Microsoft Teams Hopes To Boost Productivity By Adding Minesweeper And Solitaire

It may sound counterproductive, but Microsoft is rolling out a new feature that not only lets you play games at work — it actively encourages it. The Games for Work app (via Microsoft Teams) is another addition in a long line of upgrades and features that Microsoft is expecting to help strengthen workforces.

Despite its contradictory nature, there is a solid enough theory behind it all: Get coworkers to interact on a more casual level at work again, thus building trust and improving professional relationships. That social aspect of the job is something Microsoft says has been lacking since the shift to remote and hybrid work.

While employees may not be able to gather around the water cooler (or other office cliches) like they once used to, socializing via games could be an adequate alternative. In fact, it's something Microsoft states could end up being more effective than more common methods of team-building (via BYU News).

Games for Work itself currently offers a small selection of simple, classic games that Microsoft believes will each emphasize a different team-building aspect. Microsoft also says the games offer multiplayer support for anywhere from two to 250 players. And of course, they're all considered "safe for work" and don't contain ads. After all, you're there to work while playing your games.

"IceBreakers" is what Microsoft is calling "a variation on 'This or That'" and expects it to help team members learn more about each other through a series of binary choice questions. "Wordament" is meant to foster lighthearted team competition based on word challenges. And "Minesweeper" is, well, "Minesweeper," and offers a cooperative experience where teams collaborate to navigate through the digital minefield.

Rounding out the list is the "Microsoft Solitaire Collection," which is pretty much exactly what you think it is: Solitaire card games. A traditionally solo game being used to bolster team effectiveness might seem counterintuitive — something Microsoft itself admits — but head-to-head competition and a spectator mode is included through Games for Work. Something Microsoft says is "... like calling out the answers while watching a game show or assisting a friend with a word puzzle."

More games are expected to be added to the roster as time goes on, but for now, Microsoft is leaving the details up to performance and user feedback. Until this initial pilot program is finished, these four games are what you get.