A simple spinner wheel can really help to boost team morale and help break the ice—I have personally witnessed this in online team meetings! Either in-person team meetings or online meetings, these random activities really bring fun to work and help team members connect with each other in a different manner.
Why Should You Use a Spinner Wheel in the Workplace?
I have personally used this, and this is why it works:
- It promotes total fairness–no complaints of favoritism when selecting people to go next.
- It brings a spark of excitement in those meetings which can sometimes become boring.
- It always promotes laughing and a genuine collaboration – people relax more.
- Further, it is ridiculously quick and easy to do online (no fancy tech req’d).
Top Ideas for Office and Team Building
Some of mine follow–you can begin with these and adjust as you go along:
- Ice-breakers (example: “Tell us your hidden talent”—this one always gets interesting replies!):
- Lunch spot decider for when your group can’t agree.
- “Quick games during a break in a meeting – such as a brief stretch or joke time.”
- Quick games during a break
- Shouts out for recognition—who gets a high-five today?
- “Random coffee chat pairings” allow for cross-team connections.
- Fun fact sharing prompts – a good way to keep things light and personal.
- Team role assigner for projects—removes the awkwardness of volunteering.
- Gratitude spinner (Example: “Thank a colleague for.”): My team finds this very helpful for a positive boost.
- Virtual background challenges (so funny in Zoom!).
- Desk snack selector—somebody brings snacks next time based on a spin.
- Emoji response games with a fun prompt.
- Quick poll decider, such as picking a theme for an upcoming team-building event.
- Positive Feedback Wheel–speeds good vibes.
- “Brain break” activities, such as a dance or a riddle.
- Who speaks first in a conference? (To end the eternal silence.)
- Who speaks first
Virtual Team Tips
If you’re working from a remote location such as many of us do in this day and simply share your screen with the online wheel—the suspense will be enjoyed by all. Use “remove after spin” in order to eliminate repetition and make it a level playing field. Recorded sessions for people with missed sessions (easy to record later). It can be readily integrated with Zoom and Slack.
Real Office Examples
I have heard of people using this with remote teams just for fun each week, or during in-office Friday sessions to wrap up the week in a positive way. It can be particularly helpful in hybrid meetings to include all people in the case.
Final Thoughts
Trust me when I say a spinner wheel takes a potentially awkward team-building activity and turns it into effortless fun. Give one of these a try during your next team meeting—and you may find it quickly becomes a weekly ritual, just like it did with a few teams I assisted!
Build your own spinner wheel in an instant at bestspinnerwheel.com.