The reasons for implementing team building activities in the workplace are more varied than you might think. For many managers, there is the assumption that it’s all about boosting productivity. By fostering better connections between team members, collaboration and problem solving will increase, which will lead to a boost in productivity.
For other managers, the focus is on stress reduction. By helping to create situations that diffuse the stress that often builds up in workplaces, there is the hope that employees will be happier and more satisfied in the workplace. And ultimately, this will lead to increased productivity and profitability for the organisation.
Whichever camp you fall into, there are science-backed reasons to consider making team building a regular part of your company calendar. In this guide, we’re looking at some of the most popular reasons to start making team building a regular occurrence. We’ll also explore the science-backed reasons that this will help to improve employee satisfaction.
Why should managers care?
Team building requires a level of investment of resources and time taken out of the workday to make it happen. So from a purely business perspective, why should managers care? After all, it’s certainly possible to run a company without bothering with anything like team building.
Yet the research shows that getting along with your coworkers and having a strong team in the workplace is essential. Team building activities help to lower stress levels and increase productivity. In turn, this will help to increase employee happiness by giving them a sense of belonging. And finally, this is turned into loyalty, which helps to drive down recruitment costs while increasing engagement from existing employees.
Like on-the-job training, team building is another essential component that needs to fall into place in order for everyone to be happy. And while team building won’t mean that everyone on the team is guaranteed to stick around and will never seek opportunities elsewhere, it does guarantee that the employees that show up every day will be happy.
What’s the science behind team building?
Studies have found that it is team dynamics and not individual success that will shape the success of a company. With this in mind, it’s essential for companies to not only focus on hiring the best possible talent, but to also invest time and resources into ensuring that they can function well together. The following are just some of the reasons to consider adding team building activities to your company schedule.
Builds psychological safety
In order to be able to collaborate effectively, your teams need to feel safe in the workplace. Fostering a sense of psychological safety can help everyone to speak up and share their ideas without fear of rejection or ridicule. In highly competitive workplaces where individuals do not feel safe or included, productivity can be damaged if individuals don’t feel they can share their thoughts and opinions. By investing time in team building, you can bolster this sense of safety and help to facilitate better communication.
Encourages participation
Some people like to fly under the radar and simply get on with their job, without creating a fuss. By investing time in team building activities, these individuals are more likely to contribute to the team dynamic and become less self-reliant.
Boosting participation can help to make it easier for new members of the team to quickly become integrated with the existing team and start to contribute their insight and expertise.
Boost morale
Stress, anxiety and depression can all impact productivity and creativity in the workplace. By making team building a priority, you could help to boost morale and help workers to feel calmer about their work.
Activities that focus on achievement and success are a great way to boost morale. Things like scavenger hunts and long distance cycle challenges can all help to focus attention on victory and provide a rush of feel good hormones when the challenge is complete. Long distance cycle challenges are particularly beneficial as the team will have to prepare for the event, which will deliver a greater sense of achievement when they reach their goal.
Enhances the sense of belonging
Diversity is an essential part of building successful teams, but building diverse teams comes with its own set of challenges. Namely that it can lead to the team members feeling disconnected from one another. It’s common for diverse teams to focus on their differences and struggle to find common ground.
To counter this feeling of isolation, team building can help them to find common ground and similarities. This will help to build a sense of belonging between teammates that can help to overcome differences and enhance collaboration. And when teams are better integrated and enjoy a greater sense of belonging, they are more likely to be loyal to their employer and stick around for the long-term.
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