Top 10 Bonding Games to Strengthen Employee Connection in the Workplace (Part 1) | Safe and Sound

When employees face a lot of work pressure, stress and fatigue will gradually appear. This not only affects labor productivity but also causes emotional disturbances and reduces the quality of relationships with colleagues. Bonding games are not only entertaining but also play a particularly important role in team bonding, removing communication barriers, encouraging sharing and empathy between members.

Ngo Thi Sang | Master of Educational Psychology – Applied mental health care Safe and Sound

Institute of Medical Technology Applications

1. The game “crossing the emotional hurdle”

This is a particularly interesting bonding game that combines light physical activity with psychological and emotional elements. The gameplay is designed so that each member not only participates physically but also has to overcome "mental obstacles" to open up and connect with teammates.

The organizers will prepare a large space with simple obstacles such as ropes, chairs, markers or small challenges such as jumping over a jumping box, overcoming obstacles with bare hands... On each obstacle, there will be a "psychological task" that players must complete to continue. For example, when reaching the first station, players will draw a task card, which could be "Tell me about a time when you were worried or tired at work and how you overcame it". At the next station, they may face the challenge "Express an emotion (happy, angry, stressed, tired...) using only your body and let the team guess what you are expressing". Another station could be "Share something that made you proud of yourself in the past 6 months" or "Write 3 words that describe the psychological feeling you are feeling right now and read it aloud to the team".

The special thing about the game is that every challenge is cleverly combined between movement and psychology, forcing players to move, overcome physical challenges, and face their inner emotions and thoughts. Movement and change of space helps to ease the feeling of shyness, while encouragement from group members will motivate people to dare to share more.

The game “Crossing the Emotional Barrier” helps employees identify and accept their negative emotions instead of hiding them. When emotions are expressed, the tension will naturally decrease and instead there will be a feeling of relief and companionship. This is a game that not only creates laughter but also helps each person understand themselves better, understand their teammates better, thereby building a cohesive working environment where everyone can share and receive support when needed.

2. Game "Say it backwards, do it backwards"

Game "Say it backwards, do it backwards"

"Say it backwards, do it backwards" is a simple but extremely effective bonding game that helps the whole group relieve stress and recharge positive energy. The gameplay is very simple: the host gives commands, but the players have to do the exact opposite.

The gameplay is very easy to understand but makes players "twist their brains" many times. The MC will play the role of "the one giving the command". They will take turns giving short commands but with special requirements: the players must do the opposite. For example, when the MC says "raise your right hand", all players must immediately raise their left hand. When the MC says "laugh out loud", the players must show a sad face or pretend to cry. When the command is "sit down", the players must... stand up. To increase the challenge, the MC can even do the wrong sample movements to trick the player's mind and the player must concentrate more to avoid falling into the trap.

The first few minutes are often the most confusing for players, because natural habits make everyone react to commands. Therefore, there will be many "half-laughing, half-crying" situations: some people are happily raising their right hand up high before realizing they did it wrong; some people have not yet done anything but burst out laughing because the group is in chaos. The laughter not only creates a comfortable atmosphere but also helps release emotions, dispelling the tension accumulated from work.

This game not only helps people break the shyness and fatigue but also trains the ability to concentrate and handle situations flexibly. This is also a way for each person to learn how to stay calm in the face of unexpected challenges - very similar to situations at work when facing pressure or sudden changes.

3. Game "Emotional Circle"

"Emotional Circle" is a subtle bonding game, imbued with psychological elements and empathy between members of the business. The game does not require strenuous physical activity, but is a "spiritual medicine" that helps people remove their work masks and share more honestly.

The game is simple but meaningful. All members sit in a circle. The host prepares a ball or any other object that creates a sense of intimacy. The first person to hold the ball will express their feelings by completing a sentence: “Today I feel… because…”, or “Lately I have felt… but I am trying…”. Then they pass the ball to the person next to them, and each member takes turns sharing their feelings.

The most important thing in this game is listening. When one person shares, everyone around them is silent, listening attentively and not giving judgment or advice. This is the way to help the speaker feel psychologically safe, recognized and relieve some of the inner tension.

There may be some awkwardness at first, especially for those who are less expressive. But after a few rounds, as the atmosphere warms up and people realize that negative emotions like fatigue, pressure, or anxiety are normal in life and work — sharing becomes more natural. One person might say they are feeling stressed because of a pressing deadline; another might share that they are worried about balancing work and family. Through this, teammates listen and gradually understand each other, invisible barriers are removed.

The "Emotional Circle" game also helps create a quiet but connected moment, when everyone realizes that, after all, everyone has a weak moment, but thanks to sharing and listening, all the pressure will become lighter. This is also an opportunity for leaders to identify the hidden psychological problems that employees are experiencing, thereby providing more subtle and timely support.

4. Game "Who understands you best"

Game "Who understands you best"

This is a fun and emotional bonding game that helps business members understand each other better and reduce feelings of fatigue and stress at work.

The game is simple. Each person writes down three things: one interesting thing about themselves, one worry or stress they have, and one thing that has made them happy recently. The moderator collects and reads each entry without naming the writer. The group’s task is to work together to guess who wrote the post.

Surprise and laughter arise when people discover interesting things they never knew about their colleagues. A seemingly serious person is afraid of public speaking, or a quiet person has a strange hobby… All of this creates a comfortable and close atmosphere.

In addition to laughter, the game is also an opportunity for people to realize that everyone has the same pressures, worries and emotions. This helps increase empathy, makes each member feel less alone and more motivated to overcome difficulties together.

This is also a game that leaders should participate in and listen to, because it provides a true look at the psychology of employees - something that is sometimes not shown through meetings or reports. And in the end, the whole team will leave the game feeling more understood and connected than ever.

5. The game “Mind Map”

"Mind Map" is a creative bonding game that helps employees clearly identify their emotional states and express them visually. This game is especially suitable when businesses want to build an open and understanding working environment.

The gameplay is simple but powerful. Each person is given a large piece of paper and colored pencils, and is given 10 minutes to draw a “map” that represents their state of mind and emotions at that moment. There are no restrictions on the format – they can draw symbolic colors, abstract images, or anything that reflects their state of mind. Emotions such as joy, anxiety, stress, fatigue, peace, etc. can all be expressed through drawing.

Once completed, each person briefly presents their map. This gives people the opportunity to share what’s been impacting them emotionally – whether it’s a stressful project, a small joy from the day, or even a lingering fatigue that hasn’t been resolved. When these feelings are voiced and heard, the tension begins to dissipate.

This game not only helps each individual identify their emotions but also opens up opportunities for deeper connections between colleagues. Leaders can also see the overall psychological picture of the team, thereby adjusting their management style to better support employees. At the same time, this game also encourages people to express themselves more openly, instead of suppressing or hiding their worries and stress at work.

The game "Mind Map"

Solutions to help businesses create work motivation and build sustainable organizational culture

At Safe and Sound, we not only provide individual psychological counseling services but also accompany businesses in motivating employees and building a positive organizational culture. Through in-depth workshops on work motivation, emotional management, internal communication and mental health, we help your employees improve performance, increase engagement and feel more meaningful in their work.

In addition, Safe and Sound also provides specialized consulting services to help businesses design a working environment that supports personal development, builds effective reward systems and promotes a sustainable corporate culture.

Safe and Sound Clinic - Family health and psychological support

With a team of experienced doctors and specialists, Safe and Sound Clinic is a pioneer in comprehensive health care with health care services from medicine to psychology.

“Early prevention - Timely support - Long-term companionship”.

If you have any doubts or experience any physical or mental health problems, please contact HOTLINE 0964 778 911 (Phone/Zalo, 24/7) for answers and support as soon as possible!

HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT for online or in-person consultation with an expert

At SnS Clinic - IMT Institute
Or download and schedule a consultation on the Safe and Sound app to manage and track your schedule anytime, anywhere.

Safe and Sound (SnS) - Institute of Applied Medical Technology (IMT)

- 6 ways to stay motivated in work and life

- Increase motivation – increase productivity through happy hormones