Team building is one of the best investments you can make as a team leader. Effective team building equals more engaged employees, better communication, and improved collaboration. 

That said, it’s not uncommon to hear groans when anyone mentions the words ‘team building’. Unfortunately, a lot of companies miss the mark and either go for something too physical such as paintballing, or dull and uninspiring pen-and-paper games. 

Team building murder mystery games, however, are a different story. Combining the theatrical with the analytical, a murder mystery game is the perfect way to enjoy a memorable team experience.

Activities that overtly aim to draw in leadership lessons or practical takeaways are less powerful. Spending time together, sharing an experience or working towards a common goal  allows bonding to happen more organically and far more effectively.

Brian Scudamore, Forbes

Remote workers don’t have to miss out either. Murder mystery events make for great virtual team activities. As well as being easy to set up, they’re just as engaging as in-person murder mystery games. 

But why are mystery games for team building such a great idea? And how do they work anyway? Read on to find out!

How to Use Murder Mystery Games as Team Building Events

Murder mystery team building games are a great way to get your team together, whether it’s in a virtual or literal sense. As a fun social activity, a murder mystery game gets them out of the workplace mindset. 

Depending on the size of your team, they may have to work in smaller groups, competing against each other to find the killer before their coworkers do. This setup combines competition with camaraderie for a unique experience they’ll never forget. 

Throughout the game, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute and compete. The result is a fun way for your team members to learn from each other through critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. 

And, while other virtual team building activities can often fall short, virtual murder mystery events are an exception. With a professional actor hosting the proceedings, you can all enjoy the fun of a murder mystery game without leaving home.

Murder Mystery Games Appeal to Different Personality Types

One reason why murder mystery games are so popular as a team building activity is that they appeal to different personality types. From the moment the event starts, all your employees will become immersed in the story. Although, often for different reasons.

Analytical types will enjoy finding the culprit through reasoning and logic. Meanwhile, more outgoing coworkers will relish the opportunity to show off their acting skills as one of the suspects. 

Even more introverted team members are surprised at how much they enjoy being able to lose themselves in a role. Often, props can help with this, especially if you’re all sitting at home as part of a virtual murder mystery game. It doesn’t have to involve dressing up in anything fancy or elaborate. But adding sunglasses or a false mustache can help everyone get into character. 

“Murder mysteries reinforce our innate need for hope and resolution. But murder mystery team building games go one step further by allowing you to be a part of the action.  “

Murder Mysteries Are Universally Popular

Another reason for the unifying popularity of murder mystery team building games is the eternal lure of an unsolved mystery. 

On the face of it, murder might not seem like an appropriate subject for entertainment. But murder mysteries are at the heart of some of our best-loved stories, TV shows, and movies. The psychological reasoning behind this is that murder mysteries take us from fear to reassurance. Their winning formula lies in the way they present a problem, offer a savior, and finally, reveal a solution.

Murder mysteries reinforce our innate need for hope and resolution. But murder mystery team building games go one step further by allowing you to be a part of the action.  

This universal popularity makes the goal of solving the murder mystery both enticing and unifying. Rather than shouting at your TV when you work out ‘whodunnit’, you’re right there, analyzing the clues and drawing your own conclusions. Because of this, murder mystery team building games are a great way to bring together your coworkers and see how they work toward a common goal. 

“Virtual team fun activities like Zoom murder mystery games offer a rare opportunity for remote workers to take part in team bonding and connect on a personal level.”

Murder Mystery Games Make Great Virtual Team Building Activities

Gone are the days of teams working side by side, nestled in adjoining cubicles and offices. Since 2005, the number of people working from home has increased by 140 percent. As a result, you’d be lucky to find an entire team of workers who all commute to the same office every day. 

This lack of daily face-to-face contact is why it can be even more important to invest in team building for remote teams. Remote workers often report feeling left out or disconnected. Virtual team fun activities like Zoom murder mystery games offer a rare opportunity for remote workers to take part in team bonding and connect on a personal level.

Without a shared break room, schedule, or, in some cases, time zone, most communications tend to be all-business. By shifting the focus from work to virtual team fun activities, you can reap the benefits of a more collaborative spirit and better team morale. 

Unlike most in-person team building activities, murder mystery events also work well in a virtual format. The mystery is sure to hook everyone in from the start. Playing a role within the mystery encourages workers to switch to an alternative mindset. And, with a clear main goal to solve the puzzle, it becomes easier for everyone to share ideas and communicate about something other than work. A murder mystery event is a great way to boost morale and create friendly competition for small groups or large groups.

Team Building Murder Mystery Games

Team building murder mystery games, whether virtual or in-person, are an excellent way to bring your team together. If you have a remote team you can even kill two birds with one stone by combining a company party with a team building event by hosting a murder mystery virtual office Christmas party.

Murder mystery games for team building provide a distinct role for everyone within the premise of the mystery. This then facilitates communication and collaboration, as well as a lot of laughter. The result is a memorable shared experience that will help build better relations for virtual and real-world teams alike. For more information on our team building exercises or our full range of murder mystery events, feel free to contact us today!