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Stöten Magazine

Team building exercises

Strengthening group cohesion not only has a positive impact on group dynamics, it can also do wonders for workplace performance. So we thought we'd share five simple and fun team-building exercises that are guaranteed to strengthen your group and make you perform better!

Meeting around large wooden table with laptops, notes and coffee pot, while projector screen shows table and coloured charts

Most of us spend more time at work than we do at home. Enjoying your colleagues and having fun at work is therefore extremely important. Despite this, it is not uncommon for people to feel unhappy at work and feel that the cohesion in the group is not as it should be. To strengthen the team spirit, you can do simple and fun team building exercises that everyone can participate in!

Team building strengthens the group and makes you perform better

Why teambuilding?

The benefits of team building are numerous and today it is becoming an increasingly important element in organisations worldwide. Not only does it bring the group together, it also helps to improve and clarify communication between colleagues. It also leads to a better understanding of how strong you are as a group and how your differences complement each other. Last but not least, it also contributes to increased job satisfaction among employees.

Exercise #1 Tip walk with funny statements

A good way to break the ice with your employees is to organise a quiz consisting of funny statements about each of you. Ask everyone to write down 2-3 funny things about themselves and then organise a guessing game where employees have to guess who the statement is about. The statements can be about almost anything - playing a particular sport, owning a particular pet, or an embarrassing situation you've been in. For example, "I'm a black belt in karate", "when I was a kid I had a pet crow" or "I tripped on stage while speaking at a conference".

Empty meeting room with long wooden table, notepads and pens, water bottles and coffee cups, as well as a bowl of sweets and a projector screen

Exercise #2 Two truths and a lie

Another good exercise to help employees get to know each other better is 'two truths and a lie'. Simply divide the group into pairs of two. Then ask them to say three statements about themselves - two things that are true and one that is made up. The other person should then guess which of the statements is a lie. Dare to think outside the box and have fun with your statements - the crazier, the better. And it will only be more fun for everyone!

Exercise #3 Co-operate without talking

To improve the teamwork skills of your group, you can carry out an exercise where the group has to work together to solve different tasks. However, there is a catch - you cannot talk to each other. For example, you could try lining up in a row with the youngest person first, then the second youngest and so on. You can also line up in order of the first letter of your name or based on who has worked the longest in the company. Only your imagination sets the limits!

Two people holding drinks on sunny terrace overlooking ski slope and blue sky.

Exercise #4 Team challenge with competitive elements

A fun exercise that also strengthens co-operation skills is to divide the group into two teams, have each team build something and then compete against each other. At Stöten, we usually organise a team activity at conferences that we call "Build-a-bob". Employees are divided into pairs of two, with the task of building their own toboggan. The activity ends with a thrilling competition!

Exercise #5 Name game with ball

Perhaps the most classic exercise when it comes to team building is a name game with a ball. The exercise simply involves standing in a circle, throwing balls to each other while saying the name of the person you are throwing to. If you want to increase the pressure further, you can add more balls. It's a perfect game for a relatively new company when not everyone knows each other or where several members of staff have joined.