Fun team building activities often ask the group to let go of their inhibitions and find space to be playful and silly. This game from Hyper Island encourages the group to perform some loud, exuberant moves to emulate our favourite historical raiders – the Vikings.

You might use this activity during a longer workshop or meeting to energize a group and create a memorable moment with your team. For bonus points, have a group photographer capture those moments and put them on a history wall for reflection later!

The Viking #hyperisland #energiser In this group game, players stand in a circle and perform a series of loud physical moves, passing from one person to the next. When a player hesitates or makes a mistake, he or she is eliminated and the game continues. The game generates laughter and playfulness in the group.

Wink Murder

We love team building exercises that include space for friendly competition and laughter. Wink murder is a variation on a classic party game that asks every team member to try and catch the wink assassin, whose job it is to eliminate the other players by winking at them without being caught.

We especially like the fact this game makes team members to use creative thinking while playing. Run multiple rounds with extra rules such as adding an accomplice to spice things up and have even more fun!

Wink Murder #icebreaker #energizer #group game #team #teambuilding A fun energizer where one player must try and eliminate the rest of the team by winking – all without being caught.

Corporate team building activities

Running team building games in the office can be a great way to finish up the week, onboard new team members or just boost employee engagement.

While all of the activities in this post are suitable for the office, the team building games in this section are especially effective in a corporate environment where some team members may need some coaxing or you want to gently introduce important topics.

Try these activities if you want to add an opportunity for your team to bond during a corporate training session, all-hands or other office event.

Appreciations Exercise

Office trivia can be fun, but you know what’s better? Taking a moment to appreciate each team member and uplift everyone in the group.

This method is designed to help everyone in a group receive appreciative feedback on their strengths from others. Start by sitting the group in a circle and having each participant write their name on a piece of paper and pass it to the person on their left. Each person writes down what they have most valued about the person whose name is on the sheet before passing it along.

At the end, share these appreciations and celebrate everyone in the group! You might even include this activity during a happy hour to truly celebrate one another!

Appreciations Exercise #team #appreciation #self esteem #remote-friendly When you hear about your strengths from others and acknowledge them to yourself, this builds your motivation and self-confidence. If you do this at the end of a workshop, you go away feeling good about yourself and your colleagues too.

Cover Story

Bringing an activity that encourages creative thinking and imagination can be an effective method for getting team mates involved at your next corporate event. In this game, small groups create a magazine cover with your team on it and add headlines and taglines that show the best possible version of your team.

By defining the ideal future state for the organization your group can see what actions they might take today while also creating a fun and useful artefact for the team. Use as many sheets of paper as you need!

Cover Story #gamestorming #idea generation #organizational development #vision #strategy Cover Story is a game about pure imagination. The purpose is to think expansively around an ideal future state for the organization; it’s an exercise in visioning. The object of the game is to suspend all disbelief and envision a future state that is so stellar that it landed your organization on the cover of a well-known magazine

Coat of Arms

Even established teams have more to learn about one another. A corporate team building activity is a great time to encourage groups to go deeper and share who they are as a team.

In Coat of Arms, each team member begins by drawing a personal coat of arms and then sharing it with a partner. The partner interprets the coat of arms and then presents it to the rest of the group. This kind of getting to know you activity taps into group creativity and is a fun way of helping your team bond.

Coat of Arms #teambuilding #opening #icebreaker #team #get-to-know #thiagi Coat of Arms exercise provides a way for participants to introduce themselves and their colleagues, particularly for groups who think they already know each other very well. Almost invariably participants discover something about their colleagues of which they previously had no idea. Occasionally this revelation has an immediate and direct application to another participant’s current project or challenge.Because this activity forces people to use drawings rather than words, it is particularly useful as a dual-purpose introductory exercise in training sessions that deal with such topics as innovation, creativity, and problem-solving.

My Favourite Manager

Leaders and managers can be a deciding factor in creating a great company culture and employee happiness. In this game, get started by bringing your team together to discuss their favourite and least favourite managers.

This corporate team building activity is great at creating a safe space to discuss management styles and create empathy between teams. You’ll often find team members can shift their perspective, learn something about how they relate to their leaders and have fun too!

My Favourite Manager #management #leadership #thiagi #teamwork #remote-friendly Participants work individually, assuming the roles of three different people and brainstorming their perceptions of three most favourite managers and three least favourite managers. Later, they work with a partner (and still later, in teams) to prepare a list of dos and don’t-s for improving employees’ perception of a manager’s style.

Who are you? The Pirate Ship exercise

Explore team roles and responsibilities in a lighthearted manner is a great way to spend time during an office event.

In this simple but powerful team building exercise, share the image of the crew of a pirate ship. Next, invite participants to reflect on who they most identify with on the ship. Who is the captain? Who is looking out for land or maintaining the deck? By reflecting together around a fun premise, you can encourage meaningful discussions with your grop.

Who are you? The pirate ship exercise (dinámica del barco pirata) #team alignment #team #remote-friendly #teamwork #warm up #icebreaker This an easy but powerful exercise to open a meeting or session and get participants to reflect on their attitudes or feelings about a topic, in the organization, team, or in the project.

History Map

Building effective teams is often a process of ideation, reflection and iteration over time. Sometimes, it’s easy to lose sight of just how much a team or organization has grown. With this corporate team building activity, invite your group to reflect and build on their collective experience with a memory wall that collects moments over a fixed period of time.

It’s a great way of reinforcing major takeaways, celebrating the highlights and creating a sense of closure and progress. By also encouraging the creation of a shared visual resource, History Map also enables creativity and a sense of fun that can provide the perfect end to a project or working session.

History Map #hyperisland #team #review #remote-friendly The main purpose of this activity is to remind and reflect on what group members or participants have been through and to create a collective experience and shared story. Every individual will gain a shared idea of what the group has been through together. Use this exercise at the end of a project or program as a way to reinforce learnings, celebrate highlights and create closure.

Birds of a Feather

It’s not uncommon for teams to naturally form sub-groups with common characteristics. This exercise effectively shows how consciously creating more diverse groups can make teams more resilient and productive.

Get started by giving each team member an index card with a single letter on it. Then ask people to form a group of five people as quickly as possible without any further instructions. Next, ask the groups to form the longest word possible from their cards. It will quickly become apparent that the best way to win the game is with a team that has diverse cards.

This simple game is a great introduction to a wider conversation about diversity or inclusion. As always, debrief learnings and invite deeper conversation in the group to make this activity a success.

Birds of a Feather #teamwork #diversity #team #creativity #thiagi Participants naturally want to form groups with common characteristics. This exercise illustrates how diverse groups have access to more resources and provide a greater variety of solutions. Each person is given an index card with a letter on it, and then asked to form a group of five people. Participants assume that they should get into groups with others who have the same letter. However, when the facilitator asks them to form the longest word possible with the letter cards, they realize that it would have been more beneficial to have created a diverse group.

Corporate meetings can sometimes be heavy going, but they don’t need to be. In this fun teambuilding game, encourage your group to loosen up while working together to solve a puzzle that involves their bodies!

Start by getting your team members into groups of 7-12 people. Ask each group to stand in a circle, close their eyes and then link hands with two other people in the circle. Next, ask each group to work to untangle the human knot they have created without breaking the chain. This is a really fun game that requires clear communication, collaboration and a little flexibility too!

Human Knot A physical-participation disentanglement puzzle that helps a group learn how to work together (self-organize) and can be used to illustrate the difference between self-organization and command-control management or simply as a get-to-know-you icebreaker. Standing in a circle, group members reach across to connect hands with different people. The group then tries to unravel the “human knot” by unthreading their bodies without letting go of each other people’s hands. As a management-awareness game to illustrate required change in behavior and leadership on a management level (e.g., illustrate the change from ‘task-oriented’ management towards ‘goal/value-oriented’ management).

Team building activities for small groups

Team work doesn’t always come naturally, and effective team collaboration needs attention, reflection and work in order to happen. It’s not enough to just assume your team members will be able to work together efficiently: all teams can benefit from a strategic and well-thought approach to how they communicate and collaborate.

Whether you’re having a team away day or using methods expressly designed to improve collaboration and communication in small groups, you’ll find inspiration in the activities here!

These team building games are helpful whether you’re trying to solve miscommunication or collaboration issues, or just want to strengthen your company culture or communication skills in small groups.

Conflict Responses

It’s important to remember that every team is made up of individuals and sometimes, conflicts or disagreements can arise. While its regular working practice to disagree, our responses to conflict and how we deal with them when they arise are in our control and can be improved.

In this exercise, reflect on previous conflicts as a team and collectively create a set of guidelines to use in the future. Resolving issues effectively is a massive part of team collaboration, and by including all team members in this process you can get more meaningful results too.

Conflict Responses #hyperisland #team #issue resolution A workshop for a team to reflect on past conflicts, and use them to generate guidelines for effective conflict handling. The workshop uses the Thomas-Killman model of conflict responses to frame a reflective discussion. Use it to open up a discussion around conflict with a team.

Heard, Seen, Respected

Team empathy is a vital ingredient of good team work though whatever the size of your organization, it can sometimes be difficult to walk in the shoes of others and see things from other perspectives.

Heard, Seen, Respected is a team building activity designed to help participants practice deeper empathy for colleagues and build the kinds of bonds and working practices that can improve team collaboration. By inviting participants to notice patterns in the stories shared and find common takeaways, it’s a great way to get everyone involved on the same page and improve communication skills too.

Heard, Seen, Respected (HSR) #issue analysis #empathy #communication #liberating structures #remote-friendly You can foster the empathetic capacity of participants to “walk in the shoes” of others. Many situations do not have immediate answers or clear resolutions. Recognizing these situations and responding with empathy can improve the “cultural climate” and build trust among group members. HSR helps individuals learn to respond in ways that do not overpromise or overcontrol. It helps members of a group notice unwanted patterns and work together on shifting to more productive interactions. Participants experience the practice of more compassion and the benefits it engenders.

Myers-Briggs Team Reflection

One potential obstacle to effective team collaboration is when members of the group don’t fully understand one another. Team building activities for work that encourage participants to not only try and understand their colleagues but themselves can be especially helpful when helping a team be more cohesive.

In this activity, invite your group to first take a version of the Myers-Briggs personality test. Start by asking each team member to reflect on their own personality type before then moving towards small group discussion.

When using this activity, it’s important to correctly frame the usage of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) framework: This can be a useful framework to understand different communication preferences between people, but team members should not be labeled or put into boxes based on their self-reported preferences.

Myers-Briggs Team Reflection #team #hyperisland A workshop to explore personal traits and interpersonal relations using the Myers-Briggs personalities model. Use this tool to go deeper with your team to understand more about yourselves and each other on personal and professional levels.

Strength Building exercise

Exercises for team building come in many varieties. In this activity, the emphasis is on the team championing one another and increasing confidence, self esteem and mutual trust.

Start by asking team members to share an event where they accomplished something that made them feel good about themselves. The rest of the team chimes in to suggest two to three strengths they must have exhibited in order to achieve the accomplishment. Team collaboration often means helping others on the team achieve their best, and this activity helps the group uplift one another meaningfully and effectively.

Strength Building exercise #team #appreciation #self esteem #remote-friendly People develop confidence and self esteem as they discover that their achievements and skills are valuable. This is an exercise for team building and for increasing self esteem and mutual trust.

Strength Envelopes

All members of a team have unique strengths, capabilities and working preferences. When working as a group, you can improve engagement and group workflow by having each participant utilize their strengths and do work that interests them the most.

With this team building activity, ask participants to write their name on an envelope and invite other members of their team to spend a few minutes writing down strength statements for that person. Place these in the envelope and pass them along so at the end of the session, each person has a set full of strengths they can use as the basis for reflection.

Strength Envelopes #appreciation #self-awareness #feedback #team #thiagi #teambuilding #action This activity helps working teams to discover and share individual strengths and to increase their engagement by structuring their jobs around these strengths. Suitable for people who work together (for example, members of an intact work team) organized into playgroups of 5 to 9 members.

Team of Two

Whether you work in a small startup or a multinational organisation, the reality is that a large part of your working day will be spent working in pairs and interacting on a one-to-one basis. Whether in-person, over email or on video chat, finding ways to work together more effectively is vital for effective teams.

Try this team building exercise to help empower your groups toward more effective communication skills and have more meaningful interpersonal relationships at work. As a member of a remote team, I’ve found this method to be personally useful time and time again.

Team of Two #communication #active listening #issue analysis #conflict resolution #issue resolution #remote-friendly #team Much of the business of an organisation takes place between pairs of people. These interactions can be positive and developing or frustrating and destructive. You can improve them using simple methods, providing people are willing to listen to each other. “Team of two” will work between secretaries and managers, managers and directors, consultants and clients or engineers working on a job together. It will even work between life partners.

What I Need From You (WINFY)

Some of the best team building activities focus on helping your group improve their teamwork skills and communicate and collaborate better as a team. A sometimes overlooked part of working as a team is clearly articulating what you need from other people and knowing how to ask for it.

What I Need From You is a team building method designed to help team members better articulate their core needs and be transparent with the group. This leads to a more cohesive team that works together with integrity and understanding.

What I Need From You (WINFY) #issue analysis #liberating structures #team #communication #remote-friendly People working in different functions and disciplines can quickly improve how they ask each other for what they need to be successful. You can mend misunderstandings or dissolve prejudices developed over time by demystifying what group members need in order to achieve common goals. Since participants articulate core needs to others and each person involved in the exchange is given the chance to respond, you boost clarity, integrity, and transparency while promoting cohesion and coordination across silos: you can put Humpty Dumpty back together again!

Team building games for problem solving

Teams often come together to solve collective problems as a group . Whether these are large projects or simply finding better ways to work together on a day-to-day basis, solving problems is something all teams should do – in or out of a conference room!

Improving problem solving skills with a game that asks for communication, collaboration and creative thinking is a wonderful way to bring everyone together. We love using these kinds of team building exercises to bring large groups together to solve a fun, simple problem.

By engaging team members in this way, they not only have fun, but they learn how to work together more effectively and reflect on how they can take that learning back to their day work.

In this section, we’ll look at team building exercises you can use to encourage creative thinking, build problem solving skills and teamwork in an experiential way!

Blind Square – Rope Game

Nothing energizes a team workshop like a seemingly simple problem that also gets everyone moving and engaged. In this team problem solving game, start by tying a length of rope into a circle and invite the participants to plan how to make the rope into a perfect square while blindfolded.

After planning time, team members is blindfolded and has ten minutes to form a perfect square. By debriefing afterwards, your group will find communication, planning and attention to detail are all important aspects of creative problem solving – all while having fun too!

Blind Square – Rope game #teamwork #communication #teambuilding #team #energiser #thiagi #outdoor This is an activity that I use in almost every teambuilding session I run–because it delivers results every time. I can take no credit for its invention since it has existed from long before my time, in various forms and with a variety of names (such as Blind Polygon). The activity can be frontloaded to focus on particular issues by changing a few parameters or altering the instructions.

Crocodile River

We love team building activities that challenge the group to work together in inventive ways and also help energize a workshop setting. Crocodile River is a team problem solving exercise that challenges team members to support one another physically as they look to move across a wide outdoor space and reach the finish line together.

By changing the setting and inviting problem solving and strategic thinking to solve a challenge, your group not only stretches their problem solving muscles but also works on team communication, leadership and cooperation. As with any more abstract team building game, be sure to debrief afterward for best results!

Crocodile River #hyperisland #team #outdoor A team-building activity in which a group is challenged to physically support one another in an endeavour to move from one end of a space to another. It requires working together creatively and strategically in order to solve a practical, physical problem. It tends to emphasize group communication, cooperation, leadership and membership, patience and problem-solving.

Classic team building games like Egg Drop offer tried and tested ways to encourage teams to solve problems together while improving the way they communicate. This game often generates a bunch of laughter and creative thinking too – how can we save this poor egg!

In this team problem solving activity, invite small groups to build a freestanding structure that can support the dropping of an egg from seven feet. Include some caveats and challenges to make it more difficult and encourage an even greater degree of team collaboration. Just make sure you bring a mop for afterwards!

Egg drop #teampedia #collaboration #teamwork #icebreaker #team This fun activity could be used as an icebreaker for people who have just met but it can be framed as a method that shows and fosters team communication, collaboration and strategic thinking as well.

Helium Stick

Bringing team members together with problem solving activities that also encourages play can perform multiple functions. Not only do you encourage teamwork and the building of various team skills but you can have fun and promote laughter too.

Helium Stick is an example of a simple team building game that does double duty by encouraging fun, physical activity while introducing and exploring some core team building concepts. Ask the group to lower a long pole to the ground while keeping all of their fingers in contact with the pole at all times – more difficult than it first appears!

Helium Stick #teampedia #team #teamwork #icebreaker #energiser A great and simple activity for fostering teamwork and problem solving with no setup beforehand.

Lego Challenge

Creating something is often the purpose of bringing your team members together. Tap into the engaging process of co-creation and collaboration with this team building game using LEGO.

Building on the concept of LEGO Serious Play, this exercise is a great way of encouraging play, out-of-the-box thinking and creative approaches to existing problems. Additionally, each team member has a secret assignment which increases the challenge and encourages finding inventive ways to cooperate effectively and achieve both personal and team goals.

LEGO Challenge #hyperisland #team A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

Marshmallow Challenge with Debriefing

Real-life challenges are often time-sensitive and need to be considered thoughtfully and pragmatically. Team building activities for work are especially effective when they help create this same sense of urgency while encouraging team work.

In just eighteen minutes, groups must build the tallest free-standing structure out of materials including: spaghetti, tape, string, and one marshmallow, placing this last item on top. In this version of the team building game, there’s a debriefing section which encourages reflection on the roles of everyone in the team.

Marshmallow challenge with debriefing #teamwork #team #leadership #collaboration In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Visit the Marshmallow Challenge website for more information. This version has an extra debriefing question added with sample questions focusing on roles within the team.

Getting outside and doing fun, physical activity can be a great way to bond teams and mix up a normal working routine. In this team problem solving game, participants are asked to work to make holes in a grid of string and rope that can safely and effectively accommodate everyone in the group getting through at once. Team members are not allowed to touch the string or rope and with diverse groups, the difficulty this presents makes for an interesting problem solving challenge for teams to solve.

Spider web #team #teampedia #warm up #outdoor #physical This is an active team building game and requires participants to move about a lot and so can be also used as an energiser.

Stress Balls

At one point or another, most teams will be asked to perform effectively under pressure, whether that’s generated by internal or external stressors. By using team building games that help participants work together and communicate effectively even under difficult circumstances you can prepare your team members for almost anything!

Stress Balls is a fun game to help start exploring team resilience and problem solving under pressure, and it’s easy to run with large groups too! Start by simply passing a single ball around the room before adding more complex rules to help team members learn a valuable lesson about communication and teamwork!

Stress Balls #energiser #communication #teamwork #team #thiagi #action #icebreaker Understanding the importance of communication and teamwork is an important requirement for high performance teams of knowledge workers. This exercise is an effective energizer that requires communication and teamwork. Ask participants to form a circle and throw a ball around to simulate the movement of a message. Change different variables such as speed, quantity, and complexity to create a mess.

Scavenger Hunt

Activities that encourage groups to use teamwork and communication to achieve their goals are great ways to build team spirit. A classic scavenger hunt is a wonderful way to bring large groups together and have fun doing something a bit different!

Be sure to use office trivia, inside jokes or aspects of your company culture to inform this fun team building activity. You’ll find it much more effective if it’s tailored to your group. Bonus points if you can mix in activities that speak to the various departments or skillsets in the group during your scavenger hunt!

In the virtual-friendly version below, you’ll also find rules to help you run this activity with a remote team.

Virtual scavenger hunt #energiser #teambuilding #remote-friendly A fun team-building energiser that encourages groups to recreate the scavenger hunt experience in a fully remote environment!

Team bonding activities

Mutual trust is a vital ingredient for any group of people working together, though it doesn’t always emerge organically. Taking the opportunity to build team bonds and create trust creates benefits for team connection, happiness and your company culture too!

While many of the fun team building activities above will bring your team together in some way, these methods are designed to expressly create better team bonds and build trust.

When working on improving team trust, we recommend being open about the goals of the exercise and encouraging the group to be honest . Being intentional during these activities can really help bring the group together!

Trust Battery

Great teamwork isn’t just about bringing a group of people together into the same space. Without honesty, openness, and trust, your team can’t collaborate effectively and can lead to frustration or frazzled relationships.

Trust Battery is a team building activity designed to help all members of your group reflect on their trust levels and rebuild those batteries with lower levels. By encouraging all members of a team to meaningfully reflect, you can enable better team collaboration and help your team feel closer and more cohesive too.

Trust Battery #leadership #teamwork #team #remote-friendly This self-assessment activity allows you and your team members to reflect on the ‘trust battery’ they individually have towards each person on the team, and encourages focus on actions that can charge the depleted trust batteries.

Telling Our Stories

Everyone has a story to tell, though without a framework or guiding principles, surfacing those stories in a way that makes everyone feel safe and head can be tricky – especially for new teams. Team building activities that combine self reflection, sharing and structure are great for helping people to get to know each other deeply and build better bonds.

In Telling Our Stories, invite participants to reflect on childhood, young adulthood and today while answering questions on colored post-it notes. By sharing from the full gamut of our experiences, your team can get to know one another meaningfully and create trust too.

Telling Our Stories #hyperisland #team #teambuilding To work effectively together team members need to build relations, show trust, and be open with each other. This method supports those things through a process of structured storytelling. Team members answer questions related to their childhood, young adulthood, and now; then weave them into a story to share with the rest of their team.

Better Connections

Great teamwork and collaboration is all about building stronger relationships and connections and this often means taking the time to see each other as more than just our job title. Once we get a fuller picture of who we are outside the office, everyone can feel more seen and understood. This is one of the cornerstones of team bonding and trust!

Encourage people who know each other the least to pair up and create space for meaningful reflection too – your team culture will thank you for it! It’s also a great way to improve communication skills and break down silos.

Better Connections #interpersonal relationships #teambuilding #team #connection #thiagi #get-to-know We build a stronger relationship with people when we see them as human beings with whom we share similarities in terms of family and life situations. It is very difficult to form strong relationships with people about whom we know very little.We feel more connected to “full” people. For example, take John, the accountant. If I think of John as an accountant, I might put him into a box of what I think I know about accountants. I might not feel connected to accountants and will treat him accordingly. But when I think of John as a keen mountain climber and outdoor adventurer with two children, one of whom is graduating from university next month, then John becomes human to me, and I can feel connected to him.

Feedback: Current Strongest Impression

Giving and receiving feedback is a great team building activity that sees benefits long after your session. When we find ways to be more open with one another and say what we really think, the results can be transformative for any group.

This activity is a great one to bring to any event where you want to improve team bonding, as it creates a safe and simple way to start practicing more honest feedback. The next time you think about how to improve the way your team works together, think about whether you have a good feedback culture. The trust that good, open feedback can create is a fundamental part of any high performing team!

Feedback: Current Strongest Impression #hyperisland #skills #feedback Regular, effective feedback is one of the most important ingredients in building constructive relationships and thriving teams. Openness creates trust and trust creates more openness. Feedback exercises aim to support groups to build trust and openness and for individuals to gain self-awareness and insight. Feedback exercises should always be conducted with thoughtfulness and high awareness of group dynamics. This is a good first feedback exercise. It supports individuals to try out giving and receiving a very basic form of feedback in a safe way.

When a team doesn’t trust one another, the atmosphere and culture of a team suffers. Creating space to align and create a shared understanding of what trust means to your team is a great way to build team bonds and improve the way you all work together.

Start this activity by bringing together a set of trust cards containing characteristics, behaviours, attitudes, habits, values, and beliefs associated with trust in the workplace. Next, ask participants to create their own trust cards and move towards creating three core trust cards for your team.

By co-creating the output together, this team building activity is great for ensuring buy-in and creating long-lasting trust.

Trust #thiagi #issue analysis #trust One of the most important concepts in the workplace is trust. It affects performance, informal and formal relations, atmosphere of the workplace etc. With this activitiy you cn discover what one thinks about trust.

Translated Rant

Team building workshops are a great place to give your team room to have fun, vent and be honest with one another. Creating space for honesty while also building communication skills is the goal of this fun team building activity!

Split your group into pairs and have one person rant about a pet peeve for 60 seconds. Next, have the other person translate this rant while focusing on what the person really cares about. This kind of deep listening activity is fundamental to creating team trust, and sharing some of our annoyances in the group is great for building bonds too!

Translated Rant #active listening #emotions #values #trust #conflict #introductions #opening #connection One person rants for 60 seconds. The second person translates their rant into what they care about and value.

Team building exercises for purpose and alignment

Even the best teams can have differences of opinion and approach. While different viewpoints and perspectives are useful in many situations, it’s also vital that everyone is aligned on team purpose and vision.

Aligning on how the team will work together is an important part of helping the team be happy, productive and pulling in the same direction.

In this section, we’ll look at team work activities to help improve team alignment and get everyone working towards the same purpose. Let’s get started!

Alignment & Autonomy

Activities that help improve each member of your team work more effectively and feel empowered to operate autonomously can be great for improving employee happiness and productivity. If we feel aligned on the core purpose and goals of our team while also being given the space to work in the way that is right for us, we can boost employee engagement and job satisfaction too!

In Alignment & Autonomy, invite participants to reflect on times when they felt aligned and autonomous versus non-aligned and non-autonomous. By sharing, reflecting, and then ideating on solutions, your whole group can move forward together.

Alignment & Autonomy #team #team alignment #team effectiveness #hyperisland A workshop to support teams to reflect on and ultimately increase their alignment with purpose/goals and team member autonomy. Inspired by Peter Smith’s model of personal responsibility. Use this workshop to strengthen a culture of personal responsibility and build your team’s ability to adapt quickly and navigate change.

Engineering Your Team OS

When seeking to improve teamwork, it can be useful to think of your team as a system with complex, interlocking parts which may need a gradual refresh and redesign. This kind of abstraction can help prevent discussions from becoming too personal or difficult and ensure that your team alignment efforts are a success.

In this activity, your team designs an ideal working system by making aspirational statements and then methodically chooses a single statement to work towards ahead of the next meeting. By making positive changes incrementally, your team can achieve alignment and better working practices in a meaningful and sustainable manner.

Engineering Your Team OS #team #hyperisland This is designed to work as a standalone workshop or as a companion to the Team Self-Assessment tool . Using reflections and insights on your working process, your team will ‘update’ its operating system by making deliberate choices about how to work together. The goal is gradual development, not a radical shift. You will design an ideal-state for your team and slowly work towards that.

Generative Relationships STAR

Better working relationships start with shared reflection and the discovery and discussion of existing working patterns. This team alignment activity invites participants to assess their team along four vertices: Separateness, Tuning, Action and Reason and jointly shape next steps and future actions.

By including the whole team in the alignment process from start to finish, you can get meaningful buy-in and see real results! We love using this on an online whiteboard too. It can be a great way to help remote workers consider their inter-personal relationships!

Generative Relationships STAR #team #liberating structures #teamwork You can help a group of people understand how they work together and identify changes that they can make to improve group performance. All members of the group diagnose current relationship patterns and decide how to follow up with action steps together, without intermediaries. The STAR compass tool helps group members understand what makes their relationships more or less generative. The compass used in the initial diagnosis can also be used later to evaluate progress in developing relationships that are more generative.

Team Canvas Session

Team alignment isn’t always straightforward. The more large, complex or multi-discipline your team is, the trickier it can be to help the group mesh and understand their roles and responsibilities to the team and each other.

In Team Canvas Session, you and your team create a shared visual resource for understanding and articulating your goals, values and roles of your team. It can be used for general alignment, for onboarding new team members and even for defining the structure and purpose of a brand new team – simply recreate or download the team canvas and get started today!

Team Canvas Session #team alignment #teamwork #conflict resolution #feedback #teambuilding #team #issue resolution #remote-friendly The Team Canvas is Business Model Canvas for teamwork. It is an effective technique to facilitate getting teams aligned about their goals, values and purposes, and help team members find their role on the team.

Team Self Assessment

All groups need to go through a period of reflection and self-assessment in order to grow. But without structure or a guiding framework, these discussions can become bogged down or unproductive. With this reflective team building activity, you can enable a thoughtful and thorough team self-assessment along six guiding dimensions.

Start with individual reflection before bringing everyone back together to debrief and see what you’re aligned on and what needs more work. By then narrowing these down to the most important elements, you can align and enable better co-working practices quickly and efficiently!

Team Self-Assessment #team #hyperisland #remote-friendly This is a structured process designed for teams to explore the way they work together. The tight structure supports team members to be open and honest in their assessment. After reflecting as individuals, the team builds a collective map which can serve as the basis for further discussions and actions. The assessment is based around 6 dimensions. Each one encouraging the team to reflect and analyse a different and crucial element of their behaviour.

Letter from the Future

Without a cohesive shared vision, teams can become unproductive or harbor frustration on team direction. By spending time with visioning activities, you can help everyone push in the same direction while still utilizing their unique talents.

In Letter from the Future, invite your team to imagine all the changes that might impact them in the next 5 years and write a letter back from that point. Ask your team to cover what’s been accomplished in those five years, and what kind of challenges and obstacles were overcome to make this happen. Remember to remind teams that good letters have a beginning, middle, and end and that they should read clearly – this will help during the sharing and debriefing section of this method!

Letter from the Future #strategy #vision #thiagi #team #teamwork Teams that fail to develop a shared vision of what they are all about and what they need to do suffer later on when team members start implementing the common mandate based on individual assumptions. To help teams get started on the right foot, here is a process for creating a shared vision.

Team Purpose & Culture

Defining your team’s purpose and culture is an integral part of team building. By clearly articulating why your team exists and how you will all work together to fulfill that purpose, you can align and bring focus to all the work you do. This team values and vision activity aims to create a shared visual resource that your team can refer to in the future.

It also uses wisdom from other successful organizations to help enable meaningful conversation and move from individual purpose statements to a single one for the whole team. If you’re looking for a complete process that can guide your team values and vision efforts, this method from Hyper Island is worth a try!

Team Purpose & Culture #team #hyperisland #culture #remote-friendly This is an essential process designed to help teams define their purpose (why they exist) and their culture (how they work together to achieve that purpose). Defining these two things will help any team to be more focused and aligned. With support of tangible examples from other companies, the team members work as individuals and a group to codify the way they work together. The goal is a visual manifestation of both the purpose and culture that can be put up in the team’s work space.

Checkout and recap activities for your team building workshop

The process of team building and enabling a group to work together more effectively can be involved and exhaustive.

As with any group process or workshop, taking the time to reflect, recap and check out can ensure the lasting impact of what was covered in the session.

You’ll often find that finding time to close team building activities creates space for further employee engagement and reflection. Getting team members involved in choosing the next activity or coming up with a theme for the next round of office trivia!

In this section, we’ll take a look at some great team building activities for closing a session and for recapping the main learning points. Let’s dive in!

Check-in / Check-out

Ensuring everyone in a group is present, focused and committed to the work of a session is a vital ingredient in making a team building session a success. With this workshop method from Hyper Island, you can not only start and end your session the right way, but you can help everyone in your group be seen, heard and understood by the rest of the team.

This is especially useful with a remote team, where ensuring clear connection between team members who don’t share a physical office is especially important.

This activity also helps encourage reflection and brings the workshop to an effective close – be sure to give it a try!

Check-in / Check-out #team #opening #closing #hyperisland #remote-friendly Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

The trip back from a team building event is a great place to share feedback and appreciate one another. Don’t have a bus? No worries! Create a few rows of chairs and simulate the experience for this reflective closing activity.

Once you’ve gotten the chairs of the bus set-up, ask participants to speak the person next to them and share: what they like about the other person, what they appreciate and what about the other person makes them happy. Speak for just 45 seconds each and then ask the group to switch seats.

Bus Trip #feedback #communication #appreciation #closing #thiagi #team This is one of my favourite feedback games. I use Bus Trip at the end of a training session or a meeting, and I use it all the time. The game creates a massive amount of energy with lots of smiles, laughs, and sometimes even a teardrop or two.

One Breath Feedback

In particularly large teams, it can be tempting to forgo the closing activity or individual feedback steps just because it will take so long and it can be hard to maintain energy and interest. One Breath Feedback solves this problem by giving each participant the space of a single breath to check out and reflect on the session. By ensuring that everyone has room to speak and be heard while also placing a time limit on the reflection, you can cap off a team building workshop effectively and intelligently.

One breath feedback #closing #feedback #action This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

Team building workshop templates

Building better teams often starts with designing an effective group process. Whether this takes the form of a workshop or meeting, you’ll want a balance of activities, ice breakers and reflective methods in order to help your group align and grow together.

In this next section, we’ll take a look at some example processes with a complete workshop template you can use to get started. Let’s take a look.

Team development day for a new team

Helping new teams to bond and find a shared purpose and value system is often best achieved with a well designed group process. Try the team development day template when working with a brand new team or one which has seen large growth and is in need of development.

Here, you’ll find a complete one-day group process full of team building activities that can take a group from getting to know each other all the way through to defining their needs and making commitments.

Team Development Day for a New Team

Emotional Culture Workshop

Good teams are empathetic and in touch with their emotions. Using the emotional culture deck , this workshop can be run in under 3 hours and helps your team define and improve working relationships and the emotional culture of your team.

Taking the time to articulate and define these items ensures that everyone in your group is seen, understood and valued, and that you have a shared language for moving forward.

Team Dynamics Workshop

Cohesive teams that work well together are those with an understanding about what makes a team and how it functions.

Support your team building activities with this half-day workshop template and guide your group through a process of understanding and building on the dynamics of working together.

Team Dynamics Workshop Template

Team building sessions made easy

Designing an effective team building workshop means creating a balanced agenda of activities and group discussions while also keeping everything on time.

With SessionLab, you drag, drop and reorder blocks to build your agenda in minutes.

Your session timing adjusts automatically as you make changes and when you’re done, you can share a beautiful printout with your colleagues and participants.

Explore how teams use SessionLab to collaboratively design effective workshops and meetings or watch this five minute video to see the planner in action!

Over to you

Enabling better teamwork and building stronger, more cohesive teams isn’t easy. Whether you’re running a team building day, team workshop, or simply adding some team building activities to your meetings, we hope that some of the methods above can help you and your group come together and do better work.

Got a team workshop to plan? Check out our complete guide to workshop planning to make the process a breeze. Want to start creating your agenda quickly? Use a meeting or workshop template to save time designing or get inspiration.

Which of these team building activities is your favourite? Is there anything missing from the list above? Let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear about how we can all improve our team building efforts.

Hey there, Thank you so much for sharing this interesting stuff ! I will share these ideas with my HR Departments. And I am sure this blog will be very interesting for me. Keep posting your ideas!

All the training techniques have been well thought pit, planned and illustrated with tangible objectives which in itself is incredible to say the least. Have learnt so much which O shall incorporate and refine in my Workshops…Than you Team Session Lab

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340 Team Building Questions to Build Trust in the Workplace

In order to create a trusting and productive work environment, it is important for teams to be able to build trust between each other. However, this can be difficult when team members don’t know how to start the conversation. Team-building questions might seem like they have nothing to do with work, but they actually provide […]

October 17, 2022

Team-building questions might seem like they have nothing to do with work, but they actually provide insight into how someone thinks and solves problems. By getting to know each other on a personal level, team members can develop trust and confidence in each other which will carry over into the workplace.

So go ahead and ask your co-workers any of the below questions for team-building – who knows, you might even learn something new about them!

What are team-building questions?

Team-building questions are designed to help team members get to know each other better and to promote communication and collaboration. However, not all team-building questions are created equal.

They can be used in team meetings, team-building exercises, or simply as icebreakers. While there are many different team-building questions that can be asked, some of the most popular include: “What is your favorite thing about working on this team?” and “What is your biggest challenge when working on this team?”

Asking group members these types of questions can help team members bond with each other and build a stronger sense of trust. Ultimately, team-building questions can help teams work together more effectively by fostering a greater sense of connection and camaraderie.

How do introduce team-building questions?

Introducing fun team-building questions can be a tricky business. On the one hand, you want to make sure everyone is on the same page and getting along. On the other hand, you don’t want to come off as too intense or like you’re trying to force things.

A good way to strike the right balance is to keep things light and fun. Make sure your team-building questions are mostly about getting to know each other better and building rapport. Once you’ve got everyone to loosen up a bit, you can start to introduce more challenging questions that will help the team bond and work together more effectively.

Either way, team-building questions can be a great way to bring your team closer together – just make sure to do it in a fun way!

Types of team-building questions

Team bonding questions can be a great way to get everyone on the same page. However, not all team-building questions are created equal. Here are a few of the most popular types of fun team-building questions, and how to use them effectively:

Personal Guilty Pleasure Icebreaker Questions

1. What is your all-time favorite guilty pleasure food?

2. What TV show do you love that others make fun of you for watching?

3. What celebrity do you have a major crush on, even though you know they’re not “good for you?”

4. Who is your favorite band or musician that you’re embarrassed to admit you like?

5. What one movie do you love that everyone else seems to hate?

6. What style of clothing do you love that other people think is tacky or ugly?

7. What hobby do you love even though it’s not considered “cool?”

8. What kind of food do you love that other person think is gross?

9. Is there a particular type of couple that you think is really adorable, even though others find them annoying?

10. Do you have any beauty products that you love even though they’re not fashionable?

Music, Movie, and Book-Related Icebreaker Questions for Work

1. What’s your favorite album right now?

2. Who’s your favorite musician?

3. Who would you want to play in a movie about your life?

4. What is your favorite cartoon character?

5. What’s your favorite song from a movie?

6. What’s your favorite character from the fictional world?

7. Who’s your favorite author?

8. What’s your favorite talk show?

9. Which fictional character do you most identify with?

10. How many books do you read in a year, on average?

11. What is your favorite genre of movie?

Travel-Themed Office Icebreaker Questions

1) Do you prefer to travel solo or with others?

2) What’s the furthest from your home you have ever been?

3)If you could hop on a plane right now, where would you go?

4) What’s the most interesting place you’ve been?

5) What was the best part of your last vacation?

6) What’s your dream vacation destination?

7) Have you ever had a less-than-stellar travel experience?

8) Who is your favorite travel companion?

9) What’s the best way to combat jet lag?

10) Are you a beach, city, or mountain type of traveler?

Weird and Outrageous Office Icebreaker Questions

1. If you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it be?

2. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

3. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

4. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen?

5. Have you ever had a dream that came true?

6. What’s the funniest coincidence that’s ever happened to you?

7. If you could travel back in time, where would you go?

8. If you could be reincarnated as anything, what would it be?

9. If money was no object, what would you do with your life?

10. What’s the best prank you’ve ever pulled?

Food-Related Office Creative Questions

1. What’s your favorite breakfast food?

2. Do you like to eat at your desk or away from it?

3. What is the weirdest food that you’ve ever eaten?

4. What’s your favorite food that you can cook as well?

5. Pretend you’re the team leader for a day, what food would you order for the break room?

6. What’s your favorite potluck dish to bring to work parties?

7. What would be your dream office lunch – free reign on anything! 8. Are there any foods you refuse to eat?

9. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

10. What’s your favorite food-related story? (Could be about a time you tripped over while carrying a plate of cookies, or the best restaurant you’ve ever been to, etc.)

Unique Icebreaker Questions for Dream Job

1. What is the best thing about your job?

2. What is on your bucket list?

3. What are the most challenging aspects of your job?

4. What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?

5. What are the most common misconceptions about your job?

6. What is the best advice you’ve ever received about your job?

7. What is the worst advice you’ve ever received about your job?

8. If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?

9. What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your job?

10. What are some of the highlights of your job?

11. What are some of the lowlights of your worst job?

History-Themed Team-Building Icebreaker Questions

1. If you could relive any moment in history, what would it be?

2. If you could trade places with any historical figure, who would it be?

3. If you could meet any figure from history, who would it be?

4. What is your favorite historical figure from history?

5. What is your favorite movie about history?

6. What event in history would you like to have witnessed?

7. Pretend that time travel is possible. Where and when would you go?

8. What do you think life was like for people in the past?

9. What current event do you think will be considered historical someday?

10. Do you have any family members or ancestors who were alive during a momentous time in history? If so, what do they remember about it?

Pop Culture-Themed Team-Building Icebreaker Questions

1. If your life were a movie, what would the soundtrack be like?

2. If you could instantly be fluent in any language, what would it be?

3. What reality TV show would you most like to compete on?

4. What character from a movie makeover would you like to have?

5. Who would you want to play in a movie about your life?

6. What was your favorite cartoon character growing up?

7. If you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it be?

8. What’s your favorite comic book or graphic novel?

9. Who was your first celebrity crush?

10. Are unicorns real? Why or why not?

"Would You Rather" funny Icebreaker Questions

1. Would you rather have superhuman strength or the ability to read people’s thoughts?

2. Would you rather be able to fly or be able to turn invisible?

3. Would you rather have a pool full of jellybeans or a pool full of cake batter?

4. Would you rather live in a world with no music or a world with no color?

5. Would you rather have a pet unicorn or a pet dragon?

6. Would you rather be able to speak any language fluently or be able to teleport?

7. Would you rather have a heart of gold or a mind like a steel trap?

8. Would you rather have a talking pet or a pet that understands human speech?

9. Would you rather live in the past or the future?

10. Would you rather be able to talk to animals or talk to plants?

11. Would you rather have the worst enemy describe your morning routine to the whole world or spend a year in jail?

Hobby-Themed Team-Building Icebreaker Questions

1. What’s your favorite hobby?

2. How long have you been doing it?

3. What made you start?

4. Are there any other hobbies you’re interested in trying out? Why haven’t you started yet?

5. What’s the most challenging thing about it?

6. What are the benefits of doing it?

7. Have you ever competed in anything related to your hobby? If so, how did you do?

8. Do you follow any blogs, YouTube channels, or Instagram accounts dedicated to your hobby? Who are your favorites?

9. What was the most recent project you worked on related to your hobby? Can we see it?

Debatable Team-Building Icebreaker Questions

1. Do you think that extraterrestrial life exists?

2. Do you believe that everyone has the ability to be happy?

3. Is it better to live in a big city or a small town?

4. Would you rather have superhuman strength or the ability to read people’s thoughts?

5. Do you think that money can buy happiness?

6. Do you believe that fate or destiny governs our lives?

7. Is it better to know as much as possible or to never know anything at all?

Holiday-Themed Team-Building Icebreaker Questions

1. What is your favorite holiday?

2. What is your favorite holiday food?

3. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

4. What is the best gift you’ve ever received for a holiday?

5. What was the worst present you’ve ever received for a holiday?

6. What is your favorite holiday-themed movie?

7. What is your holiday-themed favorite song?

8. What is the best Christmas/Hanukkah/etc. a party you’ve ever been to?

9. The worst Christmas/Hanukkah/etc. a party you’ve ever been to?

Meeting Team-Building Icebreaker Questions

1. What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done yet?

2. Do you have any pets? If not, what kind of pet would you like to have?

3. Who is your hero or personal role model? Why?

4. What are your favorite sports teams?

5. Do you have any siblings or children? How many and what are their ages/names/etc.?

6. What is your favorite board game?

7. Where did you grow up/where do you live now?

8. Did you go to college/trade school/etc.? What did/do you study/major in there?

9. What kind of work do you do now and how long have you been doing it (or how long did you do it for if you don’t currently work there)?

10. What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done?

11. Are you comfortable with a one-on-one meeting with your remote teams?

Trivia Questions for Team Building Activity

1. What is the capital of Latvia ?

2. What is the world’s largest desert?

3. What country is both the smallest by land area and has the smallest population?

4. Which ocean has more coastline on it: the Atlantic or the Pacific?

5. How many time zones does China have?

6. What is the smallest country in the world by population?

7. The international date line runs through which ocean?

8. What is the driest place on Earth?

9. How many continents are there?

10. Mount Everest is located in which mountain range?

Values and Sense-of-Purpose Questions for Team Building

1. What is your team’s definition of success?

2. What are your team’s core values?

3. What is your team’s sense of purpose?

4. What motivates your team to achieve its goals?

5. How does your team work together to accomplish tasks?

6. How do team members provide support for one another?

7. What is your team’s communication style ?

8. How does your team handle conflict?

9. How does your team deal with adversity?

10. What makes your team unique?

Problem-Solving Team Builder Questions

1. What is the best way to deal with a difficult customer?

2. How do you handle being assigned a project you know nothing about?

3. You’re working on a team project and one team member isn’t pulling their weight. What do you do?

4. One of your coworkers is constantly gossiping and causing drama. How do you deal with this person?

5. You’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload. What do you do?

6. You’re having a disagreement with a coworker about how to complete a task. How do you resolve the situation?

7. A team member confides in you that they are struggling with personal lives. How do you support them while still maintaining boundaries?

8. One of your coworkers is constantly making racist, sexist, or homophobic remarks . How do you confront them about this behavior?

9. You’re assigned to work on a project with someone you don’t get along with. How do you make the best of the situation?

10. Your company is going through layoffs and you’re worried about losing your job. What do you do?

Team Builder Questions about Personal Tastes, Hobbies, and Pastimes

1. Do you like to be surrounded by people or have some alone time?

2. How do you like your coffee?

3. Do you prefer the city or the country?

4. Do you prefer sweet or savory food?

5. What’s your favorite thing to do on a weekend?

6. Do you prefer hot or cold weather?

7. Do you have any morning routines ?

8. What’s your favorite activity outside of work?

9. Do you prefer spending time with friends or family?

10. What’s your favorite family tradition?

11. What is your favorite video game?

12. Are you a dog person or a cat person?

13. Which is the latest fashion trend do you follow?

Hypothetical fun icebreaker Questions

1. If you could be any animal, what would you be?

3. If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be?

4. If you could eat only 1 food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

5. If you could meet any person, living or dead, who would it be?

6. If you could own any pet, what would it be?

7. If you could have dinner with the most famous person, who would it be?

8. If you could explore any lost civilization, which one would you choose?

Virtual Work ice-breaker Questions

1. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

2. What’s the best prank you’ve ever pulled with your remote team?

3. What’s your favorite movie quote?

4. What would be your dream vacation spot?

5. What’s your favorite piece of advice?

6. What’s the best way to procrastinate?

7. What are three things you would take with you if you were stranded on a desert island?

Throwback ice-breaker Questions

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

2. If you could have any job in the entire world, what would it be?

3. What is your favorite TV show from childhood?

4. Who was your first celebrity crush?

5. What is your entrance theme song?

6. What is your favorite earliest childhood memory?

7. If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would be the first thing that you’d do?

8. If you could go back in time and relive any moment, what would it be

9. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

10. What is the best piece of advice your grandparents ever gave you?

11. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

12. What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?

13. What is the best piece of advice your parents ever gave you?

14. If you could have any career in the world, what would it be?

15. What are some of your favorite movies from childhood?

16. 20 years from now, what do you see yourself doing?

Funny team-building Questions

1. If a chicken did not have any legs, would it still be able to swim?

2. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

3. Why do we put shoes on our feet but not on our heads?

4. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

5. If you could take only ONE food item with you on a deserted island, what would it be?

6. How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?

7. What did Elmer Fudd say when he saw footprints going in circles in the woods?

8. Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

9. Do people in Australia call the rest of the world ‘upside down? Or do they just think we’re weird?

10. How come Superman could stop bullets with his chest but always ducked when someone threw a pistol at him?

11. What is your favorite knock-knock joke?

12. If all those calories I burned while jogging came back…would I be thin or simply better fed than before?!

13. Why doesn’t glue stick to its own container!?

14. Is my wheelbarrow breaking or am I just getting softer??

15. If money doesn’t grow on trees then why do banks have branches???

Common icebreaker team-building questions

1. How much does a swimming pool cost?

2. How often should I change my oil?

3. How many years does a car last?

4. What is the difference between all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive?

5. Should I buy a house or rent an apartment?

6. Is a college degree worth the cost?

7. How much money do I need to retire?

8. When should I start collecting Social Security benefits?

9. What is the best way to invest in retirement?

10. How can I reduce my taxes?

11. Are you a morning person or a night person?

12. Are you fine with late-night talk?

Growth and Development team-building Questions

1. What are some things you can do to encourage growth and development in your employees?

2. What are some techniques you can use to identify areas where employees need development?

3. How can you create a plan for employee development?

4. What are some ways you can measure the success of an employee development program ?

5. What are some common obstacles to employee development?

6. How can you overcome these obstacles?

7. What role does management play in employee development ?

8. What are some things managers can do to support employee development?

9. What is the difference between training and development?

10. What are some examples of training and development activities?

Aspirational team-building questions

1. What is your team’s ultimate goal?

2. What would your team be willing to do to achieve that goal?

3. What are your team’s core values?

4. What is your team’s biggest challenge?

5. What is your team’s greatest strength?

6. How can your team use its strengths to overcome its challenges?

7. How can your team become even more effective?

8. What is your team’s biggest opportunity?

9. How can your team best capitalize on that opportunity?

10. What is your team’s biggest threat?

11. How can your team mitigate that threat?

12. What else should we be asking ourselves?

Gratitude Team Building questions

1. What’s the best thing that happened to you this week?

2. What are you most grateful for rest of your life?

3. What was your biggest accomplishment this week?

4. Who helped you out this week?

5. What are your top 3 goals for next week?

6. What did you do for someone else this week?

7. What are you grateful for in your work?

8. Who has made the biggest impact on your life? Why?

9. What are you most proud of in your work?

10. What has been your biggest challenge at work? How did you overcome it?

11. Who do you admire most at work? Why?

12. How can expressing gratitude improve your life and work?

Feedback Team Building Questions

1. What was the last time you gave or received feedback that made you feel uncomfortable? How did you handle it?

2. What are some ways you think we could improve the way we give and receive feedback on our team?

3. What do you think is the biggest obstacle to giving and receiving feedback openly on our team?

4. What do you think would be the biggest benefit of giving and receiving feedback more openly on our team?

5. If you were feeling really struggling with something at work, who would you feel most comfortable going to for support and why?

6. Who do you think is the best at giving and receiving feedback on our team and why?

7. Is there anyone on our team whose feedback you really value and why?

8. Are there any topics that you feel are off-limits for giving or receiving feedback about? If so, why do you feel that way?

9. Do you think there are different rules for giving or receiving negative vs. positive feedback? If so, what are they?

10. What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone who’s struggling with giving or receiving feedback effectively?

Team- Building Questions about improving your company/department

1. How can we increase productivity to make a million dollars?

2. How can we better utilize our resources?

3. How can we improve communication?

4. How can we better motivate employees?

5. How can we foster a more positive work environment?

6. What other improvements would you like to see?

7. How can we reduce waste?

8. How can we better meet the needs of our customers or clients?

9. How can we increase sales or revenue to million dollars?

10. How can we reduce costs?

11. How do our competitors do it better than us?

12. What would our customers or clients say about us if they were asked for feedback?

13. What would happen if everyone took a longer lunch break?

14. What if we had more team-building activities in the next meeting?

15. What if we banned all forms of communication except virtual meetings?

16. Would it be possible to eliminate cubicles altogether?

17. How would our workdays be different if we started at 10 am instead of 9 am?

Helpful Discussion Questions for Team-Building Activities

1. What are some things you’re passionate about?

2. What motivates you to keep going when things get tough?

3. What are your favorite quotes or sayings?

4. What would be your dream job?

5. What are some of your hidden talents or skills?

6. What are some of your biggest accomplishments?

7. What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

8. What is your favorite place to go on vacation?

9. What are some of your hobbies or interests?

10. Tell me about a time when you were proud of yourself?

11. What do you like about your younger self?

Company Culture and Motivation Team- Building Questions

1. Do you feel like your opinion is valued at work?

2. What motivates our team to do their best work?

3. How do we reward employees for going above and beyond?

4. What makes our company culture unique?

5. How do we foster a sense of collaboration and teamwork?

6. How do we encourage new ideas and creativity?

7. How do we handle conflict within the team?

8. What kind of social activities do we have to build camaraderie?

9. How open are we to feedback from employees?

10. What career development opportunities are available for employees?

11. What motivates you to come to work each day?

12. What was your favorite thing about your first job?

13. What is the best thing about our company culture?

14. How do you feel about our company’s core values?

15. Do you feel like you have a good work/life balance?

16. How do you feel about our communication style?

18. Do you feel like you have the opportunity to grow and develop within the company?

19. Do you feel like our company is making a positive impact on the world?

Questions to address challenges, roadblocks, and concerns

1. Why is it taking me so long to achieve my goals?

2. Why do I keep procrastinating ?

3. How will you know if you’ve successfully solved the problem?

4. How can I get out of my comfort zone?

5. How can I stay motivated for my morning routine?

6. How can I overcome my fears?

7. How can I learn from my mistakes?

8. What can I do to make things easier/better/simpler?

9. What are the consequences of the problem?

10. What are your options for solving the problem?

11. What are the pros and cons of each option?

12. What is the best course of action?

13. What are the risks and potential challenges associated with that course of action?

14. What are your contingency plans if something goes wrong?

How to Use Team Building Questions: Activities and Games

Trying to get your team to gel can sometimes feel like herding cats. You know it’s important for everyone to work together, but getting everyone on the same page can be a challenge. That’s where team-building questions come in.

By asking the right questions, you can get your team talking and start to build the communication and collaboration skills that are so essential for success. Of course, simply asking a question is not enough. You also need to make sure that you’re asking the right kinds of questions. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Make sure that your questions are open-ended. That way, people will feel comfortable sharing their opinions and ideas.

2. Avoid yes or no questions. Instead, ask questions that require people to elaborate on their thoughts.

3. Try to ask questions that will get people thinking about their new team members in a different light. For example, you might ask them to share something they admire about another member of the team.

4. Be sure to encourage everyone to participate. No one wants to feel like they’re being put on the spot, so make it clear that everyone’s input is welcome and valued.

By following these tips, you can start using funny team-building questions to help your team work better together. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even have some fun in the process!

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Principal Writer

7 icebreaker games to help your team build authentic connections

These deceptively simple exercises can build the framework for psychological safety.

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5-second summary

Strong team cohesion – how bonded people feel to one another – is a key element for success in distributed teams.
Icebreakers can be an effective way to help teams get to know each other and feel more comfortable collaborating.

“Icebreakers.” The very name elicits a frosty reception in many workplaces. The concept – short, simple games to prime our brains for planning and problem-solving – is often discounted or completely overlooked by managers. But there’s evidence that the benefits of icebreakers make them more than worth the time.

“Icebreakers, particularly within the remote workspace, are an incredibly good idea,” says Eugene Chung, an Atlassian team coach and advisor on Team Playbook . “Any time you’re collaborating with colleagues, a few short minutes spent on carefully chosen activities beforehand can seriously help you. Not just in terms of feeling more connected by learning new things about each other, but also in terms of getting comfortable with speaking up and actively contributing to the group.”

That last point is crucial, particularly when the activity precedes a problem-solving or brainstorming meeting. Icebreakers foster what workplace experts call psychological safety In other words, they create an atmosphere in which colleagues feel free to speak up, question, contribute, and criticize – without fear of censure.

The trick – as any hungry polar bear would tell you – is to break the ice in the correct fashion.

How to choose the right icebreakers for virtual or in-person teams

One common mistake is assuming that every icebreaker serves the same purpose. On the contrary, there are many types and styles of icebreaker, each geared towards particular groups and outcomes. It’s smarter to think of them like a set of golf clubs, with each designed for certain scenarios.

To tee off, there are “introductory icebreakers,” where the participants are strangers at the start of the session, and the “ice” is simply the fact that they don’t know each other yet. In a remote working environment, these have become increasingly valuable tools.

There are plenty of other picks to choose from too, ranging from “team-building icebreakers” for more established groups to “topic exploration icebreakers,” which help lay the groundwork for more targeted meetings. The common denominator is that all types of icebreakers can help build stronger team connections.

7 fun icebreaker games for meetings

1. exorcise the demons (10 mins) .

Best for: Topic exploration

How: Best for groups of three or more, this is one of the most popular icebreakers from Team Playbook. First you introduce the idea you’ll be brainstorming around in the main meeting. Then, using a shared space in Confluence or Trello, you all note down the worst ideas you can possibly think of. After a few minutes, step back – asking each person to share their favorite worst idea.

Why: This juices up everyone’s neuropathways before brainstorming – and helps people to resist any temptation to self-censor when the real problem solving begins. This one also boosts psychological safety because, hey, every idea is automatically going to be better than whatever’s already on the page.

2. True or False (10 mins)

Best for: Team-building

How: Each person is asked to make three statements about themselves, one of which has to be false. The rest of the group then votes on which “fact” is actually falsehood.

Why: Not only does this help the group get to know each other better and swiftly reduce stress levels, but it also sparks immediate interaction – as the group comes together to root out the red herrings.

3. Three Things (5-10 mins)

Best for: Introductions

How: A quick-fire, fast-paced activity. Person A kicks things off by naming a category (for example, “types of dessert”). Person B rattles off three things that fit that theme, as quickly as they can. No judgment and no self-censoring. When they’ve finished, the entire group applauds, and then Person B names the next category. Continue until everyone has had a chance to name the category and the three things.

Why: This is all about triggering fast, unfiltered thinking before a brainstorming session. It’s not about right or wrong answers, it’s about celebrating the weirdest, funniest contributions and letting your brains relax into a comfortable, accepting, and creative gear.

4. Team Timeline (15 mins)

Best for: Team building

How: Each team member takes four slips of paper, jotting down an important moment from their life on each. When they’re done, people take turns showing the camera what they have written, and each is added to a shared timeline on a Confluence page or whiteboard.

Why: This exercise helps show, in a visual way, the different experiences, priorities, and generations within your team. It leads well into talking about shared experiences, breaks down barriers and creates a mindset of authentic communication.

5. One-word Icebreaker (15 mins)

How: Split participants into small teams (using breakout rooms if you’re on Zoom) and ask them to come up with one word to describe, say, your company culture, or a project you’re working on. Give them a few minutes to discuss amongst themselves, then let each team present their word, and the reasoning behind it.

Why: This can reveal some surprising answers, with enlightening discussion to follow, which can easily segue into the meeting proper. Plus, starting out with small groups allows everyone the chance to participate in a meaningful way, which can boost their confidence about speaking up in the full session.

5 science-backed team activities that will actually improve performance

6. guess who (5-15 mins).

Best for : Team building

How: Beforehand, everyone emails the facilitator three light-hearted answers from a list of questions. These could be anything from “what was your first job” to “what’s your craziest-ever hair style?” During the icebreaker, the facilitator shares an answer, asking the group to guess who the response belongs to.

Why: This is a classic team-building exercise for groups of three to 10 employees who have met or interacted before. It’s a fun way for teams to get closer and bond more.

7. 10 Things in Common (20 mins)

How: Break everyone into small groups in separate rooms over Zoom, being sure to mix departments if possible. Task the groups with finding 10 things that all of them share in common (for example: places they have visited, movies they love, items of clothing they own).

Why: This is an extremely effective way of encouraging cohesion and building solid inter-departmental relationships, leading to a happier, more committed and engaged workforce.

Before you start…

While the many benefits of icebreakers are well documented, there are also a number of pitfalls to avoid, too. It’s always a good idea, for example, to start with more simple icebreakers in newly established teams and work your way up. You also want to avoid anything that is too personal or hot-button topics that will foster division instead of cohesion. And always be sure to state the objectives of the task at the start of the exercise, so participants understand what they’re doing and why.

“One of the key elements of an effective team is cohesion ,” says Dr. Mahreen Khan, an organizational psychologist and emotional intelligence specialist, who’s also a senior qualitative researcher at Atlassian. “In other words, how bonded do you feel with each other? To maximize that cohesion, you need to get to know people on a personal level, and icebreakers can really help with that. People are feeling more disconnected now than ever before, so it’s even more important to use activities like this.”

Want even more icebreakers?

Grab a list of 20+ icebreakers questions in the Atlassian Team Playbook – a free online resource of simple, science-backed workshops that helps teams build on their strengths, troubleshoot difficulties, and encourage positive team dynamics.

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For Small Business

20 Customer Success Interview Questions to Hire CS Superstars in 2024

May 14, 2024
by Steven Austin

Customer success managers (CSMs) are quickly becoming one of the most critical roles in the SaaS industry. A great CSM is part product expert, part customer champion, and part strategic advisor, responsible for driving customer retention, loyalty and growth. In fact, a recent study found that companies with a dedicated CS team see a 24% lower churn rate .

But with the demand for top CS talent at an all-time high, how can you ensure you‘re hiring the right people to fill this crucial role? The key is to ask targeted customer success interview questions that assess the specific skills, traits, and experience predictive of CSM success.

As a seasoned SaaS leader who has built multiple high-performing CS teams, I‘ve learned that getting the hiring piece right is essential to hitting ambitious retention and growth goals. Building a strong CS team starts with a strategic interview process centered around the right questions.

In this post, I‘ll share my top 20 customer success interview questions for 2024, grouped by the core competencies they evaluate. I‘ll dive into why each question is important, what to listen for in candidate responses, and the red flags to avoid.

Armed with these questions and insights, you‘ll be well-equipped to make your CS team‘s next great hire – and drive serious results in 2024 and beyond. Let‘s dive in!

Evaluating the Core Skills of Top-Performing CSMs

When assessing CSM candidates, you‘ll want to hone in on the key skills that most closely correlate with on-the-job success. Based on my experience, as well as SaaS industry data , there are five core competencies to prioritize:

Let‘s unpack each of these competency areas with example questions, ideal responses, and warning signs to watch out for:

Relationship Building Interview Questions

Question: "Tell me about a time you turned an unhappy customer into a raving fan."

What to Listen For:

Ownership and accountability for customer‘s experience
Specific steps taken to understand root of customer‘s frustration
Creative solutions or gestures offered to rebuild trust
Ongoing effort to strengthen relationship over time
Placing blame on the customer or other departments
Only doing the bare minimum to appease customer
No proactive steps taken to prevent similar issues in the future
Question: "How do you balance building friendly customer relationships with driving their business outcomes?"
Acknowledgement that a CSM‘s ultimate goal is customer‘s success, not just being liked
Specific examples of friendly rapport translating into deeper customer trust/advocacy
Use of rapport to have difficult conversations that move customer forward
Overly focused on being liked vs. driving results
Avoids tough conversations that are in customer‘s best interest
Unable to articulate how relationships lead to retention/growth

Communication Interview Questions

Question: "Explain [complex product feature] to me as if I were a new customer."
Avoids jargon and uses clear, plain language
Starts with the "why" behind the feature and explains benefits
Answers potential objections or FAQs
Checks for understanding and invites questions
Overly technical explanation that would confuse a layperson
Focuses solely on features vs. benefits
Seems annoyed or impatient by "basic" questions
Question: "Tell me about a time you had to communicate a product limitation or challenge to a customer."
Prepared in advance and practiced the message
Owned the issue on behalf of the company vs. passing blame
Acknowledged customer‘s feelings and frustration
Offered a workaround or future solution
Avoided the conversation or let it drag on too long
Placed blame on the product/engineering team
Became defensive or argumentative
Didn‘t offer any kind of solution

Problem Solving Interview Questions

Question: "What‘s the toughest customer problem you‘ve solved? Walk me through your process."
Embraced the challenge vs. passing it off
Asked probing questions to fully understand root issue
Collaborated with other experts but owned the resolution
Created detailed plan and communicated progress to customer
Didn‘t stop until customer was fully satisfied
Gave up at first roadblock and escalated to manager
Brushed off or minimized customer‘s concern
Took a band-aid approach vs. solving root problem
Failed to communicate or follow through with customer
Question: "How would you handle a customer who wants to use our product for something it wasn‘t built for?"
Digs into "job to be done" behind request
Brainstorms creative workarounds using existing features
Brings in relevant product experts to weigh in
Articulates limitations while reinforcing product‘s core value prop
Collects details for formal feature request if needed
Dismisses customer‘s request outright
Makes promises or commitments they can‘t keep
Fails to consult other internal experts for ideas
Doesn‘t align feature request with product roadmap/vision

Technical Aptitude Interview Questions

Question: "How would you compare our product to [top competitor]?"
Demonstrates genuine curiosity about competitor‘s offering
Focuses comparison on benefits to customer vs. features
Acknowledges competitor‘s strengths while articulating our unique value prop
Cites specific customer examples of why they chose us
Makes claims about competitor‘s product without evidence
Engages in subjective mud-slinging vs. objective comparison
Can‘t articulate our core differentiators
Seems threatened by competitor vs. confident in our position
Question: "What resources do you use to stay up-to-date on industry trends?"
Proactively seeks out industry publications, blogs, podcasts etc.
Attends relevant webinars, conferences, and events
Participates in online CS and SaaS communities
Regularly connects with other CS leaders to swap learnings
Distills key takeaways and applies them to their work
Claims they "don‘t have time" to stay current
Relies solely on information passed down from manager
Can‘t name any specific industry resources
Doesn‘t have an opinion on key trends

Collaboration Interview Questions

Question: "Tell me about a time you partnered with another team to solve a customer issue."
Took initiative to loop in other stakeholders early
Clearly articulated situation and needs to other team
Welcomed outside ideas and perspectives
Negotiated win-win solution that worked for customer and company
Gave credit and thanks to collaborators
Waited until situation escalated to involve others
Approached collaboration as a zero-sum game
Dismissed input or feedback from other teams
Took all the credit for joint effort
Question: "How would you approach getting buy-in from product on a feature request?"
Starts by pressure-testing request to ensure it aligns with broader needs
Comes prepared with data on customer impact and use cases
Articulates request in terms of jobs to be done vs. specific features
Suggests phased approach or MVP to test value
Open to product‘s roadmap and constraints
Assumes every customer request should be prioritized
Fails to gather supporting data and examples
Demands vs. collaborates with product team
Approaches request as one-off vs. scalable solution

Tips for an Effective Customer Success Interview

Asking the right questions is a great start, but it‘s equally important to create a welcoming interview environment that brings out the best in candidates. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Have a scorecard: Create a list of target attributes and skills to consistently evaluate candidates against (see example in Table above). Be sure to include "culture add" qualities that will bring new perspectives to the team.

2. Listen more than you talk: Resist the urge to jump in and "sell" the role. Give candidates plenty of space to share their stories and ideas. Pay attention to how well they listen, too.

3. Ask for specific examples: For each question, push candidates to give a concrete example from their experience. Hypotheticals are okay, but real situations will give you better insight into how they approach their work.

4. Include a mock customer scenario: Consider ending the interview with a quick role play where the candidate has to explain a product concept or handle a common customer objection. This will give you a glimpse into how they think on their feet.

5. Provide an excellent candidate experience: Remember that a CSM interview is a two-way street. Candidates are assessing your company‘s culture and values too. Make sure every interaction reflects the kind of experience you want your customers to have.

The Bottom Line

Interviewing is both an art and a science, especially for a complex role like customer success. While there‘s no foolproof formula, asking targeted questions that get at the core competencies of top CSMs will significantly increase your odds of making a great hire.

Beyond these questions, the most important thing is to create an open, human-centered interview process that gives candidates a true feel for your company. Because at the end of the day, your customer success team‘s ability to build real, lasting relationships – both internally and externally – is what will make or break your retention and growth goals.

Now that you have the tools to make a smart CSM hire, it‘s time to put them into practice. If you have other go-to interview questions that have worked well, I‘d love to hear them – share in the comments! And if you‘re in the thick of the CS hiring process, I‘m rooting for you. With the right people on your team, I‘m confident 2024 will be the year of customer success.

IMAGES

Top 15 Problem-Solving Activities for Your Team to Master
10 Best Team Building Problem Solving Activities
Tips For Team Problem Solving
5 Quick and Easy Team Building Problem-Solving Activities
Problem Solving Training
17 Team Building Problem Solving Activities & Exercises

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COMMENTS

14 Brain-Boosting Problem Solving Group Activities For Teams
Jeopardy. Problem-solving activities such as Virtual Team Challenges offer a great way for teams to come together, collaborate, and develop creative solutions to complex problems. 2. Problem-Solving Templates. Problem-Solving Templates are popular problem-solving activities that involve a group of people working together to solve an issue.
14 Brain-Tickling Team Building Problems
Teammates must analyze, discuss, and execute team strategies to include every member within the perimeter. Shrinking Feeling underscores adaptability and group response to change. 9. Trading Pieces. Trading Pieces is a spin on the barter puzzle, one of the most well-known team building problems.
22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities
This means learning and having fun don't have to be mutually exclusive. And you can create a stronger team at the same time. Table Of Contents. show. 16 In-Person Team Building Problem Solving Activities for Your Work Group. 1. Cardboard Boat Building Challenge. 2. Egg Drop.
Team Building Exercises
In this article, we'll look at three team-building exercises that you can use to improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team. Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills. Use the following exercises to help your team members solve problems and make decisions together more effectively.
Best 20 Problem-Solving Activities to Challenge Your Team
Quick and easy problem-solving activities 12. Unpuzzled (in-person, virtual, hybrid) Activity Focus Areas: Communication, reasoning, collaboration under time pressure. Objective: Unpuzzled is an engaging team-building game that combines problem-solving and trivia elements. The goal is for each team to work collaboratively to solve a series of puzzles and then unscramble them to uncover a meta ...
Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults
4. Sudoku. Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge. To play Sudoku on Zoom, screen share the game board.
15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities
15 Problem-Solving Activities. 1. A Shrinking Vessel. Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster, according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before.
Top 15 Problem-Solving Activities for Your Team to Master
3. Egg Drop. Helps with: Collaboration, decision-making. Why decision-making is important for problem-solving: Making decisions isn't easy, but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices.
12 Team Building Puzzle Games to Solve With Groups
Here is a list of scavenger hunt clues. 5. Rube Goldberg Off. For the ex-Science Olympiad participants in your team, Rube Goldberg Off is a team building puzzle for adults that challenges teams to create the most complex Rube Goldberg contraption. Rube Goldbergs are intricate machines designed to fulfill a simple purpose, like the ones in Back ...
Fun Team-Building Problem-Solving Activities
Creative Problem-Solving Activities from Let's Roam. The experts at Let's Roam have carefully constructed a series of team-building activities that will help you to build stronger connections, increase productivity, and improve morale. These exercises can be used in the office, or virtually for remote teams, and focus on problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and more.
75 Creative Team-Building Questions To Build Trust at Work
75 Creative Team-Building Questions To Build Trust at Work. Jennifer Herrity. Updated October 28, 2022. An important part of increasing a team's productivity is strengthening the personal connections between team members. Building rapport boosts morale, productivity and positivity.
17 team building problem-solving activities that actually work
Effective team building problem-solving activities. One of the most daunting aspects of team building is looking up ideas for things to do, not knowing whether they work. So we did the hard part for you and hand-picked the best team building activities to overcome obstacles. 1. Improve collaboration with Work Buddy.
Team Building Questions: Ultimate Resource
To counteract these issues, you can build and strengthen relationships with team building questions. In this article, we've created the ultimate resource for team builder questions. The following guide includes more than 230 questions in various categories such as icebreakers, personal interests, trivia, and values, plus games and activities ...
Top 10 Problem Solving Group Activities for Your Team
5. Tallest tower. One the classic group problem-solving activities, simple construction projects can help teams develop strategies to overcome out of the box problems. Using only two materials, teams will compete to make the tallest marshmallow spaghetti tower in a set amount of time.
Team Building Questions: 150 Purposeful Examples to Boost Group
Types of Team-Building Questions Part 1. Designing Effective Team-Building Questions Part 2. 150 Examples of Purposeful Team-Building Questions Part 3. Evaluating the Impact of Team-Building Questions Part 4. The strength of a team lies not just in the collective skills of its members, but in the depth of the connections they share and the ...
Ultimate List of 200 Team Building Questions for Work
5. Creative Team-Building Questions. Fostering creativity within a team can lead to innovation, problem-solving, and a more dynamic work environment. These creative team-building questions are designed to inspire imagination, spark new ideas, and encourage out-of-the-box thinking among team members.
190 Powerful Team Building Questions for Work to Boost Productivity
Industry Specific: Craft "This or That" questions related to your specific industry or company culture. Thematic Twists: Choose a theme for your questions, like "Productivity Powerhouses" (multitasking vs. focused work periods) or "Office Essentials" (pen and paper vs. digital tools). Benefits: Easy Icebreaker. Quick Connections.
45 Team Building Games to Psych Up Your Team [2024] • Asana
Team size: 8-16 people. Time: 20-30 minutes. How to play: Divide your team into groups of four or five and provide them with 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. Challenge each team to build the tallest tower possible using only the supplies you gave them.
66 team building activities to bring your team together
In 3 Question Mingle, each team member writes three questions on sticky notes and then has a one minute meeting with another person. They each ask another one question and then trade those post-its. ... Team building games for problem solving. Teams often come together to solve collective problems as a group. Whether these are large projects or ...
9 Fun Team Problem-Solving Activities
9 Fun Team Problem-Solving Activities. Problem-solving is the ability to apply critical thinking skills to come up with a solution to a problem. Problems occur daily in the workplace and often, teams need to come up with solutions. The primary goal of problem-solving exercises is to learn how to work together. In this article, we share benefits ...
340 Team Building Questions to Build Trust
2. Avoid yes or no questions. Instead, ask questions that require people to elaborate on their thoughts. 3. Try to ask questions that will get people thinking about their new team members in a different light. For example, you might ask them to share something they admire about another member of the team. 4.
Team Building Riddles: 17 Fun Examples
Generally, team building problem solving riddles are challenging, but not impossible to answer. Since colleagues work together to come up with responses, you can use these riddles to connect and build shared memories. These riddles are a type of problem-solving challenge and similar to team building puzzles and team building jokes. Specifically ...
7 icebreaker games to help your team build authentic connections
5. One-word Icebreaker (15 mins) Best for: Team building. How: Split participants into small teams (using breakout rooms if you're on Zoom) and ask them to come up with one word to describe, say, your company culture, or a project you're working on. Give them a few minutes to discuss amongst themselves, then let each team present their word ...
20 Customer Success Interview Questions to Hire CS Superstars in 2024
Based on my experience, as well as SaaS industry data, there are five core competencies to prioritize: Competency. Definition. Interview Questions. Relationship Building. Ability to quickly build trust and rapport with customers. - Tell me about a time you turned an unhappy customer into a raving fan.

14 Best Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities For 2024

What are the benefits of group problem-solving activities?

Popular Problem Solving Activities

2. Problem-Solving Templates

Problem Solving Group Activities & Games For Team Building

4. Crack The Case

5. Catch Meme If You Can

6. Puzzle Games

7. Virtual Code Break

8. Stranded

9. Letting Go Game

10. Wild Goose Chase

11. Human Knot

12. What Would You Do?

13. Crossing The River

14. End-Hunger Games

People Also Ask These Questions About Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities

Q: What kind of skills do group problem solving activities & games improve?

Q: What are problem solving based team building activities & games?

Q: What are some fun free problem solving games for groups?

Q: How do I choose the most effective problem solving exercise for my team?

Q: How do I know if my group problem solving activity was successful?

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15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities

In this article you will find:

15 Problem-Solving Activities

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

3. Egg Drop

4. Stranded

7. Frostbite

8. Minefield

9. Blind Formations

10. Line up Blind

11. Reverse Pyramid

12. Move It!

13. Human Knot

14. Dumbest Idea First

15. What Would X Do

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What is the team building process?

What is team building?

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