Azerbaijan: Backgammon Tea Breaks to Boost Team Bonding

Backgammon set in a Baku office break area, 2024. Photo: illustrative stock image with no identifiable people; credit and license documented by publisher.

Context

In Azerbaijan, the clattering of dice across a backgammon board (nərd in Azerbaijani, pronounced roughly like ‘nerd’) is more than a pastime: it is a social glue. For generations, locals have gathered in tea houses (çayxana) for lively matches accompanied by strong black tea, the rhythmic shuffle of pieces fostering friendly competition and camaraderie **. Over time the game became a national symbol of community in Azerbaijan, while also reflecting its Persianate roots and regional sharing across Iran, Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia (where it is known as tavla or nardi); backgammon boards here are crafted as works of art, and one city, Sumqayıt (Sumgayit), even erected a monument honoring avid players *. Laid-back matches are common in many settings such as homes, parks, and some office lunch tables, but participation and meaning vary by age, gender, sector, and personal preference; often the aim is to bring people together for a few moments of shared strategy and conversation *.

Meet the Tradition at Work

Some modern workplaces in Baku have adopted elements of the nərd tradition as an antidote to siloed office routines. In some offices, you may find a beautifully crafted backgammon set by the breakroom coffee machine, ready for friendly matches between colleagues. What began informally (an engineer challenging a finance officer to a game after lunch) is now a team ritual in some organizations. A public example is the Ministry of Youth and Sports co-sponsoring an annual inter-agency backgammon cup, drawing over 50 employees from around 20 ministries and state companies to compete in the Old City of Baku, and this staff tournament is illustrative rather than evidence of widespread workplace practice **. In the 2024 edition, 48 players from 21 institutions participated, including eight women, and the finals featured two co-workers from SOCAR (the state oil company) who described the experience as an informal extension of their office camaraderie *. The winner earned a small trophy and informal recognition back at headquarters, but more importantly, many participants left with new cross-department connections and a sense of being part of a broader community.

The Ritual

Minute	Scene	Purpose
0–5	Rally at the board: Two colleagues set up a backgammon set in the break area, others gather with tea	Signal that it’s pause time – work identities soften
5–15	First game underway: Players trade playful banter, onlookers cheer moves or tease blunders	Spark friendly competition and team humor
15–25	Rotating players: Winners stay or a new duo takes the board; spectators swap tips and stories	Ensure inclusion and mix across roles/departments
25–30	Wrap-up: Pieces back in the box, handshake or fist-bump, everyone back to desks smiling	Mark a clear end to break; carry positive energy into work

(Note: The table shows a 30-minute extended format; for a 15-minute core version, run a single quick game without mid-rotation and end on time. Many offices schedule this after lunch or on a relaxed Friday, and if time runs short mid-match, end in a friendly draw to keep the schedule.)

Why It Works

A quick backgammon break delivers a trifecta of social, cognitive, and emotional benefits. On the social side, the game levels the org chart: a junior analyst can outwit a senior manager in a purely friendly arena, flattening hierarchy and humanizing both in the process. Research in social and organizational psychology suggests that shared play and light conversation can support trust and reduce stress, without making specific biological claims. Mechanism in brief: a visible board plus a short time box and rotating pairs leads to casual play and light banter, which in turn supports status leveling, positive affect, and brief recovery, and these pathways are associated with higher belonging, lower strain, and more cross‑team approach. Cognitively, shifting from work tasks to an engrossing board game lets the brain’s focused circuits take a breather; researchers find even a brief unstructured break may help restore attention and reduce strain *. The light strategic thinking involved in nərd engages a different part of the mind, which often leads to fresh perspectives on work problems afterward (the classic “aha” insight that pops up post-play). Finally, the sheer fun of the ritual should not be underestimated: psychology experts note that incorporating play at work actually boosts creativity and problem-solving by putting people in a relaxed, open state of mind *. Add the cultural familiarity of this particular game, known locally as nərd, and you have a ritual that may click deeply with many Azerbaijani team members: it can feel like home, not just another HR program.

Outcomes & Impact

Some Azerbaijani teams report palpable benefits from their backgammon bonding time. Teams can link the ritual to existing dashboards by tracking cross‑team help requests or tickets resolved per week and by noting whether colleagues become more approachable after shared play. From a cost standpoint, a 10–15 minute break two to three times per week is a small, time‑boxed investment, and HR indicators can show positive trends too. At one Baku tech firm, an internal pulse survey reported a 12% increase in “sense of belonging” within one quarter of introducing a daily game break, but the result is a single‑company anecdote with unspecified sample size and instrument and should not be generalized (internal data, 2023). While such rituals are often informal, they’ve gained public recognition through citywide tournaments. Media coverage of inter-agency competitions highlights how formal government offices publicly recognize organized staff tournaments, which serves as an illustrative example rather than evidence of broad adoption *. This coverage in turn bolsters employer branding: photos of employees hunched over backgammon boards with genuine grins have appeared on company LinkedIn pages, sending a message to recruits that local culture is celebrated, not suppressed. There’s an anecdote that a programming error at a financial firm was solved after two teammates hashed it out on the sidelines of a backgammon match – win or lose, the game gives a safe space to swap ideas. And on the wellness front, teams that join these sessions often report lower afternoon slump and fewer tense emails; a quick competitive laugh can defuse stress that might otherwise linger all day. In short, the backgammon ritual is yielding both human and business wins: tighter-knit crews and a more upbeat, innovative work atmosphere.

Lessons for Global Team Leaders

Principle	Why It Matters	How to Translate
Cultural resonance	Taps into a tradition people already love, fueling genuine participation	Identify a local pastime (game, art, sport) your team relates to, and build on it
Level playing field	Game tables flatten hierarchy, boosting confidence and rapport	Choose activities where titles disappear (e.g. anyone can beat anyone in a game)
Micro-breaks, big gains	Short, regular pauses maintain energy and focus	Embed a 15-min team recess into daily or weekly routines – no work talk allowed
Friendly competition	Healthy rivalry bonds teams and sparks engagement	Opt for games/challenges that are competitive but light-hearted; celebrate funny moments over just victories
Voluntary & inclusive	For a ritual to thrive, it must invite rather than mandate, and welcome all skill levels	Make it opt-in with open invitations; encourage experienced folks to teach newcomers so everyone can join

Implementation Playbook

Place the board. Start by setting up an accessible backgammon set (or another locally beloved game such as dominoes or chess) in a common area and offering an online variant for remote staff, using large‑print/high‑contrast boards with grippable pieces, seating at appropriate height, and a quieter space with water and non‑caffeinated options alongside tea. Start with a small pilot of 6–8 weeks for 2–4 teams, time‑box sessions to 10–15 minutes with no more than 6–8 people, set success thresholds (for example, at least 70% voluntary opt‑in at least once and a +0.3 increase on a 5‑point belonging or safety item), and define stop rules.
Introduce the idea. At a team meeting or on the intranet, mention the board and encourage people to challenge each other during breaks while clearly stating opt‑out is always okay and offering equal alternatives such as a quiet tea or water chat, a short walk/stretch, non‑competitive puzzles, or a digital spectator role. Provide a one‑page communications brief that links to business priorities (e.g., collaboration and retention), credits the Azerbaijani origin of nərd, identifies first‑wave teams and any exclusions (for example, customer‑critical windows or night shifts), defines minimal data to collect (attendance counts only), sets a 90‑day retention then purge policy, confirms Legal/HR review before launch, and suggests optional partnership with Azerbaijani cultural associations.
Model participation. Name an accountable owner, a facilitator or timekeeper, a communications lead, and a data steward, and have them or well‑liked staff kick off the first games. When the boss and an intern enjoy a round together alongside women and newcomers, it signals everyone can take part, and participation must never be tracked or evaluated.
Keep it light. Set some gentle ground rules: run 10–15 minute core sessions with a cap of 6–8 people, keep light teasing friendly, rotate players to avoid dominance, cap win streaks, avoid scoreboards or leaderboards, and end any unresolved games in a friendly draw with no betting or monetary prizes. Emphasize fun over winning and explicitly offer equivalent non‑game options for anyone who prefers to opt out that day.
Celebrate it. Every so often, give the ritual a shout-out. This could include a low‑key mini‑tournament at Friday lunch with no betting or monetary prizes, a mention in the company newsletter using neutral phrasing (for example, ‘Kudos to our current nərd champion!’), or a shared photo with documented consent, credit, date, and license. Little spotlights sustain the momentum, and when budgets allow, consider sourcing boards from local Azerbaijani artisans with fair compensation and donating a small portion of event spend to community cultural programs.

Common Pitfalls

Turning fun into pressure. If managers require participation, track attendance for performance, or chastise those who opt out, the ritual loses its psychological safety. Keep it casual and voluntary, with clearly stated opt‑out options that carry no penalty such as a quiet tea or water break, a short walk or stretch, or a non‑competitive puzzle corner.
Overcompetitiveness or clique-forming. A bit of rivalry is great, but watch out for the same dominant players repeatedly winning at the board or boasting excessively. The solution: rotate players and teams, cap win streaks, run beginner or mentoring tables, and send inclusive invitations across genders, levels, and departments while reminding everyone it is about bonding.
Neglecting balance. While a quick game can refresh, it shouldn’t derail the workday. Schedule within protected break times aligned with labor or union rules, offer multiple time slots to include shift, field, and caregiving staff, avoid prayer or holiday conflicts where relevant, and provide a remote or online option so that focus time and play time coexist peacefully.

Reflection & Call to Action

Azerbaijan’s office backgammon tradition proves that big team benefits can spring from something as humble as a board game in the breakroom. In a world of fancy team-building retreats and expensive training, sometimes the simplest, most authentic activities resonate the most. What is the “backgammon” in your organizational culture: that friendly, familiar binding agent hiding in plain sight? Maybe it’s a local game, a shared musical jam, or a morning stretch routine. Take a cue from Baku: give your team permission to pause and play. You might find that a few everyday game moments do more to build trust and unity than a dozen PowerPoint decks on teamwork. As the saying goes in cafés across Baku when the tea is poured and the game begins: Uğurlar! (good luck), and enjoy the moment.