Are you looking for some team building activities to improve collaboration?
When it comes to the workplace, collaboration between employees is invaluable. Thus, it is important to invest in activities that can help them work together better.
In this article, let’s see 10 collaboration activities for your employees.
Why is Collaboration Important in the Workplace?
In a workplace, collaboration allows employees to have a shared goal. Subsequently, they can better understand each other’s perspectives and develop stronger relationships. This will eventually lead to smoother completion of tasks.
10 Team Building Activities to Improve Collaboration
Here are some team building activities to promote collaboration among your employees.
#1. Unusual Pass
This is a challenging and engaging exercise that improves collaboration among employees.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Inflated balloon
Participants: Any number of people per group
Instructions
• Divide the participants into groups.
• Give an inflated balloon to each group.
• Ask the groups to stand in a circle and pass the balloon around without using their hands.
• Set a time limit and let them pass the balloon around as quickly as possible.
• See which group completes the task in the fastest time.
Debrief
During the debrief, identify how collaboration helped the groups complete the task quickly. Also, discuss the strategies used by each group.
#2. Group Art Project
This collaboration activity allows employees to create a unique work of art.
Time: You decide
Materials: Art supplies or digital tools
Participants: Groups of 4-8 members
Instructions
• Split the participants into groups.
• Ask each group to come up with an idea for a collaborative project. For example, a mural, sculpture, or digital design.
• Instruct them to collaborate on the project, taking turns and using all of their ideas. Then, give them the materials necessary to create it.
• Once complete, have each group display their work for everyone to see.
Debrief
Discuss the collaborative process of creating the artwork as a group, and how this has helped build teamwork. Identify what worked well and what could be improved.
#3. Collaborative Goal Setting
This activity promotes group collaboration by setting goals and working together to achieve them.
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: Small groups of 3-6 members
Instructions
• Break the participants into small groups.
• Give each group a goal or initiative to focus on for your organization.
• Now, they can brainstorm and analyze potential strategies for achieving that goal.
• Then, they can present their strategies to the other groups.
Debrief
During the debrief, see how each group worked together. Identify any new ideas or perspectives that arose during the activity.
#4. Scavenger Hunt
This activity encourages employees to work together to find items around the office or outdoors.
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: List of items to find
Participants: 3-10 members per group
Instructions
• Split the participants into small groups.
• Give each group a list of items or tasks to find within the given time limit.
• The group that completes the most items wins.
Debrief
Discuss how the groups worked together to complete the task. Reflect on how team dynamics have shifted as a result of the activity.
#5. Presentation Challenge
This team building activity can improve collaboration by providing employees with a creative challenge.
Time: You decide
Materials: Presentation materials such as laptops, whiteboards, and markers
Participants: Any number of people per group
Instructions
• Divide the participants into groups.
• Give each group a given topic to create a presentation on.
• Provide the necessary materials for them to create the presentations.
• Ask each group to do their presentation in front of the other teams.
• See which group did the best presentation.
Debrief
See how collaboration helped each team to create a compelling presentation. Also, identify what could have been done differently to make the presentations better.
#6. Group Storytelling
This is one of the simple activities to improve collaboration in the workplace. Here the teams should think creatively to complete the task.
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Any number of people per team
Instructions
• Instruct the team to create a story together, one line at a time.
• Set rules such as each participant must contribute only once or each contribution must be related to what was said in the previous one.
• Ask the team to finish the story within a given timeline.
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how did the groups collaborate to create the story. Also, identify the strategies used by each group to come up with creative solutions.
#7. Escape Room
This activity can improve collaboration in a team by encouraging its members to “escape” from the room.
Time: You decide
Materials: Puzzles and Challenges
Participants: Any number of people per team
Instructions
• Set up a physical space with puzzles, clues, etc. for the team to solve.
• Provide each participant with specific tasks/roles to complete.
• Ask each team to work together to solve the puzzles and challenges.
• Give them a time limit to “escape” from the room by solving the puzzles.
Debrief
See how the team interacted and collaborated to solve the puzzles. Identify what could have been done differently to complete the challenges faster.
#8. Silent Brainstorming
This activity can improve team collaboration by encouraging employees to solve a problem without talking.
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: Supplies like paper, markers, sticky notes, etc.
Participants: Any number of people in a group
Instructions
• Give the team a problem to solve without talking.
• Provide supplies for them to write down ideas and visually express their solutions.
• Let the team work together to develop a solution for the given problem.
Debrief
Figure out how the team managed to collaborate without talking. Talk about the strategies used by each group member to come up with solutions.
#9. Lost at Sea Survival Game
This activity promotes collaboration between employees by having them strategize together to survive a “lost at sea” scenario.
Time: You decide
Materials: Imaginary items such as a fishing net, a flare gun, a water container, etc.
Participants: 3-10 people in a group
Instructions
• Split the participants into groups with an equal number of members in each.
• Ask the teams to envision themselves lost at sea and present them with a set of imaginary items.
• Give each group a few minutes to plan how they would use their resources in order to survive until help arrives.
• Have each group present their strategies to the other groups.
Debrief
During the debrief, figure out how each group came up with a strategy. Encourage employees to share their thoughts on what they learned from this activity.
#10. Debate Challenge
This is one of the amazing collaboration exercises that help employees practice their critical thinking and communication skills.
Time: You decide
Materials: None
Participants: At least two teams
Instructions
• Break the participants into two teams.
• Give each team a topic to debate, and provide them with any needed research materials.
• Have each team present their arguments to the other group in a respectful manner.
• After the debate, have each team vote on which argument they believe was stronger.
Debrief
See how collaboration helped them create effective arguments, as well as what could be improved upon. Identify the best strategies used during the debate.
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Final Words
The above team building exercises are perfect for fostering collaboration among employees. They provide a fun and engaging way to get teams working together, brainstorming, and setting goals. When done properly with thoughtful debriefs, these activities can greatly improve the team dynamics at your workplace.
FAQ: Collaboration Team Building Activities
You might have these questions in mind.
What are some good activities to improve collaboration in the workplace?
Some of the good activities for improving collaboration include Escape Room, Collaborative Goal Setting, and Silent Brainstorming.
How long should each activity take?
The time for each activity will vary depending on the size of your group and how much discussion is necessary. As a general rule, plan to spend between 20-45 minutes on each activity. This will give everyone enough time to participate in the activities and have meaningful conversations during the debriefing sessions.
How do I ensure that everyone participates in an activity?
Encourage the participants to listen actively, ask questions, and contribute their ideas. Also, assigning roles for each activity can ensure that everyone has a chance to express their opinions.
How often should I run these collaboration activities with my team?
It’s best to run collaboration activities regularly as this will help keep employees engaged. Try running one activity a week or every couple of weeks, depending on the size of your group.
How can I bring the learnings from these activities into my team’s day-to-day work?
To ensure that the learnings are applied in your team’s day-to-day work, make sure you follow up with a debrief after each activity. During the debrief, discuss the way the activity went and what insights were gained. Then, create action plans for individuals and the team to continue building on the collaboration skills they have developed during the activity.