Building a strong, cohesive team isn’t just about meetings and deadlines—it’s about creating shared experiences. In this video, I’ll introduce a simple yet powerful strategy to bring your team closer together: establishing a new team tradition. Whether it’s a yearly event or a small recurring ritual, traditions foster connection, boost morale, and make work more enjoyable. I’ll share a few personal examples and offer ideas to help you get started (see below).

Brainstorming Board: Team Traditions for Stronger Connection

• Annual or Quarterly Team Offsite – Dedicate time for reflection, strategic planning, and team bonding in a fresh environment.

• Team Coffee Walks – Once a week, take a group walk to a coffee shop, or once a month, take drink orders and surprise the team with a special delivery.

• Traveling Team Trophy – Find a quirky thrift-store trophy and pass it around at the end of each staff meeting. The recipient from the previous week awards it to a new teammate, sharing a few words about why they deserve it. Each winner must add something fun to the trophy before passing it on.

• Themed Dress-Up Days – Plan occasional fun dress-up days to add energy and laughter to the workplace.

• Daily Stretch Breaks – Meet in a conference room at the same time each day for a quick 5–10 minute stretch break. Rotate who leads the stretches.

• Brown Bag TED Talks – Host a weekly or monthly lunch session where the team picks and discusses an inspiring TED Talk.

• Celebration Posters – For birthdays or work anniversaries, create a simple poster where teammates write one positive word or phrase about the person being celebrated.

• Community Service Project – Come together once a quarter or year to give back to a local cause as a team.

• Fun Fact Friday – Once a month, have each team member write a fun fact about themselves and place it in a hat. Read them aloud and see who can guess the most correctly.

• Team Potlucks – Choose a fun theme (e.g., favorite breakfast treat, Italian food, best snacks) and have everyone bring a matching dish or drink.

Want even more ideas? Ask your favorite AI tool for a list of 20 team traditions that foster connection!