Ask HN: Did a team building exercise ever work for you?

In my experience, team building exercises just help you get more comfortable with your co-workers, regardless of whether or not each individual recognizes that it's happening.

Pretty much every "lets do some thing together where we interact and have fun" works IMHO. If it's promoted specifically as "a thing to do for team building" it's easily too artificial. Go play laser tag, go to the zoo together, whatever. Physical activity is good, as long as it's something everyone can do reasonably and is comfortable with.

In my experience team building exercises have a noticeable, but ultimately short-lived effect.