5 Best Team Building Ideas for Finance and Accounting Teams

Building a strong, collaborative culture within finance and accounting teams can improve productivity, innovation and overall satisfaction. But let's face it — between crunching numbers and endless spreadsheets, it's easy for professionals to fall into routines that don't exactly scream "fun." That's where creative team-building activities come in. Team-building programs can unite co-workers, improve communication and inspire creativity.

This guide covers interactive and creative in-person and virtual corporate team-building events for accounting and finance professionals.

In-Person Team-Building Ideas for Finance and Accounting Teams

Here are six fun in-person corporate event team-building activities.

1. Amazing Race

The Amazing Race is a high-energy adventure that takes teams into an exhilarating world of clues, challenges and friendly competition. Based on the popular reality show, this activity has participants solving puzzles, completing quirky tasks and exploring new places. Finance teams are used to running analysis, and this high-paced and goal-oriented event tests group dynamics.

The activity is fantastic for:

Building trust.
Inspiring quick thinking and decision-making.
Refreshing your team's energy and motivation.

2. Game Show Extravaganza

Channel your inner trivia master with a Game Show Extravaganza as co-workers go head-to-head in rounds of Trivia, Jeopardy, Family Feud and many more. This activity brings out everyone's competitive spirit and gets them thinking fast and collaborating closely to win each round. It's the ideal setup to relax, laugh and share useful knowledge about your organization.

Your team will benefit from:

Strengthened communication.
Improved morale.
Enhanced focus.

3. Lego Build Challenge

Remember the excitement of opening a new Lego set? Here's a way to bring that joy back, but with a twist. Lego Build allows team members to unleash their creativity as they build skyscrapers and other creations that require imaginative problem-solving. It's satisfying to see a bunch of professionals transform into Lego architects and work together to build something cohesive.

This activity is incredible because it:

Stimulates out-of-the-box thinking.
Improves collaborative skills.
Builds morale.

4. Room Escape

Escape rooms have exploded in popularity — and for good reason. These immersive games throw teams into scenarios where they must find clues, solve puzzles and work under pressure to escape a locked room. Everyone has to bring their A-game, communicate and stay sharp to beat the clock.

This event:

Sharpens problem-solving skills.
Strengthens trust.
Provides fun and stress-relieving tasks that energize and motivate team members.

5. Project Funway

Who knew accounting skills could translate to creating haute couture made of coffee filters and bubble wrap? Project Funway takes your team on an adventure that challenges them to make runway-worthy outfits out of just about anything. Equipped with nothing more than a ticking clock and a pile of unconventional materials, teams need to brainstorm, construct and bring their visions to life. The grand finale? A mini runway show where everyone gets to admire — or laugh at — each other's masterpieces.

It's a fantastic way for team members to:

Practice communication and adaptability.
Foster creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

6. Charity-Based Events

Charity-based programs allow colleagues to bond over a shared purpose and add more meaning to team building. With activities like Bike Build or the Great Charity Challenge, colleagues can give back to the community. They'll compete in challenges to win the parts needed to assemble bicycles for kids or complete challenges to win items and create packages that'll be donated to a local charity. These experiences bring colleagues together with a sense of pride and purpose beyond their daily responsibilities. Charity-based events are ideal for:

Improving morale through shared purpose and pride in helping others.
Encouraging cross-functional collaboration.
Strengthening team cohesion.

Virtual Team-Building Ideas for Finance and Accounting Teams

Here are six corporate team-building event ideas for virtual teams.

1. Virtual Game Show Extravaganza

The Virtual Game Show Extravaganza puts your team front and center in a high-energy, trivia-packed showdown. This playful competition is filled with twists and unexpected challenges. Colleagues will experience a mix of knowledge-based questions and silly tasks that encourage fast thinking and collaboration. Plus, you can customize trivia categories to tailor the game to include financial themes to make it relatable for everyone involved.

This activity is great for::

Encouraging fast decision-making.
Strengthening team communication and synergy.
Providing a refreshing and lighter-hearted escape from daily tasks.

2. Amazing Cyberspace Race

The Amazing Cyberspace Race takes team members on a worldwide adventure via Google Maps. Think world tour without the jet lag! Teams will visit famous cities and landmarks, solve location-based riddles and complete timed challenges. The tasks keep everyone engaged, while the race format introduces a healthy dose of competition.

It's a fantastic activity because it:

Fosters adaptability and creative thinking.
Encourages teamwork under time constraints.
Creates an engaging experience that refreshes team spirit.

3. Cyber Sleuths: A Virtual Codebreaking Adventure

Turn your finance team into detectives with Cyber Sleuths, a code-cracking challenge that's as engaging as it is mentally stimulating. Participants work together to break complex codes, decipher clues and piece together mysteries. This adventure taps into your team's analytical strengths and rewards cooperation because each clue requires input from multiple team members. To add to the excitement, team members embark on a scavenger hunt using items around their home or office.

The activity:

Encourages collaboration.
Improves resilience.
Strengthens adaptability.

4. Legends of the Hidden Temple

Inspired by the classic TV show, Legends of the Hidden Temple brings the thrill of adventure online. Teams complete various tasks and must wear quick-thinking and teamwork hats. This event mixes strategic thinking puzzles with fast-paced mini-games and keeps everyone on their toes.

The varied challenges:

Encourage adaptability.
Promote cooperation.

5. Word Play

Simple yet surprisingly engaging, Word Play is a series of word games and puzzles that let your crew put their minds to work on something other than spreadsheets. Your team can stay sharp, have fun with words and build camaraderie. The game:

Fosters creative thinking and mental flexibility.
Builds team communication.
Provides an engaging and refreshing mental workout.

6. Virtual Water Works Charity Event

Bring purpose and teamwork together with the Virtual Water Works Charity Event, where teams can genuinely impact communities in need. Your team will sponsor and decorate water filtration systems that get delivered to Uganda's remote villages and refugee camps. Participants will design murals and gather to present their creations and the inspiration behind the artwork. Post-event, nonprofit partners in Africa will print the artwork on stickers and attach it to each filtration unit. Team members can track their individual water filter's journey to its final home.

This program:

Promotes social responsibility.
Improves creative expression.
Enhances empathy.

Contact Feet First Events for Corporate Team-Building Events

At Feet First Events, we can bring your finance and accounting teams closer through creative, interactive and fun team-building programs. We have more than 31 years of experience providing engaging events and have been named the 2023 Best Team-Building Services Provider by Manage HR Magazine. Our facilitators provide experiences that foster collaboration, critical thinking and adaptability. Fill out our event request form today to get started!