Activities for team building: building a stronger business

How well your employees work together can have an enormous impact on the success of your business, but effective office team building ideas don't happen by chance - activities for team building need to be fostered and developed.

Here are some activities for team-building to help you on the road to building a stronger business.

Why invest in activities for team building? 

Simply putting a group of employees together doesn't make a team; they need to be united in a common goal. So the first step of team building is to ensure your employees know the goals of your business and how to achieve them.

Staff should be aware of their roles and responsibilities, how these fit into the organisational structure and how their contribution affects the overall success of the business.

Activities for team building

Once you've set goals for the team, you need to identify any obstacles that could get in the way of achieving them. This could be inadequate skills, personality conflicts or lack of trust between team members.

Activities for team building can help your employees to overcome many of these obstacles by:

• strengthening workplace relationships
• promoting greater understanding between colleagues
• fostering better communication
• developing problem-solving skills
• improving work skills
• workshopping problems or resolving conflicts.

Types of activities for team building

Activities for team building can take many forms, from organised seminars and training to sporting events and social outings. If your team members have worked hard on a project, for instance, a group celebration is the perfect way to acknowledge their achievement. 

But if your business doesn't have the funds for group outings, don't worry. Team-building games are an inexpensive way to improve staff relationships, and they can be held in your offices.

Some examples of team-building games include:

• solving puzzles or riddles
• adventure-style treasure hunts
• group sporting activities requiring negotiation, communication and co-operation
• games that require staff to get to know each other.

Tips for activities for team building

• Include partners and families occasionally in social outings or celebrations - this will create a sense of community and promote a work-life balance.
• Lead by example - if you want your team to have a positive attitude, show them how it's done.
• Be aware of your employees' comfort levels when planning team-building activities. Some people are uncomfortable with public speaking, so ensure that you create an informal and relaxed atmosphere.
• Promote communication - let your staff know that you value their thoughts and that they are welcome to share their concerns or suggestions.
• Encourage participation - canvass employees for team-building ideas. They may have particular interests or concerns that they think need addressing.

Building for the future

Holding regular team-building days can help your employees improve their skills, strengthen their relationships and focus on the goals of your business.

So talk to a staff-development specialist today and help develop your office team building ideas.