Hear the words “team building” and many people recoil in horror. The thought of spending an afternoon building rafts or clambering over obstacles with fellow workers does not appeal to everyone.
But team building activities have been repeatedly shown to bring numerous benefits to those taking part. As well as acting as a reward for workers – when they reach a certain target, say – the events undoubtedly promote certain qualities and build on existing friendships.
So what are the main benefits of team building events, and how can you make sure your teams get the most from them?
Bonding
The most obvious benefit such events bring is the formation and cementing of friendships. If your employees get on well together, they will inevitably work better together.
Of course you can’t force friendships to develop, but you can help them along. A fun event will enable your team members to get to know each other better, outside the work environment. If they learn to trust each other while enjoying each other’s company, they will perform more efficiently when back at work.
Communication
The best team building activities encourage better communication between participants. For instance, they may need to work competitively as a team in order to achieve a goal.
It is important to ensure all members of your team take an active part in the event, not just the most confident. Hopefully, a fun activity will give shyer members of staff the opportunity to have their voices heard in a relaxed environment where they’re not under pressure to perform.
Greater Respect
Seeing your fellow workers excel during team building corporate events, such as those available at https://www.armourgeddon.co.uk/team-building-corporate-events.html, will help team members earn the respect of their colleagues.
Improved Morale
According to The Guardian, team building events are often used as a way to reward staff and boost motivation.
As a result, they can help to improve morale, especially if the event is a big success, and it also gives your staff something other than work to talk about when back in the office. And happy workers are both more productive and more creative.
Problem-solving
Many team building activities involve some sort of problem-solving, which is a fantastic skill for everyone to have. Helping your employees work together in a relaxed environment can only have positive consequences when they are back in work.