There are very few companies that rely on their workers functioning independently. Most of them require their workers to collaborate as a team in order to achieve growth and success. But how exactly do you build a strong and effective team?
The recruitment process is an important part of building effective teams, as you’ll need to ensure a harmonious mixture of personalities to ensure everyone can work together effectively.
Once you’ve put together strong teams, you then need to give them the space and framework to bond and get to know one another. This will cultivate a culture of trust between team members. Team building exercises are one of the most effective ways to achieve this.
If you’re on the fence about team building exercises, consider these 8 reasons that they could be incredibly important for your company.
1. Develop a culture of trust
To be able to trust someone, you need to know who they are. Team building exercises can help workers to get to know each other on a more personal level. It can also help individuals from different departments to get to know those they might not always come into contact with. A culture of trust will enhance teamwork and streamline collaboration.
2. Identify strengths
Observing a team building exercise is a great opportunity for managers to spot unknown strengths in their workers. It’s also an opportunity for workers to discover unknown strengths in themselves. By switching up the focus of your team building exercises, you can allow everyone to find an area where they can truly shine. This might be a surprise to you and to your workers.
3. Spot leadership potential
Some people are natural leaders, but they never gravitate towards this field. Others want to be leaders but lack the skills and capacity for this type of role. Team building exercises can be an ideal way to determine who has the skills needed to effectively lead a team, and don’t be surprised if it isn’t always the obvious choice. Some team building activities will bring out the natural born leader in certain individuals.
4. Onboard new hires
Onboarding is more effective when the whole team gets involved. By making team building a part of the onboarding process, you can quickly help new hires get to know the team they will be working with. This can allow individuals to quickly integrate within teams and break down barriers between new hires and existing employees. This avoids there being a culture of “us” and “them” when new people join the company and will also prevent individuals feeling excluded.
5. Improve communication
Communication is the cornerstone of all effective collaboration. Team building exercises will help to break down barriers and teach workers the best way to communicate with those around them. Focus on team building exercises that require individuals to express their ideas to one another if you would like to improve communication.
6. Ignite some healthy rivalry
Rivalry in the workplace can be a healthy thing if it is cultivated in the right way. Splitting workers into teams and encouraging them to compete can help to spark new alliances and ways of working alongside one another. It can also help others to see eye to eye, even if they typically struggle to collaborate on projects. Try keeping the teams similar every time you do team building activities so regular rivalries could flourish.
7. Boost morale
Team building exercises are a break from the norm and can help to boost morale within your teams. This can help keep workers happy and cultivate a more playful environment at work. If workers have time away from their usual tasks, they can return feeling refreshed and energised. You can also offer treats like a lunch buffet or after work drinks as a reward for participation. This can help to break up the working day or offer some respite from the usual routine.
8. Develop problem solving skills
Many team building activities require everyone to think outside the box and solve problems with everyday objects. Problem solving skills can be developed individually, or they can be developed collaboratively. By teaching your teams how to solve problems together, they will become more resilient and effective in their day to day jobs.
Final thoughts on team building
Team building remains one of the most effective ways to encourage collaboration and improve communication between employees. It can and should be a regular part of your routine, allowing you to onboard new employees and foster new relationships between those who might not get to work together all the time.
Not only will your workers get to know one another, it’s also an ideal opportunity for managers to learn more about untapped skills and potential. There could be a wealth of experience and aptitudes that you are none the wiser to.
