Why Most Team Bonding Activities are a Waste of Time — Online and Off

What people really want is meaningful work and meaningful relationships.

“What kinds of team bonding activities should we run to help our people connect more while working from home?”

I was asked this at a recent productivity and remote work webinar I hosted.

Yes, there are things you can do.

• Virtual lunches.
• Challenges.
• Houseparty app sessions.

Here’s another 57 ideas that are sure to make you cringe.

The Truth About Team Bonding Activities

The truth is that team-bonding activities ultimately take people away from important work, family, friends, and personal interests.

As such, people should be able to choose whether or not they participate in token initiatives without fear of obvious or subtle recourse.

Here’s a wild idea.

If your organisation has a genuinely worthwhile mission, and the people on the bus are both capable and aligned with said mission — and not turning up just for the paycheck — then you don’t need team bonding activities, especially not the kind that sees…