Crystal Parlier, Client Service Specialist
March 3, 2015
Team-building activities are a fun and adventurous way to create a closely-knit and productive office team. Since there are many types of exercises to choose from, it is essential to look at the overall needs of the group in order to choose the most appropriate activities. In this blog post, a Strasz client service specialist discusses a variety of activities based on specific needs of particular groups.
Team-building activities are a fun and adventurous way to create a closely-knit and productive office team. Since there are many types of exercises to choose from, it is essential to look at the overall needs of the group in order to choose the most appropriate activities. This article discusses a variety of activities based on specific needs of particular groups.
If team members need to improve their communication with one another, “Talking in Circles” is a great activity that will challenge their communication skills as a team. Tie a long piece of string together in a continuous loop, and then have each team member hold the string waist-high with both hands. Instruct the team to form specific shapes without releasing the string. At first, the team will find this task quite challenging, especially if they don’t communicate well. Once they begin talking with one another, however, their shape-making skills will rapidly improve. Once they get the hang of it, instruct all team members — except one spokesperson — to close their eyes. The spokesperson will be responsible for instructing their teammates where to move/stand in order to form the shape successfully.
If you’re dealing with team members that don’t know each other very well, the “Salt and Pepper” game is a great way to help them break the ice. As the facilitator, think of a bunch of things that come in pairs (e.g., salt and pepper; peanut butter and jelly; Mickey and Minnie, etc.). Write each item on a separate sheet of paper (e.g., “salt” on one sheet, and “pepper” on another sheet). Tape one sheet on each individual’s back. Once everyone has a sheet taped to their backs, instruct them to ask each other questions in order to figure out what word is taped to their own backs. After they figure out their word, instruct them to find their partner. Once they find each other, have the pair sit down and learn three to five things about each other. When everyone is done, regroup have them share what they learned about their partner.
Instead of games or exercises, team-building activities can simply be events that allow individuals to gather and have some fun. If you are able to take some company time and go off-site for a while, you can treat your team to a fun outing such as bowling, laser tag, or karaoke. If you wish to have an in-house activity, a potluck lunch is a good way to accomplish this. Simply have everybody bring in their dish of choice, and sit down and have lunch together.
When planning team-building events, remember to take into consideration your team members’ personalities and overall company culture. Certain teams may enjoy fun and silly games, whereas others may get more out of activities that require strategy and planning. If the team doesn’t enjoy the activity or isn’t open to the idea, they may not fully commit themselves to the process.
Want some more team-building ideas? Click here.
Crystal Parlier, Client Service Specialist
March 3, 2015
Team-building activities are a fun and adventurous way to create a closely-knit and productive office team. Since there are many types of exercises to choose from, it is essential to look at the overall needs of the group in order to choose the most appropriate activities. In this blog post, a Strasz client service specialist discusses a variety of activities based on specific needs of particular groups.
Team-building activities are a fun and adventurous way to create a closely-knit and productive office team. Since there are many types of exercises to choose from, it is essential to look at the overall needs of the group in order to choose the most appropriate activities. This article discusses a variety of activities based on specific needs of particular groups.
If team members need to improve their communication with one another, “Talking in Circles” is a great activity that will challenge their communication skills as a team. Tie a long piece of string together in a continuous loop, and then have each team member hold the string waist-high with both hands. Instruct the team to form specific shapes without releasing the string. At first, the team will find this task quite challenging, especially if they don’t communicate well. Once they begin talking with one another, however, their shape-making skills will rapidly improve. Once they get the hang of it, instruct all team members — except one spokesperson — to close their eyes. The spokesperson will be responsible for instructing their teammates where to move/stand in order to form the shape successfully.
If you’re dealing with team members that don’t know each other very well, the “Salt and Pepper” game is a great way to help them break the ice. As the facilitator, think of a bunch of things that come in pairs (e.g., salt and pepper; peanut butter and jelly; Mickey and Minnie, etc.). Write each item on a separate sheet of paper (e.g., “salt” on one sheet, and “pepper” on another sheet). Tape one sheet on each individual’s back. Once everyone has a sheet taped to their backs, instruct them to ask each other questions in order to figure out what word is taped to their own backs. After they figure out their word, instruct them to find their partner. Once they find each other, have the pair sit down and learn three to five things about each other. When everyone is done, regroup have them share what they learned about their partner.
Instead of games or exercises, team-building activities can simply be events that allow individuals to gather and have some fun. If you are able to take some company time and go off-site for a while, you can treat your team to a fun outing such as bowling, laser tag, or karaoke. If you wish to have an in-house activity, a potluck lunch is a good way to accomplish this. Simply have everybody bring in their dish of choice, and sit down and have lunch together.
When planning team-building events, remember to take into consideration your team members’ personalities and overall company culture. Certain teams may enjoy fun and silly games, whereas others may get more out of activities that require strategy and planning. If the team doesn’t enjoy the activity or isn’t open to the idea, they may not fully commit themselves to the process.
Want some more team-building ideas? Click here.