9 Fun Startup Team-Building Activities

by Startacus Admin

Startups need down time too, so why not check out these team building activities...

Startup life is a challenging life. However, there are no tighter-knit teams that are ready to pull together and work towards the same goal in unison.

In order to keep this team spirit alive, it is important to get together every once in a while outside the office and engage in something other than, well, work.

Here are nine team-building activity ideas for you that will hopefully get everyone to blow off some steam, and get to know each other better as well.

Making headlines
This is a great group activity you can do at the office, without any actual prep work required. It should take around 30 minutes, so it’s a great way to break up a long day or a particularly taxing week. You get everyone together and work out what each team, department, or team member could be making headlines for in the future. It’s fun, it’s easy to play, and it is also a great way to tap into the dreams and wishes of your staff.

Two truths and a lie
Another office game you can play when you need to take your mind off the job, this one is easy to play, and it can also be really fun. As long as you try to keep it civil and not delve too deep into people’s personal stories they may not be comfortable with sharing. You can put a unique spin on it by encouraging people to include some of the rather unexpected things they have done at work – something that their team might not be entirely aware of.

Scavenger hunts
While they will require a lot of planning and take you out of the office for an entire day, scavenger hunts are incredible for getting everyone excited, competitive, and out of their comfort zones. You can organize the entire thing yourself, or you can hire someone who specializes in these kinds of events. Try to make it more about random and out-of-the-box activities, rather than anything company-related. Prizes for all participants and something special for the winner (or winning team) are also a good idea.

Cook-offs
Instead of taking out the team to a company dinner, get them to cook together. You supply the cooking space and all the ingredients (either based on what everyone tells you they need, or you can come up with your own list and see what people can turn them into), and appoint the judges. This is a great way to have people compete against each other in a healthy manner, and get those who may not work together on the daily to cooperate and discover what they have in common. You can also print out customized T-shirts for each team, and get them made quickly in time for the cook-off. That way, your team will also have something to showcase in their time off, and it will feel more like a competition.

Sports and games
Another great way to get everyone active is to compete in a sport. You can take on a charity event and run, play soccer, tennis, or another sport; you can join cancer walks and other charitable events. This way, your team will not only contribute to a great cause and help raise awareness, but participating in these events is also a great opportunity for them to support each other and cooperate on something other than work. You can have an evening of e-sports as well or organize a marathon game of Cluedo, Monopoly, Risk, or any other old-fashioned board game. Cards are also something not many people still play, but something like Rummy, Kemps, Whist, or Canasta can be a great way to pass the time and engage in a completely new activity.

Final thoughts
Finding the time to organize a team-building event or even a single game can be a challenge in startups. Which is why it’s so very important to find it. When people play well together, they are more likely to also work together well, and the startup stress your staff is going through is not doing much for their mental health.

Give them a team outlet and ask their opinion on what they want to do. Encourage participation across the board, and make sure you are also there, participating, and not being a sore loser.

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Published on: 24th February 2020