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It can be difficult for a tech leader to build a cohesive culture of camaraderie among their tech team when members spend much of the day heads-down working on new products, client service, troubleshooting and more. If some or all team members work partly or fully remotely, it’s an even bigger challenge.
Team-building exercises can help—but only if they’re structured to fully engage the unique interests and talents of tech professionals. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share their suggestions for effective team-building exercises. Read on to learn how to create and lead events that are fun, challenging, productive and perfect for bringing tech pros together.
1. Collaborative Problem-Solving Challenges
A highly effective team-building exercise for tech teams is collaborative problem-solving challenges. They foster creativity, improve communication and build trust by encouraging diverse thinking and adaptability. By simulating real-world scenarios, these exercises help teams align their efforts toward common goals and enhance teamwork and cohesion, making them valuable across any industry. – Ben Gebremeskel, TeckPath
2. Monthly Or Quarterly Hackathons
Monthly or quarterly hackathons can be great team-building exercises for tech teams, as they help in two ways. First, they spur innovation across the company, especially if the goal of the hackathon is solving internal issues or tackling client challenges. Second, they foster tighter bonds across functional teams—such as quality assurance, front-end and back-end—which will be helpful every day. – Jameel Francis, Kore Technologies, LLC
3. Mind-Mapping Exercises
A mind-mapping exercise can be effective for tech teams. Teams can creatively brainstorm different aspects of a project, and members can each write down the requirements. This merges different perspectives into a unified plan, improving communication and team alignment. This exercise is best for new projects, as it aligns the team on objectives and leads to better planning and a more cohesive team approach. – Namrata Sengupta, Stellar Data Recovery Inc. dba BitRaser
4. Participation In Community Events
We have supported local community events as team-building exercises for years. Recently, our team spent a day participating in an event to pack backpacks for local schools. It has nothing to do with technology, but everything to do with creating a joint sense of teamwork and community. – Rohana Meade, Synergy Technical
5. Online Games
One of the negative side effects of the new world of virtual work is that we spend all our time focused on getting things done. We tend to start each Zoom or Teams call not with questions about the weekend, but by diving right in. To battle this “all work, no humanity” trend, give online games a try. We like Luna Park: It hosts online team-building games that are perfect for remote workers, and we run them at least once a month. – Dave Todaro, Ascendle
6. Hacking Company-Relevant Challenges
For us, biannual three-day hackathons with reimbursable food stipends and awards for solving company-relevant challenges have been a fun and effective way to collaborate across distributed remote teams, including non-technical ones. With everyone focused on company impact, there is increased support from executive leadership and increased traction for new solutions, with morale getting a solid boost. – Daniela Moody, Descartes Labs
7. ‘Question Of The Day’ Sessions
A simple team activity I enjoy is a “question of the day,” asked at the daily standup. It gives everyone a way to engage in a relaxed way, as the questions are generally pretty fun. It helps the team get to know each other and spawns lots of other conversations that build camaraderie. Don’t you want to know which your teammates prefer, cake or pie? – Luke Wallace, Bottle Rocket
8. Scavenger Hunts
Offsite scavenger hunts focused on creativity and business goals can be a fun and meaningful way for teammates to bond and work toward completing a fun mission outside of the office. Activities like competitor recon, venue surveys and trade show participation allow teams to work on tasks that aren’t part of their daily routine, all while bonding with each other. – Tom Roberto, SG Network Services
9. ‘Reverse Buddy’ Programs
A “reverse buddy” program pairs junior team members with senior employees or leadership, with juniors mentoring seniors on new technologies or trends. This fosters mutual respect and continuous learning, empowering juniors and giving seniors fresh perspectives. It breaks down hierarchical barriers, encouraging open communication and collaboration, and builds a more cohesive, innovative team. – Deepak Gupta, Cars24 Financial Services
10. Code Swap Challenges
In a code swap challenge, team members swap ongoing projects or codebases for a day and attempt to make meaningful progress. This not only enhances cross-functional understanding, but also encourages knowledge sharing and collaboration. It exposes team members to different coding styles and problem-solving approaches, fostering a more versatile and unified team. – Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech
11. ‘Code And Paint’ Workshops
A unique team-building activity for tech teams is a “code and paint” workshop. The team works together to code a simple app while also creating a shared digital painting. This mixes logic with creativity, helping the team solve problems together and bond in a fun, creative way. – Margarita Simonova, ILoveMyQA
12. Disaster Recovery Simulations
Disaster recovery simulations are crucial for tech teams. They build resilience by replicating crises, enhancing decision making and accountability under pressure. These exercises identify weaknesses, refine recovery plans and ensure swift, effective responses. The result? A prepared team that minimizes disruption and maintains operational integrity, safeguarding our assets and reputation. – Vamsi Krishna Dhakshinadhi, GrabAgile Inc.
13. ‘Code Karaoke’
A “code karaoke” session is an unconventional yet effective team-building exercise for tech teams. Members take turns explaining complex codebases or technical concepts in the simplest terms possible—almost like storytelling. This fosters clarity, creativity and empathy, making complex ideas accessible. It strengthens communication, breaks down silos and encourages a culture of continuous learning. – Roman Vinogradov, Improvado
14. ‘Favorite Tech’ Updates
One effective team-building exercise for tech teams is having members volunteer to share their favorite tech update of the week in a small, no-agenda meeting. It creates a relaxed space for bonding, learning and staying informed, without the pressure of formal objectives. – Bhaskar Gangipamula, Quadrant Technologies
15. ‘Debugging Derbies’
A highly effective exercise for tech teams is the “debugging derby.” In this challenge, teams race to identify and fix preseeded bugs in a noncritical project. This fosters collaboration under pressure, sharpens problem-solving skills and promotes a deep understanding of the codebase. It’s competitive and engaging, and it directly enhances team productivity by improving debugging skills. – Rohit Anabheri, Sakesh Solutions LLC
16. Hackathons With A Twist
I recommend hackathons, but with a twist: Instead of solo coding, pair team members from different disciplines to solve a real-world problem. This exercise fosters cross-functional collaboration, encourages creative problem solving and promotes a deeper understanding of each other’s strengths and challenges. The twist? Each team must present their solution in a non-technical pitch, fostering effective communication. – Sarah Choudhary, Ice Innovations
17. Tech Trivia
I’ve found that tech trivia games are a fun and effective way to bring everyone together. It provides a chance for people to share what they know, work in groups and bond over common interests. We even like to offer rewards, like Amazon gift cards, to the winning team. You can choose to do business-only trivia, tech news trivia or a mix of both! – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
18. ‘Ignite Innovation’ Exercises
An “ignite innovation” exercise can be powerful and exciting. You can tap into collective expertise and generate valuable insights by encouraging team members to identify loopholes in a product or platform and propose innovative solutions. This exercise can lead to a culture of continuous improvement, increased employee engagement and a stronger competitive advantage. – Aditya Malik, ValueMatrix.ai
19. Escape Room Challenges
I’ve leveraged escape room challenges for team building. They promote collaboration, problem solving and communication in a non-technical environment. The challenge of working together under pressure mirrors real-world scenarios, helping team members build trust and strengthen their ability to think creatively and strategically as a unit. Plus, it’s fun to break the routine and foster camaraderie. – Dan Sorensen, Air National Guard
20. Role Reversals
Role reversals—like tech teams doing sales and vice versa—foster empathy and improve collaboration. By stepping into each other’s roles, team members understand the challenges faced by other departments, leading to better communication and problem solving. This exercise strengthens cross-functional teams, enhances mutual respect and can lead to more innovative solutions and teamwork. – Ruchir Brahmbhatt, Ecosmob Technologies Private Limited