Team building events can be like Marmite for many people. You either love them or you hate them. But did you know that being a team player and getting involved with team building activities is one of the best ways to boost your career?

Team building events are planned for a reason, so if you’re always giving minimum effort or trying to find a way to get out of the events, you could be giving the wrong message to your employer. Instead of giving the impression that you are switched on, engaged and willing to be part of a team, you could be giving management the impression that you are not a team player.

If you’re ready to boost your career, here are just some of the ways that getting involved with team building can help.

Improve communication

One of the main benefits of team building events is the opportunity to get to know other members of your team in an informal and relaxed setting. But remember that not all team building is about relaxed settings. Sometimes, it can be a competition, or a physical challenge.

By putting yourself in new situations with your colleagues, you can improve your communication in different settings. You’ll have to learn to adapt how you speak to people based on the situation, and this can make your communication in the workplace more effective.

Break down barriers

We’re all guilty of making assumptions about those around us every day. We might close ourselves off to certain conversations because we assume that there’s nothing in it for us. By getting involved in team building activities, you can actively challenge your own assumption and break down the barriers that might be holding you back.

Holding on to these barriers can be detrimental to your career as it might prevent you from making connections in the workplace that could be beneficial to your long-term career goals. You can only benefit from knowing more people in your workplace, and team building can help you to break down barriers between departments and get to know as many people as possible.

Facilitate conversations

Team building can help to connect you with people in your organisation that might be beneficial to your career further down the line. They might be your peers now, but they could be on the hiring panel in the future. If they know your face and they know you’re a switched on and highly engaged individual, they’re more likely to put in a good word for you. When you’re trying to develop your career, you can only benefit from knowing more people.

Better job satisfaction

Some team building events like long distance cycling challenges are not just great for building teams, they’re also excellent for your mental health and wellbeing. Finding an outlet for stress can help you to handle difficult situations in the workplace with ease. And in turn, this can help to improve your sense of job satisfaction.

All of this contributes to becoming a more satisfied and happy employee, which is something that all companies want to see. When you enjoy good job satisfaction and can handle workplace stress with ease, you become a much more desirable employee. This can help you to find new positions with ease, as you’ll be looking for the next step in your career as a positive move, rather than leaving a position because you are stressed or unhappy.

Learn to be a creative problem solver

Team building is about more than just getting to know your colleagues. It’s also about improving the soft skills that will serve you well in the workplace. Soft skills include things like problem solving and creativity, which are two skills that employers love to see from interested candidates.

We don’t often get opportunities to be creative or work together to solve problems in the workplace, which is why making the most of team building exercises can be so beneficial. Not only will you learn new things about yourself, you’ll also learn new strategies and problem solving techniques from your colleagues. This can help you to be more effective in your role.

Final thoughts on team building for career development

You might be apprehensive about getting involved with team building activities, but there are widespread benefits on offer for those who can enthusiastically embrace the concept. By demonstrating that you are a team player and capable of engaging with team building exercises designed by your organisation, you’ll set yourself apart from the competition when it comes to promotion decisions.

Managers rely on a certain number of individuals approaching team building exercises with a certain level of enthusiasm. These are the people that bring the energy and make it possible for those who might be less engaged to feel involved. For this reason, being actively engaged with team building exercises can do wonderful things for your career.