The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
If you’re looking for new and fun ways to spice up the workday in a meaningful way, team-building activities are an excellent outlet. By crafting opportunities for employees to interact, connect, and build useful workplace strategies, the workday becomes a little more fun while the workplace becomes more productive. Take a look at seven fun ways to revitalize the workday through collaboration, partnership, and synergy.
1. Develop a Shared Code of Conduct
One of the first things employers should do with a new team is to develop a shared code of conduct. Giving employees a say in how the group and workplace function makes them a stakeholder in the organization. Furthermore, developing a shared vision for the group’s expectations elicits mutual trust and establishes an agreed-upon workplace value system.
Creating a brainstorming activity where team members feel safe sharing ideas is fun for the whole group. Maybe order a few pizzas, take the project to a fun neutral location, and have fun showing team members that you value their values.
One of the best ways to inspire mutual trust in team settings is by curating opportunities for members to get to know each other. A storytime game wherein team members have the opportunity to share their stories is a great way to stimulate real connections between coworkers.
A fun way to anchor a storytime game is by creating a fishbowl of trigger words. Add “Storytime Starters” or trigger words to the bowl for people to blindly choose from. Trigger words might include statements such as “travel destinations,” “first day,” or “accomplishments,” to name a few. Allow each teammate to select a “Storytime Starter” and share about themselves in an informal setting.
3. Magazine Cover
This fun workday activity allows teams to collaboratively and creatively design a mock magazine cover showcasing their accomplishments. Not only does this activity allow employees to brag about successful projects, but it also allows them to display their artistry and pride in workplace performances. Furthermore, the magazine covers can be shared gallery-style on bulletin boards to inspire future successes.
4. Host a Pride Month Trivia Game
A wonderful way to let loose with your teams whilst embracing inclusivity and community-mindedness is by hosting a Pride Month trivia game. Who doesn’t love trivia, right? Not only will a trivia party make for a light-hearted break from the hubbub of the workday, but the theme lets teams know that their employer is an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. Online trivia parties do all the work for you; from setup up to execution, these fun virtual parties have awesome soundtracks and even desirable prizes.
This simple game requires no preparation or resources, so if you’re looking for a quick and easy game, “Three Truths and a Lie” is your ticket. Essentially, each team member stands before the group and shares three truths and one lie about themselves; the team then needs to guess which statement is the lie. A fun way to break up the monotony of a workday, this game also inspires members to share fun facts about themselves while entrusting the group with newly shared personal information. This is also a great game to introduce new team members; it’s a get-to-know-you of sorts.
6. Escape Room
Whether looking for a way to escape the office with your team or just escape the boredom of a workday, an escape room is fun and inspiring. With a bit of advanced preparation, escape rooms can be set up in the office or reservations made with a local escape room business. Not only are escape rooms loads of fun, but they also call on teams to work collaboratively on problem-solving exercises.
7. Building Bridges
This tactile team-building activity is challenging yet fun. In building bridges, groups work together using unlikely materials to build half a bridge. Each group has different materials and in the end, the two groups have to come together with their two halves to construct a complete bridge. Team materials may include cardboard, LEGOs, Solo cups, or any other materials you can muster. This activity requires teams to clearly communicate, hear diverse perspectives, and problem-solve to succeed at this activity.
Undoubtedly, the importance of incorporating team-building activities into the workplace can’t be overstated. Activities such as developing a shared code of conduct and a Pride Month Trivia Party inspire fun, teamwork, communication, and collaboration of ideas.
