Keeping team members connected is an integral part of creating a productive and efficient workplace. Connected teams corroborate well together, share knowledge willingly, and promote healthy working relationships. A positive way to keep teams aligned is with community building activities. From a murder mystery dinner to a virtual murder mystery production, this blog will examine some of the community building activities designed to help bring teams together in a positive, energizing way. Keep reading to learn what community building activities are and how they can help a team relate and connect, while also having a fun, memorable experience at the same time.

Community building activities are group activities in which team members are committed to a shared learning goal or activity in order to get to know one another and develop connections and compassion towards each other.  There are some guidelines of when to use community building activities. 

• Bringing new groups together. When individuals are interacting for the first time as a group, low-risk community building activities—such as when each person tells two truths and a lie about themselves and the other group members have to guess the lie—is considered an easy yet enjoyable game. Community building activities such as this one help people learn about each other in a non-threatening way.  
• Reuniting a group.  Community building activities are helpful for a group who has not interacted with each other for a long time, or a group that is just getting to know one another and have not had the opportunity to socialize. As team members become familiar with one another, the level of risk of community building activities can be increased to activities where people are comfortable revealing more personal details and have more uninhibited interactions with each other. Virtual games like a murder mystery play or escape rooms can help with community building by building this comfort and familiarity. 
• Defines the group process.  Community building is an inherently internal process to build cohesion and collaboration amongst team members. Some community building activities are designed to help the forming process of a group, while other community building activities explain the main point of a program or help a facilitator establish control of a group. 
• Gives groups stress relief.  Teams often build up stress over time, whether it’s from deadlines or a cranky client or from not hanging out with each other in a relaxing setting. More than 30% of Americans experience chronic work stress and only 36% say their workplace provides them with resources to destress. Fortunately, a whole host of virtual community building activities are available now that can help your team destress. Interactive community building activities reinvigorate teams. For example, an interactive virtual murder mystery game can help individuals who are feeling frustrated, anxious, or exhausted from work demands by enjoying an entertaining play while bonding with colleagues. 

Whatever the reasons for seeking community building activities for team members, the experiences will be appreciated.

There is a plethora of benefits to community building activities designed to improve workplace relationships.

• Helps people relax. Community building activities help team members relax and get to know one another in comfortable, non-threatening situations. Solving virtual murder mystery dramas together is an example of community building activities which are relaxing and entertaining experiences. 
• Fosters connections. Practicing community building activities helps facilitate   a sense of belonging amongst team members, especially employees whom have similar interests and employment positions. Sharing in a virtual happy hour or a murder mystery dinner with a colleague are community building activities created to enhance feelings of belonging and shared experiences.  
• Promotes camaraderie. Friendships and fellowship in the workplace are improved when team members participate in community building activities. Playing detectives together in a virtual murder mystery interactive theatrical production creates lasting friendships and shared memories. 
• Allows new ways to gather.  The transition to remote and hybrid work has transformed traditional work interactions and relationships. Community building activities offer opportunities for team members to interact and socialize in new ways, while still getting to know one another outside of a traditional work environment.

Community building activities help engage team members online or in person so they can build comradery, trust, and cohesion.

Community building activities can be simple games or meetups. Or, they can be structured activities such as attending a mystery dinner theater show to solve a virtual murder mystery as a team.  

• M&M/Skittles Game: Who doesn’t love candy?  M&M or Skittle games are easy community building activities. The facilitator passes around a bag of M&M’s or Skittles and tells team members to take as much candy as they want. After everyone has candy, the facilitator instructs everyone they have to tell something about themselves for each color of candy they have. 
• Murder Mystery Dinner: A murder mystery dinner is theater in which audience members corroborate with each other and cast members to solve a fictitious murder mystery. A murder mystery dinner offers unique community building activities for team members, whether a celebration or an office party. 
• Water Cooler Chats:  Either in person or virtually, water cooler chats are positive community building activities. Create a gathering space for a group in a breakroom or a group chat where people can meet to visit. To encourage conversation, create prompts asking what is everyone watching on television or what is the next vacation people have planned. 
• Virtual Murder Mystery:  Participating as teams solving virtual murder mystery productions are rewarding community building activities. Team members join together in an interactive setting to investigate a true-life, historic, murder mystery. Community building activities such as a virtual murder mystery which require interactive participation and corroboration with team members and the performers are helpful in connecting team members long after the community building activities have ended. Investigating and deducing about a virtual murder mystery is a challenging and unifying shared experience. The creativity and corroboration produced by these types of community building activities continues long after the community building activities have ended.

Facilitating community building activities for team members is a great way to foster connection and commitment to the organization. Virtual murder mystery productions created by the award-winning director and amazing cast members of Live in Theater is the perfect place to start. Solving an interactive virtual murder mystery will invigorate your team. The shared experience will help your team to connect to each other and the organization. 

Reach out to  Live in Theater for more information on how to create spectacular community building activities.