Team building without awkward games
· By BookWorkations editors
Ask a room of colleagues what they think of team building and the answer is often a groan. Everyone remembers the icebreaker where you had to share a fun fact, or the quiz where the loudest person won. This article shows how to plan activities that bring a team closer without putting anyone on the spot.
Why games so often miss the mark
Most team games fail for the same few reasons. They ask everyone to do the same thing at the same time, with little room to opt out. They have nothing to do with the work, so the lesson stays a fun story instead of changing how people behave on Monday. And a competition with one winner and several losers can create tension between colleagues who still have to work together afterwards.
None of this means people do not want to connect. It means the format matters more than the intention.
- Everyone has to take part at the same moment, with no real choice.
- The exercise does not touch the team's real work, so nothing carries over.
- Teams split into winners and losers, and the rivalry lasts longer than the game.
Start with what the team needs
Good team building answers a question the team already has. Before you pick an activity, ask a few questions and write down the answers:
- Where does work stall: between departments, between managers and their teams, or between people who rarely meet?
- Which people hardly know each other, for example after a reorganisation or a few new hires?
- What would the team like to talk about that never gets time in the normal week?
Activities that connect without a game
The best activities create a shared experience and a reason to talk. A few formats that work well:
- A shared meal you cook together, where each small group prepares one course and the whole team eats at one long table.
- A walk or bike ride in pairs with three or four questions to discuss, such as what currently costs you the most energy at work.
- A real case from the team's work, handled together, so people learn how colleagues think without a made-up scenario.
- A practical task for the local area, such as a clean-up or a small project for a community organisation.
- A workshop with a local maker or chef, where the group learns a skill and nobody is ranked on it.
Keep it voluntary and small
Activities feel forced when people cannot step out of them or when they have to share something personal in front of everyone. Keep the choice in your hands as the organiser:
- Offer two or three options and let people pick one. A quiet alternative should always be available.
- Work in small groups of three to five, where people can talk without a stage.
- Do not ask for personal disclosures in a plenary round. Ask about ideas and experiences instead.
- Explain the purpose of the activity in advance, so people know what to expect.
- Plan breaks and free time. A team that has room to talk over coffee often connects more than in a structured session.
Turn the activity into a change
The connection fades quickly when nothing changes afterwards. Close the session with one question: what do we take back to the office? Ask each group for one concrete change, such as a shorter handover between two teams or a fixed moment each week to share updates. Write these down, give each one an owner, and check the progress at the next team meeting.
If you want to combine team building with a longer programme, a team offsite gives more time for both the connection and the work. You can compare options on /venues, or read what a team offsite can look like at /offsites/team-building.