Activiteiten om teamwerk te bevorderen

Teamwork is a key piece in the smooth functioning of a company. Today we tell you about 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 may lack the chemistry necessary to produce results due to one or more factors such as these:

• The individualism of people.
• Poor leadership.
• Poor norms.
• Poorly defined goals and objectives.
• 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 feeling 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 have to 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 creativity and individual innovation.

Activity for meetings

• Time: 1 - 2 minutes
• Number of participants: Anyone
• 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 have shared.
• Objective: It improves the productivity of the meeting 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 of someone in front of 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 and a blindfold for each person
• Rules: Have your coworkers stand in a circle holding a piece of rope. Then instruct everyone to put on their blindfolds and lay the rope on the ground. Have everyone walk a short distance from the circle. Next, ask them to come back and try to form a square with the rope without removing their blindfolds. A time limit should be set to make it more competitive.
• Objective: Focuses on strong communication and leadership skills.

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 materials 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 supply suggestions are: masking 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 a workplace exercise (and messy). It utilizes 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 goal is to see which group can complete their puzzle the fastest. Some pieces will be mixed into 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 agree on it as a group.
• Objective: This activity will greatly rely on problem-solving and leadership skills.

Truths and 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 say three facts about themselves and one lie. The lie should be realistic rather than extravagant. Go around the circle and have each person state 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 from 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 promote collaboration and improve the dynamics between employees. Implementing activities that encourage 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 down communication barriers and promote open and effective dialogue between colleagues.
• Encouragement of creativity and innovation: Working in groups leads to an increase and refinement of ideas, resulting in more creative and effective solutions than those that might emerge individually.
• Increased motivation: Participating in a group with common goals can increase the motivation of members, 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 enhance their management skills in a supportive environment.

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