Furor for companies: how a music contest works as team building

Anyone who remembers the TV show Furor will remember two things: the music, and the feeling that nobody on set was taking themselves too seriously. Two teams faced off in absurd challenges, there was singing and dancing, people made fools of themselves with joy and, in the end, what was left was a big shared laugh. That is exactly the recipe that makes the format work so well when it is brought into a company. A Furor for companies takes that spirit and turns it into a team building activity: teams formed by the company itself, a host who keeps up the pace, music and skill challenges, props for dressing up and a scoreboard that gives and takes away points.

In this article we explain how the activity works, what is at stake in each challenge, what it really builds in a group of people, which kinds of teams and events it suits best and how to get the most out of it on the day.

From television to the workplace: what Furor is

The original contest pitted two teams against each other in a range of music, skill and general knowledge challenges. When a team lost one of them, they had to sing a medley in the most outlandish way possible, and if the host judged the performance wild enough, they won a point. That idea (rewarding the effort to let go, not just getting things right) is the heart of the game.

The Kaizen version keeps that essence and adapts it to a work group. The company defines the teams and they compete against each other; whoever has the most points at the end of all the challenges wins. Participants are given props to dress up, a host and his or her entertainers lead the show, and each team has to draw on wit, creativity and, as we always say, "a low sense of embarrassment". The activity takes place indoors and has a strong musical component.

It is similar in spirit to other activities we have already covered on this blog, such as musical bingo or Cluedo for companies: contest formats in which the game takes the lead and the learning comes by itself.

The challenges, one by one

One of the keys to Furor is variety. Each challenge demands something different, so practically nobody is left out: whoever sings well shines at karaoke, whoever draws or builds enjoys the robot, and the quietest person may have a brilliant idea for Taboo. These are the challenges that make up the activity and what each one puts into play.

Karaoke

Each team is dealt different songs from a long list and has to perform them as well as possible. The winner is not whoever sings best, but the team whose attitude is the most contagious. It is a challenge that breaks the ice straight away: once you have sung in front of your colleagues, the rest of the day is easier.

Robot battle

Using aluminium foil, each team must create the most innovative robot, covering one of its members with it. Creativity, task sharing, negotiation ("shall we do it with antennas or with wings?") and the ability to get everyone to agree in a short time all come into play here. It is a small lesson in how to work under pressure with limited resources.

Just Dance

Musical choreographies set to a mix of songs prepared by the DJ. The teams compete by dancing to the music. If you are worried that some people will not want to dance, don't be: with the right dynamic, people usually join in by contagion. If this kind of activity interests you, we have an article with reasons to dance in a team building.

Taboo

One member of each team acts out a film using only mime, and their teammates have to guess which one it is. It is a challenge of non-verbal communication, shared intuition and laughter. It works on listening and on the ability to read the other person without words.

Tongue twisters

Word games repeated individually and as a group. The fastest and clearest team wins. It seems small, but it produces some of the funniest moments of the afternoon and helps slow the pace between the more physical challenges.

One Character, One Song

The host picks a famous artist and the teams have to think of one of their songs and hit their buzzer. The first to do so has ten seconds to perform it, or the turn rebounds to the other team. It mixes musical knowledge, reflexes and quick decision-making. It is the most competitive challenge and the one that adds the most tension.

Your Company's Song

Each team composes a short song about its company, in different musical styles and within a time set by the host. The team whose songs are the most original and fun wins. It is, perhaps, the most interesting challenge from the team's point of view: it makes you reflect (even if only as a joke) on what makes the company special. If this idea appeals to you, also take a look at the activity The Power of Our Song, which focuses entirely on it.

Single-Vowel Song

A song plays and the participants must perform it using only one preset vowel, which changes throughout the challenge. It is one of those absurd challenges that provoke almost instant laughter and that, over time, people remember more than any other.

How a session unfolds

Although every event is tailored, the structure of a Furor session usually follows a simple pattern. First the teams are formed, which, as we said, the company itself defines. Next the props are handed out and each team identifies itself with a name or a motto. The host explains the rules, opens the scoreboard and the first challenge begins. Between challenges the points are updated, the best moments are commented on and the pace is kept up with music and entertainment. At the end the points are totalled and the winning team is announced; ideally the session closes with a moment when everyone celebrates together, win or lose.

The host and the entertainers play a more important role than it seems. Their job is to keep the energy up, encourage those who hesitate and stop the game from turning into a clash of egos. A good host does not just run the challenges: he or she reads the mood of the room and adjusts the intensity.

What it really brings to a team

Behind the fun there are things a work team needs and rarely practises in day-to-day life.

• Shared embarrassment. When everyone sings badly, everyone dances worse and everyone does a ridiculous mime, the fear of what others will think fades. That little pact of "it's fine here" is hard to achieve in a meeting and shows in the communication afterwards.
• Creativity under pressure. The robot battle or composing the company song are time-limited challenges. Learning to produce ideas quickly, without censoring yourself, is useful well beyond the game.
• Communication and listening. In Taboo and in the team challenges you have to understand each other with few resources. Whoever does not listen, loses.
• Healthy rivalry. Competition between teams generates energy and a sense of belonging. The scoreboard creates a shared story that is remembered and talked about afterwards.
• Mixing between departments. If you form teams with people from different areas, Furor is a great excuse for those who barely cross paths to get to know each other.

If you want to look more closely at the balance between competing and collaborating, our article on competitive versus collaborative team building will help you decide what dose suits your team.

Who it works for and who it needs adapting for

Furor works especially well with groups who want to have a good time and switch off: sales teams, departments that have had months of heavy workload, large workforces at a convention or company dinner, groups of mixed ages. The structure of short, varied challenges lets each person take part from whichever point feels most comfortable.

There are situations where it is worth talking beforehand with whoever leads the activity. For example, if the team is very reserved or barely knows each other, it may be advisable to start with the gentler challenges and leave the karaoke for later. If some people do not feel like singing or dancing, the ideal is for them to be able to contribute in other ways (acting as spokesperson, coming up with the song, miming in Taboo) without feeling singled out. And if the group has strong existing tensions, a collaborative activity may suit better than a purely competitive one.

The general rule is simple: nobody should feel forced to do something that makes them uncomfortable. When that is respected, most people end up taking part with more enthusiasm than they expected.

When and where it fits best

Being an indoor activity, Furor adapts to many settings: a large meeting room, a hotel function room, the company auditorium, a restaurant with a reserved space. It needs a space where the group can move around, a good sound system and a screen or scoreboard area visible to everyone.

The moments when it usually works best are:

• End-of-year dinner or party. It brings the festive touch that many dinners need. If you are considering it, you will be interested in these Christmas team building ideas for the company dinner.
• Conventions and annual meetings. Between long sessions, Furor acts as a counterpoint and breaks the monotony.
• Start or end of a project. To recognise the team's effort or to get off on the right foot.
• Integration days. Especially when new people join or teams merge.
• A rainy or cold day. Being indoors, it does not depend on the weather. For more options under cover, see these indoor activities for any time of year.

Tips for making the most of it on the day

• Get management involved. If the head of the company sings, dances or builds the robot with their team, it gives everyone else implicit permission to let go. If they stay watching from the back, the opposite happens.
• Take care over how teams are formed. Balance ages, profiles and departments. Avoid having bosses and their direct team always together if you want people to mix.
• Offer a symbolic prize. Nothing expensive is needed: a medal, a fun trophy or a small gift for the winning team is enough to spark the competition.
• Give advance notice. Without revealing too much, it helps to tell attendees that there will be a festive activity. That way you avoid uncomfortable surprises and help people arrive in the right frame of mind.
• Look after sound and visibility. This is an activity where the music rules. A poor sound system or a room with echo ruins the experience.
• Document it with photos and videos. With the participants' permission, the event images become a shared memory and material for internal communication.

Furor compared with other options

If you are still deciding, comparing helps. Musical Bingo is easier to follow and works very well with very large groups or attendees of mixed ages, because it is played seated and almost nobody feels exposed. The Lipdub leaves a final product (a company music video), but requires more preparation and commitment. The Flashmob is a group choreography with great emotional impact, although it demands more rehearsal. Furor sits somewhere in between: more participatory than bingo, lighter than the lipdub and with a wide variety of challenges, so there is almost always something each person feels comfortable with.

What Kaizen's Furor includes

Our Furor is an indoor activity inspired by the TV show, with the challenges we have described: karaoke, robot battle, Just Dance, Taboo, tongue twisters, "One Character, One Song", "Your Company's Song" and "Single-Vowel Song". It includes instructors, a host and entertainers, costumes and props and all the material needed for every challenge. The company defines the teams and the one with the most points at the end wins. If you would like more details on how it works in practice, you can check the frequently asked questions.

Shall we put together a Furor for your team?

If you want your team to finish the day wanting to do it again, tell us how many of you there are, what kind of event you would do it at (dinner, convention, team day) and what atmosphere you are after, and we will prepare a tailored proposal. Write to us via the contact page and we will reply within 24 hours.