Team Building is the process of bringing employees together through group activities to foster a sense of togetherness. Team building activities aide in creating a team that cohesively works together towards a common goal.
Corporate team building can build trust, boost morale, improve communication, enhance problem solving skills, strengthen change management skills, empower, encourage bonding, and enhance higher levels of trust and support.
Looking back over the last few years from the pandemic and all things virtual, to "The Great Resignation", it couldn't be more apparent that the time is NOW to focus on forming bonds and connections in the workplace. A 2022 Gallup Poll reported 53% of Americans expect to continue with a hybrid work model moving forward. But then you have Microsoft's annual work trend index that revealed 55% of hybrid employees and 50% of remote employees feel lonelier at work than they did pre-pandemic. In this current state, a company's leadership can no longer count on employees to form natural connections on their own. Something's got to give!
The solution may lie in carefully considered in-person events that offer employees the opportunity to work together in a more casual space for organic inspiration and innovation. There is great potential in team building events if done right, so I scoured the Internet and industry resources to come up with tips to maximize your efforts in planning and execution.
- Have a clear "why": Be intentional as you plan your team building activity or event and clearly identify the purpose.
- Find the right cadence: Establish a frequency that aligns with your goals (remember that you can't expect miracles with a one-time event)
- Building excitement is half the battle: Key to this: your communication pre-event; strong theme or brand identity…these are key factors in getting your employees to want to attend. You want buy-in!
- Mix-up the formatting: Networking, downtime, work-focused elements. Schedule the day so that it allows your employees sufficient time to bond and create the relationships that will drive your business forward.
- A people-centric approach is crucial: Things to consider - Who is the primary attendee? What could be standing in the way of them feeling fully connected in the workplace? Don't just focus on logistics of the event. Think: people, the experience, the connection to balance work and the event experience.
Anecdotally, in my role as the Corporate Account Executive for Turf Valley Resort, I've seen a significant increase in corporate retreat and team building events over the last couple of years. A common theme is that virtually every meeting planner I work with is looking for fresh, new ideas. They don't want to do the same standard team building and I get it! After all, how many "trust falls" can one person do!? I keep a list of unique ideas in my arsenal and am always looking to add more. I'll be doing a follow-up where I discuss creative team building and group activities. In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you – what have been some of your most memorable team building events and why?
Written by:
Betsy Collings, Corporate Account Executive at Turf Valley Resort