Great Team-Building Activities You Can Do in the Winter

Winter is a tough time for everyone with the cold temps, the busy holiday season, and students taking final exams. Your workforce is probably full of worried parents, stressed homeowners, and exhausted employees. There’s no better time for a team-building activity, but it can be hard to plan one when it’s so frigid outside and everyone is so booked up.

Here are a few easy group activities startups in Europe–and anywhere, really–can do in the cold months without spending too much time outside.

Host a holiday charity drive.

You don’t have to be on a retreat or in an escape room to bond and grow as a team. Sometimes, coming together for a single cause is even better for boosting feelings of unification and morale. Host a charity drive in your workplace. First, poll employees on what kind of charity they’d like to support, so everyone feels involved and motivated. Then, place a box for donation items or a jar for money in a common space. If you want to, give out a small prize for the person or team who donates the most.

Give time off to volunteer.

People usually feel like giving around the holiday season and in the New Year so they and may welcome the opportunity to work with their colleagues on an altruistic mission. Divvy your staff up into teams, then give each team a day off to go volunteer at a local shelter, soup kitchen, or other community-based initiative. They’ll work together for the common good and enjoy each other’s company off-campus.

Sign up for a fitness class.

Reach out to a local gym and ask about day-pass rates, then poll your employees on which types of group fitness classes they enjoy and whether they’d be interested in attending one together in the morning, on lunch break, or in the evening after work. Getting the endorphins pumping together can be a fun way to build team spirit.

Host a game day.

Host a game day in the office, setting up spots for trivia, tic-tac-toe, board games, or whatever else appeals. Throughout the day, staffers can stop by game stations for some friendly competition. At the end of the day, you can hand out prizes to exceptionally talented players. The best part is you don’t have to leave campus or schedule time off for this.

Coordinate a card exchange.

Set up a table of arts and crafts supplies in the office and assign each staffer the name of another employee. Over the course of a few days, they can stop by the station and make a card for their match. Encourage them to list things their match does well at work and reasons they’re a valued part of the team so everyone receives a card full of praise. This is a better option than a gift exchange because it’s sentimental and doesn’t presume that everyone is in a financial position to buy a present for someone else.

Invite a speaker to lunch.

Invite a speaker, whether educational or motivational, to address your team over lunch one day, then order takeout and let everyone take a big break. They can learn, ask questions, and talk during the break and they’ll appreciate the time together to do it.

Whatever you decide to do, encouraging a strong, cohesive team will help get your employees working together better toward achieving company goals in the New Year.