Working in the prison sector can be physically and emotionally draining. It is a challenging career path that could leave some workers feeling isolated. One way to challenge this notion is by nurturing working relationships between correctional officers.
One way to achieve this is through the power of team building. A lot of people think that team building activities are cheesy, but they soon discover that they are also a lot of fun. Finding ways to have fun in the workplace is essential when you are employed in such a difficult sector.
In this guide, we’re looking at the benefits of team building exercises for correctional officers and how you can create the ideal activities that will tick all of the boxes for your goals.
Why is team building essential for the prison sector?
Working in prisons is challenging work, and it’s essential that you go into work feeling like your colleagues will always have your back. This doesn’t happen overnight and without support from your superiors.
By breaking down the working barriers and encouraging everyone to see their colleagues as whole human beings, you can improve trust, communication and collaboration. This will help to make the workplace safer by making sure that everyone feels supported.
Team building exercises will also enable you to spot leadership potential among your workers. When placed into a non-work environment, you’ll be able to see who emerges as a natural leader and who is able to command the respect of their colleagues.
Ready to introduce team building into your correctional officer teams? Try these popular activities…
1. Charity bike ride
The simplest way to encourage your correctional officers to get to know one another in a less conventional work setting is to undertake a challenge together. A charity bike ride ticks all of the boxes for team building, boosting mental health and encouraging a greater sense of camaraderie in the workplace.
Physical fitness is an essential component for this line of work, so embarking on a long distance bike ride could be just the thing you need to encourage your team to get to know each other in a non-work setting. Not to mention, there’s the added perk of being able to raise money for a good cause.
2. Book club
It’s important to offer different types of activities for different personality types. When the focus is on encouraging interaction and fostering a sense of trust, it doesn’t really matter what the activity is.
A workplace book club will help to break down barriers and encourage everyone to engage over a shared love for fiction. This is a great method for bringing more introverted personality types out of their shell and encouraging them to get to know people from other departments. Team building activities don’t always have to be fast-paced or competitive.
3. Building challenge
Building challenges can improve teamwork, collaboration and communication. Split your correctional officers into teams and give them a random collection of objects. They will then have to meet a specific challenge, such as creating the tallest or strongest structure. The structure could also have to meet specific requirements, such as being able to fly or float.
Observe your teams as they work together and see how they approach this challenge. This can help you to see who has potential for leadership positions.
4. Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt can help to develop teamwork, collaboration and problem solving. The basic premise is to split your workers into teams and give them a list of items they need to find or challenges they need to complete. This could include collecting items from areas around their workplace, or it could include things like taking a picture with a specific landmark.
The scavenger hunt is a great social activity that will enable your correctional officers to get to know one another outside of the workplace. This will help to foster a greater sense of trust between workers, as they will know each other on a personal level, not just a professional level. You might also find that it helps to create a healthy sense of competition which helps to boost employee happiness.
5. Wellness activities
Those working as correctional officers need to take good care of their mental health as well as their physical health. Wellness activities can encourage everyone to slow down and prioritise their mental health.
Wellness activities could include something like a meditation class, yoga class or sound bath. These will enable everyone to take a step away from their usual work activities and take part in something positive and grounding.
It’s also an ideal opportunity for managers to check in with their team and encourage them to share if something is amiss. Workers are far more likely to raise issues related to their wellbeing if they are actively engaged in an activity to promote their wellbeing.
