Mar 8, 2022, 2:35:27 PM
By Simon Nichols
We have written previously about what you as the planner of team building is looking for and what outcomes you would desire, but what about what your team want? What are their aims by participating in a team building day?
1. An escape from daily tasks
When we think about team building, we think about communication, teamwork, collaboration, and creating a platform for better working, but for some people it’s a great way to escape from daily tasks.
Perhaps they spend 5 days a week talking with customers? Feel head down working in spreadsheets? Have not had a break from delivering parcels since Christmas? Having a day paintballing could be a perfect escape from reality for many of your team.
By providing an escape from the mundane daily tasks, you will see a boost in morale.
2. An opportunity to network and socializing
Team building is a great opportunity for employees to mingle with their existing team members away from the workplace, and network with other departments.
In many companies where there are numerous floors and buildings, departments may not mix during working hours.
Many of your team will be so looking to spending time with colleagues and to create strong relationships.
3. A chance to try something new
We all lead busy lives, working long hours, and if you have children your weekend can be full of swimming lessons, football training, and play dates, so a team building day could be a wonderful opportunity to try a new activity. Many people may not have the spare money available to try a new experience.
Perhaps it is archery? Kayaking? Or even yoga? You will find that several your team will enjoy having a chance to participate in a new activity or experience, and that it is provided by their employee.
4. A morale booster
As team building becomes more common, your employees will see the benefit of team building as a way of boosting motivation.
By engaging your team with good team building sessions, they will see how improving communication, working as a team, and a creating a competitive environment will not only improve productivity but also make a more motivated team.
Consider brewery tours, music lessons, or go karting as the kinda of team building activities that will boost the morale within your department.
5. A day to build confidence
Team building is an opportunity for individuals to feel more confident which they will see as a benefit to take back into the workplace.
Activities such as survival skills workshops, high ropes courses, and zip lines will take employees away from the desk, car, or shop and put them in a high-pressure environment, ideal for a team that is looking to gain confidence for the business challenges that lie ahead.
Perhaps a session of arts and crafts, or cookery are great options for boosting the confidence of your team.
6. An opportunity for empowerment and showcase hidden talents
For new employees or quiet employees, it can be difficult to shine in a large organization, or in a company where management who are not present during normal working hours.
Team building such as white-water rafting, escape rooms, and quiz nights provide a platform for a range of employees to show what they can achieve in a new way.
A day team building could be the opportunity for you to show management what you can do!
7. It's nice to feel part of the bigger picture
Your company may work across multiple floors, offices, locations, and even time zones and your team will benefit from team building as a chance for them to look away from their own role in the company and see the bigger picture.
Employees may be looking to the team building day as a chance for management to show them where the company is going and how their department plays a part in the future of the business. Virtual experiences are the perfect way to show your whole business what part they can play in the future of the organisation.
8. A reward
Employees now are unlikely to take the first job after school, college, or university and stay there until they retire; people are now more likely to move location and job or even career a number of times in their life.
Team building is now something that is expected of a forward-thinking company and will form part of a company’s Human Resources plans – as a modern company you must consider your employees job satisfaction.
Consider providing prizes and an element of your team building day.
9. To have something to look forward to
As many employees work long hours, commute to the office, travel on company business, have limited holiday allocation, or have busy weekends with the family, a team building day is something to truly look forward to.
Make your team building plans part of the workplace calendar and your team will have a date to look forward to, consider it a day to celebrate.
10. A chance to have some fun!
Team building should be fun, and your team will be looking to be entertained as part of their team building session.
Look for activities such as scavenger hunts, paddleboarding, beer tasting, drumming workshops, and dance lessons as a way to entertain your team and make them look forward to the next team building day!
Simon Nichols
Head of Partnerships at Evendo
About Simon, he has a background in the London events and hospitality market going back over 20 years. Simon has in an in-depth knowledge of the events market and currently heads up all supplier partnerships at Evendo.
