Team camaraderie can make or break a business. It may not seem like a productive use of time, and while many workplaces claim to be ‘like a family’, how many are really walking the walk?
Camaraderie should be at the foundation of an organization’s culture – encouraging employees to develop friendships and feel comfortable with one-another. A spirit of camaraderie has been proven to not only increase productivity, and employee engagement, but also reduce stress levels, enhance job satisfaction, and improve overall mental and emotional well-being.
Here at Creative Solutions, we are completely remote, making it so much more important to be intentional with our team building. Our team puts aside time weekly to engage in activities to get to know each other, and we’re sharing some of our favourites!
The list below is a small sample of some fun ideas you can use to connect with your team on a deeper level.
Celebrity
This simple game of charades helps break the ice and get people to loosen up a little bit. To begin, put together a list of famous people and then give one to each person in the meeting. One at a time have people either describe or act out their person and have everyone guess.
Worst Job Ever
Ahead of a meeting, take a few minutes and have everyone share their worst job ever. It’s a fun way to learn a little more about everyone. Give them time to elaborate on why it was the worst, and who knows, it might give some insight into what employees like or dislike about the workplace.
Emoji Guessing Game
Challenge the team’s knowledge of emojis! In this game, players decipher emojis to guess words, phrases, or movie titles. Adding a time limit for each round or setting up a point system for correct guesses can make the game more exciting.
Guess the _________
We love a good picture guessing game! Ahead of a meeting, have everyone submit a photo of the dedicated topic and have everyone guess whose is whose. Our team has had a great time guessing whose workspace is whose or matching baby pictures. The possibilities are endless!
Question of the Day
This is a great way to get everyone involved in learning about each other. For each weekly meeting, pick someone to ask that week’s ‘Question of the Day’ and go around the room sharing an answer, the person who asked the question gets to pick who is asking the following week, continue rotating through the team so everyone gets an opportunity to ask their question! Remember, there are no bad questions.
Every team is unique, and it might take some time to figure out what is the right fit for the group. Try a wide range of activities, and stick with what works for you. It’s worth it to build a culture of camaraderie that values employees for the people they are.
