Team Bonding or Team Building? There are many industry terms that often get lumped together as meaning the same thing but none more so than those two. So are they really the same thing or are they different?
The simple answer is yes, they are different, but also share some similarities. It all comes down to perspective and desired outcomes. We take a quick look at is what separates the two types of events and who they suit best.
Now before I go on, I want to point out two things: 1. there is no right or wrong choice of activity type, both offer something different, and 2. that the overall outcome of any event is for those participants to have fun and enjoy the experience! However, the more intrinsic reasons for the teams trying either a bonding or building event is for that event to make a difference in the working environment when they return to the office.
What is Team Bonding?
Before we get into the debate on the two events, lets first define what each one is. Team Bonding is usually defined as an activity where members of the team get to know each other better and in some cases speak with those they wouldn’t normally do so during a working day. The activities are often focused more on fun and enjoyment than on creating a more productive working environment.
A perfect example of this is a go-kart track day, where the team can race around the track, challenging each other for fastest lap times and becoming the champion. While this is, of course, a lot of fun and great for creating healthy competetion and some good-natured banter, it has little bearing on improving the working nature of the team.
What is Team Building?
Team building in its simplest form is an activity or event that helps teams to improve productivity in a number of ways. Employees that participate in team building become more familiar with one another’s way of working, strengths, weaknesses and areas they want to improve on.
Teams learn how their teammates communicate, what kind of personalities they have, what their key skills are and what their personal preferences are. This knowledge helps the team understand who is the best at certain kinds of tasks, leading to a productivity boost.
A great example of a fun, engaging team building event that makes teams work closely together and utilise everyone’s skills is The Killing CSI Team Building Experience. This cerebral Crime Scene Investigation is made up of several different areas that will require teams to gather evidence and question what they find in order to solve the murder.
It offers a chance for the members of the team who usually take a backseat in team events to come to the forefront and be an integral part of the activity.
Bonding or Building?
When it comes to choosing which style of event is better, it is a good idea to identify why you’re looking at booking one of these events in the first place. Are you looking to increase communication among your staff? Maybe productivity levels have dropped over the last couple of months and you want to improve staff morale. Or are you simply looking for a fun & exciting day out with your team?
There is no doubt that you can go on a team building event just to have a good time and enjoy getting out of the office. However, there are many benefits in undertaking a team building with a set of goals in mind, that can make a difference in your business long after you get back from the trip.
As I said at the beginning, there is no right or wrong when it comes to the type of event you choose, as long as it fits your goals and intends outcomes.
