Large teams often face challenges with communication, coordination, and inclusivity. In fact, Salesforce’s research shows that 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or poor communication as the primary reason for workplace failures. When a group gets bigger, it’s easy for individuals to feel disconnected or siloed in their own departments, which leads to inefficiencies and disengagement.

Team-building activities are crucial for breaking down these barriers. Studies have shown that strong social bonds in the workplace can lead to a 50% increase in communication among team members. For large teams, these team engagement activities provide a chance to strengthen connections between people who don’t interact regularly. They help everyone understand how their role fits into the bigger picture, and build trust across the entire team.

Looking for a small group team building activity? Check out our round-up of the 10 most effective team building activities for small groups.

Additionally, Gallup has found that highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability. This means that the more connected your team feels, the better they’ll collaborate, solve problems, and work toward shared goals. In large groups, encouraging open communication and fostering teamwork is key to maintaining high morale and productivity.

10 Effective Large Group Team Building Activities

Planning team-building activities for large groups can be tricky. You want something that encourages participation, breaks down silos, and helps everyone feel included. Below are 10 great activities that work well in large group settings, each with a clear goal and easy setup.

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1. Scavenger Hunts

Goal: Improve teamwork and problem-solving.

Group Size: 20+

Why It Works: Teams have to think creatively and work together under pressure, allowing for bonding and quick decision-making.

How to Conduct a Large Group Scavenger Hunt:

Split your group into teams of 5-10 people. Create a list of items or challenges they need to find or complete within a set time. This could include things like taking a photo with a specific object, solving a riddle to find a hidden clue, or gathering items from around the office. For large groups, you can either have multiple routes to avoid crowding or scatter the tasks across a broader area. Consider using an app to track progress in real-time, allowing participants to submit photos and track points easily.

2. Team Olympics

Goal: Boost morale and encourage collaboration.

Group Size: 30+

Why It Works: This activity taps into different skill sets and encourages friendly competition, promoting teamwork and engagement across the group.

How to Conduct Large Group Team Olympics:

Set up a variety of competitive events, mixing physical and mental challenges. Low stress team building games can include relay races, trivia games, puzzle-solving contests, or even virtual challenges like timed coding or design tasks for more technical teams. Split the large group into smaller teams, assigning team names and allowing participants to compete in a series of events throughout the day. Assign points for each event, and announce winners at the end, possibly awarding medals or prizes.

3. TeamDynamics Team Building Workshop

Goal: Help teams define, refine, and evolve their working norms.

Group Size: 20-100+

Why It Works: TeamDynamics gives large teams a structured framework for understanding their collective behaviors and identifying trends or biases across departments. This helps enhance communication and cohesion in large groups.

How to Conduct a Large Group TeamDynamics Team Building Workshop:

Begin by having all team members complete the TeamDynamics assessment, which evaluates how your team works in four dimensions: communication, analysis, decision-making, and executing plans. After collecting the results, bring the group together for a workshop where the findings are discussed. Focus on how individuals’ preferences align with the team’s behaviors and identify areas where norms need to evolve. For large groups, you can split into smaller breakout sessions to discuss findings in depth, then reconvene as a full team to set goals for improving collaboration and performance.

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4. Workplace Trivia

Goal: Reinforce company knowledge and build camaraderie.

Group Size: 20+

Why It Works: Trivia challenges people’s knowledge in a low-pressure environment, encouraging teamwork while subtly reinforcing key information.

How to Conduct Large Group Activities Team Building With Workplace Trivia:

Create a trivia game focused on company culture, industry trends, or general knowledge. Divide participants into teams and ask questions that they have to answer within a set time. You can use platforms like Kahoot or Google Forms for easy administration, or conduct the game live using a host to read questions. Consider mixing in fun facts about employees or company history to make it more engaging. Keep score and award prizes to the top teams.

5. Hackathons

Goal: Encourage innovation and collaboration.

Group Size: 30+

Why It Works: Teams come together to work on real-world problems, encouraging creativity, quick thinking, and collaboration under a deadline.

How to Conduct a Large Group Hackathon:

Hackathons are great for tech-driven teams but can be adapted for any industry that wants team building training. Divide your large group into smaller teams of 4-6 people. Provide a problem or challenge relevant to your company and give the teams a few hours to brainstorm solutions, whether it’s developing new product features, improving internal processes, or creating marketing campaigns. At the end of the hackathon, each team presents their solution to a panel of judges or the whole group. Make sure to provide clear objectives and timelines, and offer prizes for the best solutions.

6. Human Knot Challenge

Goal: Build trust and improve communication.

Group Size: 15-30

Why It Works: This physical activity promotes strong teamwork and forces participants to listen to one another to solve the problem. It’s a great icebreaker for new or unfamiliar teams.

How to Conduct a Large Group Human Knot Challenge:

Ask your participants to stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder. Each person should reach across the circle and grab the hands of two different people (they can’t grab the hands of the person directly next to them). The goal is for the group to untangle the knot they’ve created without letting go of hands. Depending on the size of the group, you can run multiple knots at once or use a facilitator to assist in larger groups. The key is to encourage communication, problem-solving, and physical coordination.

7. Round-Robin Brainstorming

Goal: Encourage creative thinking and collaboration.

Group Size: 20+

Why It Works: This activity ensures that everyone’s ideas are heard and builds upon the collective knowledge of the team. It’s particularly effective for generating a wide variety of solutions in a short time.

How to Conduct Large Group Round-Robin Brainstorming:

Set up multiple brainstorming stations around the room, each with a different topic or challenge. Divide the large group into smaller teams, each starting at a different station. Every 10-15 minutes, the teams rotate to a new station, where they review and build on the previous team’s ideas. After several rounds of problem solving group activities, bring everyone together to discuss the top ideas from each station. You can also use digital tools like Miro or Google Jamboard for virtual teams.

8. Escape Room Challenges

Goal: Enhance critical thinking and teamwork.

Group Size: 10-50

Why It Works: This activity forces team members to rely on one another’s strengths to solve complex puzzles. It also promotes communication and quick decision-making.

How to Conduct Large Group Escape Room Challenges:

If you have the budget, you can take your team to an offsite escape room, or you can create your own in the office or virtually. For a DIY escape room, divide the group into smaller teams and set up a series of puzzles or challenges that they must solve to “escape.” You can give teams a themed scenario (e.g., escape from a zombie outbreak) and build puzzles around that story. Time the activity, and whichever team solves all puzzles first wins. You can even rotate teams through multiple rooms for larger groups looking for team building problem solving activities.

9. Story Building (Pass the Story)

Goal: Foster creativity and teamwork.

Group Size: 20-50

Why It Works: This activity forces people to listen to others’ contributions and build on them, which is an excellent way to encourage collaboration.

How to Conduct Large Group Story Building:

Start with a prompt or opening sentence for a story and have each participant add a sentence or two, building on what the previous person said. You can do this in-person, by passing around a notepad, or digitally in a shared document. For large groups, divide the team into smaller groups and have each group create its own story, then share them at the end. This encourages creativity and can lead to some fun, surprising narratives.

10. Role-Switch Day

Goal: Improve cross-functional understanding.

Group Size: 20-100

Why It Works: By stepping into someone else’s shoes, team members break down silos and learn to appreciate the challenges their colleagues face. This can lead to improved collaboration and understanding across departments.

How to Conduct a Large Group Role-Switch Day:

Pick a day where members from different departments or roles switch jobs for the day. For example, someone from marketing could spend the day in sales, while someone from HR shadows a product team member. This helps team members gain a deeper understanding of what their colleagues do on a daily basis and fosters empathy. After the day is over, hold a debrief session where participants can share what they learned and how it might impact their own roles.

Comparing the 10 Best Team Building Activities for Large Teams

So which of these 10 team building activities is right for your large group? Take a look at this comparison table to find out at-a-glance!

Best Practices for Large Group Team Building

Organizing successful team-building activities for large groups requires careful planning and consideration. Here are some best practices to ensure your event goes smoothly and delivers the intended results:

1. Plan Activities That Include Everyone

When working with large teams, it’s essential to choose activities that engage all participants. Make sure the activities allow for equal participation, so no one feels left out. This can mean choosing non-physical activities for those who may not want to or be able to participate in sports-related tasks or offering a range of challenges that cater to different skills and strengths.

2. Break Into Smaller Groups When Needed

Large groups can be hard to manage, so it’s often helpful to break participants into smaller teams. This allows for more direct interaction and deeper collaboration. Even in activities like trivia or brainstorming, smaller groups encourage everyone to contribute and make the activity feel more manageable.

3. Make the Objective Clear

Every team-building activity should have a clear objective, whether it’s improving communication, building trust, or encouraging creativity. Before the activity begins, explain the goal to the group so they understand the purpose of the task. This can help participants stay focused and understand how the activity connects to their work environment.

Learn how to design team offsites and team building activities that deliver tangible ROI.

4. Facilitate Open Communication

Good communication is key to any successful team-building event. As the facilitator, encourage participants to voice their ideas and thoughts throughout the activities. For example, after each challenge, hold a brief discussion to talk about what worked well and what didn’t, and how those lessons can be applied in the workplace.

5. Use Technology to Your Advantage

For large teams, logistics can become complicated. Consider using technology to help coordinate activities. Tools like mobile apps can track progress, monitor participation, and even handle some of the competitive aspects of games like scavenger hunts or trivia contests. For virtual teams, platforms like Zoom or Slack, combined with interactive apps like Kahoot or Miro, can help keep things running smoothly.

6. Keep It Fun and Engaging

Team-building should be fun, even for large groups. Don’t be afraid to incorporate humor, friendly competition, and rewards to keep the energy high. Offering small prizes or recognition for top performers can also motivate participants to fully engage in the activities.

7. End With a Debrief

After each activity, take time to debrief as a team. Discuss what was learned, how participants felt, and what they can take away from the experience. This reflection reinforces the lessons from the activity and helps tie it back to the team’s day-to-day work. In large groups, you can conduct the debrief in smaller breakout groups and then share highlights with the full group.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Large Group Team Building

While large group team-building activities can be effective, they can also go wrong if not executed properly. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

1. Poor Planning and Organization

Failing to plan thoroughly is one of the biggest mistakes. With large groups, logistics can quickly become a challenge. Activities that run too long, lack clear instructions, or don’t have enough materials for everyone can lead to frustration. Ensure you have a solid plan, clear instructions, and all necessary resources ready in advance.

Need to conduct an indoor team building activity? Check out our list of the top 10 indoor team building games and activities!

2. Not Considering Group Size

Some activities don’t scale well for large groups. What works for a small team might not be feasible for a group of 50 or more. For example, certain physical or intimate activities can feel awkward or chaotic with too many participants. Choose activities that are specifically designed or easily adaptable for large groups, and if necessary, break the group into smaller teams for more intimate interactions.

Working with a smaller team? Check out our team building activities for small groups.

3. Overlooking Inclusivity

Not everyone in a large group will have the same preferences or physical abilities. It’s important to select activities that accommodate different levels of physical capability, introverts and extroverts, and people with different backgrounds. Avoid activities that may alienate or exclude certain participants.

4. Forgetting to Connect the Activity to Workplace Goals

Team-building activities should be fun, but they also need to be relevant to your team’s goals. If participants don’t understand how the activity connects to improving communication, trust, or collaboration at work, they might not take it seriously. Always explain the “why” behind the activity, and how it ties back to the work environment.

5. Failing to Facilitate Properly

Even the best-planned activity can fall flat without good facilitation. If the facilitator is unprepared or fails to engage participants, people may lose interest. The facilitator should be energetic, clear, and able to adjust the activity in real time if necessary. Ensure that the person leading the event has the right skills to manage a large group effectively.

6. Not Providing Opportunities for Reflection

Team-building should be a learning experience, not just a day of fun. Skipping a debrief session at the end of the activity can limit the impact of the event. Make sure to provide time for participants to reflect on what they’ve learned and how they can apply those lessons in their work.

When to Conduct Large Group Team Building Activities

Knowing when to schedule team-building activities is just as important as knowing which activities to choose. Large group team-building events can be particularly effective during key moments in your team’s development or during the company’s planning cycle. Here are the best times to hold these activities:

1. At the Start of a New Project or Initiative

Kicking off a big project or organizational initiative with a team-building event helps align everyone from the beginning. It ensures that all team members are on the same page, understand the project’s goals, and are ready to collaborate effectively. It can also establish new working norms and foster stronger connections, which can be critical when entering high-pressure phases of work.

2. During Onboarding for New Hires

When you have a group of new employees joining the company or a department, large group team-building activities can help them integrate smoothly into the existing culture. It gives newcomers the chance to meet and connect with their colleagues in a less formal setting, making them feel welcomed and more confident as they start their roles.

3. After Significant Organizational Change

Whether it’s after a merger, restructuring, or the introduction of a new leadership team, large group team-building activities help teams adjust to change. These events provide a way for people to build new relationships, adjust to new team dynamics, and find a new sense of unity. They also create an open space to address any concerns and realign everyone to shared goals.

4. Company-Wide Retreats or Annual Team-Building Events

Many companies hold annual retreats or offsite events that bring large teams together. These moments are ideal for team-building activities that reinforce company culture, boost morale, and strengthen bonds across departments. Planning these activities during annual retreats helps set the tone for the year ahead and ensures everyone is aligned on organizational priorities.

5. After New Team Members Join or Depart

Whenever there’s a change in team composition, whether it’s adding new members or losing key team members, it’s helpful to conduct team-building activities. These transitions can cause shifts in team dynamics, and conducting activities during these times helps the team recalibrate and adjust to new roles or responsibilities.

6. At the End of a Project

Once a major project is completed, large group team-building activities can help teams reflect on their performance, celebrate their achievements, and discuss areas for improvement. This is a great time for reflection and for solidifying any new norms or practices developed during the project.

How TeamDynamics Can Help Large Teams Collaborate Better

While team-building activities are great for fostering teamwork in the short term, sustaining collaboration over time requires deeper insights into how your team works. This is where TeamDynamics comes in.

1. Understanding How Your Team Works

TeamDynamics helps large groups by providing a detailed analysis of each team’s behaviors across four critical dimensions: communicating, decision-making, sharing insights, and executing plans. By understanding how teams operate in these areas, you can pinpoint areas that need improvement and strengths to build upon.

2. Personalized Insights for Each Team Member

Each individual on your team has their own preferences and working style, which can either complement or clash with the team’s overall dynamics. TeamDynamics helps individuals understand how their preferences relate to the team’s established norms. This self-awareness allows team members to adjust their behaviors to better align with the team, leading to improved collaboration and fewer misunderstandings.

3. Aligning and Evolving Team Norms

As teams grow or change, norms often need to evolve. TeamDynamics helps teams identify whether their current norms are effective and suggests areas where adjustments might be necessary. This is particularly valuable for large teams where misaligned expectations or working styles can create friction. By evolving team norms based on real data, your team can become more agile and responsive to challenges.

4. Applying TeamDynamics Across Multiple Teams

For larger organizations, understanding team dynamics across different departments or groups can reveal important trends, patterns, and biases in behaviors. TeamDynamics allows you to analyze these patterns at scale, helping you identify and address any systemic issues that may hinder collaboration across the organization. This makes TeamDynamics especially useful for large organizations looking to foster collaboration across multiple teams and departments.

5. Sustained Team Development

Team-building activities are great for creating short-term bonds, but TeamDynamics offers a long-term solution for team cohesion. By regularly assessing team dynamics, you can track improvements over time and make continuous adjustments. This ensures that your large teams not only work well together in the moment but continue to improve collaboration and productivity in the long run.

Conclusion

Building strong, cohesive large teams takes effort, but the right activities can help break down barriers and foster better collaboration. Whether you’re starting a new project, integrating new hires, or simply looking to improve team communication, the activities mentioned in this post can help. For sustained team improvement, consider incorporating TeamDynamics into your process. It provides the data and insights your team needs to define and evolve working norms, leading to better communication, higher productivity, and stronger team bonds across large groups.