Team Building Blogs
10 Effective Team Decision-Making Techniques: How To Make Decisions More Smoothly as a Team
Making decisions as a team can be tough, and there isn’t always a clear direction about how to proceed. Here we give you the top
The Decision-Making Process: The 7 Steps That Go Into Making Decisions Effectively
To kick off our new theme for this month, decision making, we wanted to start by talking about the decision-making process. What can teams learn
Team Building and Time Management: How Team Building Activities Promote Better Focus, Attention, and Collaborative Skills
Team building and time management are connected in a lot of ways. From learning to focus on one step at a time to collaborating under
Notes on Time Management: What’s Actually Important to Making the Most of Your Time, Without Feeling Stressed
Time management has become an obsession in our work and life culture. But what are we actually trying to do when we manage our time,
Why Multitasking Makes Teams Less Focused and Productive, and What Your Team Can Do About It
Multitasking is often lauded as being good for productivity and even necessary in our digital age, but is that actually the case? Here we look
Procrastination and How To Overcome It With Your Team
We all face procrastination at some points in our lives, but we often view it as something to be solved individually. However, using the power
6 Ways to Minimize Distractions on Teams
Disruptive distractions can derail your team and keep it from focusing on achieving its goals. Here we show you how to minimize distractions on teams
Work in the Age of Distraction: How to Take Control and Fully Focus as a Team 
Distractions have always been a hindrance when it comes to concentration and work. But with technology and remote work becoming more normalized, they seem to
An Introduction to Focus and Attention on Teams: What Is Focus and How to Work Together to Improve It
We’re starting a new blog series about focus, attention, time management and the ways that teams these issues affect teams. In our first post in
27 Ridiculously Fun Icebreaker Games for Small Groups
You can’t build an environment of camaraderie and trust around an icebreaker game alone, but if you make it fun, engaging, and memorable, your chances
25 Fun Icebreaker Games Your Team Will Love
Icebreaker games are a great way of getting your team warmed up before your next big meeting, corporate event, team building, or company party. If
Emotional Intelligence: Why It’s Such an Important Concept for Individuals and Teams
In a recent blog post we discussed anger management, which is a program aimed at making individuals and teams more aware of their anger–its origins,
Anger Management: Why It’s Not Just for People Who Are Angry and What Teams Can Learn From It 
A lot of you might have heard about anger management before. But even if you have, it’s likely that you might not know what it
What is Teamwork: Enhancing Team Dynamics to Improve Productivity
The concept of “teamwork” refers to the collaborative effort to achieve a common goal or to complete a task efficiently and effectively. Teamwork is part
The Future of Leadership: 5 Ideas to Help Guide Your Team
This whole month we’ve been focused on the topic of leadership in our blog posts. We’ve talked about a range of different aspects of leadership,
6 More Leadership Training Activities To Empower Your Team Even More
This whole month we’ve been focusing on the theme of leadership, and how leadership training should be something that all team members can take part
4 Leadership Theories and What They Can Teach Your Team 
Throughout this month we’ve been looking at different aspects of leadership. In the past week or so we’ve had lots of discussions about Self-Leadership and
10 Leadership Team Building Activities That Will Jumpstart Your Team’s Leadership Skills
As you know by now, this month we’ve been writing blog posts on the theme of leadership. Our central theme has been that leadership skills
How to Promote Self-Leadership on Teams: 5 Ways to Encourage Powerful, Creative Team Members
Recently in our blog we brought up the concept of Self-Leadership. This relatively new concept brings together leadership and personal development in really interesting and
Self-Leadership: What It Is and How and Can Be Used To Boost Your Team’s Untapped Potential
So far in our discussions on leadership, we have focused on teams as a whole and what leaders do on teams. But one of our
The Qualities That Make Great Leaders and The Role of Leadership on Teams
In our last blog post on leadership, we talked about how leadership is based on qualities, not qualifications. There we defined leadership as “Directing, guiding
Changing the Way We Think About Leadership to Unlock the Full Potential of Teams
What makes a good leader? This is an important question for all teams to think about. Especially now, when the world is rapidly changing and
100 Team building Icebreaker Questions That Will Keep Your Team Engaged
Sometimes it’s just about asking the right questions to get a conversation going. Icebreaker questions and short discussions are a great way to incorporate team
Paying Attention in the Attention Economy: How to Focus in a Hybrid Work Environment
With so much of work being done online nowadays, especially since the shift to remote and hybrid work styles, a big concern for many teams
10 Communication Team Building Activities That Will Activate Your Team and Get Everyone Talking
Good communication is one of the most important factors in a team’s success. Without strong communication skills, team members can’t share with each other, brainstorm,
A Guide to Equity on Teams: What It Is and Why It Is So Essential Now
Making offices more wheelchair accessible. Hiring interpreters to help foreign-language speakers during a conference. Supporting adequate parental leave for both men and women. These are
Why New Employee Training Is Important and How To Implement It: Making Your New Team Battle-Ready This Spring
It’s hard to believe that almost a month of this new year has gone by. Even though the coldest part of the winter season is
Zoom Fatigue and Team Building: What You Should Know and How to Make Online Communication Better as a Team
Recently the two-year anniversary of the first lockdowns in Wuhan, China passed, and it’s made me a bit reflective about the past two years. Thinking
Mentoring, Training and Team Building in a Brave New World: How Hybrid Is Affecting Team Development and What to Do About It
As a company focused on team building activities and events, we like to keep up-to-date with the latest in what’s going on in the team
An Ecommerce Company Tries Suitcase Mystery 2 Right in Their Conference Space
Group members from a major ecommerce company were seeking a fun and collaborative team building activity that they could play in the same room where
Growing Together While Remaining Apart: Tips for Distributed (Remote) Team Development
As recently as a couple of years ago, the term “distributed team” used to be used only by business theorists and corporate trainers–people “in the
Looking Ahead to What’s Coming in 2022: What We’re Excited For and Thinking About
Happy new year to everyone! We hope you all had a relaxing and refreshing time at the beginning of the year. This period of time
Reflecting on 2021: Successes From the Past Year
It’s time to bid adieu to 2021. You might be happy to leave this year behind, or sad that another year has passed. But even
8 Christmas Themed Virtual Team Building Activities for 2021
Christmas is almost here and the holiday season is in full swing. Even if you don’t necessarily celebrate Christmas, it’s easy to get swept up
The Ultimate Guide to Burnout: What It Is, and How to Prevent It
The period of time when the year draws to a close can be particularly stressful for teams. Projects need to be wrapped up, and work
Reasons Why We Love Virtual Team Building (And Why You Should Too)
On Friday, December 10th we will be releasing our second virtual team building game, Secret Agent: The First Mission. As we mentioned in an earlier
Secret Agent: The First Mission–What to Know About Our Newest Online Game
This week is the big debut of your newest online team building game, Secret Agent: The First Mission. As we discussed in a recent blog
Making the Transition to Hybrid Effectively
The future is hybrid, or so everyone says. Hybrid teams, which are teams where some members work remotely while some work in-person, have become a
A Full Guide to Suitcase Mystery + Workshop: Why This 3-Hour Program is the Perfect Match for Any Team!
In a recent blog post we talked about our newest dispatch game, “Suitcase Mystery 2” and all the features it has to offer. As we
From Tabitantei to Secret Agent: A Report on the Development of Our New Online Team Building Game and the Creative Process Behind It
Early next month we will be releasing our newest online team building game, Secret Agent: The First Mission. To give you a taste of what’s
A Report on Suitcase Mystery 2: Our Exciting New Dispatch Game
With the end of the year approaching, we’ve been getting a lot of inquiries about our online team building program. However, with lockdown restrictions easing
What Is the Future of Work? Soft Work, Hard Work, and What Going Hybrid Will Actually Mean for Teams
“We live in strange times”. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that said in the past two years. Part of what’s been
Simple Steps For Planning A Successful Virtual Team Building Activity
As Ayaka noted in our last blog post, in a recent survey over 70% of companies said that they are not planning on having their
Our List Of Online End-Of-The-Year Party Ideas: 2021 Edition
We’ve officially entered November, which means that it’s finally time to start making preparations for the end of the year. Here at Invite Japan too,
Simple Steps You Can Take To Motivate Your Remote Team
Remote work is not going away any time soon. That seems to be the consensus from businesses and outside observers. While fully, 100% remote work-from-home
How to Motivate Remote Team Members to Collaborate Effectively and Productively
In previous blog posts we talked about how to stay motivated while working remotely. These posts focused on individual experiences with remote work and were
A Complete Guide to Suitcase Mystery 2–Invite Japan’s Latest Dispatch Team Building Game
As we move deeper and deeper into fall and approach the end of the year, the demand for team building activities really shifts into high
Practical Tips For Staying Motivated While Working Remotely From Home
As most remote workers have figured out by now, working remotely is not exactly a cakewalk. While remote work seems great in theory–no commute, no
Nazotabi Yokohama: An Inside Look At Our New Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Game
At the beginning of this month (October 2021) Invite Japan released the newest version of our popular outdoor scavenger hunt series– “Nazotabi Yokohama: The Magical
Staying Motivated While Working Remotely
The massive shift to remote work has caused a lot of whiplash in terms of lifestyle changes, work-life balance and general thoughts about work. Remote
Why Outdoor Scavenger Hunts are the Perfect Team Building Activity This Fall
As we mentioned in our blog last week, fall is here and it’s a great time to get outdoors with a team building activity. The
Fall Team Building Activities Ideas Your Team Will Love
Fall is officially here, and so it’s time to get excited about colorful leaves, cozy sweaters and sipping hot drinks again. The temperature outside is
Online End Of the Year Parties: Ideas to Spice Up Your Virtual Celebrations
It’s hard to believe that yet another year is drawing to a close. This part of the year always comes with a tinge of sadness.
Online Team Building Activities: Fun and Quick Online Games That Your Remote Team Can Do Anytime
This past year and a half have seen the rapid rise of remote work and hybrid teams (teams that work partly in the office and
Secrets of Story Creation: How We Develop Our Game Stories
In today’s blog post, we talk about our newest outdoor scavenger hunt game, Nazotabi Yokohama: The Magical Journey of the WIzard’s Apprentice. Wataru discusses the
The Global Outlook of SDGs: Looking 10 Years Ahead
Since the beginning of August, we have been giving you reports about SDGs (the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals) from around the world. At Invite
“Puzzle Scouting”: That looks cool… but so what?
Our company started out managing an escape game facility. Being locked inside a room can be fun, but the point is to “break” out. Even
SDGs and Me
Hello dear readers, my name is Anna and I am a team member of Invite Japan/Nazobako. Recently our company is trying to integrate the SDG
The Great Paris Project: The gargantuan project to build a bigger, better Paris
Since it’s announcement in 2007, the project to build a Great Paris has been going on in France. This project aims at integrating the cities
How Can Psychological Safety Help Your Team Evolve?
This is the second part of a two-part blog series on Psychological Safety. It might be helpful to read Part I first, in order to
SDGs in the Philippines – The Progress and the Uniq Goals
The Philippines is considered one of the most progressive countries in SouthEast Asia. Although it has improved in the Human Development Index rankings, it still
Suitcase Mystery Origins Part IV: Personal Thoughts on Designing Suitcase Mystery 2
This is the fourth blog post in a series by Creative Director Dennis about the development of our popular dispatch game, Suitcase Mystery, and the
SDGs in The U.S.–What’s Going On?
This month, we will be talking about SDGs in Japan and around the world. Since we are lucky to have international staff from different countries,
Tackling SDGs: What They Are and Why They’re Important
The Tokyo Olympics is suddenly already half-over. Throughout the games, it seemed like every competition and event came with a discussion–about the relationship between government
Psychological Safety Part I: A Guide To Understanding What It Is And How It Can Help Your Team
A new term relating to how to promote effective groups may be the key to providing your team with the right framework to move forward.
Suitcase Mystery Origins Part III: The Next Generation
This is the third part in our series of blog posts on the development of our Suitcase Mystery dispatch game, where you. You can read
Break the Ice: How to ease your team back into in-person communication
Looking for ways to break the ice as your team returns to the office? Invite Japan is here to help. As more and more people
Hybrid Teams, Flexibility, and the Coming Changes to the Workplace
As companies and individuals get ready to make a return to the office (at least in some capacity) following vaccinations, it’s a good idea to
Back Together Again: Vaccines and the Exciting Return to Face-to-Face Interaction
July is shaping up to be a big month in Japan. The vaccine rollout is proceeding slowly but surely, with those 65 and under set
How Does Team Building Work?
We all know the feeling. You’re looking at a team building company’s website and thinking “Right, but how does this actually work?” It can be
What is the Purpose of Team Building Activities?
Team building activities are fun, motivating events that make teams stronger by bringing them closer together. At their best, team building activities boost the skills
What is Team Building and the Five Stages of Team Development
What is team building? Team building is a group activity aimed at improving the employees’ interactions and interpersonal skills as a whole. It is a
What Are the Core Objectives of Team Building?
Thinking about objectives could make or break your team building plan When you think of your favorite sports team, can you imagine they would be
The Benefits of Team Building Activities
Team building activities can help build trust and cooperation among coworkers. There are many activities outside of the office, but indoor activities can have the
How To Maintain Team Unity Part 2: Tools for Forging Resilient Teams
In the first part of this blog series, I explained the main elements of team unity, as well the factors that can make it stronger
How to Maintain Team Unity Part 1: Building Blocks
This blog post is split into two parts. Part 1 focuses on building blocks of unity–what goes into team unity, and what determines how cohesive
