The play strategy: aligning games with business goals
Before you get stuck into the list of activities, it helps to be clear about why you are using these games to play at work. We use the Naboo Engagement Quadrant to help organisers choose the right activity based on two things: the time it takes and the result you want.The Naboo Engagement Quadrant framework
This framework keeps the choice practical, so the activity matches what your team needs right now, from a quick energiser to work on conflict.
- Low commitment, quick win: Activities that take less than 15 minutes work well as meeting icebreakers or for the mid-day slump, with Two Truths and a Lie as a clear example. The aim is instant energy and fast participation.
- Mid-level commitment, communication focus: Activities that take 15 to 30 minutes are useful when you want to look at team processes and get direct feedback, with Blind Drawing as a good example. The aim is clearer communication and more trust.
- High commitment, strategic insight: Activities that take 30 minutes or more suit harder problem-solving and resource management, with the Egg Drop Challenge as a good example. The aim is to see how the team works and thinks under pressure.
Scenario: Applying the framework
Take a marketing team split between Edinburgh and a smaller office in Bristol, where handovers between content creators and project managers are not running smoothly. They need to understand how they collaborate and set priorities. A quick icebreaker will not fix that. A high commitment, strategic insight game such as the Marshmallow Challenge or Lost at Sea is the better choice, because it shows how people take the lead, use resources and deal with tight deadlines.
The 20 best games to play at work for team cohesion
We have grouped these activities by what they do in the workplace, giving you a practical set of games to play at work for different situations.Quick-hit energisers and icebreakers
These activities need little setup and work well as meeting starters or between tasks, with quick involvement from the group.1. two truths and a lie
This familiar icebreaker gets colleagues sharing unexpected personal details, which helps new teams or newly joined members build rapport quickly. The guessing part keeps people listening and gives them common ground, which matters when you want the group to work well together.
2. word association
This is a fast verbal exercise that asks for quick thinking. Participants sit in a circle, and each person says a word linked to the one before it. You see clear differences in how people think across roles, with a compliance analyst and a creative designer often taking the same idea in different directions.
3. would you rather
This simple conversation tool brings out personal values and preferences without putting anyone on the spot. Ask a choice such as "Would you rather have a 20% pay rise or unlimited paid holiday?" and you quickly learn what drives your colleagues and how they make decisions.
4. silent line-up
This non-verbal communication challenge asks the group to arrange themselves by a set rule, such as birthday month or height, without speaking. It puts visual cues, body language, and shared intent into practice. For teams that rely heavily on written communication, it is a useful way to practise working together without words.
5. human rock-paper-scissors
This full-body version of the classic game is played as a tournament. It brings immediate movement and laughter. Losers "cheer" for the person who beat them, so elimination turns into group support and everyone stays involved until the final champion is found. These games to play at work are a good way to shake off that post-lunch slump.
Communication and trust builders
These games to play at work focus on clear processes, spoken instructions, and confidence in your teammates.6. blind drawing
This exercise pairs people back-to-back. One person describes a simple image, and the partner draws it using only those spoken instructions. It shows the gap between what you mean and what is understood, and it brings home the need for clear instructions and confirmation steps in day-to-day work.
7. minefield
This office trust exercise puts one partner in a blindfold and asks them to move through an obstacle course, the "minefield", using only their teammate's verbal guidance. It builds trust under pressure and sharpens the guide's ability to give precise, timely, practical instructions, which suits mentoring or handing over tricky tasks.
8. helium stick
A group tries to lower a light stick to the ground while keeping every index finger in contact with it. The catch is simple: people tend to push up without meaning to. The task only works when everyone slows down, matches pace, and keeps the group goal ahead of individual movement.
9. office pictionary
Teams use a whiteboard or virtual drawing tool to guess work-related terms drawn by one teammate. It brings out quick thinking under pressure and gets people communicating through images rather than words, which is useful in cross-functional teams.
10. office trivia
This activity tests what people know about the company, the industry, or their colleagues. Good trivia reinforces company culture, closes knowledge gaps between departments, and adds healthy competition. For team events, it scales well into a company-wide contest.
Strategic thinking and design challenges
These games to play at work focus on problem-solving, resource management, and strategic planning.11. marshmallow challenge
Teams work with limited materials such as spaghetti sticks, string, and tape to build the tallest free-standing tower that will hold a single marshmallow on top. The task exposes assumptions quickly, especially the habit of saving the marshmallow for the end, and it shows how each team handles rapid prototyping under pressure.
12. egg drop challenge
Teams get a short time and limited materials such as straws, paper, and tape to build a device that keeps a raw egg intact when dropped from a height. It puts resource management, joint design decisions, and risk against reward into sharp focus.
13. 20 questions (strategic deduction)
One person chooses a concept, then the team works together to narrow it down using yes or no questions within a 20-question limit. The exercise sharpens questioning and forces people to process information quickly and logically.
14. Fortunately/Unfortunately
In this storytelling game, participants take turns building a narrative, with each person starting with "Fortunately..." and the next replying with "Unfortunately..." It shows how teams build on each other's ideas and respond to unexpected changes as a plan develops.
15. office scavenger hunt
Teams race to find items or complete tasks around the workplace. It gets people moving and working across departments. If you want a more strategic version, add clues that require speaking to colleagues in different teams. It works well as part of a larger team-building day, and you can find more ideas on the Naboo blog for structured approaches to these challenges.
Virtual and physical engagement
Whether you are bringing together distributed employees or energising an in-person meeting, these activities keep everyone involved.16. virtual scavenger hunt
The remote version of a classic hunt asks participants to find specific items in their immediate surroundings, such as "Show us something blue that sparks joy". It breaks up video call monotony, gets people moving, and gives quick, human glimpses into colleagues' home lives. The result is a lift in remote morale.
17. online trivia (breakout rooms)
Virtual trivia works well with breakout rooms because it gives teams space to talk through answers. Put the questions in the main room, send people into small groups, then bring them back for scoring. Quieter team members still have a clear role in the discussion and the final answer.
18. show and tell
A simple remote activity with a clear purpose. Each person brings an object that matters to them and explains why. You get a better sense of the stories, values, and interests behind the job title, and that builds stronger working relationships.
19. paper plane competition
One sheet of paper per person is enough for this low-cost activity. Teams compete on design, distance, and stability, which keeps the format easy to run and easy to join. It adds light competition and a bit of play, making it one of the simplest games to play at work for immediate involvement.
20. office olympics
A set of short, slightly absurd competitions using common office supplies, such as rubber band archery, paper clip stacking, and chair races. It is built for shared laughter and movement, especially in the afternoon when energy drops. The format gives people a reason to work together while the office feels less formal for a while.
Avoiding common pitfalls in implementing games
Getting games to play at work right takes planning and a clear purpose. The usual mistakes do not just waste time, they blunt the value of the activity.Mistake 1: Mandatory fun
The problem: If you force people to join in, you drain away the easy enjoyment that lifts morale. Teams notice when an activity feels ticked off rather than genuinely invited.
Practical consideration: Present activities as worthwhile chances to connect, not as tasks. Begin with small, voluntary games to play at work and build confidence before moving to larger group challenges, perhaps at your next team away day in the Scottish Highlands.
Mistake 2: Failing to debrief
The problem: With many team-building games to play at work, especially strategic ones like the Marshmallow Challenge, the value sits in the process rather than the result.
Practical consideration: Set aside five minutes at the end to talk it through. Ask: "What process did we follow? Who emerged as the leader? What communication style proved most effective? How does this reflect our workflow challenges?"
Mistake 3: Poor context alignment
The problem: The wrong activity for the goal creates friction, such as a high-trust physical game with a newly formed, nervous team.
Practical consideration: Use the Naboo Engagement Quadrant. When trust is low, begin with Quick Wins like Word Association. Keep high-vulnerability games to play at work like the Minefield or Trust Fall for teams with established psychological safety.
Measuring the impact of structured play
While fun is subjective, the results of effective games to play at work are measurable. Link these activities to clear changes in how the team works.1. Observing communication flow
After you introduce communication games such as Blind Drawing or Silent Line-Up, watch the day-to-day work closely. Look for clearer documentation, more proactive check-ins, and less wasted effort caused by misunderstood instructions. Follow-up sessions should also give you direct feedback from the team.
2. Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
eNPS gives you a simple read on loyalty and satisfaction. When games to play at work improve morale and connection, the score usually rises. Track it quarterly, especially after a focused run of team engagement activities.
3. Cross-departmental collaboration
Use internal surveys to see how easy people find it to work across departments. When games to play at work are designed to reduce barriers, you should see more positive responses about shared resources and mutual understanding between those groups.
Frequently asked questions
How often should we incorporate these activities into the workday?
For quick energisers, aim for 5-10 minutes at the start of weekly meetings. For deep team-building games to play at work that require strategic insight, schedule 30-45 minutes bi-weekly or reserve them for dedicated quarterly away days.
Are competitive games counterproductive to team building?
No, provided the competition is framed as friendly and lighthearted. Competition, when focused on solving a puzzle or a silly challenge (like Office Olympics), can unify teams against an external goal and generate shared excitement without creating internal friction.
What is the minimum group size required for these activities?
Most quick games to play at work work best with 5 to 15 participants. Activities focused on complex coordination, such as the Human Knot or Helium Stick, generally require a minimum of 8 people to demonstrate the systemic coordination challenges effectively.
Can these games really help resolve conflicts?
Directly resolving conflict is complex, but these activities build the foundation needed for conflict resolution. Games focused on communication (e.g., Blind Drawing) or consensus (e.g., Lost at Sea) provide a neutral environment to practice crucial skills like listening, negotiation, and giving clear feedback, which transfers positively to conflict situations.
What if my team is highly introverted?
Avoid high-pressure or public-speaking games to play at work initially. Start with low-stakes, anonymous activities (like collecting "Would You Rather" responses digitally) or challenges that focus on shared tasks rather than personal sharing (like the Paper Plane Competition or the Marshmallow Challenge).