10 Quick Team Building Activities to Bring Your Team Closer

Creating a connection among team members is one of the most important aspects that any leader should facilitate. Not only does it help boost teamwork, but also enhances engagement and relationships among coworkers.

Team-building activities don’t always have to be lengthy and expensive. The ultimate thing to focus on is to build a cohesive and solidary team.

Here are 10 quick team building activities that you can organize right away in your workplace. They’re hassle-free, inexpensive, and of course, fun!

1. Group Exercise

You can organize sessions in which your team practice simple exercises such as jumping jacks, push-ups, squats, or stretching together.

These exercises can go for 5-10 minutes during the middle of the day when everybody feels like sleeping.

This is not only a fun and quick team building activity, but it also helps release stress and allows your employees to stretch, especially if your team spend a long time sitting and staring at the computers.

We know that not everyone is a fan of exercises, so make sure you tell them about the benefits of these activities and your staff are willing to do them.

2. Bingo

Bingo at the office? Sounds like full of noises. However, this can be a way to connect and create a mutual understanding between co-workers.

Instead of putting in numbers like the normal Bingo game, you can use different traits and questions such as “Where do you want to travel to?” or “What’s your favorite food?”.

Ask your teammates to go around and chat with each other to fill in the bingo card.

This is also a way to find out who share the same hobbies and interests, which leads to stronger bonds between people in the team.

For new teams, you can also apply this quick team building activity as an ice-breaker to build familiarity and effective teamwork in the future.

3. Go Out and Grab Some Drinks

If you don’t want to limit the location of team-building activities, how about treating everybody with some drinks? Go to a local bar or pub nearby, order some cocktails, and have a chat with your teammates.

Try to lead the conversation as people might feel shy to open up at first, and eventually turn it into a fun night with no distance between you and your co-workers.

A Karaoke bar is also a good idea if you want to have more fun other than just talking and sharing.

You can also rent a portable bar and hire a bartender to your workplace during break time, maybe a DJ too (bold move, as long as it doesn’t break the bank)! A round of drinks brings everybody closer and enhances understanding among people.

Make sure everybody’s safe to drive home to avoid the 3 AM walk-of-shame.

4. Sharing Secrets

You might think it’s inappropriate to ask somebody to share their secrets? Don’t worry, games like “Never Have I Ever”, “Two Truths and a Lie” or “Who Am I?” are a safe and fun way to learn more about others without interfering too much with their lives.

These games encourage creativity and build familiarity, mutual understanding between your co-workers. Make sure that questions are not too personal and you don’t force your employees to reveal or explain anything that they don’t want to.

5. Pictionary

Pictionary is a good-old but quick activity that can be used regardless of your team size. This game might need a little extra preparation but the result is worth it.

All you need is a large set of papers, some cue cards (Pictionary cards), and color markers.

Divide your employees into two teams, give one player from each team the cue card. Their mission is to describe the word on the card by drawing a picture on the paper. The other teammates have to guess the answer and they can shout out the answer as the picture is drawn.

It’s also a chance to test your employees’ knowledge about different TV shows, pop culture, famous people, or simply their quick-thinking skills.

Because the rounds of Pictionary are relatively short, it’s a great idea to uplift the mood of your workplace quickly.

You can integrate Pictionary time into a part of the break time. Try to mix the teams once in a while so everybody has the chance to work with different coworkers.

6. Trivia Night

To play this quick team building activity, divide your employees into teams. Ask them a trivia question and give them 1 minute to answer. If there’s no answer and the time runs out, other teams can have the chance to steal.

The trivia questions can be found easily on the Internet, but make sure you read them beforehand to guarantee that there are no misconceptions, wrong ideas, or inappropriate details.

This is a fun and challenging way to enhance the solidarity and unity of the teammates as they have to brainstorm together for the answer. You can also seize this opportunity to witness the effectiveness of your employees’ teamwork skills.

7. Paper Tower

“Paper Tower” isn’t simply a quick activity, but through this, your team can practice organizational, planning, and time management skills.

Give them a set of A4 paper. In 10 minutes, they have to brainstorm and build the most sustainable tower without any tapes to stick them together. The team with the tallest free-standing tower wins.

This activity allows them to work together in a short period to come up with the most creative and effective idea. By doing this, they can improve teamwork skills, timing, communication, and mutuality with each other. It’s fun and provides educational value as well.

8. Meditation

Who said team-building activities have to be fun and active? Rewind and relax with a group meditation session is also a good idea to release stress while maintaining good health at work.

Simply put some yoga mats out on the floor and play a 15-minute meditation guide on Spotify for everybody.

Meditation is a great way to reduce stress, strengthen everyone’s hearts and immune systems, as well as promoting happiness and calmness.

9. Try Not To Laugh

Expressing your emotions is a great way to reduce stress, especially at the workplace where everybody is meant to keep a decent facial expression all the time.

This activity is easy and free as all you have to do is to turn on a funny video and challenge everybody not to laugh while watching it.

Some compilations can be found easily on YouTube. This activity gives your employees a relaxing time at work. It’s always great to have a good laugh!

10.  Egg Drop

This classic team building activity will be a great idea to enhance problem-solving skills among your team members, and of course, some good fun included.

However, it might make a mess on the floor and the janitor might not be so happy. But it’s worth it!

Your team members have to build an egg package from different materials such as straws, paper, newspaper, etc. Then put the uncooked eggs inside the package and drop it from 2-story high.

The eggs that survive the free fall decide the winner of the game.

Conclusion

These quick team building activities are effective, cheap, and time-saving ways to bring your team closer, while helping them practice various skills needed in the office.

So, which activities are you going to try first for your team?

Want more activities for your team? Read our post of 6 inspiring leadership activities here.