Team building and bonding activities can be great ways to help bring your employees together, develop essential skills, and provide them a chance to destress. However, not all team-building plans are created equally. This blog will cover some common pitfalls for those new to making team-building plans.
Sometimes we simply undertake team-building activities because we feel that there is an expectation to do so. Regimented and scheduled team bonding sessions are what modern companies do, right? However, you should never look at team building as just a box to be checked on your employee engagement and development plans.
Before you organize any kind of real-world or virtual team-building activity, it’s essential that you first establish a purpose for the event. Is the goal trying to target specific skills? Do you want to emphasize your team’s ability to problem-solve together or their ability to generate new ideas? If you’re being assigned to plan a “team day,” it’s vital that you request from your boss a clear set of instructions or expectations on what you want the day to accomplish. We are 40% more likely to achieve our goals when we write them down, so write it down!
We want to come up with the most efficient team-building activities for the workplace. No one wants to plan events or activities that are seen as being only “half-bake”. Any event planning is going to involve careful management of resources. Coming up with a goal and theme is the best first step. Your second step should be to mold that goal into a realistic shape.
Your vision is going to naturally be constrained by time and budget. The biggest failures in team-building activities are when goals and resources don’t match up properly. Suppose you have a week to develop some team-building exercises and are expected to keep it at a minimal budget. In that case, for example you don’t want to be booking an outdoor excursion that requires transportation and renting space.
Matching the skills your team needs training on to your team-building activities is one thing. But you also need to consider suitability as well. You need to consider your entire team and their capabilities, not just from your own perspective. You might be an amateur athlete in your free time, but will the rest of your squad appreciate or be able to participate in heavy physical activity? Will new team members have the same mastery of expected skills as your veterans? You can dodge the suitability issue by dividing your employees into different groups if needed. But the team-building activity that includes the most people and is inclusive will be the most effective. Focus on inclusivity and accessibility for all levels in order to maximize engagement.
Too often, people simply pat themselves on the back after a team-building activity is over and call it a day. A great team-building activity is an accomplishment, sure. But remember those goals you made? There’s no point in creating them if you’re not measuring them.
And one of the most effective ways to judge your team-building activities is to get feedback directly from your teams and employees. Quick surveys and the like are excellent ways to measure initial success.
Of course, the best team-building activities are those you can repeat and build on. A regime of team-building activities will be far more effective than simply doing one a year. The more we practice anything, the stronger and better we become. Of course, regularteam-building activities can be challenging to plan for.
That’s where Liberate Studio comes in. Our corporate programs can give your teams the consistent development, engagement, and measurable results they need for success. This lets them build teamwork, confidence, and improved wellbeing. Contact us today to book a demo!
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