In order for your business to operate at its full potential, you need all systems and processes to be working. Perhaps the most important “systems” in any business if not technology but the staff you employ. To say that your staff can make or break the company’s success is actually an understatement.
Your employees are the ones you rely on to keep things running smoothly and efficiently, make use of their critical-thinking skills, overcome obstacles, help the company reach its goals, interact with customers and clients, and act as the face of the business. And, in order for that to happen, your staff need to have open lines of communications not just within their department but with all departments so that they can work as one towards a shared goal.
This is where team building exercises can come into the picture. If you feel like your staff just isn’t working well as a team or that the departments feel fragmented or out-of-touch with one another, it’s time to step in. Here are some team building tips and activities that are sure to help.
Give Thought to When You Schedule the Activity
Before you go ahead and schedule a team activity or event, you want to give thought to when it will take place. Ideally, it should be during work hours so no-one has to give up their free time. If that’s not possible, then keep it relatively short and be sure to show appreciation with food and drink.
Collaborative Events Tend to Work Better than Competitive Activities
As you go through your list of potential ideas, you may want to focus on collaborative events and activities rather than competitive ones. Competitive activities will encourage lines to be drawn and smaller teams to form. The idea is that you want everyone working together as one and sharing their ideas and thoughts, not breaking off into groups and feeling the pressure of competition.
Take the Team to an Outside Event
Of course, getting out the office can sometimes be the boost that everyone needs to create that team-like atmosphere and get communicating in a more natural way. This is especially true if the office environment tends to be fast-paced and even stressful at times.
So where should you take your employees? Go big, and take them to a sports event of some kind or even a big concert that has been much anticipated in your town or city. Just make sure you look at Ticket Sales well in advance as you will be purchasing for a group. You will obviously want everyone seated together, or it will defeat the entire team building goal.
It Doesn’t Always Have to Be Big and Elaborate
Keep in mind that in order for a team building activity to be successful, it doesn’t always have to be big and elaborate. It could be something as simple as holding a “lunch and learn” in the office with some fun foods and drinks.
Solidifying the Strength of Your Team
By using these team building activities, you’ll be able to solidify the strength of your team and ensure that all employees are working well together.
