Team Building. Two words which never fail to make people groan in dread. We’ve all seen stories of cliche team building exercises. However, team building, when done correctly, is something which is one of the most valuable and significant investments your company will ever make.
Team Building – Organic Growth
Team building is important because you cannot replicate the kind of growth which you see in your workforce. When you do something which isn’t forced or artificial, then you observe workers and colleagues connecting in a way which exists outside of the office dynamic. If people only know one another inside an office environment, then it’s hard for them to connect and come together, because they don’t understand the other person as being anything besides another link in the chain. When you socialise with people outside of work, you see their likes, dislikes and values in a way that isn’t usually possible. This understanding of people promotes a collective feeling of companionship and camaraderie which will show itself in a more productive and enthusiastic office environment.
The most important thing to remember with a team building exercise is that you cannot force people to participate because the kind of team spirit you want to cultivate isn’t something which can be hurried along or moved forward. It is something which is entirely dependent on people feeling like they’re in a natural setting and will thus be inclined to work together.
Why Is Team Building An Important Investment?
Team building activities help to bring people together in ways that you can’t possibly predict. The experience of being together, undertaking a task together or doing something that doesn’t have massive repercussions for their careers brings out a side of people which is often kept hidden. Take people out of their comfort zone, and you see a whole new side to them. It also shows how people cope under pressure, and how this might translate into the work place.
A proven team-building event is The Killing, where guests will be fully immersed in this “out of the ordinary” event, working together to solve the many elements of a murder case. Working as a team helps to encourage both a co-worker to co-worker engagement, but also learning to work together, rely on each other and how to communicate effectively. In fact, this is perhaps one of the best team building exercises you could do with your workers.
Overall, it is easy to see why team building is one of the most critical investments which you will ever make. A group of people who get on together and work well together is something which is quite difficult to replicate, and people who’ve bonded outside of the workplace are much more productive and efficient. The average worker will spend at least 40 hours with their team, this could be more than they do with their partners! We cannot stress enough how important the bonds between your workers are, as without them the company cannot progress and move forward. Team building activities are therefore a great way to bring people together, and the most important investment you’ll make as the leader of a company.
