A pick'em as a team building activity
A season-long pick'em gives a team one small thing to talk about every week. It's a handful of taps, it works for people who don't follow sports, and nobody has to pay or win anything.
Why it works
Most team building is one afternoon. A pick'em is a few minutes a week for months, and it gives people who never work together a reason to talk on Monday. ADP makes the same case to employers: office pools and fantasy leagues can help make a workplace more cohesive and engaging, as long as they're run with clear rules.
I built this one for the people who are usually left out of the office pool: the ones who don't bet, don't follow sports, or work somewhere else.
Make it work for people who don't follow sports
- A pick is one tap. Nobody needs to know a roster.
- The Lone Wolf bonus pays 2 points for being right against the room, so guessing differently is a real strategy.
- House questions put the whole office on level ground. "Will the Monday meeting start on time?" needs no football.
- Every week has its own winner, so there's a new story each Monday.
- The Wooden Spoon makes last place something to laugh about.
Remote and hybrid teams
- It's one link that opens in any browser, on a phone or a laptop.
- Kickoff times show in each person's own time zone.
- The league can post to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord or Google Chat when the sheet is up, when picks are about to lock and when the week is final.
- The Big Board puts the standings on a TV in the office, with a code for joining.
Keep it something everyone can join
- Keep money out of it. A cash pool leaves out everyone who can't or won't bet.
- Make it voluntary, and mean it.
- Keep the talk friendly. League names and player names are covered by the same rules as the rest of the workplace.
- Write the rules down.
- The sample policy
- takes five minutes to adapt.
A simple plan for a season
- Week one: send the link with one sentence. "Free, no money, takes a minute."
- Every Monday: let the memo go out to the team channel.
- Rivalry week: make it count double.
- Midseason: drop everyone's worst week so the people who started late are back in it.
- The last week: put the Big Board up where people can see the finish.
Questions
What about people who don't follow sports?
They can play, and sometimes they win. A pick is one tap, the Lone Wolf bonus rewards picking against the crowd, and the Captain can add questions that have nothing to do with sports.
Does it work for remote and hybrid teams?
Yes. It's one link that opens in any browser, and kickoff times show in each player's own time zone. The league can also post to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord or Google Chat when the sheet is up, when picks are about to lock and when the week is final.
Do players need an account or an app?
No. The league link opens in any browser. A player types a name, picks a jersey number, and they're in. Their phone remembers them after that.
Is this gambling?
No. Nobody pays to play and nobody can win anything of value, so nothing is being wagered. It's a free game where you pick winners and see who's ahead. The only payment is the organizer buying the software, and that price is the same no matter who wins.
Written by the person who builds Breakroom Pick'em at Lind-Sac AI Solutions LLC, Omaha, Nebraska. Last reviewed .