We all work in teams and we know that teamwork is a bit of an art.
Your team members will be better at their tasks when they are working together.
Following your year end function, you should consider some team building activities to help improve the relationships among your team members. These activities will also be a fun way for you to get to know each other better, which can lead to better communication and productivity.
Culture is also an important factor when it comes to team building and Cape Town is home to a diverse population with a rich history and culture.
A strong team is vital for any organisation, whether it’s a small business or a large corporation.
Let’s dive into team building activities, games and even some unique ideas for local South African team building.
The Benefits Of Team Building
Why Are team building games so important in a professional workplace?
When teams work together effectively, they can be more productive and efficient.
Wiki defines team building activities as a variety of different types of activities used to enhance relations between individuals and defines roles within a team, often requiring collaborative tasks.
Imagine your teams saying something like this after the event:
Everyone had a great time at the team building event, and we have all sorts of funny memories to share. When we returned to the offices after our event, we had a photo booth set up for us. As you can see from the picture, I had one of the best times ever getting silly with my friends at work. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do something like that again sometime!
John Jerry – Corporate Company Executive
To achieve this, team building activities and games are often used as a means of facilitating interaction and communication within the group.
Benefits of arranging a team building event each year
There are many benefits to team building, both for the workplace and for the employees themselves.
For businesses, team building can lead to increased productivity and creativity, while also improving morale and reducing turnover.
For employees, team building can foster friendships and improve communication skills.
Team building activities and games can help work groups develop the bonds that are necessary for a cohesive unit. Such activities can also improve communication and problem-solving skills.
Whether your workplace is in need of a morale boost or you’re simply looking to build better relationships with your co-workers, there are countless reasons to give team building a try.
How to choose the right team building activity
When it comes to team building, there are a lot of activities and games to choose from. How do you know which one is right for your work group? Here are a few things to consider:
First, think about the goals you want to achieve with the team building activity. Do you want to promote communication and collaboration? Or do you want to focus on problem-solving and decision-making?
Once you have a good understanding of your goals, you can start narrowing down your choices.
Next, take into account the size of your group. Some team building activities work better with smaller groups, while others are more suited for large groups. Keep this in mind as you make your selection.
Finally, think about the time frame you have for the activity. Some activities may take several hours to complete, while others can be done in just a few minutes. Make sure you have the time you need to complete your activity.
Here are some great ideas for team building activities and games that can help your team bond and work more effectively together.
Easy Team building Ideas and Games
Charades
This classic game is not only a lot of fun, but it also helps with communication and collaboration skills.
How to play: Before the game begins, write a list of categories (movies, animals, street names, cartoon characters, and so on). Then make another list with about five to six items under each category. For example, under the movie category, you could put Transformers, Lord of the Rings and Batman.
Label six envelopes and put one item from each category in each envelope. Make sure that all the items are not too hard to guess; choose something that other players would know about.
Divide the group into two teams. Each team will take a turn and send out a representative to act out items from a category for the other team to guess. The round begins when the game master selects a category, tells it to the actors, and then hands them an envelope containing items related to that category.
The actors must use physical and/or verbal gestures to act out the items without speaking or drawing any words on paper. They cannot write any words on their hands or clothing either.
The team has to guess what the actor is trying to portray, and when the correct answer is called out, the actor should move on to the next item. The actor may choose to pass if he feels that the team cannot guess the current item.
How to win: The round ends when either the time runs up (40 seconds) or the actor manages to finish all of his items in the category. This is repeated with the other team and whoever has more points at the end of three rounds wins!
Balloon Fight
Balloon Fight is a sports game that can be a fascinating icebreaker to liven up a large group of people or used for observing the group dynamics of a competitive team.
Be aware that this game is physical and may not be appropriate for certain groups.
How to play: Divide everyone into teams of two, or three. Give everyone a balloon and an elastic band. Blow up your balloon, then tie it to your ankle, so that it sticks out from your leg.
How to win: The objective of the game is for a team to destroy all other teams’ balloons by stepping on them.
Egg Drop
How to play: Divide your group into small teams of 3 – 4 people. Give each team an egg and 40 straws, as well as other materials if you have them (the more supplies, the better).
Explain that the goal of this activity is for each team to build a structure that will protect their raw egg from breaking when dropped from a height of about 1 meter (40 inches).
How to win: Each team will get 15 minutes to make their structure. If more than one team succeeds in protecting their egg, then the winner is whichever team used the fewest straws.
5 minute team building activities
Team building activities for short periods of time and small groups. These exercises will help your team to build trust and communication with each other, as well as helping them to come up with creative solutions to problems.
Try out these five-minute team building activities that will have everyone laughing and working together in no time!
1. The Human Knot
Have everyone stand in a circle and grab the hand of someone across from them. Then, have everyone grab the hand of someone else so that there are two hands held by each person. The challenge is for the group to untangle themselves without letting go of any hands!
2. Marshmallow Towers
This one is great for encouraging creativity and teamwork. Give each team a bag of marshmallows and some toothpicks, and see how tall of a structure they can build in five minutes. The catch? They can only use their mouths to hold the toothpicks and marshmallows!
3. The Human Chair
Have each team sit on the ground in a circle, facing out. Then have one person stand in the middle of the circle and hold onto their hands. The goal is for everyone to stand up as quickly as possible – but only if everyone stands at once! 4.
4. A 5-Minute Trivia
If you feel like your team building games are looking a little lacklustre, a quick five-minute trivia game might be the perfect thing. Trivia can help to break the ice and get everyone talking, plus it’s a fun way to learn new things about your colleagues.
5. Blindfolded instructions
Try blindfolding some people on your team and giving instructions to the other employees, who must guide the blindfolded through a task. In some variants, you’ll have them navigate a (safety-conscious) obstacle course. In others, you’ll have them assemble a puzzle. Feel free to get creative here, as the point is still the same; when someone is blindfolded, they require much more precise, specific instructions and a greater focus on the part of all employees involved in communicating those instructions.
6. Paper plane competition
You could divide employees into teams or let them work individually on designing, creating, and flying paper planes. Give each person or team the same materials—for example, two pieces of paper and three paper clips—and take turns flying the planes along a runway that measures their performance. The person whose plane flies the furthest wins.
7. What’s My Name?
This can be a great place for colleagues who don’t know each other that well. Usually this is a birthday game, but it’s being utilized in offices and meeting rooms as well. You only require a pen, some paper or sticky notes, and a roll of masking tape.]]
Perforated pieces of paper or sticky notes of famous people are to be written on the foreheads of everyone on your team, with each person receiving one.
The next step is to pair everyone together with someone else. These two people can then ask each other yes or no questions to assist them figure out what’s written on the paper stuck on each other’s foreheads.
8. Dodgeball
Dodgeball is one of the simplest games on earth, suitable for all ages and both sexes. It is available in a lot of settings and there are different rules to keep the game play exciting.
How to paly: At the beginning of each game play, three players from each team participate in the centre of the courtroom. These balls will be passed to the back of the court prior to being put to use if you occur to the opposing team.
How to win: Your goal is to take out the opposing team by either hitting them with the ball or catching one of their tosses. You have to watch your steps to avoid being hit by opposing teammates while deflecting their throws. Game play lasts no more than 2 minutes, but since several extraordinary matches may last 10 minutes or more, you will be getting one heck of a cardiovascular exercise.
Group team building ideas
We thought it would be fun to include some team-building activities that can be done with a large group.
Some more group team building ideas include:
- Escape rooms
- Trust falls
- Puzzles
- Scavenger hunts
- Interactive games
- Sports games
- Bongo Drumming
- AI Photo Booth Experience
It might seem silly, but doing any of these above can seriously help coworkers to communicate better and work together more cohesively.
How to motivate your team to “bring the gees“
Lead by example
The best way to motivate your team is to lead by example!
Show your team that you are committed to the success of the team building activities and that you are willing to put in the hard work required to see it through.
Encourage your team members to do their best and give them the support they need to succeed. When your team sees that you are invested in their success, they will be more likely to reciprocate.
Motivate with incentives
Another way to motivate your team is to offer incentives for a job well done.
This could be something as simple as a gift card or an extra day off. Whatever you choose, make sure it is something that will truly motivate your team members.
Set goals
Setting goals is a great way to keep your team motivated and focused on their work.
It’s important that you set realistic goals, as well as ones that are challenging but achievable.
Recognising their efforts will show them that you value their contribution and that you are willing to invest in their success. This will keep your team motivated and excited about the work they are doing.
Make sure you have time to “debrief” your teams after the activities
The importance of debriefing
Debriefing is one of the most important aspects of team building. It allows team members to process their experience, reflect on what went well and what could be improved, and connect with each other on a deeper level.
Without debriefing, team members may feel like they are not being heard or that their experiences are not valued. This can lead to frustration and even resentment.
Debriefing also allows team leaders to get feedback about the team building activities and make adjustments for future sessions. Without debriefing, it would be difficult to improve upon the activity or ensure that it is meeting the needs of the team.
The debriefing process is important to the development of a team because it allows members to connect with each other on a deeper level. This connection creates a sense of trust, which is essential for the team to function effectively.
What behaviours did you observe from your team members?
It is important to be able to take note of the behaviours of those around you. This can help you to understand how best to work with them and also identify any potential issues.
When observing your team members, look out for some of these behaviours:
- Are they working together harmoniously or are there signs of conflict?
- Do they seem engaged with their work or are they just going through the motions?
- Do they support and encourage each other or do they seem competitive?
- How do they react to setbacks or challenges – do they stay positive or get negative?
- Do they take responsibility for their own actions or do they blame others?
- What kind of language do they use – is it positive or negative?
- Do they listen to each other or do they interrupt often?
observe your opponent’s Behavior during the team building activities
When it comes to team building activities, it’s important to be observant of your opponents’ behaviours. This will give you a better understanding of how they work and what their motivations are.
Here is a debrief example:
During the team building activities, I observed that my opponents were very competitive. They were always trying to one-up each other and prove that they were the best. I also noticed that they were quick to point out when someone made a mistake.
While this behaviour can be seen as negative, I think it’s actually beneficial in a team environment.
It shows that they’re willing to work hard and push themselves to be the best. And, if we’re able to work together despite our differences, I think we’ll be able to accomplish great things.
How do you think that someone’s behaviour can affect work?
In some cases, an employee’s behaviour can be a direct reflection of their work ethic. If an employee is constantly slacking off or not meeting deadlines, it’s likely that their work will suffer as a result.
Alternatively, if an employee is always putting in extra effort and going the extra mile, their work is likely to reflect that.
Ultimately, someone’s behaviour at work can have a ripple effect on the rest of the team.
Talk about a behaviour you thought promoted teamwork
Remember to also encourage and celebrate successes, big and small!
Acknowledging everyone’s contributions will help build a sense of ownership and pride in the work being done.
unique ideas for local South African team building
The city offers a variety of activities and attractions that can be used to promote teamwork and team spirit. Team building companies in Cape Town can help organisations improve communication, problem-solving skills, and conflict-resolution skills.
Here’s a list of our top team building companies.
Outdoor: Acrobranch
If you’re looking for fun team building activities, why not experience a challenging adventure? Take your group on a trip of self-discovery as they encounter daring challenges high above the trees of the Acrobranch Courses.
Extreme: SA Forest Adventures
Seeking extreme team building experiences such as our White Water Rafting adventure or our favourite, the Cape Town Ziplines.
Strategy: Be.UP
High-quality fun action courses focused on crucial concepts and principles of team building and increasing communication skills are strategically designed to make a rewarding and fun experience that promises to improve workplace morale and stimulate effective teamwork.
Local Potjie cook-off: Team orange
Everybody thinks they’re the best potjie cook, this fun and a pinch of competitive resentment is a fun team building idea.
Mobile team building: Hint Hunt
Interactive action-packed games at an indoor or outdoor location of your choice. They offer this at your offices, at a park or even in the streets of Cape Town. Talk about convenience.
Top 5 team building venues
The importance of choosing the right venue for your next corporate event can never be overstated. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of some of the best team building venues in Cape Town.
Fun: Rondekuil
A prime location in Durbanville for revitalizing, productive teambuilding events near Durbanville in the Northern Suburbs. This ideally situated venue near Cape Town in the Western Cape, offers accommodation for 24 people, making it the ultimate all-inclusive solution for your next teambuilding event.
Mind Games: Hazendal Wonderdal
Wonderdal venue is ideal for teams to enhance teamwork and coordination through a series of entertaining physical activities and mind games that will test a team’s skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and time management. Situated in Bottelary Road, Stellenbosch.
Professional Team: Lagoon Beach Hotel
Only beach-side hotel in the Cape Town area, Lagoon Beach Hotel partnered with team building experts to offer you a range of team-building activities, from beach Survivor and Cape Minstrels to kayaking and wind-surfing, they can provide you with the very best of partaking in team-building activities.
Trendy: Woodstock Brewery
This is the perfect venue for a centrally located team building event. The ambience, decor and music will promote interaction between participants. It has a variety of food and beverage options to match any taste bud.
Local: Honey Badger
Among Cape Town’s most stylish restaurants, its massive windows overlook the bustling street so that you feel the pulse of nearby Cape Town and enjoy its peaceful rhythm.
Conclusion: team building activities
We hope you enjoy these team building activities and games as much as we do!
Team building activities are a wonderful way to get people to get to know one another and take their performance to the next level. From learning social cues to teamwork, these events have become more commonplace in more organisations – and with good reason!
To have a successful team, you need interaction and socialisation.
When you have an active team that works well together, your organization will find better performance in almost all aspects.
