35 Fun Office Games to Boost Team Morale and Productivity
Looking for fun office games to boost morale, strengthen team spirit, and promote a positive work environment? Regardless of your plans - to organize quick icebreaker games for your next meeting or set up team-building activities for the entire group - this guide has you covered. At TeamOut, we’ve facilitated over 600 successful corporate retreats and events, and we know firsthand how these experiences can foster communication, spark joy, and elevate team performance.
From hilarious games like office bingo to interactive games that encourage employees to collaborate on building the tallest tower, we’ve curated 35 easy office games that require minimal setup but deliver maximum impact. Split into small teams or compete as an entire team. These fun challenges work for indoor games, games online, or even outdoor sessions for fresh air.
Test teamwork skills with a guessing game, host fun contests inspired by pop culture, or turn your office games to play into an office Olympics extravaganza. If you’re looking for board games, fun breaks that divide employees into hilarious alliances, or team bonding activities that play at work (or remotely), you'll surely find a fun game here for every group.
Ready to boost employee morale while strengthening team building? Let’s turn your next fun activity into an effective way to unite your team. All you need is creativity and a willingness to play!
These fun office games or quick icebreakers require absolutely nothing but willing participants, making them the perfect team-building activity or quick meeting energizers. At TeamOut, we often use these at the beginning of retreats to get everyone comfortable and engaged before diving into more structured activities.
1. Two Truths and a Lie
This office game is a classic icebreaker that reveals surprising facts about colleagues while encouraging active listening.
Instructions:
Each person prepares three statements about themselves – two true and one false
Participants take turns sharing their statements with the group
The rest of the team votes on which statement they believe is the lie
After everyone votes, the person reveals which statement was false
Continue until everyone has had a turn
Benefits: Improves listening skills, reveals personal information in a fun way, and helps team members discover unexpected commonalities.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes for a group of 10 people
Why it works for teams: This fun game works best in groups of 5-15 people sitting in a circle where everyone can see each other. Give participants a few minutes to think of their statements before starting. Encourage them to make all statements somewhat surprising so the lie isn't obvious.
2. Word Association
Word Association is a fast-paced office game that builds connections and reveals how people think differently.
Instructions:
Have everyone sit or stand in a circle
The first person says a word (any word to start)
The next person must immediately say a word they associate with the previous word
Continue around the circle as quickly as possible
If someone takes too long (more than 3 seconds) or repeats a word, they're out
The last person remaining wins
Benefits: Encourages quick thinking, reveals different thought patterns, and creates a shared experience through laughter.
Time Required: 5-10 minutes
Why it works for teams: Word Association creates energy through its fast pace while revealing fascinating insights into how different team members think. The connections between words often highlight different thought patterns. It is an excellent team-building promoter.
During a TeamOut finance team retreat, this game revealed differences in how analysts and client-facing team members thought about the same concepts. When the word "growth" came up, analysts immediately thought of "metrics," while sales team members associated it with "relationships."
3. The Name Game
The Name Game is a memory challenge that helps team members learn names while having fun.
Instructions:
Form a circle with all participants
The first person says their name and an adjective that starts with the same letter (e.g., "Energetic Emma")
The second person repeats the first person's name and adjective, then adds their own
Each subsequent person repeats all previous names and adjectives before adding their own
Continue until everyone has participated or someone makes a mistake
Benefits: Helps memorize names, builds concentration, and creates a supportive atmosphere as teammates help each other remember.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes for a group of 10-15 people
Why it works for teams: The Name Game is a standout option for newly formed teams or when integrating new members.
What makes this game special is how it naturally encourages support and assistance. When someone struggles to remember a name, others often provide subtle hints rather than letting them fail. This creates a collaborative atmosphere that can carry over into work projects.
4. Would You Rather
Would You Rather is a conversation starter that reveals preferences and sparks discussions.
Instructions:
Prepare a list of "would you rather" questions (or improvise them)
Take turns asking questions to the group
Everyone indicates their choice by moving to different sides of the room
Ask a few people from each side to explain their reasoning
Continue with new questions
Sample questions:
Would you rather have the ability to fly or be invisible?
Would you rather work four 10-hour days or five 8-hour days?
Would you rather have unlimited vacation time or a 20% salary increase?
Benefits: Reveals values and preferences, encourages sharing opinions, and identifies surprising commonalities between team members.
Time Required: 10-20 minutes
Why it works for teams: Would You Rather combines movement with thought-provoking choices, making it perfect for energizing a team while revealing values and preferences.
5. 20 Questions
20 Questions is a guessing game that builds deductive reasoning skills and creates shared experiences.
Instructions:
One person thinks of an object, person, or concept
The rest of the team takes turns asking yes/no questions
The team gets a maximum of 20 questions to guess correctly
If they guess correctly, the person who guessed becomes the next subject
If they don't guess correctly, the same person chooses a new subject
Why it works for teams: This guessing game teaches strategic questioning and information synthesis. It reveals different problem-solving approaches while creating a shared challenge that brings people together.
6. Fortunately/Unfortunately
Fortunately/Unfortunately is a storytelling game that builds on contributions from each team member.
Instructions:
Sit in a circle or around a table
The first person starts a story with a fortunate event (e.g., "Fortunately, we won the big client contract.")
The next person continues with an unfortunate event (e.g., "Unfortunately, their payment got lost in the mail.")
Continue alternating between fortunate and unfortunate events
Try to keep the story coherent while making it increasingly creative
Benefits: Encourages creativity, builds on others' ideas, and creates a shared narrative experience.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Why it works for teams: This game builds narrative skills while revealing how people respond to challenges. Start with a work-related scenario to make it relevant, but allow the story to evolve naturally. The alternating pattern creates a rhythm that makes participation easier while building on others' ideas.
At a TeamOut retreat, a marketing team's story about a product launch revealed underlying anxieties about timeline pressures that they were able to address constructively afterward.
Office Games with Minimal Props
These games require just a few common office supplies but deliver engaging experiences. In our TeamOut retreats, we've found these activities work exceptionally well as transition activities between more intensive sessions.
7. Paper Plane Competition
This is a creative challenge that combines design, competition, and fun.
Instructions:
Give each participant one sheet of paper
Allow 5 minutes for everyone to design and fold their best paper airplane
Mark a starting line and have participants stand behind it
Each person gets one throw to see whose plane flies the farthest
Award a small prize to the winner
Materials Needed: One sheet of paper per person, measuring tape
Benefits: Encourages creativity, friendly competition, and brings out playfulness in team members.
Time Required: 15 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity combines creativity with healthy competition. Provide standard printer paper for fairness, though you can allow decorations with markers if available. Set up a clear runway with distance markers (tape on the floor works well).
We've used this game as an energizer at corporate retreats, and it never fails to create enthusiasm. The simplicity makes it accessible to everyone, while still allowing for personal expression and competitive spirit.
8. Office Scavenger Hunt
An Office Scavenger Hunt is a fast-paced activity that gets people moving and collaborating.
Instructions:
Divide participants into teams of 3-4 people
Distribute a list of items to find or tasks to complete around the office
Set a time limit (15-20 minutes)
Teams must find all items or complete all tasks and return to the starting point
The first team to complete everything correctly wins
Materials Needed: Scavenger hunt lists, smartphones for photo evidence
Benefits: Encourages exploration of the workplace, teamwork, and strategic planning.
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity gets people moving around the workspace while encouraging teamwork and strategic planning. Create a mix of easy and challenging items/tasks, and include some that require interaction with people from other departments.
9. Marshmallow Challenge
A Marshmallow Challenge is a design thinking exercise that reveals team dynamics and collaboration styles.
Instructions:
Divide into teams of 4-5 people
Give each team 20 sticks of spaghetti, 1 yard of tape, 1 yard of string, and 1 marshmallow
Challenge teams to build the tallest free-standing structure with a marshmallow on top
Benefits: Reveals leadership styles, collaboration patterns, and approaches to problem-solving.
Time Required: 30 minutes (including discussion)
Why it works for teams: This classic team exercise reveals fascinating insights about collaboration, leadership, and assumptions. The marshmallow must go on top, which forces teams to test their structures throughout the process rather than only at the end.
10. Office Pictionary
Office Pictionary is a drawing game that encourages creativity and non-verbal communication.
Instructions:
Divide into two teams
Prepare work-appropriate words or phrases on slips of paper
One person from a team draws while their teammates guess (no speaking or gestures)
Set a limit of 1 minute per round
Teams earn a point for each correct guess
Alternate between teams until all words are used
Materials Needed: Whiteboard or flipchart, markers, word slips
Benefits: Builds non-verbal communication skills, encourages creative thinking, and creates shared laughter.
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Why it works for teams: This classic game creates energy and laughter while highlighting different communication styles. Use work-related terms to make it relevant to your industry, but keep them specific enough to be drawable.
We've found this game effective as an evening activity during multi-day retreats, when teams need something lighthearted after intensive strategy sessions.
11. Office Trivia
Office Trivia is a knowledge-based game that highlights company culture and history.
Instructions:
Prepare questions about your company, industry, and team members
Divide participants into teams of 3-4 people
Ask questions in rounds (5-10 questions per round)
Teams write down their answers
After each round, teams exchange papers for scoring
Benefits: Increases company knowledge, highlights organizational culture, and identifies knowledge gaps.
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Why it works for teams: This game tests and builds company knowledge while creating healthy competition. Include a mix of questions about company history, products/services, industry trends, and fun facts about team members.
At TeamOut, we've found this game valuable for onboarding new employees or bringing together teams from different departments who may have knowledge gaps about each other's areas.
12. Blind Drawing
Blind Drawing is a communication exercise that highlights the importance of clear instructions.
Instructions:
Pair up participants, sitting back-to-back
Give one person in each pair a simple picture
The person with the picture must describe it without saying what it is
The other person draws based only on the verbal instructions
After 5 minutes, compare the original and the drawing
Benefits: Improves communication precision, listening skills, and highlights assumptions in instructions.
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Why it works for teams: This exercise dramatically demonstrates how the same instructions can be interpreted differently. It highlights the importance of clear communication, feedback, and checking understanding.
Team Building Office Games
These fun activities focus on strengthening relationships and improving collaboration. At TeamOut, we've seen these corporate games create breakthrough moments during corporate retreats, where teams develop deeper connections that translate to improved workplace dynamics.
13. Human Knot
Human Knot is a physical problem-solving activity that requires teamwork and communication.
Instructions:
Form a circle of 8-12 people standing shoulder to shoulder
Everyone reaches across the circle with their right hand to grab someone else's hand
Everyone reaches across with their left hand to grab a different person's hand
Without letting go, the group must untangle itself into a circle
If the group gets stuck, allow one "unclasp and reclasp" opportunity
Benefits: Requires physical proximity, verbal communication, and collaborative problem-solving.
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Why it works for teams: This team-building activity creates physical proximity that breaks down barriers while requiring verbal communication and problem-solving. Groups approach the challenge differently: Some have natural leaders emerge, while others use a more collaborative approach.
14. Back-to-Back Drawing
Back-to-Back Drawing is an office game and communication exercise that highlights the importance of clear instructions and feedback. No special drawing skills required.
Instructions:
Pair up participants and have them sit back-to-back
Give one person a picture and the other a blank paper and pen
The person with the picture describes it while their partner draws
No peeking allowed, and the drawer can ask clarifying questions
After 10 minutes, compare the original and the drawing
Benefits: Improves verbal and non-verbal communication.
Time Required: 15-30 minutes
Why it works for teams: This exercise dramatically demonstrates how the same instructions can be interpreted differently. It highlights the importance of clear communication, feedback, and checking understanding.
We've used this activity with leadership teams to improve their communication skills, particularly when delegating tasks or explaining complex concepts to their teams.
15. Trust Fall
Trust Fall is a classic trust-building exercise and office game that creates vulnerability and support.
Instructions:
Divide into pairs with people of similar height
One person stands with their back to their partner, feet together
The standing person crosses arms over the chest and keeps the body rigid
When ready, they fall backward, trusting their partner to catch them
The catching partner stands with a staggered stance and bent knees
Switch roles after a few attempts
Benefits: Builds trust, creates vulnerability, and demonstrates support between team members.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity creates a powerful physical demonstration of trust. The person falling must overcome instincts to protect themselves, while the catcher must demonstrate reliability and support.
At TeamOut retreats, we facilitate this activity with proper safety instructions and often use it as a metaphor for workplace trust, discussing how teams can create environments where people feel safe taking risks.
16. Silent Line-Up
Silent Line-Up is a fun game and a non-verbal communication challenge that requires teamwork.
Instructions:
Ask the group to form a single-file line
Give them a criterion to arrange themselves (height, birthday, years at the company)
The catch: no talking allowed – only non-verbal communication
Set a time limit of 5 minutes
Once arranged, check if they got the order correct
Benefits: Develops non-verbal communication, problem-solving, and leadership emergence.
Time Required: 10 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity forces teams to develop alternative communication methods when their primary channel is unavailable. Teams develop creative solutions, from hand signals to written notes to charades.
At TeamOut, we've found this game especially impactful for teams that rely heavily on verbal communication, as it highlights the importance of developing multiple communication channels.
17. Minefield
Minefield is a trust exercise and team-building activity that enhances communication and guidance skills.
Instructions:
Create an "obstacle course" using office items spread across the floor
Divide into pairs – one blindfolded, one as guide
Guides must direct their blindfolded partners through the minefield using only verbal instructions
If a blindfolded person touches an obstacle, they must start over
Switch roles after completing the course
Materials Needed: Blindfolds, office items as obstacles
Benefits: Builds trust, improves communication precision, and develops leadership skills.
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Why it works for teams: This team game is a metaphor for workplace guidance and trust. The blindfolded person must rely completely on their partner's instructions, while the guide must provide clear, timely direction.
18. Helium Stick
Helium Stick is a team-building activity that is seemingly simple but challenges group coordination.
Instructions:
Have 8-12 people stand in two lines facing each other
Place a lightweight rod (like a bamboo stick) on their extended index fingers
Everyone must keep their fingers touching the stick at all times
The challenge: lower the stick to the ground together
The stick will mysteriously rise at first (the "helium stick" effect)
The group must coordinate to overcome this tendency
Materials Needed: Lightweight rod or stick
Benefits: Demonstrates the need for coordination, highlights how individual actions affect group outcomes.
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Why it works for teams: This deceptively simple activity demonstrates how individual actions affect group outcomes. The tendency is for people to unconsciously push upward, causing the stick to rise instead of descend.
Virtual/Remote Office Games
With distributed teams becoming more common, playing games that adapt to virtual settings is crucial. At TeamOut, we've adapted many of our in-person activities for remote groups and found these to be excellent alternatives for creating connections across distances.
19. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
A Virtual Scavenger Hunt is an energizing activity that gets remote workers moving and sharing their environments.
Instructions:
Prepare a list of common household items or specific challenges
Share one item/challenge at a time in the chat
Participants must find the item and show it on camera
Award points to the first 3 people who complete each challenge
The person with the most points at the end wins
Benefits: Creates energy, provides glimpses into colleagues' homes, and builds shared experiences.
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity breaks the monotony of video calls by getting people moving in their home environments. It creates energy, boosts employee morale, and often results in humorous moments as people scramble to find items.
At TeamOut, we've found this fun activity a great start for virtual retreats, as it immediately engages participants and creates a playful atmosphere that carries through subsequent activities.
20. Online Trivia
Online Trivia is a knowledge-based game that works perfectly in virtual settings.
Instructions:
Prepare diverse trivia questions across multiple categories
Divide participants into teams using breakout rooms
Post questions in the main room, then send teams to the breakout rooms to discuss
Teams submit answers via chat or a shared document
Return to the main room for scoring and the next round
The team with the most correct guesses wins
Materials Needed: Video conferencing platform with breakout rooms, trivia questions
Benefits: Encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing, and friendly competition.
Time Required: 30-45 minutes
Why it works for teams: This fun activity creates healthy competition while encouraging collaboration within teams. The breakout room format ensures everyone participates.
From our TeamOut experience, this activity is especially effective for virtual team-building events that include people from different departments or locations who may not interact regularly.
21. Virtual Pictionary
Virtual Pictionary is the adapted version of the drawing game for online platforms.
Instructions:
Use a virtual whiteboard tool or the annotation feature in your video platform
Divide into teams and take turns having one person draw
Send the drawer the word via private chat
Set a timer for 60 seconds per round
Teams earn points for correct guesses
Materials Needed: Video conferencing platform with whiteboard/annotation features
Benefits: Creates shared laughter, encourages creativity, and works well across time zones.
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Why it works for teams: This classic game adapts surprisingly well to virtual environments. The digital drawing tools add an extra challenge that creates laughter as people struggle with mouse or trackpad drawing.
22. Show and Tell
Show and Tell is a simple but effective way to build personal connections remotely.
Instructions:
Ask participants to find an object that has meaning to them
Take turns sharing the object on camera and explaining its significance
Allow 1-2 minutes per person
Encourage questions from other participants
Consider themes like "something that represents your work style" or "a prized possession."
Benefits: Creates personal connections, reveals values, and builds empathy between remote team members.
Time Required: 15-30 minutes, depending on group size
Why it works for teams: This activity creates personal connections by giving glimpses into colleagues' lives beyond work. The objects people choose often reveal values, interests, and experiences that wouldn't emerge in normal work conversations.
We've used this activity successfully with newly formed remote teams to accelerate relationship building and create connection points that strengthen collaboration.
23. Virtual Escape Room
A Virtual Escape Room is a collaborative problem-solving activity adapted for online teams.
Instructions:
Use a virtual escape room platform or create your own using Google Forms
Divide participants into teams of 4-5 using breakout rooms
Present a series of puzzles that teams must solve together
Set a time limit (typically 30-60 minutes)
Bring everyone back to discuss strategies and solutions
Materials Needed: Virtual escape room platform or custom puzzles, video conferencing with breakout rooms
Benefits: Encourages collaborative problem-solving, communication, and time management.
Time Required: 45-75 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity creates an immersive shared experience that requires collaboration and diverse thinking styles. The time pressure adds excitement while the puzzles require teams to communicate effectively.
24. Remote Team Bingo
Remote Team Bingo is the online version of Office Bingo and is a fun way to learn about colleagues' remote work habits and environments.
Instructions:
Create bingo cards with squares describing remote work scenarios
Distribute cards to all participants
Read scenarios one at a time or have participants share experiences
Players mark squares that apply to them
The first person to complete an entire row wins
Materials Needed: Digital bingo cards (can be created in Google Slides)
Benefits: Creates shared laughter around common remote work experiences, builds camaraderie.
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Why it works for teams: This game creates shared laughter around common remote work experiences. It normalizes the challenges of working from home while creating a connection through shared experiences.
25. Virtual Coffee Roulette
A Virtual Coffee Roulette is an engaging way to create one-on-one connections within remote teams.
Instructions:
Use a tool like Donut for Slack or manually pair team members
Assign pairs for 15-30 minute virtual coffee chats
Provide conversation prompts to get beyond small talk
Schedule these regularly (weekly or bi-weekly)
Rotate pairs so everyone eventually connects
Benefits: Creates deeper one-on-one connections, breaks down silos, and builds cross-departmental relationships.
Time Required: 15-30 minutes per session
Why it works for teams: This activity creates the informal connections that naturally occur in physical offices but are often missing in remote groups. The one-on-one format allows for deeper conversations than group settings.
Physical Office Games
These office games get people out of their chairs and moving, which is especially valuable in office environments where team members work daily. At TeamOut, we've found that physical activities create energy and engagement that carry over into work tasks afterward.
26. Office Olympics
Office Olympics consists of a series of silly competitions that get people moving and laughing.
Instructions:
Create 3-5 simple competitive events using office supplies
Divide participants into teams or have them compete individually
Demonstrate each event, then allow practice time
Run timed competitions for each event
Award medals or prizes to the winners
Sample events:
Chair races (rolling from one point to another)
Paper ball basketball (tossing into trash cans)
Stapler javelin (sliding staplers across a table for distance)
Rubber band archery (shooting at targets)
Materials Needed: Office supplies, timer, prizes
Benefits: Creates physical activity, friendly competition, and shared laughter.
Time Required: 30-45 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity transforms ordinary office supplies into tools for healthy competition. The silly nature of the events creates laughter while the physical movement energizes participants.
At TeamOut retreats, we often use this as an afternoon activity when energy typically dips, and we consistently see renewed engagement in subsequent sessions.
27. Human Rock-Paper-Scissors
Human Rock-Paper-Scissors is a full-body version of the popular game that creates energy and movement.
Instructions:
Demonstrate the movements: rock (crouching), paper (standing with arms out), scissors (arms in X position)
Have everyone find a partner and play best of three
Winners find other winners to play against
Losers become cheerleaders for the person who beat them
Continue until you have one champion with everyone else cheering
Benefits: Creates physical movement, builds energy, and forms spontaneous team allegiances.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Why it works for teams: This game creates physical movement and builds energy through its tournament structure. The cheerleading element ensures everyone remains engaged even after being eliminated.
We've used this game with groups of all sizes, from small teams to conferences with hundreds of participants. It never fails to create energy and laughter.
28. Office Obstacle Course
Office Obstacle Course is a physical challenge that transforms the workplace into a playground.
Instructions:
Create a course through the office using desks, chairs, and other furniture
Include challenges at different stations (stack paper cups, sort colored items)
Demonstrate the course, emphasizing safety
Time each participant as they complete the course
The fastest time wins
Materials Needed: Office furniture, timer, station challenge materials
Benefits: Provides physical activity, creates a new perspective on the workplace, and builds energy.
Time Required: 30-45 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity transforms the familiar workplace environment into something new and playful. The physical movement adds energy, while the challenges require focus and dexterity.
29. Balloon Volleyball
Balloon Volleyball is a low-impact game that gets people moving without requiring athletic ability.
Instructions:
Create a "net" using a string tied between two chairs
Divide into two teams on either side of the net
Use a balloon as the "ball."
Play volleyball rules (3 hits per side, must serve from back)
First team to 15 points wins
Materials Needed: Balloons, string, chairs
Benefits: Encourages teamwork, creates movement, and is accessible to people of all physical abilities.
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Why it works for teams: This game creates physical movement that's accessible to people of all fitness levels and abilities. The slow movement of the balloon allows everyone to participate successfully.
30. Freeze Dance
Freeze Dance is a simple activity that gets everyone moving and creates shared laughter.
Instructions:
Clear a space for movement
Play music and have everyone dance
When the music stops, everyone must freeze immediately
Anyone who moves after the music stops is out
Continue until only one person remains
Materials Needed: Music player, upbeat playlist
Benefits: Reduces inhibitions, creates physical movement, and builds positive energy.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity breaks down inhibitions. The simple rules and playful nature make it accessible to everyone, regardless of dance ability.
Problem-Solving Office Games
These problem-solving activities challenge teams to work together to overcome obstacles. In our TeamOut retreats, we've seen these games reveal team dynamics and leadership styles while building collaborative skills.
31. Egg Drop Challenge
Egg Drop Challenge is a classic design challenge that tests creativity and teamwork.
Instructions:
Divide into teams of 3-5 people
Provide each team with an egg and limited materials (straws, tape, paper, etc.)
Teams have 20 minutes to build a structure that will protect their egg
Drop each structure from a height (typically 6-8 feet)
Teams whose eggs survive win
Materials Needed: Raw eggs, various craft supplies, drop location
Benefits: Encourages creative problem-solving, resource management, and collaborative design.
Time Required: 30-45 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity combines creative problem-solving with resource constraints. Teams must collaborate to design a solution that balances multiple factors: protection, stability, and shock absorption.
32. Lost at Sea
Lost at Sea is a decision-making exercise that reveals team dynamics and prioritization skills.
Instructions:
Present a scenario: the team is stranded at sea with 15 items
Individually, participants rank the items in order of importance for survival
Teams then work together to create a consensus ranking
Compare the team rankings to expert rankings
Discuss how decisions were made and what influenced the process
Benefits: Reveals decision-making styles, negotiation approaches, and leadership emergence.
Time Required: 30-45 minutes
Why it works for teams: This activity reveals how teams make decisions and resolve differences of opinion. The negotiation process often highlights different communication styles and persuasion techniques.
33. Bridge Building
Bridge Building is a collaborative construction challenge that requires planning and coordination.
Instructions:
Divide into teams of 4-6 people
Provide each team with identical building materials (paper, tape, straws, etc.)
Teams must build half a bridge, with specifications for where it will connect
Teams work separately, only communicating through written messages
At the end, bring the halves together to see if they connect properly
There is no winning team in this game
Materials Needed: Building materials, specification sheets, message forms
Benefits: Tests communication precision, planning skills, and ability to work with incomplete information.
Time Required: 45-60 minutes
Why it works for teams:This activity simulates the challenges of coordinating work across teams or departments. The limited communication channels force teams to be precise in their planning and specifications.
34. Murder Mystery
Murder Mystery is a problem-solving activity that requires information sharing and deduction.
Instructions:
Purchase a boxed murder mystery game or create your scenario
Assign character roles to participants
Distribute clues among participants (not everyone gets all the information)
Set a time limit (typically 60-90 minutes)
Teams must share information and solve the mystery
Materials Needed: Murder mystery game or custom scenario materials
Benefits: Encourages information sharing, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving.
Time Required: 60-90 minutes
Why it works for teams: This immersive activity demonstrates the importance of information sharing and collaborative problem-solving. Since no individual has all the clues, success depends on effective communication and synthesis of information.
35. Tower of Hanoi
The Tower of Hanoi is a physical puzzle that requires strategic thinking and teamwork.
Instructions:
Create a Tower of Hanoi puzzle using paper cups or actual discs
Divide into teams of 3-5 people
Teams must move the entire tower from one peg to another
Rules: Only one disc can be moved at a time, and no disc can be placed on a smaller disc
Teams compete to complete the puzzle in the fewest moves
Materials Needed: Tower of Hanoi puzzle sets (can be improvised with paper cups)
Benefits: Develops strategic thinking, planning, and process improvement skills.
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Why it works for teams: This classic puzzle requires systematic thinking and careful planning. Teams must develop a strategy and execute it precisely, often discovering the value of thinking several steps ahead.
At TeamOut, we've found this activity impactful for teams that need to develop more methodical approaches to complex problems, as it demonstrates the value of planning before acting.
Wrapping up
Implementing office games is about much more than having fun. From our experience, it’s a strategic investment in team spirit, communication, and productivity. The 35 games to play we’ve shared, from quick icebreaker games like trivia game rounds to collaborative scavenger hunts or office Olympics, boost employee morale and foster a positive work environment.
At TeamOut, we’ve seen how playing games can transform workplace dynamics. Teams that bond through fun activities, whether playing online or in-person, and even outdoor games, can break the monotony of daily tasks while enhancing work life balance.
Whether you’re energizing meetings with entertaining games or planning team-building activities for a retreat, the right office games to play make all the difference. Need expert help? TeamOut’s specialists handle everything from team-building design to venue selection, saving you up to 50 hours of research and 30% of the costs.
With over 600 companies achieving a 95% satisfaction rate—and teams thriving through office games that boost morale—we’re ready to help you craft a fun game experience tailored to your team’s needs.
Ready to strengthen team spirit? Contact TeamOut today to organize your game plan for lasting results.
Thomas Mazimann, a French entrepreneur and former international kayaking athlete, transitioned from sports to tech after moving to the U.S. He co-founded TeamOut, revolutionizing team gatherings.
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