Team Building Experience Ideas to Create a Harmonizing Team

A recent Gallup study found that highly engaged teams show 23% greater profitability, highlighting just how valuable team building experiences can be. With over 2,500 companies increasing investment in virtual team-building, it’s clear that this isn’t just a trend—it’s a strategy for stronger culture and lasting results.

Take the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as an example. Known for its global impact, the organization also prioritizes internal alignment. To create a memorable team-building experience, they collaborated with Outback to launch Bookworm Builders—a creative event where employees built and donated bookshelves to underprivileged children through Treehouse, a local nonprofit. What started as a fun activity turned into a meaningful way for teams to bond, communicate, and contribute to a greater cause.

As companies continue to explore innovative ways to connect employees across locations and roles, platforms like Empuls make it easier to plan, manage, and measure team-building initiatives—whether in-office or remote.

This article will explain different types of team building experiences, how to create a good one, and more for your better understanding.  

What is a team building experience? 

A team building experience is a structured activity designed to improve how employees work together. It encourages communication, trust, and collaboration outside the usual work setting—whether through games, challenges, volunteering, or workshops.

At its core, it’s not just about fun—it’s about building stronger team dynamics that carry over into daily work.

When done right, team building experiences can:

• Encourage collaboration beyond work pressures
• Build trust and understanding among colleagues
• Improve problem-solving and interpersonal communication
• Boost morale and create a more inclusive, supportive culture

These shared experiences help transform individual contributors into connected teams—making the workplace more productive and enjoyable.

What are the different types of team-building experiences? 

Team-building experiences can take a variety of formats to enhance collaboration and communication within a group. These include:

1. Outdoor activities

Think hikes, adventure sports, or team obstacle courses. These high-energy, out-of-office experiences encourage teamwork, build trust, and help people connect in a relaxed, pressure-free setting.

2. Indoor challenges

Activities like escape rooms, trivia competitions, or board game tournaments offer a more controlled environment that still promotes problem-solving and collaboration—especially for smaller teams or introverted personalities.

3. Workshops and seminars

Professional development sessions focused on communication, leadership, or creative thinking are excellent for teams looking to grow together while learning. These events double as learning and bonding opportunities.

4. Volunteering and community service

Purpose-driven experiences, like packing care kits or organizing charity drives, help teams connect over shared values while giving back to the community. These build a sense of purpose and unity that extends beyond the workplace.

5. Team retreats

Multi-day offsite gatherings allow teams to disconnect from work routines and focus on deeper connections, strategy, and reflection. Retreats often combine learning, relaxation, and bonding in one immersive experience.

6. Virtual team building

With distributed teams on the rise, digital team-building has become essential. Virtual game nights, online quizzes, collaborative challenges, or peer recognition activities keep engagement high across geographies.

Platforms like Empuls make this seamless by offering gamified activities, virtual challenges, and engagement campaigns that bring remote teams closer—no matter the time zone.

The best format depends on your team's preferences, the objective of the activity, and your company culture. Often, a mix of these formats throughout the year works best.  

How to create a team-building experience? 

Creating a memorable and meaningful team-building experience goes beyond picking an activity. It’s about understanding your team, aligning with your goals, and creating space for connection. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you plan one effectively:

1. Identify your objectives 

Begin by defining the desired outcome of the team-building activity. Are you aiming to improve communication? Strengthen problem-solving skills? Or perhaps boost overall team morale? A clearly defined objective will guide your selection of activities and ensure the experience is focused and productive. 

2. Know your team 

Consider the size, personalities, and interests of your team members. This will help you choose an activity that is both engaging and accessible to everyone.  For instance, an introverted team might benefit more from a collaborative problem-solving challenge, while an extroverted group might enjoy a high-energy activity that encourages active participation. 

3. Plan the timeline 

Determine the timeframe for the team-building experience. Will it be a short activity integrated into a regular meeting, a dedicated half-day event to allow for in-depth exploration or a multi-day retreat for a more immersive experience? The ideal timeframe depends on your goals and your team's availability. 

4. Select the best activity 

Choose an activity that aligns with your goals and is suitable for your team. There are numerous options available, from creative brainstorming sessions to strategic escape rooms or collaborative games. Consider activities that encourage interaction and communication, while also providing opportunities for team members to discover and utilize each other's strengths. 

5. Align with team values 

Ensure the chosen activity reflects the team's core values and fosters a sense of shared purpose.  For example, if your team prioritizes innovation, consider a design thinking challenge.  A team focused on client satisfaction might benefit from a role-playing exercise that simulates client interactions. Aligning the activity with team values reinforces these values and strengthens the team's identity. 

6. Promote inclusivity 

Make sure everyone feels comfortable participating, regardless of background or skill level. Offer options for different abilities and encourage open communication. This might involve providing clear instructions, breaking down complex tasks into smaller steps, or offering alternative ways to contribute. An inclusive environment ensures everyone feels valued and fosters a stronger sense of team spirit. 

7. Reflection is key 

After the activity, hold a discussion to reflect on the experience.  What were the key takeaways? How can these learnings be applied to future teamwork?  Encourage honest feedback and open discussion to solidify the learnings and translate them into actionable steps for improved collaboration within the team. By reflecting on the experience, you can ensure that the team-building activity has a lasting positive impact. 

What are a few team-building experience ideas? 

Some effective team-building experience ideas include: 

1. Volunteer activity: Organize an opportunity for team members to work together for a social cause. This will build camaraderie and a sense of shared purpose. 

2. Collaborative scavenger hunt: Plan a scavenger hunt that requires teamwork and problem-solving skills. This will encourage communication and collaboration among team members. 

3. Professional development workshops: Host workshops or seminars on skill development, industry trends, or leadership. These sessions will allow team members to learn from each other and build relationships. 

4. Group sporting event: Organize a sporting event or activity for the team, such as a tournament or a casual game. This can help to break the ice and promote bonding among team members. 

Case studies

Following are the two case studies to showcase the significance of generating team building experience. 

1. Amazon organize a thrilling scavenger hunt for 30 employees in Milan for enhanced employee engagement 

Amazon needs no introduction, and its approach to establishing employee engagement has always remained unique. Amazon recently was planning a conference in Milan and desired a "fun Scavenger Hunt" for their 30 employees.  

Issue

Since these employees didn't frequently work together, the goal was to create a team-building activity that would encourage exploration of the new city. Meanwhile, they wanted to foster camaraderie and connections within the group. Considering budget constraints for the conference's social events, a cost-effective solution was also a key factor. So, they collaborated with Wildgoose. 

Solution

Wildgoose proposed a perfect team-building activity for Amazon in Milan. They designed a Self-Managed Milan City Explorer Challenge; a high-tech scavenger hunts accessible through a mobile app on attendees' smartphones. 

The content creators at Wildgoose crafted unique challenges around Milan's history, culture, and landmarks. Teams navigated the city centre using the app, encountering trivia questions, photo opportunities, and interactions with locals.  

This activity fostered team bonding while allowing participants to experience the beauty of Milan. The teams used the app to form groups, download the software, and access the challenges. A live map guided them throughout the city.  An event manager monitored the activity online, scoring photos and videos, and keeping teams engaged. 

Nearing the end, the manager prompted teams to return to a designated finish point. A countdown timer added excitement as teams raced to complete final challenges.  Afterward, the client received links to a photo/video presentation and final scores to celebrate the winning team.

Result

Clients thoroughly enjoyed exploring the city through our engaging and interactive team challenge. The user-friendly app, accessible on personal devices, allowed Wildgoose to offer a flexible and cost-effective solution that maintained high attendee participation.  Furthermore, the remote support team ensured the client's confidence and provided the necessary guidance for a smooth, self-managed experience.

2. Deloitte holds exceptional team building experience to encourage a shared sense of community 

Deloitte, a multinational professional services network wanted to hold a thrilling event. They aimed to create a fun and engaging experience for all 140 employees, including a significant number of recent additions to their team.  The ideal event would encourage participation from everyone and provide a refreshing change of scenery by taking place outside of the office environment.

Solution

Deloitte sought The Big Smoke's assistance in planning a celebratory event for their summer party. The scavenger hunt proved to be the ideal solution for Deloitte's summer celebration. The Big Smoke designed a personalized hunt featuring challenging cryptic clues, puzzles tailored to their company, and activities that resulted in humorous video footage. This experience served as the perfect way to initiate their summer festivities. 

Result

This event provided a fun and engaging experience that fostered creativity and teamwork. More importantly, it allowed colleagues who may not have had prior opportunities for social interaction, gel properly with each other. It successfully removed participants from their usual work environment and encouraged collaboration, laughter, and a shared sense of enjoyment. 

How Empuls helps elevate your team-building experiences

Team-building activities work best when they’re not just one-off events, but part of a consistent culture of connection, recognition, and engagement. That’s exactly what Empuls is built for.

Empuls is an employee engagement platform that helps HR and team leads plan, run, and measure the impact of team-building experiences—while also keeping that sense of connection alive long after the event ends.

Here’s how Empuls can support your team-building efforts:

• 🟣 Pre-event pulse surveys: Understand what your team actually wants from a team-building activity with quick, anonymous pulse surveys that gather preferences and expectations.
• 🟣 Gamified engagement campaigns: Create fun virtual or hybrid challenges tied to your team-building goals—perfect for remote teams or distributed workforces.
• 🟣 Recognition that reinforces values: After the activity, use peer-to-peer recognition and custom badges that align with company values demonstrated during the event—like collaboration, creativity, or leadership.
• 🟣 Post-event feedback and analysis: Measure impact through real-time feedback surveys and track engagement metrics to improve your next team-building session.
• 🟣 Ongoing engagement tools: Keep the momentum going with ongoing nudges, team shoutouts, and campaigns that help maintain connection, trust, and collaboration—even outside structured events.

With Empuls, you don’t just organize better team-building experiences—you build a culture where people feel connected, appreciated, and part of something bigger.

Conclusion 

Team building experiences significantly contribute to employee engagement as it helps foster a sense of friendship, trust, and collaboration among coworkers. These activities help employees develop stronger relationships, which in turn leads to improved communication, problem-solving, and overall job satisfaction. However, to maximize the experience, try implementing Empuls. It helps organizations create a positive company culture, align employees with shared values, and drive multiple people initiatives from a single platform by: 

• Running employee engagement surveys. Analyze engagement metrics and identify areas for improvement after each team-building experience.  
• Running employee satisfaction and loyalty survey, namely the Pulse survey, by analyzing employee behavior and providing real-time actionable insights to improve company culture. 
• Allowing for open communication and collaboration through one-on-one feedback and peer recognition.  

Enable continuous feedback and improvement throughout the employee lifecycle through real-time surveys, allow peer-to-peer recognition, and drive multiple people initiatives from Empuls.