16 Corporate Team Building Activities to Build Close-Knit Teams

Team building doesn’t have to feel like another yawn-inducing routine task on the calendar. By making corporate team-building activities both innovative and interactive, you can create shared experiences that your team will genuinely enjoy and remember.

Add a touch of creativity with unique activities like virtual scavenger hunts, immersive role-playing adventures, or sustainability-focused challenges. These experiences not only foster teamwork but also inspire personal and professional growth.

In this article, you will find some engaging activities that will take your corporate team building activities to the next level.

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Why Organize Corporate Team Building Activities for Your Team?

Corporate team building activities are the perfect remedy to the monotony of email, meetings and deadlines. They make room for your employees to connect beyond the usual work talk. Team members who have never interacted in person could find themselves on the same team playing trivia or solving a murder mystery together. 

Team building activities for corporates also encourage employees to put their best foot forward and think outside the box. You might find out that your quietest team member is actually a strategic genius. So, the right team building activities will recharge your team, lighten their moods, and get them fired up to tackle the work week.

Problem-solving and Quick-thinking Games

Ever had one of those “uh-oh” moments at work where you had to think fast, like fixing a last-minute project hiccup? If so, here are some of the best corporate team building activities to boost problem-solving skills and help teams think on their feet.

1. Team Trivia 

To start off your list of team building corporate activities, trivia is a great way for teams to flaunt their knowledge on a whim. It’s a lighthearted way for team members to show off their knowledge, and the best part is-  it’s fast-paced! The time limit on each question pushes participants to think on their feet, which in turn sharpens problem-solving skills. 

Remote teams can also get in on the trivia action with Virtual Trivia by Hooray Teams. An enthusiastic host will quiz you and your team on several topics, ranging from sports to history and beyond. You can also coordinate with their event planners to customize the session to suit your team better.

⭐ SMART Goal: Problem-solving and quick thinking.

2. Office Jeopardy

This classic game show format isn’t just for TV, they can also be a part of your corporate team building activities at work. The format of Jeopardy demands quick responses as teams need to assess each clue. They must determine the best possible answer and make team decisions swiftly.

Remote teams can also enjoy a virtual game of Jeopardy organized by team building companies like Hooray Teams. Their hosted Virtual Jeopardy includes 4 to 5 rounds filled with challenging questions across a wide range of topics. You can also customize the questions as per your team’s areas of interest.

⭐ SMART Goal: Knowledge building, problem-solving, and quick thinking.

3. Escape Rooms

If you’re looking for offbeat corporate team building activities, an escape room is a great option. Teams are “locked” in a room and must use clues strewn around to find their exit in time. Escape rooms come in a variety of escape room themes with different backdrops that set the premise for the game.  

You can replicate the fun with online escape room experiences through virtual team building companies like Hooray Teams. They make for the ideal corporate team building activities as teams have the opportunity to collaborate closely and make decisions together. Teams will also have a 360-degree view of the escape room, along with shared prop inventory in real time. Hooray Teams’ most popular escape rooms include The Alchemist, Patient 360, Mafia 360 and Dungeon Things

⭐ SMART Goal: Critical thinking and problem-solving.

4. Murder Mystery

If you’re looking for thrilling corporate team building activities for your team, a murder mystery game will have them in for a ride. This immersive experience challenges teams to work closely as they investigate a fictional crime. Participants take on the roles of detectives to piece together clues and interrogate suspects to uncover the culprit.

For remote teams, Hooray Teams’ virtual murder mysteries tick all the boxes for an action-packed adventure. Murder at the Manor is known for its gripping storyline, where teams must solve the fictional murder of Lord Aubrey Falconer. Suspects are played by professional actors, who can be interrogated in real-time to collect important information about the case. 

⭐ SMART Goal: problem solving, team collaboration.

Communication and Collaboration Games 

Teams work best when everyone is on the same page, but that can be tricky without clear communication. Hence, corporate team building activities that focus on communication are crucial so teams can understand one another better.

5. Taboo

If you’re looking for exciting corporate team building activities to boost team collaboration, a game of Taboo is sure to be an instant hit. You and your team will compete to get your teammates to guess a word without using a list of related “taboo” words. Teams have to use their communication and creativity to help their teammates guess the word without mentioning it directly.

Hooray Teams’ Online Taboo Game is a virtual alternative for remote teams to enjoy a game of Taboo. A lively host will keep the energy levels up throughout the game and will assign word categories to players. The game challenges participants to explain concepts clearly and demands effective and precise communication. Teammates must actively listen to clues and interpret them quickly.

⭐ SMART Goal: Improved communication skills and vocabulary expansion.

6. Pictionary

Pictionary is one of the best corporate team building activities​ where teams can put their creativity on display. Participants take turns drawing a word or phrase using clues while their teammates try to guess it within a time limit.  

Hooray Teams’ Virtual Pictionary is the perfect alternative for remote teams looking to enjoy a game of Pictionary together. A lively host will maintain high energy throughout the session and assign random words to draw to participants. You can customize the word categories and tailor the experience to suit your team’s preferences.

⭐ SMART Goal: Enhanced creativity, and improved team communication.

7. Blindfold Challenge

Looking for corporate team building activities that will really get your team working together? A blindfold obstacle course is sure to fast-track collaboration in your team. One or more team members are blindfolded and must rely on their teammates’ guidance to tackle specific tasks or navigate an obstacle course. These challenges test a player’s physical and mental abilities with the added support and encouragement of their teammates.

Remote teams can also take part in Blindfold Drawing. Players can either share their screen and use the whiteboard feature on video conferencing platforms or use paper and markers. A team member wears a blindfold while the rest of their team provides clear instructions, which the blindfolded artist must interpret and finish the drawing.

⭐ SMART Goal: Improved communication, Trust building.

8. Telephone

Participants form a circle, and the first person whispers a message to the next player, with the rule that they can only repeat it once. The message travels around the circle, and by the time it reaches the last person, the original message will have transformed into something hilariously different. Each player must focus intently to accurately capture the message and pass it onto the next player. 

In the virtual version for remote teams, the host starts by sending a secret phrase privately to one participant, then quickly unsends it within 5 seconds. The cycle continues until it reaches the last person, who reveals the final version to the group.

⭐ SMART Goal: Improved teamwork and communication skills. 

Brainstorming Games

Looking for ideas for corporate team-building activities that inspire employees to think outside the box and gain fresh perspectives? Brainstorming games are the best way to unlock your team’s creativity. Here are some of the best brainstorming games to try out.

9. Mock Shark Tank

If you’re on the hunt for innovative corporate team building activities, dive into an exciting Mock Shark Tank competition. Teams act as entrepreneurs and present their business ideas to a panel of “sharks” or investors. Their goal is to secure an “investment” for their out-of-the-box product ideas and concepts. Teams will need to craft compelling pitches, highlight their product’s value, and engage in some friendly negotiation.

Remote teams can adapt the same to a virtual setting over popular video conferencing platforms. Participants can showcase their products using slideshows, videos, or live demonstrations over the camera. In addition to traditional slideshows or product demos, teams can get creative by using video editing software, mock websites or digital design platforms.

⭐ SMART Goal: Innovative thinking, and improved communication skills.

10. Mad Libs

Bring out your team’s imaginative and wacky side with a round of Mad Libs. Players take turns filling in blanks with parts of speech to create a funny and often nonsensical story. A sheet is passed around for each player to contribute their word to a story with missing words without knowing the full context. Coming up with unusual or funny words can inspire team creativity and push them to think outside the box. By the end, the final story is always a hilarious surprise.

To play with remote teams, the host can share a story template with blanks, and participants submit their word choices in breakout rooms. Once everyone has contributed, the host reveals the final, often nonsensical story to the group. 

⭐ SMART Goal: Out-of-the-box thinking and creativity.

11. Word Association

Get your team to stretch their brain muscles and laugh out loud with corporate team building activities like Word Association. The game starts when someone says a word, and the next person has to quickly shout out a word that’s connected to it. The faster, the better, and before you know it, the chain starts to get unpredictable. 

Remote teams can easily play the game over popular video conferencing platforms like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Zoom. You can use a random word generator to keep things interesting and let everyone’s imagination take the lead from there. It’s hilarious to hear how one word can spiral into a chain of connections that end up making no sense at all! 

⭐ SMART Goal: Accelerated creativity and teamwork.

12. Mind Mapping

Supercharge creativity and enjoy some shared laughs with mind-mapping exercises. The activity begins with one person writing down a central idea or concept, and the next person adds a word or phrase that connects to it. The key is to keep the connections flowing and the more unexpected, the better. Before long, the map evolves into a web of ideas, some totally unexpected and others surprisingly fitting.

Remote teams can easily participate using collaborative tools like Miro, Figjam, or Google Jamboard. These platforms let everyone contribute in real-time, building off each other’s ideas. You and your team can watch how one thought leads to another and how the map grows in unexpected yet often genius ways.

⭐ SMART Goal: Creative thinking and ideation.

Team Challenges 

There’s no “I” in team, and that’s exactly why teamwork is so powerful! If you’re looking for fun corporate team building activities that add a dash of teamwork to your activities, here are a few of our favorite team challenges.

13. Office Olympic Games

Bring the fun of The Office’s iconic “Office Olympics” episode to your own team with similar hilarious team building challenges. Teams will compete in various challenges like a scavenger hunt or obstacle course, each representing a different sport or activity. You will accumulate points for each round, with the goal of earning the most points by the end of the games. 

Remote teams can also take part in the fun by joining Hooray Teams’ Virtual Office Olympic Games. Teams will compete in mini Olympic-style games and earn points, with the final score determining the winners. The games include Olympics trivia, a scavenger hunt, and image puzzles. Participants are split into groups of 3-8 players, either selected in advance or mixed by the host. Teams will enjoy this engaging medley of games that will challenge their physical and mental agility. 

⭐ SMART Goal: Improved teamwork and collaboration.

14. Coworker Feud 

Add a fun twist of Family Feud to the office with Coworker Feud, which is sure to add a healthy dose of competition and excitement. Teams compete to guess the most popular answers to survey questions, with each team trying to outscore the other. Teammates need to think strategically and make group decisions based on what might be popular at that moment.

Hooray Teams’ Virtual Coworker Feud brings the same energy of Family Feud to the virtual platform. An enthusiastic host will keep the energy high throughout the game. If you have specific topics, questions, or themes you’d like to include, they’ll customize the game accordingly.  

⭐ SMART Goal: improved teamwork and communication.

15. Tug of War

Put your team’s physical strength to the test with corporate team building activities in office​ like Tug of War. Teams have to pull on opposite ends of a rope and try to drag the other team across a designated line. When all team members have been pulled across the line, the other team is declared the winner. Apart from physical strength, teams must strategize and refine their techniques like timing coordination, positioning, and teamwork to outmaneuver the competition. 

For remote teams, the game can be broken down into mini rounds. Create challenges for each round like trivia questions, riddles, or physical tasks like fitness challenges or typing speed contests. For each task, the team that completes it fastest or with the most points earns a “pull” on the rope. The team with the most rope pulls is declared as the winner. 

⭐ SMART Goal: improved communication, teamwork and strategy.

16. Charades

Charades is an inclusive game that brings teams of all ages together. Teams take turns acting out a word or phrase without speaking while their teammates try to guess what it is. The game can be played in a variety of categories, from movies and TV shows to animals. Players must rely entirely on body language, gestures, and facial expressions to convey their message, as no words are allowed. This aspect of the game challenges teams to focus closely on nonverbal cues and creatively interpret what their teammate is trying to say.

Remote teams can easily join in on the fun via video conferencing platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You can either use online charades platforms like Play Charades or Charades Generator, or create your own list of words to act out.

⭐ SMART Goal: Quick thinking, communication and teamwork.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are some fun corporate team building activities?

Some fun team building activities for corporate​ are trivia, bingo, escape rooms, murder mysteries, pictionary and tug of war. 

Can you suggest some team building activities for corporate events?

Teams can try out Office Olympics, Taboo, mock Shark Tank and Jeopardy.

What are some corporate team building activities for remote and hybrid teams?

Remote and hybrid teams can try out hosted virtual team building activities by a professional team building company like Hooray Teams. They can participate in virtual games and activities like trivia, escape rooms, murder mysteries, paint parties, mixology events and much more.

What are some quick corporate team building activities? 

Teams can enjoy fast games of pictionary, taboo, charades, word association, tug of war and telephone. These games can be played in under five minutes or less. 

How do I choose the right team building activity for my team?

When choosing an activity, consider team size as some activities are better for large teams, while others work best in smaller groups. Next, think about your team’s SMART goals—which areas of improvement can your team work on? Next, determine the location of the event, as it could be in-person or virtual, depending on your team’s setup. Finally, take into account any time constraints, as activities can range from a quick hour to a full day.