Most businesses have realised the need to undertake team building activities regularly. The activities vary from one company to another with some going for retreats lasting several days, as well as short activities aimed at boosting the employees problem-solving skills. To employees, these team building activities provide ‘a break’ from work while to the business it helps nurture talent and managers can even acknowledge individuals with an award of gift. We love these silver mint julep cups which can be engraved. Your business could reap huge benefits from team building exercises.
1. Bring People Together
The past half-decade has seen many businesses take preference in workplaces that promote cooperation and collaboration while avoiding competitive work environments. Collaboration is one of the pillars of success in the business world today.
2. Productivity Boost
It is through team building that employees will learn to break the ice and discover the benefits of working as a team to achieve a common goal. This reduces effort duplication in the workplace, and so improves efficiency. One of the intentions behind a team building exercise is to help improve the company’s productivity. Employers can use this chance to identify ways to improve procedures, processes, and policies (the three Ps) to improve productivity.
3. Increase Employee Motivation
Organising a team building activity for your employees shows you do care about them, and that you can invest in their talent. This helps improve their confidence in the company, and builds momentum to get more things done. Most employees will come from a team building exercise, feeling motivated, and ready to take on whatever hurdle they come across. Employee motivation is one of the driving forces of successful companies today.
4. It Boosts Collaboration
A well-planned team-building exercise goes a long way in promoting employee collaboration. As mentioned earlier, the employees get to know each other better, which again improves trust while creating a chance for collaborations. Employees will be willing to help or ask for help whenever faced by difficulty after a successful team building exercise. This way, they can develop networks of contact outside the work environment and even build lasting relationships which could come in handy in the future.
Most companies have realised the need to nurture the different personalities employees have through team building. Forcing all employees into the same box doesn’t always work in this time and era.
5. Encourage Creativity
Hiring staff with diverse expertise, talent, and perspectives improves their employee’s innovation, creativity, and capabilities. The cross-pollination of ideas encourages creativity, which could help the business grow significantly. Employees will be able to use their imagination to take on every day tasks, as well as come up with creative solutions for various problems. The ideas bounce off from one member to the other during the team building exercise, hence creating a highly creative team.
6. Positive Reinforcement
Employers can use team building activities to recognise employees based on their achievements. Taking note of, and appreciating an employee’s efforts and progress goes a long way in boosting performance and productivity in the workplace. Simply recognising performers in various fields will help other attendees want to be recognised in the next activity, hence work harder to achieve the recognition.
7. Improves Communication
One of the products of a successful team building exercise is improved communication between staff and senior management as well. The fun, enjoyable activities allow participants to learn more about each other, understand each other, and break any mistrust they might have had before. It also helps them focus on what makes them stronger instead of their weaknesses.
Team building activities provide a better way to improve motivation, nurture talent, develop collaboration and trust, as well as address weaknesses in the best way possible. Team building, however, requires proper planning and must have a real purpose in mind to make an impact. It should provide more than just a nice day outside the office.