1. Why Is It Necessary to Organize Team Building Activities Periodically?
A regular roster of team building activities is important for keeping up morale and boosting motivation, allowing staff to let off steam together. It also fosters better communication and teamwork within a work group, who are more likely to develop effective professional relationships if given the chance to socialize in a relatively relaxed, informal setting.
2. Team Building Activities for 50 Employees
2.1. Trivia
Get those thinking caps on for one of the most popular team building activities for adults, trivia contests! In addition to simulating the mind, quizzes are a fun, inclusive way for colleagues to socialize with one another while engaging in some light-hearted competition. They are easy to adapt for large groups of 50 or even more – just create as many teams as necessary to accommodate all the participants.
Trivia competitions can be implemented for in-person as well as remote gatherings. There are even team building companies like Hooray Teams that will arrange the whole thing for businesses virtually, customizing the activity according to your company preferences. These online sessions come with a professional host, taking all the stress out of having to organize the quiz.
2.2. Murder Mysteries
From Hollywood homicides to country house whodunits, there are all kinds of settings for a murder mystery challenge, but the objective is always the same: solve a dastardly crime using the cryptic clues available.
Murder mysteries promote critical thinking and rely on collaboration for groups to piece together the various hints and bring a killer to justice. For team building activities for 50 employees, they tend to work better when played remotely, since accommodating that many staff in a physical location is often a struggle.
Virtual event specialists Hooray Teams have lots of different themed options to offer, from seaside slaughters to pizza poisonings. These murder mysteries are run by a professional host and last about 60 minutes. They can be played as one big group of 50, in 5 smaller teams of 10, or in any other configuration you prefer – the company can customize its offering to suit your specific circumstances.
2.3. Escape Room
Similar to murder mysteries but without the bloodthirsty backstory, escape rooms require employees to pool their wits to break out of a locked facility, be it a castle dungeon or a mafia hideout.
In-person escape rooms are fantastic fun for smaller groups, but for numbers of 50 or more, it’s much easier to host everything virtually.
Hooray Teams can cater for up to 500 people online, immersing your team in a 360-degree experience that’s full of perplexing puzzles and tricky brainteasers. Sessions last about an hour and can be customized according to your objectives. Setup is incredibly simple for participants, who only need to turn on their mic and their camera, and then click on the present link. Hooray Teams takes care of the rest.
2.4. Nature Trails
Advocate for the wonders of the great outdoors with a team hike through some of the nature trails in your local area. Websites like Komoot and AllTrails have loads of different route recommendations that you can try, making it very easy to organize a green escape.
Nature walks are one of the best team building activities for 50 employees for companies that are also looking to target wellness. Just 30 minutes a day has been shown to improve cardiovascular health, as well as reducing stress and anxiety. Add the group element to the mix and you’ve got a day out that’s sociable as well as beneficial for wellbeing. Consider adding a company picnic element to the hike, so that staff have an opportunity to sit down and break bread over their shared experience.
2.5. Book Club
Company book clubs are a chance for staff not just to engage with one another in a non-work scenario, but also to explore narratives that depict different cultures and perspectives. In this way, book clubs can be beneficial for encouraging diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace, as well as building better bonds within a team.
A book club of about 50 works well as it means you’re likely to have a good range of views, facilitating a vibrant discussion. If you’re worried not everybody will be able to express their opinions in such a large gathering, break the group into smaller subgroups, which can then join back together at the end for a final summary.
2.6. Sports Tournament
Sports tournaments are all about collaboration, team spirit, and getting people active. The lightly competitive environment creates a high-energy atmosphere that’s the perfect medicine for fatigued staff.
A well-rounded sports tournament should include multiple 5-minute team building activities for 50 employees. These events can include all manner of pursuits, including tug-of-war, relay races, and capture the flag.
2.7. Arts and Crafts Workshops
Wreath crafting, flower arranging, jewelry making – there are so many different, unusual team building activities that stimulate creativity. These kinds of workshops work very well for large groups because the number of participants is essentially limitless. All you need is an instructor to guide the session and a sufficient stock of materials.
Arts and crafts classes are easy to arrange in person or virtually. Many businesses that specialize in online corporate team building will supply kits that can be sent to your staff’s homes. For example, Hooray Teams offers a terrarium-making class guided by a plant expert that includes a DIY kit as part of the bundle, featuring succulents, soil, sand, a fishbowl vase, and moss.
2.8. Storytelling Sessions
Ideal for quick team building activities, storytelling games are a useful tool to get a large group of 50 people working together while also developing mental agility and imagination.
A good example is the storytelling circle. The host begins by supplying a pre-prepared prompt. This can be as simple or as silly as desired, such as “It was a dark and stormy night.” or “She wasn’t sure who blinked first, her or the zombie.” Each person then takes it, in turn, to add a sentence to the story, following on logically from the line before, until everyone has contributed.
If you want to add a competitive dimension, you can adjust the game so that each person only says one word when it’s their turn. The story moves quickly around the group, with anybody who hesitates to supply the next word being eliminated from the game until only one person is left.
2.9. Camping
Take staff back to nature with a camping trip to a nearby national park or other wild locale. This form of digital detox in calming, informal surroundings produces an ambiance that’s ripe for team bonding.
Unlike some other venues, such as in-person escape rooms, most campsites will be able to accommodate 50 people without a problem. Having such a large group also makes for a more convivial, festival-like atmosphere that leads to a more enjoyable experience for everyone.
2.10. Wellness Retreats
One of the most relaxing team building activities for 50 employees, wellness retreats create a sense of calm and relaxation in staff, setting the scene for colleagues to open up and engage in honest discussions with one another.
While they require a little more detailed organization than some of the other suggestions on this list, wellness retreats can be one of the most effective ways to bring employees together. Yoga classes, meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness workshops relieve anxiety and create less fraught workplaces that foster better teamwork.
2.11. Cooking Competitions
Put your employees’ culinary creativity to the test in a cheerfully competitive setting that is sure to foster team bonds while also letting staff’s individuality shine.
Under the guidance of a professional, staff can learn to craft sushi, decorate cupcakes, or whip up elaborate three-course meals, before showing off their unique creations at the end to see who’s worthy of a Hollywood handshake and who should hang up their apron forever!
Cookery activities for 50 people are usually easier to conduct online since most in-person venues will struggle to supply enough cooking stations for a large group.
2.12. Painting/Pottery Classes
An offshoot of arts and crafts, painting and pottery classes have become a particularly popular team building activity because they allow for a broad spectrum of artistic expression. They’re also easy to host virtually or in person, as long as you have the space to accommodate everybody in one room. All you need is somebody to lead the session and the right materials.
Thanks to the popularity of painting and pottery as a team building activity, there are lots of local studios and community businesses that cater for corporate events. Alternatively, you can turn to online providers, who will supply the necessary materials through the post ahead of the art class.
4. FAQs
4.1. What is the basic principle of team building?
The essential goal of team building is to facilitate better group collaboration and communication. This is often achieved through social activities in an informal environment where staff can relax and get to know one another better, building bonds with their colleagues that foster a unified team spirit.
4.2. What are the 9 Dimensions of team building?
9 Dimensions is a methodology that can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses within a team. Each participant is given a sheet listing the 9 Dimensions: communication, attitude, trust, role clarity, alignment about processes, accountability, supportive relationships, meeting deadlines, and quality of work. Everybody then spends about 2 minutes rating each aspect with a colored dot. A green dot indicates that a dimension is working well, yellow indicates it needs work, red indicates it isn’t working at all, and blue indicates it’s not a priority. Once the sheet has been completed, staff compare and discuss their ratings.
4.3. What is skill based team building?
Skill based team building focuses not just on the bonding aspect of an activity, but also on developing skills that are useful in a work environment. These skills could be critical thinking, active listening, conflict management, or leadership acumen, to name just a few.