Why Team Building Is Important
As a top team building company, we have seen a lot of reactions when employees arrive at a team building activity. Some teams are excited (we’re looking at you – marketing team). While others (such as remote teams) not so much! But in our years of experience conducting team building activities, we have noticed that if a team member seems less-than-thrilled at the beginning of a team builder… they never leave the team building event with that attitude. And that is the topic of discussion for today’s blog – the importance of team building, and why team building works!
Team building activities get everyone to relate as equals
In every organization (especially in the corporate environment), there is a hierarchy. Everyone knows who their boss is and who the boss’ boss is and it’s natural for individuals or employees to defer to their higher-ups. However, during a team building activity, all employees work together on the same level. Whether it is a remote employee, an HR team member, the CEO, or someone from IT , cross functional collaboration brings other departments together to achieve a common goal. For example, while completing an interactive scavenger hunt, these employees may learn about one another’s hidden talents while also working on effective communication. During an escape room, a strong team will work together and use their collective problem-solving skills in order to complete the timed tasks. It’s through fun and engaging team building activities like stuffing a bear for a child in need that your employees will connect with your company culture and develop interpersonal relationships. Team building is important because it helps break down silos and while creating one cohesive team.
Team building brings people together
There is a reason it’s called “team building.” It’s because successful team building activities allow people to make new connections, build positive relationships, bond, and become high performing teams. Employees within your company who may never have interacted with one another before will make connections after working together toward a common goal, forging strong teams. This is especially important if your team is composed of new hires, remote employees, or has recently been re-organized, as it gives employees an opportunity to develop trust, while getting to know their peers and gain a better understanding your company’s culture.
Team building reveals true personalities
There is a quote by Plato that reads, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” At Wildly Different Team Building Experiences, we all delight in seeing peoples’ true selves come out during an employee engagement event. That shy accountant? Fiercely competitive on the field! That engineer? Not only are they good at solving problems, but they are also brilliant at solving clues! A successful team building activity allows everyone a glimpse into another aspect of our co-workers that is unlikely to shine during the normal work environment.
Team building emphasizes team skills
Everyone knows they must use certain skills in the workforce – communication, strategy, collaboration, etc. But sometimes…we forget! Effective team building events put these skills to the test. When the team building event is over, you can then organize a debrief that provides “lightbulb moments” where employees can relate to how a skill they used (or didn’t) made a difference to the outcome and use those lessons in real-world applications. Team building is also an excellent way to evaluate the overall team performance by observing who does or doesn’t possess certain skillsets and using that information to place people in roles that complement their skills and allow you to coach those who need help in certain areas.
Team building is fun!
We’ve all heard, “Work hard. Play hard.” But how many companies who expect their people to work hard truly create opportunities for them to play hard as well? One of the many benefits of team building is that it rewards employees for a job well done, giving team members an opportunity to let their hair down and laugh together. Fun activities and team building exercises boost employee morale and create a more positive work environment. How? Well, according to the Mayo Clinic, laughter produces benefits both short and long term by relieving stress and even improving your immune system. One of the best benefits of team building is having truly engaged employees. Being engaged will motivate employees to work harder, increase productivity and ultimately leads a successful business culture.
Wildly Different
