Team-building activities have a reputation for being lame, but when done properly, they are one of the best investments you’ll make. From forging trust to boosting morale, here are five benefits of team-building exercises in the workplace.
1. Learn How to Work as a Team
The ultimate goal of team-building is to teach employees how to work together as a team. When going through each exercise, co-workers discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and use this to overcome challenges in more efficient ways.
Team work is essential in the workplace, and the right team-building activities – ones that really engage co-workers – can help improve this key area.
2. Improved Communication
Communication is key when working as a team. To overcome each challenge, team members have to work together and talk about each move they make.
Employees also learn how to effectively communicate with each individual member of their teams. Some people prefer straightforward communication, while others may need a helping hand working through challenges.
Improvements in communication will translate to the workplace. From emails to meetings, employees will have a better understanding of how to talk to their co-workers in each department.
3. A Chance to Bond and Have Fun
Team-building activities can be fun, and they give co-workers a chance to bond. But it’s important to choose activities that your employees will enjoy.
Team Bonding’s Corporate Survivor game may be a good choice if your employees are more adventurous and enjoy the outdoors.
If your employees enjoy a good competition, WOW Factor ( http://www.wowfactorchicago.com/ ) has inflatable and giant games, like giant darts and giant Jenga.
It’s hard to get people to work together if they don’t like what they’re doing. That’s why it’s so important to choose a team-building activity that your employees will love.
Enjoyable activities will encourage employees to get to know one another, and bond over their common interests. Going through new experiences together and tackling challenges head-on will also strengthen the bond among employees.
4. Enhance Leadership Qualities and Confidence
Every team needs a leader. Effective team-building exercises require leadership from one or all members at some point in the game.
Nurturing leadership skills among your employees is beneficial for everyone. Team-building can also help you identify areas where staff members can contribute as leaders.
Enhanced leadership skills will also build confidence, which is crucial in the workplace. But in order to build confidence among employees, team-building activities must be completed in a non-threatening and non-judgmental environment.
5. Boost Trust and Morale Among Employees
When employees work together to complete a task, they learn to rely on and trust one another. Employees also get to know one another, including their strengths, weaknesses and fears.
When team-building exercises are done in a non-threatening environment, it creates a positive atmosphere that translates to a higher morale in the workplace.
6. Improve Productivity
When employees know each other – their strengths and weaknesses – productivity increases and everything moves like clockwork.
These types of activities also make it easier for management to assign tasks that are in line with each team member’s strengths.
7. Better Work-Life Balance
Team-building events give employees a chance to get away for the day and do something fun. At the same time, these activities are inadvertently helping workers improve their performance.
Fostering a fun work environment through these exercises will not only boost morale, but also make your company a great place to work. When employees look forward to the work day, they’re far more likely to be productive, efficient and creative.
8. Improve Problem-Solving Skills
Most team-building exercises require team members to work together to solve a problem. Enhanced problem-solving skills will encourage autonomy and ensure that employees can overcome challenges.
When employees can find effective solutions to problems, they feel more confident in their ability to do their job. This confidence can also translate to other areas of life.
9. Improved Relationships
Pairing up employees who wouldn’t normally work together will help improve relationships in the workplace. That may translate to more innovative thinking and problem-solving, as employees from different departments tend to do things differently.
Exposing employees to different perspectives and approaches to challenges will improve productivity and innovation in the long-run.
Ultimately, team-building activities help employees come together and learn how to work together as a team. Encouraging a friendly, positive atmosphere will boost morale and make employees look forward to going to work each day.
