15 Team Building Games for Work (That People Won’t Groan At)

Most team building games for work get a bad name for a reason. Someone picks a game that needs a stage, a long story or a lot of nerve. Half the room then wishes it were Friday. It shows in the numbers. In a 2025 YouGov poll for Acas, 31% of British employees disliked team-building activities, more than any other work social. After-hours drinks came next, at 20%.

The best games are short, simple and easy to opt into. This list has 10 free team building games for work that you can run yourself, plus 5 you can book. For each, we say how big the group can be. We also give the time needed and whether it works in a room, on a call or both.

Want more ideas to book? Browse the directory of team building challenges.

What are the best team building games for work?

Here’s the quick list before the detail:

• Two truths and a lie: best for new teams
• Spaghetti and marshmallow tower: best for working under pressure
• Back-to-back drawing: best for clear communication
• Team quiz: best for large groups
• People bingo: best for mixed teams who rarely meet
• Desert island ranking: best for debate without conflict
• One word at a time story: best for a quick warm-up
• Home scavenger hunt: best for remote teams
• Human knot: best for small in-person groups
• Shared whiteboard Pictionary: best for hybrid teams
• Escape From The Meeting (virtual, works anywhere): best for distributed teams
• Moonstone Murders (England): best for a comedy-led day out
• Best Corporate Events, LLC (US and Canada, or virtual): best for very large groups
• Charnwood Foraging (Leicestershire, UK): best for something outdoors
• Corporate Clown (UK and international): best for loosening up serious teams

1. Two truths and a lie

A classic for a reason. It takes no kit and no prep.

• How it works: Each person shares three statements about themselves. Two are true and one is false. The group votes on the lie.
• Good for: New teams and new joiners.
• Fit: 4 to 15 people (split bigger groups), 10 to 20 minutes, in person or remote.

2. Spaghetti and marshmallow tower

Teams build the tallest free-standing tower they can from dry spaghetti, tape, string and one marshmallow.

• How it works: Give each team the same kit and a fixed time limit. The marshmallow must sit on top. Compare towers at the end.
• Good for: Showing how teams plan, argue and adapt.
• Fit: Teams of 3 to 5 (any number of teams), about 20 minutes, in person.

3. Back-to-back drawing

One person describes a simple picture. Their partner draws it without seeing it.

• How it works: Pairs sit back to back, or turn cameras off on a call. The describer can’t say what the picture is, only its shapes and positions.
• Good for: Spotting why instructions go wrong at work.
• Fit: Any group in pairs, 15 minutes, in person or remote.

4. Team quiz

Easy to run and easy to enjoy. It’s one of the safest team building games for work if your group hates “games”.

• How it works: Mix people across departments into small teams. Set rounds on general knowledge, music and a few questions about your own company.
• Good for: Large groups and end-of-week sessions.
• Fit: 8 to 100 or more, 45 to 60 minutes, in person or remote.

5. People bingo

Each person gets a grid of facts, such as “has lived abroad” or “can juggle”. They find a colleague who matches each square.

• How it works: Set a time limit. First to fill a line shouts bingo. Everyone has to talk to someone new to win.
• Good for: Teams who sit apart or rarely meet.
• Fit: 10 to 50 people, 15 minutes, in person (works on a call with breakout rooms).

6. Desert island ranking

Teams get a list of items and rank them by how useful they’d be on a desert island.

• How it works: First, each person ranks alone. Then the team agrees one shared list and explains its choices.
• Good for: Practising debate without real stakes.
• Fit: Teams of 4 to 6, 20 to 30 minutes, in person or remote.

7. One word at a time story

The team writes one story, one word per person, going round the group.

• How it works: Someone starts with a word. The next person adds one more. Keep going until the story ends or falls apart, which is the fun part.
• Good for: A quick warm-up before a meeting or workshop.
• Fit: 5 to 20 people, 5 to 10 minutes, in person or remote.

8. Home scavenger hunt

Everyone has two minutes to find an item at home that fits a prompt, such as “something older than you”.

• How it works: Call out a prompt and start the clock. People show what they found on camera and say why they picked it.
• Good for: Remote teams who want a peek into each other’s lives.
• Fit: 5 to 25 people, 15 minutes, remote.

9. Human knot

Standing in a circle, everyone grabs two hands across the circle. The group then untangles itself without letting go.

• How it works: Players reach across and hold two different hands. Then they twist and step through until they form one circle.
• Good for: Small, comfortable teams who don’t mind a bit of contact.
• Fit: 6 to 12 people, 10 to 15 minutes, in person.

10. Shared whiteboard Pictionary

One person draws a work-related word on a digital whiteboard. Everyone else guesses.

• How it works: Use words from your own world, such as “budget” or “stand-up”. Split into teams and keep score if you like.
• Good for: Hybrid teams, because everyone joins on the same screen.
• Fit: 6 to 30 people, 20 to 30 minutes, in person, remote or hybrid.

Bookable team building games for work

Free team games for work get you far. A hosted game helps when you want a polished event, or when nobody on the team wants to run it. These five come from our directory.

11. Escape From The Meeting

Escape From The Meeting is “a 60-minute virtual escape game” where coworkers work together to escape “a hilariously bad company meeting”.

• How it works: Teams investigate digital evidence, uncover clues and collaborate over chat. The listing says it involves “no cameras, awkward icebreakers, forced introductions, or putting anyone on the spot”.
• Good for: Distributed teams across offices, countries and time zones.
• Fit: 60 minutes, remote. Group size isn’t listed, so ask the supplier.

12. Moonstone Murders

Moonstone Murders runs improv murder mystery events with “only professional comedy improvisers”. You name the place and they bring the case.

• How it works: The team plays the detectives. There’s a range of pre-written cases, plus bespoke options.
• Good for: Teams that want laughs and collaboration in one go.
• Fit: Up to 150 people, up to 2 hours. In person across England (London, Manchester, Leeds and more), with a virtual option.

13. Best Corporate Events, LLC

Best Corporate Events & TeamBuilding® has run escape room team building since 2010. The catalogue also includes murder mysteries, scavenger hunts and game shows.

• How it works: Their facilitators lead every programme. They also design custom events around your goals, schedule and venue.
• Good for: Big groups. The listing says they work with groups “from 20 to 6,000+”.
• Fit: Up to 2 hours or half a day. In person across all 50 US states and Canada, or virtual anywhere.

14. Charnwood Foraging

Charnwood Foraging is based in Leicestershire. Its “unique Foraging Murder Mystery” sits alongside other team-building challenges that mix problem-solving, teamwork and friendly competition.

• How it works: The listing says activities combine sensory exploration, problem-solving and teamwork, so “different strengths” can shine. No previous knowledge or skills are needed.
• Good for: Teams who’d rather be outdoors than in a meeting room.
• Fit: Up to 12 people, half a day. In person in Leicestershire, with a virtual option.

15. Corporate Clown

Not one of the usual team building games for work, but Corporate Clown uses play to shift “how teams think, connect, play and create together”.

• How it works: Workshops use clowning and embodied practice. They require no performance experience.
• Good for: Serious teams who need to loosen up. See more in our comedy and performance listings.
• Fit: Groups of 13 to 30. Half-day or full-day, on-site or off-site, across the UK and internationally.

Our top three picks

If you only try three team building games for work, make it these:

• Spaghetti and marshmallow tower: best free option for an in-person team.
• Escape From The Meeting: best for remote teams who dread forced fun.
• Moonstone Murders: best for a comedy-led day out in England.

FAQ

What are good team building games for work on a video call?

Two truths and a lie, the home scavenger hunt and shared whiteboard Pictionary all work well on a call. They need no kit and little setup. For a hosted option, Escape From The Meeting runs fully online.

How long should team building games for work take?

Short is safer. Ten to 20 minutes suits most free team building games for work, and it fits inside a normal meeting. Bookable games can run longer, so check the time with the supplier before you commit.

How do I run team games for work without embarrassing shy people?

Choose games where nobody has to perform alone. Pairs and small teams help. Let people pass, and avoid anything that puts one person on the spot. Quizzes, ranking games and escape games suit quieter colleagues well.

Are team games for work worth the time?

A good game takes little time and gives people a shared story to talk about afterwards. It also shows how colleagues solve problems together, which a meeting rarely does. Keep it short and tie it to a clear purpose.

Start small, then book something bigger

Pick one of these team building games for work and try it at your next team meeting. If it lands, you’ve found your format. If it flops, you’ve lost ten minutes and gained a funny story.

When you want more, look at the Something Different directory for unusual team experiences. Building deeper bonds is a different job, so see our trust building activities too. Planning in the capital? Try our guide to team building activities in London. Team in the US? See team building activities in New York and Chicago.

Related articles

• Trust building activities
• Team building activities in London
• The death of the ping pong table: why perks never solved the real problem

Photos supplied by Corporate Clown, Escape From The Meeting and Best Corporate Events.