Are you looking for some core values team building exercises?
As you know, company core values are guidelines that define the behavior and objectives of a business. Aligning employees with business values is important because it will help them have a bigger picture of why the company exists and what it strives for.
In this article, let’s see 10 core value training activities that you can use in your team building sessions.
What are core value exercises and how do they benefit your teams?
Core value exercises are activities that help teams understand and practice your company’s main principles. By conducting such exercises regularly, employees can better understand the beliefs that guide the company and be more aware of how their actions contribute to them.
Conducting core value activities can benefit your teams in so many ways such as:
- Encouraging team members to work together and build trust
- Strengthening the understanding of your company’s culture and principles
- Helping employees learn how to make the right decisions
- Boosting team morale and creating a sense of unity among coworkers
10 Core Values Team Building Exercises
Now that you know the importance of core values exercises, let’s take a look at 10 team building activities you can use:
#1. Value Collage
This activity helps your team express their understanding of the company’s core values.
Time: You decide
Materials: Poster board, scissors, and glue sticks
Participants: Your entire team
Instructions
- Ask each team member to pick one value to illustrate on the poster board.
- Provide supplies and time for them to create their collage.
- After some time, have everyone share their piece with the group and explain what it means to them.
Debrief
Figure out ways to bring your team closer together by understanding each other’s interpretation of the company values. Additionally, discuss how everyone can use these interpretations to reinforce the company’s main principles in their daily tasks.
#2. Company Quiz
This exercise helps your employees understand how to apply the company’s guiding principles in their daily tasks.
Time: You decide
Materials: Company core value handouts, and printed copies of the quiz (related to each value)
Participants: Your entire group
Instructions
- Given a few minutes to review the company values, distribute copies of the quiz to each member.
- Allow some time for group members to answer the questions.
- Award points for correct answers and the group with the most points wins.
- If there is a tie, come up with tie-breaker questions that require reflection.
Debrief
Use this debrief as an opportunity to discuss how the company values can be applied in everyday work situations. Encourage your employees to think critically about how they impact their job functions and challenge them daily.
#3. Business Mapping
This activity helps your employees visualize the company’s fundamental principles.
Time: You decide
Materials: Whiteboard, markers, and post-its
Participants: Your entire group
Instructions
- Distribute markers and post-it notes to each member of the group.
- Now, they should brainstorm words that represent the company values.
- Have them place post-it notes on the whiteboard to map out each word and its corresponding value.
Debrief
Explore the connections between individual words and core values. Also, discuss how each value can be universally applied throughout the organization.
#4. Value Hunt
This activity encourages teams to find items, places, or activities related to the company’s core values.
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: 3-4 members per group
Instructions
- Give each group a list of items or places related to core values.
- Set a time limit and then have groups start the scavenger hunt.
- When they find an item or place, they must take a picture as proof and check it off their list.
- The group that collects all the items first wins!
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how this activity was connected to core values and identify lessons learned from it.
#5. Company Mission Statement
This exercise encourages groups to create inspiring mission statements based on the company’s guiding principles.
Time: 15 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: 3-4 members per group
Instructions
- Ask each group to come up with a mission statement based on the company’s values.
- Allow groups some time to brainstorm their mission statement.
- Have each group present their mission statements to the other groups.
- Allow the groups to vote on the most inspiring mission statement.
Debrief
Discuss how this activity was connected to corporate values and identify lessons learned from it.
#6. Merging Game
This team building exercise encourages collaboration and helps groups to come up with shared values.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Multiple index cards
Participants: Groups of 2 to 5 people
Instructions
- Provide each of your participants with multiple index cards and ask them to write one personal value on each card.
- Divide the participants into small groups (two to five people).
- Have each group share their values and use a collaborative approach to create a list of values for the group.
Debrief
See if the generated values align with your team/company’s actual principles and decide as a group if any of your actual principles should be modified. Alternatively, use this exercise to come up with shared values for a new team or company.
#7. Valuable Story
This activity encourages groups to create stories that demonstrate the company’s principles.
Time: 15 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: Groups of 3-4 members
Instructions
- Ask each group to come up with a short story based on the company’s principles.
- Allow them a few minutes to brainstorm their story.
- Then, have them present their stories to the other groups.
- Allow the groups to vote on the story which best exemplifies the principles of the company.
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how this activity was connected to business principles and identify lessons learned from it.
#8. Secret Code
This team building activity encourages teams to create secret codes based on the company’s guiding principles.
Time: You decide
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: Groups of 3-4 members
Instructions
- Ask each group to create a secret code based on the company’s core values.
- Have them present their codes to another group.
- Allow groups to decipher each other’s codes. The first one to do so wins.
- Finally, have the groups exchange their secret codes and stories with each other.
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how this activity was connected to values and identify the lessons learned from it.
#9. Growth Principles
This activity helps explore and redefine the company’s guiding principles for growth.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Index cards
Participants: Any number of people per group
Instructions
- Ask each group member to write down their definition of the company’s core principles on index cards.
- Spread all the index cards out on a table and group similar ones together.
- Ask each group member to write down their wish principles (who the company aspires to be) on another set of index cards. Then, they can share these with their team, and group similar cards as before.
- Finally, let them discuss ideas or solutions on how to minimize the differences between the core and wish principles.
Debrief
Identify what your team’s core and wish principles are, as well as ways to bridge any disconnection that may exist between them. Also, identify any new workplace practices or systems you can use to better uphold them.
#10. Value Debate
This team building exercise encourages groups to practice debating a core value.
Time: You decide
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: Groups of 4-5 members
Instructions
- Ask each group to come up with a position in favor or against a specific core value.
- Have them present their arguments to the other groups.
- Allow them to challenge and question each other’s arguments and vote on which one they found to be the most persuasive.
Debrief
After the activity, encourage teams to reflect on their findings and discuss how this exercise was connected to core values. Also, identify the lessons learned from the activity, and how it influenced team dynamics.
Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
If you want some unique activities to align employees with your company’s core values, you can get my new e-book:
Or Want Some Unique Leadership Development Activities?
If you want some unique activities to equip your employees with leadership skills, qualities, and mindset, you can get my new e-book:
Final Words
Plan meaningful core values team building activities to help your employees understand and appreciate your company’s main principles. These activities will help your teams work together more effectively and be better prepared to tackle any challenges that may arise, resulting in increased productivity.
FAQ: Core Values Team Building Exercises
You might have these questions in mind.
How do you teach company values to new employees?
While teaching your new employees, it is important to explain your mission and values in an engaging way. You can incorporate your company’s main principles into team building activities such as problem solving games, role playing scenarios, or brainstorming sessions.
What are some good core values training activities?
Some good core value training activities include scavenger hunts, group icebreakers, brainstorming sessions, and case studies. These activities can help employees to better understand the company’s principles while also practicing important teamwork skills.
How long should core value team building exercises last?
It depends on the complexity of the activity, but most exercises should last around 30 minutes.