Activities to promote teamwork

Teamwork is a key piece in the proper functioning of a company. Today we share some activities that help promote teamwork.

The importance of teamwork

All companies have a permanent goal of increasing efficiency and productivity. And this is not achieved by working alone. In modern companies, everything operates in relation to teams. And indeed, no one works isolated from others.

The relationship between productive professionals can be effective or lack the chemistry needed to produce results due to one or more factors such as these:

• Individualism of people.
• Poor leadership.
• Poor norms.
• Unclear objectives and goals.
• Apathy
• Lack of belonging.

Teamwork is only possible with a supportive and cooperative attitude among each of its members. And with a clear and achievable goal that motivates individuals to give their best. Always keeping in mind what is expected of them individually as well.

Teamwork dynamics for companies

The following activities aim to build leadership in companies. But also the sense of belonging, breaking the ice among new team members, or preparing before a meeting.

The possibilities

• Time: 5-6 minutes
• Number of participants: One or several small groups
• Needed: Any random object
• Rules: Assign an object to one person from each group. One at a time, they must demonstrate how they would use that object without speaking. The rest of the team must guess what the player is demonstrating.
• Objective: This team-building exercise inspires individual creativity and innovation.

Activity for meetings

• Time: 1 - 2 minutes
• Number of participants: Any
• No tools needed
• Rules: Before a meeting, have each individual walk around and share what they expect to contribute to the meeting with as many people as possible. If you want, offer a prize to the person who shares with the most people, and another to the person who successfully contributes to what they shared.
• Objective: Improves meeting productivity and makes attendees think about how they will contribute.

Human knot

• Time: 15 - 30 minutes
• Number of participants: 8 - 20 people
• No tools needed
• Rules: Have everyone stand in a circle facing each other, shoulder to shoulder. Instruct everyone to put their right hand out and take a random hand from someone across from them. Then, they will be told to extend their left hand and take another random hand from a different person on the other side of the circle. Within a time limit, the group needs to untangle the knot of arms without letting go of hands.
• Objective: Promotes good communication and teamwork.

The perfect square

• Time: 15 - 30 minutes
• Number of participants: 5 - 20 people
• Tools needed: A long piece of rope tied and a blindfold for each person
• Rules: Have your coworkers stand in a circle holding a piece of the rope. Then instruct everyone to put on the blindfold and place the rope on the ground. Have everyone walk a short distance away from the circle. Next, ask them all to come back and try to form a square with the rope without taking off their blindfolds. A time limit should be set to make it more competitive.
• Objective: Focuses on strong communication and leadership skills.

The egg drop, a teamwork activity

• Time: 1 - 2 hours
• Number of participants: Two or more small groups
• Tools needed: Various office supplies
• Rules: Divide everyone into groups of three to five people and give each group a raw egg. Put all the office material in a pile. They have 15 to 30 minutes to use the supplies to build a contraption around the egg that prevents it from breaking when dropped. Some suggested supplies are: tape, pencils, straws, plastic utensils, packing material, newspapers, rubber bands. Once time is up, drop each egg contraption from the second or third floor of your building and see which eggs survive.
• Objective: This classic team-building game is an exercise to do in the office (and messy). It uses teamwork and problem-solving to bring team members together.

The puzzle.

• Time: 1 - 2 hours
• Number of participants: Four or more small groups
• Tools needed: Different puzzles for each group
• Rules: Have everyone split into small groups of equal size. Give each group a different puzzle with the same level of difficulty. The objective is to see which group can complete their puzzle the fastest. Some pieces will be mixed in with the puzzles of other groups. It is up to the team to find a way to retrieve those pieces, whether through negotiation, trading, swapping team members, etc. Whatever they decide to do, they must decide as a group.
• Objective: This activity will rely heavily on problem-solving and leadership skills.

Truths and a lie

• Time: 10 - 15 minutes
• Number of participants: Five or more people
• Tools needed: None
• Rules: Everyone should sit in a circle facing each other. Each person should state three facts about themselves and one lie. The lie should be realistic rather than extravagant. Go around the circle and have each person say the three facts and one lie in a random order, without revealing which is the lie. After someone shares, the others must guess which is the lie.
• Objective: This is a great icebreaker game, especially for new teams. It helps eliminate quick judgments of colleagues and gives introverts the same opportunity to share some facts about themselves.

Benefits of teamwork activities

Teamwork activities are essential in any organization as they foster collaboration and improve dynamics among employees. Implementing activities that promote working together can have a significant positive impact on productivity and the work environment. Below, we highlight some of the key benefits of teamwork activities:

• Improved communication: Team activities help break communication barriers and foster open and effective dialogue among colleagues.
• Encouragement of creativity and innovation: When working in a group, ideas multiply and refine, leading to more creative and effective solutions than could arise individually.
• Increased motivation: Participating in a group with common goals can increase members' motivation, as they feel part of a collective effort.
• Development of leadership and management skills: Team activities allow different members to take on leadership roles and improve their management skills in a supportive environment.

These activities not only optimize work but also build a culture of respect and mutual support, essential for the long-term success of any company.