Competition in the workplace can help foster a competitive spirit which is an excellent source of employee motivation.
The difference between healthy competition is described as genuinely motivating other team members in the company to reach their goals through natural competition.
It also provides an avenue where everyone has a chance to win through the team-building exercise.
In this article, we have a few ideas for the best team-building activities you can do to bolster healthy competition amongst your employees.
1) Kickoff your meeting in a fun way
Before your meeting begins, you can motivate employees by encouraging them to share their ideas through a fun game or a quick icebreaker.
Here are some ideas of games you can play:
a) Human knot
This is a team-building activity that begins with the group members standing in a circle whilst holding the hands of those across from them.
The goal of the game will be to untangle the knotted bodies into a circle.
b) Group Juggle
The game begins with one team member holding a ball. This person will proceed to toss the ball to someone else after calling their name.
This is a simple team-building exercise that helps everyone learn everyone’s names.
c) Group Timeline
Your goal is to separate your group into small teams according to different orders such as age, a place they visited, which town they live in, and other facts.
This is a great icebreaker without the need to talk but everyone learns something about one team member quickly.
d) Pair Up
Write a famous pair of words like salt and pepper or Netflix and chill on separate pieces of paper.
Have each team member draw randomly from a bag and go around looking for the other half of the word in the team building session.
e) Two truths and a lie
Two members in the group are asked to share two truths and one lie while the other team members try to guess the truth and the lie.
f) Dinner party
This game allows the team to practice active listening as each employee is asked to share who they most like to have dinner with and why.
g) Active listening
During a regular meeting, add random, unrelated words or phrases to your presentation. See which team member notices the most at the end of the meeting.
2) Enforcing communication skills
Communication between team members or employees is vital for them to work together. You can easily encourage them to communicate by playing some of these games in a team-building event.
a) Scavenger hunts
The scavenger hunt is a team communication game as team members are required to divide tasks as they go around looking for objects on the list provided.
The teams compete to become the first to find the most items within the time limit.
b) Blind retriever
You begin by dividing a large group into small teams. The youngest team member is blindfolded and the entire team works together to give instruction that leads them towards an object.
c) Perfect square
This is a team-building activity with a small team.
All the team members are blindfolded and given a large rope to hold.
The winning team is the one that is the first team to create a perfect square without moving their blindfolds.
It is a great team-building game that showcases both the communication skills and problem-solving skills of the team members.
d) Office trivia
All the members can participate in office trivia as the information about the company can be asked and they can take turns answering.
e) Building blocks
Create a set of questions written on individual cards.
The team leader can pass it to the first member who will take one card to answer and the entire group takes turns answering questions.
f) Circle of Appreciation
Team members are placed in a large circle and everyone takes turns sharing one thing about the person they appreciate on their left.
3) Problem-solving
Problem-solving skills are important and can be easily encouraged as a fun team-building activity.
a) Egg drop
The egg drop is a game meant for the outdoors like the local park.
Each team is required to create a device that will protect an egg from cracking when dropped on the floor.
Barter puzzle
The classic game of a jigsaw puzzle is used for this game.
All the teams are given a different jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces removed and two extra pieces from another puzzle from an opposing team.
The teams have to find ways to barter, trade, and negotiate to get their puzzle pieces from the teams who have their puzzles to finish their puzzles.
Board game tournament
You can choose a particular game like Catan/Cluedo or card games that will encourage team members to problem solve and utilize communication skills to win the game.
Business simulations
This is a great team-building exercise where each team is given the same scenario which includes a business problem, resources, and a deadline.
Team creativity can be important as the most interesting solution or business idea may win the game.
Escape room
This is the best problem-solving team bonding game to play.
You can easily create a simple escape room or utilize a virtual escape room in the office.
Office Debates
This can be held in a conference room between two teams.
They are each given an issue to debate a side on.
The other employees can provide questions or serve as judges.
Solution Day
This is one of those team-building initiatives that require minimal effort with large rewards.
All you need to do is hold a meeting and ask employees to share problems while other team members can give solutions to the problems they are having at work.
4) Creative thinking
You can encourage team members to find creative solutions to business problems by playing some of these team-building games.
a) Office Jeopardy
Create different groups to give them different tasks similar to the show “Jeopardy”.
The group members can create questions and serve as contestants and one member can play the host.
b) What’s my name?
Give each team member a note card with a famous person’s name on it.
They need to try to guess each other’s cards by asking questions that will lead them to the answer.
Design battle
This is a great game to inspire creative thinking.
Group members are given a product or service and they are required to design a poster for that product or service.
Idea Day
Employees can come up with creative ideas for all sorts of issues within the company.
This includes updating processes and procedures, new products or services and even other useful business ideas.
Pictionary
This is a classic game that can be played in a fun way in small groups.
One member of the team will be given a random object, the name of a celebrity or event and the rest of the team are required to guess the drawing.
The team or person with the most correct guesses wins.
5) Employee bonding
Team building activities are specifically made for team bonding.
Building authentic professional relationships will help employees feel happy at work and they are more likely to ask for help and support when they need it.
All the games mentioned above can improve relations between employees which creates a positive company culture.
Other ideas for team-building activities include community service, hosting a potluck, celebrating different holidays from different cultures and even karaoke.
