10 Quick Team Building Activities For Virtual and In-Person Teams

Team building is essential for workplace collaboration and productivity. It strengthens communication, builds trust, and helps team members work better together. However, finding time for such activities can be a challenge.

Quick team building activities are a great solution as these activities require little setup and can fit into any workday. Whether you need quick team building exercises in the office or quick virtual team building activities for remote teams, these activities can help foster collaboration effortlessly.

Whether your team is in the office or working remotely, these exercises can help improve teamwork, foster team building, and create stronger connections between each team member. You can also try quick team building activities for work to keep employees motivated and engaged throughout the day.

In turn, team building can then strengthen your team’s communication, build trust among members, and allow individuals to work better together. For remote teams, quick virtual games are an excellent way to encourage participation and interaction.

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This guide contains ten simple yet effective fun and quick team building activities that are easy to implement in any workplace.

Each one is designed to boost engagement, encourage creativity, and promote critical thinking by bringing employees closer together. We even have 5 minute team building games, 10 minute virtual team building activities, and 30 minute team building activities to explore. Let’s dive in!

1. Icebreaker Questions (In-Person & Virtual)

Icebreaker questions are a simple team-building activity that helps team members connect. They encourage conversation, spark laughter, and improve communication skills by allowing team members to interact more outside of their responsibilities.

Make sure to set a 5-10 minute time limit and have each team member take turns answering questions. Keep in mind that each person can respond to the same question or choose their own.

Here are a few fun icebreaker questions:

• If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?
• What is the most unusual job you have ever had?
• What is your go-to karaoke song?
• If your life were a movie, what would the title be?
• What is one thing on your bucket list?

This activity works for both in-person and remote teams. It takes just a few minutes to complete, making it a great way to start regular team meetings with some fun and engagement.

2. Two Truths and a Lie (In-Person & Virtual)

Two Truths and a Lie is one of the most popular team-building activities that helps team members learn fun facts about each other. It creates a lighthearted atmosphere, strengthens communication skills, and contributes to team building by encouraging employees to learn about each other.

To play, each team member states three things about themselves—two that are true and one that is false. The rest of the team guesses the lie. 

Here is an example:

• I once went skydiving in another country.
• I can play five musical instruments.
• I have never eaten sushi.

Limit each turn to 30-60 seconds to keep rounds fast-paced. For larger teams, break into smaller groups to keep the energy high. 

3. Speed Networking (In-Person & Virtual)

Speed networking is one of the fastest team-building activities. It helps new team members introduce themselves and quickly build connections within the team. 

Additionally, it encourages meaningful interactions, making it an effective exercise for large teams or an energizing start to a meeting.

Start by pairing up employees for 1-minute conversations, where each person will share a brief introduction before switching partners. 

Running this activity for just half an hour or less ensures multiple meaningful interactions without disrupting the workday.

For added structure, assign discussion topics like:

• What is the most interesting project you have worked on?
• If you could have any job for a day, what would it be?
• What is one skill you would love to master?

If you are doing this team-building activity online, make sure to use breakout rooms and set a timer to rotate partners efficiently. 

4. 5-Minute Brainstorming Challenge (In-Person & Virtual)

The 5-Minute Brainstorming Challenge is a quick way to spark creativity and develop problem-solving skills as teams tackle challenges together. 

This team-building activity helps teams generate ideas fast, allowing opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and the use of critical thinking skills. 

For this activity, divide employees into small groups and have each team member contribute to solving the challenge. 

The question you give them can be work-related, like “How can we improve team communication?” or something more fun, like “What are five new uses for a paperclip?”

Each team member should contribute ideas within the five-minute brainstorming session.

For virtual teams, you can encourage everyone to use digital tools like digital whiteboards to capture ideas in real-time. Once the time is up, have each group share their top ideas. 

5. Would You Rather? (In-Person & Virtual)

Would You Rather? is a fun and fast-paced team-building activity where players must choose between two scenarios. It is one of the most engaging team games, often sparking lively debates and interesting discussions while encouraging friendly competition.

To play, present a question and have each team member pick their answer. Keep responses quick to maintain engagement. If time allows, ask a few volunteers to explain their choices.

Here are some fun work-related questions:

• Would you rather work four 10-hour days or five 8-hour days?
• Would you rather take a meeting while skydiving or riding a roller coaster?
• Would you rather have an unlimited budget for office snacks or unlimited paid time off?

6. Office Trivia (In-Person & Virtual)

Office Trivia is an engaging team-building activity that tests knowledge, sparks friendly competition, and strengthens team spirit by bringing employees together in a fun way. 

It keeps employees engaged while reinforcing company culture and enhancing team building among colleagues.

Start by dividing employees into teams before asking workplace-related trivia questions. Remember to set a timer for how long one person can answer a question to keep energy levels high.

Here are some ideas:

• What year was the company founded?
• Which employee has worked here the longest?
• What is the most popular lunch order in the office?

For virtual Office Trivia, try out quiz platforms like Kahoot! or Google Forms to keep score and facilitate participation. This is an excellent option for remote teams to stay engaged while working apart.

7. Virtual Pictionary (Virtual Only)

Virtual Pictionary is a fast and engaging team-building activity that brings teams together. It encourages creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, as players must think fast and interpret visual clues. 

To play, use an online whiteboard tool like Miro or Skribbl.io. Running the game over a video call allows players to see each other’s reactions, making the experience more interactive and engaging.

Assign one team member to draw while the entire team works together to guess the word before time runs out. Players must take turns drawing while teammates guess the word before time runs out.

For added fun, set a one-minute timer per round and use workplace-related words like:

• Brainstorming
• Coffee break
• Conference call
• Office mascot
• Teamwork
• Deadline panic

Remote teams can use this as a fun break from work while encouraging creativity and collaboration.

8. One-Minute Storytelling (In-Person & Virtual)

One-Minute Storytelling is a quick and engaging activity that builds communication skills and creative thinking. 

This team-building activity gives each participant 60 seconds to tell a short story based on a random prompt. The challenge is to think fast, stay on topic, and keep the audience engaged.

Start by giving each team member a storytelling prompt and start the timer. For remote teams, this activity works well on a video call, where participants can share their stories in real time and engage with their audience more effectively

Once their minute is up, the next person takes a turn with a new prompt. To encourage active listening, have the group ask follow-up questions or comment on each story.

Here are a few fun prompts to get started:

• Describe the strangest thing that ever happened to you at work.
• If you could switch careers for one day, what would you do?
• Share a funny or embarrassing moment from a past job.

This activity helps teams practice quick thinking and improve listening skills while strengthening team building through shared experiences. It also brings out personality and humor, making it a great way to strengthen team connections.

9. 30-Second Elevator Pitch (In-Person & Virtual)

The 30-Second Elevator Pitch is a quick team-building activity that builds confidence and communication skills. Each team member delivers a short pitch about themselves, an idea, or a project in 30 seconds.

Give participants a moment to prepare before having them deliver their pitch. You can also create a fun and supportive atmosphere by encouraging positive feedback from the rest of the group.

Here are a few things you can try:

• Pitch Yourself in 10 Years: Describe your dream role and accomplishments.
• Sell a Random Object: Convince the team why they need an item, like a stapler or a coffee mug.
• Your Team in One Sentence: Summarize what makes your team unique.

10. Emoji Check-In (Virtual Only)

Emoji Check-In is a quick and engaging team-building activity that allows team members to express their feelings. Instead of typing out full responses, employees use emojis to describe their mood, day, or workweek.

This keeps things light, efficient, and fun. Remote teams can even use this to gauge how everyone is feeling and encourage open communication quickly.

To play, ask each participant to drop an emoji in a shared chat like Slack or Zoom. Each team member can use a single emoji or a combination to express their emotions. 

If time allows, invite a few other team members to explain their choices and share their thoughts.

Here are a few ways to structure the check-in:

• Mood Check: “Drop an emoji that describes how you feel today.”
• Week in Review: “Share three emojis that sum up your week.”
• Project Vibes: “Use an emoji to describe your current workload.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Do You Make Team-Building Activities Engaging?

Team-building activities are engaging when they are interactive, fast-paced, and relevant to each team member. 

Choosing games that encourage teamwork, creativity, and friendly competition keeps participants involved. To maintain interest, activities should also be easy to understand and have a clear goal.

How Do You Make Team-Building Activities Engaging?

Team-building activities are most effective when they promote collaboration and communication. 

Setting clear objectives and ensuring everyone has a role encourages participation. Keeping sessions short and varied prevents disengagement and makes the experience enjoyable.

What Is the Best Virtual Team-Building Activity?

The best virtual team-building activity keeps teams actively involved and connected. Remote teams benefit most from activities that promote engagement and teamwork despite physical distance.

Games like Virtual Pictionary, Speed Networking, and Emoji Check-In encourage every team member to participate, collaborate effectively, and sharpen their problem-solving skills in engaging ways. 

Keep in mind, however, that the right activity depends on the group’s size, goals, and available time.

Key Takeaways on Quick Team Building Activities

Quick team-building activities play a crucial role in fostering collaboration, improving communication skills, and strengthening relationships within a team. 

Whether through virtual team-building activities or in-person events, these exercises help break the ice, boost morale, and encourage teamwork in a fun and engaging way.

The best part is that team-building does not have to be time-consuming. A few minutes of the right quick team-building activities can make a big difference in how teams connect and work together.

Incorporating regular team-building exercises helps create a more engaged and collaborative workplace, ensuring long-term success.

Don’t be afraid to try different activities and adjust them to fit your team’s needs for maximum impact. 

Want a more immersive team-building experience? Escapely’s Virtual Escape Rooms and Virtual Murder Mysteries bring teams together in a fun, interactive way. 

Solve puzzles, uncover clues, and put teamwork to the test—all from anywhere. Get a quote or book a demo today!