Sure, you could host another after-work happy hour where everyone tries to make small talk about their weekends again, or you could plan something more intentional. (We get it, you can only hear so much about the little league team Jess from sales coaches.) We know what you’re thinking; group games and icebreakers can be awkward. But we won’t make you do any trust falls. These 20 games to get to know your coworkers are designed to help teams learn more about each other in a fun way. From trivia to musical games to artistic challenges to activities that put your colleagues in the spotlight, these virtual, in person and hybrid activities for coworkers let everyone laugh while everyone shines.
In an office setting, it’s easy to create bonds in the break room or meet up at the water cooler. With the increase in remote and dispersed teams, it can be more difficult to get to know people who you may never meet in person. Virtual team building platforms like Weve create experiences that bond virtual teams though games.
People open up when they play together, but it’s important to make sure everyone is comfortable so they don’t shut down. While you want some people to step outside of their comfort zone at times, make sure you plan something that appeals to both introverts and extroverts. Karaoke night might be fun for those who love to be on stage, but a nightmare for people who would rather solve analytical problems solo. Choose experiences that provide a variety of activities and prioritize inclusivity so everyone gets a chance to show off their skills and shine.
Of course, any activity can bring your team closer together, even a spontaneous happy hour. But Weve’s games were built with intention and created to help teams bond. We believe that a company that plays together stays together and a strong company culture has to involve a sense of fun and play. Start with these 15 games to get to know your coworkers.
Let your teammates brag about their accomplishments and share their interests to help everyone learn more about each other. Fun Fact Match is part sharing game and part competition—and one of the best games to get to know your coworkers. Each player responds to a prompt such as “If you had a boat, what would you name it?” or “If you could invite anyone to dinner, who would it be?” Then, the other players try to guess who submitted each answer. This game can be tougher for teams who don’t know each other well, yet, but it’s a way to get to learn more about your colleagues. It also works well for teammates who may know each other well since it digs below surface level questions.
Let everyone show off their opinions and debate skills with a low stakes debate. Pick a fun topic such as “What’s the silliest Olympic sport?”, “What is the best pet?” or “What’s the best pizza topping?” Then give everyone two minutes to prepare their answer and face off in a friendly debate. A host will facilitate to make sure things don’t get too heated and give everyone a few rounds of back and forth before choosing a winner. In a low stakes debate you’ll learn who loves dogs, who hates cats, who wants to be a professional curler, and more.
Let your coworkers shine in the virtual spotlight. Think of it like a mini talent show. Three to five players will come to the center of the screen at the same time. They'll be given a prompt such as “Tell us a corny joke” or “Do your best impression of a celebrity.” People will step outside of their comfort zone and show off some hidden talents you might not know about.
Think: a karaoke night with lower stakes. No actual singing is required in a lip sync challenge; all your coworkers need is enthusiasm. Just like karaoke, the words to a song of your team’s choice shows on the screen. But instead of showing off your musical talent, everyone shows off their best lip syncing. Microphones (or hairbrushes, forks, or water bottles) are encouraged and so are air guitar solos and dance moves. You might be surprised which coworkers get up and rock out when they’re given the chance.
Did you know Monica in accounting knows all the words to every Journey song? You would if you played Name That Tune. This musical game is a fun way to learn about people’s music tastes and memorization skills. See who can identify a song in just a few bars and who knows the next lyrics of a song clip that’s cut off. By the end you’ll know who you want to tailgate with, who you're going to add to your concert crew, and who might need an intervention for their Kelly Clarkson obsession.
Movies are personal and movie preference says a lot about someone. Like musical games, movie trivia allows enthusiasts to shine and everyone else to learn about their expertise. Movie buffs will be able to identify movies from one screenshot, recite the next line in a famous movie speech, or identify actors based on their descriptions. It’s the fastest way to find out that Jerry in marketing was an extra in the original Star Wars or that Molly the office manager has seen every episode of Seinfeld, twice.
It will take about 10 seconds for the analytical teammates to come to the forefront. Playing games with brain teasers and rebuses (picture representations of a name, work, or phrase) is a great way for deep-thinking introverts to become the star of the show. Often a riddle requires multiple perspectives to get to the answer which turns into a fun team bonding moment leading to victory (fingers crossed!).
Learn about the sense of humor of each of your colleagues in this game to get to know your coworkers. In Wrong Answers Only, players are given a prompt and try to come up with the funniest wrong answers. Any answer is a good submission, as long as it’s not the actual answer. When everyone submits, all answers are shown and players vote for the answer they think is the funniest or most clever.
This is another game that helps your coworkers laugh together and show off their sense of humor. In Instant Meme, your team responds to a prompt with the GIF you think best showcases your feelings about that prompt. There are hundreds of thousands of images to choose from, but your team can’t look through all of them; you must submit before time is up. Once it is, everyone can vote on what they thought was the best GIF response.
This classic party game will help you get to know your coworkers, even without talking, and it’s one of our favorite fun things to do with coworkers. When it’s your turn, you’ll have to act out an assigned word or phrase for your team. Charades involves teamwork, collaboration, (non-verbal) communication, and a sense of humor as you try to do anything you can to get a point across without words.
This game is popular with Family Feud fans and people who collect often useless knowledge. (Finally, this is a chance to show it off!) First, the theme of a list is given, such as “Seven Dwarves” or “Top 10 Fast Food Restaurants in the U.S.” Then, one team member writes as the others list as many things in the topic as they can. The more you list correctly, the more points you get. You’ll work under a strict time limit as you race to get the most points. It’s a fast-paced situation that will bond your coworkers in trivia and some stress.
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