A company is a collective. It is a well oiled machine that needs all its different parts to work properly. This is exactly what a company wants all its employees to learn while they are committed to their own individualistic goals and ambitions of life.
Teamwork marks the true difference between success and failure within a company. This is why teamwork is absolutely essential, for it not only motivates the members to work hard together, but it also keeps them focused in areas that they are most adept at working on.
Teamwork comes from trust amongst the members. When members do not work together, they simply become a part of a group, not a team. Maintaining an effective team is a herculean task, and this is why companies carry out ‘drills’ or ‘games’ to keep the members active together and build a sense of goodwill towards one and another. A straightforward term, “team building”, is used to describe just that – companies organise events to help their employees bond and gain the needed trust to become a competent team.
Team building events can be organised both in and out of the office. Though they are designed to be fun, they have a much deeper philosophy to them. Let’s break down some of most important categories of team building activities and see how they work.
Indoor Team Building
Communication Activities
A lot of times, icebreakers become a big part in helping team members mingle. Having several games that would open up a channel of communication amongst the members would really help to close the distance and get everyone on the same platform to discuss and debate their points. This is also one way that employees could use to get to know each other better and have a fair idea of how everyone thinks.
Puzzle-Solving Activities
While the initial communication games create a rapport, it is beneficial to put the employees through a series of tests where they solve codes or puzzles in groups. This will show them the value of working together effectively and quickly. These games allow employees to understand the strengths of others and how good they are in their own respective fields.
Painting
Although it might sound childish, painting activities tend to reveal a lot about the individual within a team. This is a very creative activity where employees can share their hidden talents, subconsciously.
The reason for organising games within a company is not only to teach employees the benefits of teamwork, but to also have them enjoy each other’s company. Team building activities hope to bring team members closer together on a personal level. This encourages them to work with each other without letting personal rivalries affect their interactions.
Outdoor Activities
As mentioned above, team building activities can be organised outdoors, as well. They tend to be larger in scale, enabling for different activities to occur.
Annual Sports Event
A lot of companies support having a sports event where the employees team up for either basketball, cricket or any other fun activity. Sports is a great way to teach employees the importance of teamwork in order to bag a win.
Treasure Hunts
This could be a fun outdoor event where employees would be divided into different groups. Each team would be given puzzles and clues that would lead them around the city, in search for the lost treasure. This game reflects leadership, interaction skills and talents at cracking problems for immediate solutions.
There are many types of events that can be held to let employees have fun while building a strong bond with each other. The bond, or connection, in the professional sphere will translate into the desire to work together with the common goal to succeed. Companies, therefore, invest plenty of time, money and effort to arrange team building events, knowing that their investments will be paid off.
Photo credit: Kimberly Kohler / See-Ming Lee / Treasure Trails
