Nothing damages productivity in the work environment like dysfunctional teams. In order to produce high success on collaborative projects, your staff must be able to coexist. Working together to empower each other is what builds a strong cohesive team.
Employees do not have to like each other. However, they do need to know how to leave their differences at the door, so their conflicts do not spill over to the rest of the group.
When you have a big project and are up against a deadline, friction in the office cannot contaminate the atmosphere. This is where team building survival games come into play.
Not only are these activities a great tension releaser but they are also a lot of fun. Don’t wait for problems to arise, schedule quarterly team-building exercises to develop better people. It will not only benefit your employees, but it will also make your company better and stronger.
The saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. Keep reading for five survival games that teach teamwork strengthens core groups.
What is Team Building Survival Games?
Team building survival games are planned activities that occur during workshops or can be stand-alone events. The purpose of the activities includes building camaraderie among employees, as wells as, teaching skills that highlight their strengths.
Companies can put on team building events for any level of employees. All departments are connected and play a vital role in the company’s success. When it comes to elaborate exercises, they are usually targeted towards groups of individuals responsible for product development.
These individuals must be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses to be productive. Someone could be strong in technical writing but have a weak skillset in budgeting. Weakness is not a negative. It just means your skillset is best suited for a specific role.
1. Escape Room Outing
Escape rooms are a big phenomenon that his the scene a few years back. The franchised operations are set-up throughout cities with each having its own themes.
The idea is to lock a small group of people in a room. Give them clues and a timer, and see how well they work together to free themselves.
The rooms are often based on mystery movies or other popular themes. They highlight problem-solving skills and who are capable of taking on a leadership role.
Most escape room facilities have two or three different themed rooms. It makes for a great teambuilding exercise if you have multiple departments competing to see who can break the codes in the least amount of time.
Teams can also be created to pit management against employees. Learn more about escape rooms and why they are so effective.
2. Be a Kid Again
Good old fashion childhood games are always fun. You can come up with some great games to get your teams working together. Maybe host a company picnic or employee appreciation day to set the atmosphere.
Here are some team building games you can add to the list:
- Egg drop
- Tug-of-war
- Relay races
- Potato sack race
- Three-legged race
- Musical chairs
- Simon Says
Keep in mind you may have employees with physical disabilities so make sure there are games for them to participate. Allow the teams to choose their captains. There can be many variations of teams.
- Men vs. Women
- Department vs. Department
- Youth vs. Experience
3. Who is Packing Your Parachute?
The team-building exercise originated from a story told by Captain Charlie Plumb. Plumb was a U.S. Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. He had a chance meeting with someone who was responsible for ensuring the military personnel parachutes were properly packed.
The story is often told at motivational seminars to teach the importance of teamwork. It also highlights the many players required to accomplish their goals.
For this game, teams actually work together to successfully pack a parachute. They are rated on how well they work together and the finished product. At the end of the event, the team members are asked if they would jump out of a plane using the parachute they packed.
If the task was successful, the answer should be a resounding yes.
As a reward for successfully completing the task, employees have the option to either participate in a jump. Or, they can win lessons with a company that offers the services.
4. Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn’t love a good scavenger hunt, especially when there are great prizes and treats at every stop? There are companies popping up that offer fun team building activities like this.
Not only are they fun and engaging, but they can also be educational. Plan a scavenger hunt that is connected to your industry.
The competition can take place onsite, or you can take the groups out into the community. This is a perfect way to engage teams that work remotely. Get everyone in one place so they can learn more about where the business is headquartered.
It also gives them a chance to meet other colleagues they only communicate with via video chats.
5. Sand Castles in the Sky
Sandcastles often mean a day at the beach. Or you could have sand brought in and dumped in the company’s parking lot.
Have your teams work together to construct a design for their project. They must then build the design.
Awards can be given out in multiple categories including:
- Best design
- Fastest finish
- Best looking interpretation
- Most creative
- Best teamwork
Building their creation focuses on taking an idea from design to creation and focuses on each person’s unique talents.
In 2020 Add Team Building to Your Business Strategy
There are many team building survival games you can try with your teams. As you can see these games are often fun and help people understand the importance of working together. Everyone plays a vital role in the successful completion of a project.
We hope you found this article useful. Are an employer that is concerned about the mental wellbeing and happiness of your employees? Check out our article on what researchers say employers should be doing to keep their employees satisfied.
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