Fun team building ideas are the secret weapon for any company away day. Whether you’re planning a one-off blast or regular corporate team building activities, fun team building ideas can boost culture, skyrocket engagement and make your team actually want to show up to work. In this guide, we’re answering all your burning questions:
- What are the best fun team building ideas?
- Why is fun important in team building events?
- How can fun team building activities improve company culture?
- What are some affordable fun team building ideas?
- How do I choose the right fun team building ideas for my team?
Let’s dive in.
What are the best fun team building ideas?
Choosing the right fun team building ideas can feel like trying to herd cats. To make it easier, here’s a list of crowd-pleasers:
1. The Trading Floor
High-energy, fast-paced and competitive, teams become traders buying and selling shares to make the most profit. It’s all about strategy, speed and a bit of chaos.
Benefits:
This fun team building idea teaches negotiation, sharpens communication and boosts collaboration, which can increase productivity by up to 14% according to recent studies.
2. Putt a Hole in Hunger Indoors
Teams create a crazy golf course out of food items, then play through each hole. All the food is donated to charity afterwards.
Benefits:
Blends CSR with competition, encouraging empathy and teamwork. CSR activities improve retention by 25% and build a positive company culture.
3. Escape the Box
Teams race to solve puzzles and riddles to ‘escape’ from locked boxes in a thrilling, brain-bending challenge.
Benefits:
Develops problem-solving and trust among team members. High-trust teams are 50% more productive and have 76% more engagement.
4. Rollercoaster
Teams design, build and test a giant marble rollercoaster. Think engineering mayhem meets creativity.
Benefits:
Sparks creativity and collaboration, two key drivers behind the 33% revenue increase seen in businesses that prioritise culture.
5. Squid Play
Our take on the global phenomenon \”Squid Game\” – minus the scary bits. Fun physical and mental challenges between teams.
Benefits:
Encourages friendly competition and teamwork, creating bonds that boost productivity by up to 18%.
6. GPS Adventurer
Teams are sent off on a thrilling GPS scavenger hunt, solving clues and completing hilarious challenges around a city or countryside.
Benefits:
Promotes strategic thinking and leadership in a fun, relaxed way. Engaged teams are 23% more profitable!
7. Animate
Teams create a stop-motion animation film from scratch using props, storyboards and tech.
Benefits:
Builds communication skills and creativity while delivering lots of laughs. Creativity at work is linked to a 14% boost in innovation.
8. Murder Mystery Evening
Team up, find clues and solve a hilarious murder during dinner. Think Cluedo meets comedy.
Benefits:
Develops critical thinking and builds closer team bonds. Strong bonds = 59% lower turnover rates.
9. No Ordinary Quiz
A fast-paced quiz with rounds like Lip Sync Battles and ‘name that tune’. Forget boring pub quizzes.
Benefits:
Boosts team morale and strengthens friendships, key factors in the 21% boost in profitability seen in engaged teams.
10. The Deceivers
Our take on \”The Traitors\”. Teams must complete tasks while secretly sabotaging each other.
Benefits:
Strengthens trust, sharpens observation skills and delivers serious laughs. Trust leads to better information sharing and decision support.
Why is fun important in team building events?
Fun breaks down walls. It helps colleagues see each other as human beings, not just email senders. When people laugh together, they:
- Build stronger bonds
- Open up more easily
- Share ideas without fear
- Feel valued and included
Research shows highly engaged employees experience 18% more productivity. And trust, built through shared fun experiences, is critical. Teams that trust each other show a 43% lower turnover rate.
How can fun team building activities improve company culture?
Company culture isn’t bean bags and pizza Fridays. It’s trust, collaboration, ownership, and a sense of belonging.
Fun team building ideas:
- Create impactful shared memories
- Break down department silos
- Show employees that leadership cares
- Make the office a happier place
Culture matters because businesses focusing on culture see a 33% revenue boost. Plus, 54% of highly engaged employees say they notice a positive shift in their company’s culture.
What are some affordable fun team building ideas?
You don’t need a mega budget to plan a smashing company away day. Affordable ideas include:
- Pub Games Night: Host an old-school pub games tournament. Darts, dominoes, and arm wrestling optional.
- Urban Art Workshop: Create a masterpiece together. Paint, splash, graffiti – no talent required.
- Conference Energisers: 15-minute bursts of activities between heavy meetings to wake everyone up.
- Musical Bingo: It’s bingo, but for music lovers. And yes, it gets competitive.
Teams that have fun together see a 70% decrease in safety incidents and a 41% reduction in absenteeism.
How do I choose the right fun team building ideas for my team?
It can feel like a lot of pressure choosing the perfect activity. Relax – here’s how you make the right call:
- Know your team: Would they love a creative activity or crave adrenaline?
- Set goals: Do you want to boost morale, communication or problem-solving?
- Consider logistics: Indoors, outdoors, evening, remote?
- Check the budget: Plan fun that fits your wallet.
Teams that engage in the right activities see a 23% higher profitability.
Conclusion
Fun team building ideas aren’t just nice to have. They’re business-critical. They:
- Boost productivity by 14%*
- Improve retention by up to 59%*
- Increase profitability by 23%*
*Emploee Engagement Statistics Report
At Zing Events, we live and breathe this stuff. Whether you’re planning a company away day, some corporate team building activities, or a blowout team building event, we’re ready to help you smash it.
Ready to level up your team? Let’s make it happen!
