How Important Is Team Building In The Workplace

As a leader, you will spend a significant amount of time working with people. You will do it at your job, where you are paid to work with others, and outside of work, when you’re interacting with individuals beyond the workplace.

In addition to how important it is at the professional level, team building is also an effective way to improve interpersonal skills, connect with other leaders in your organization, and strengthen relationships that can aid in career success.

Team building activities are a great way to achieve these goals as well as promote employee engagement and motivation. They inspire employees by giving them something to strive for and they boost organizational cohesion.

It’s easy to underestimate the importance of teamwork in our society today. We live in a culture that values individual achievement and reward over collective effort and collaboration. This shift towards individuality is clearly visible throughout all areas of life — from media influence to politics to business.

But here’s the thing: A healthy workforce depends on more than just one or two individuals. It requires collaborations between different departments, levels, and specializations within an organization. And we need strong teams if we want to satisfy customer demands, keep up with competition, and advance in our careers.

Businesses that foster high employee engagement tend to reap the benefits in terms of happier workers, higher productivity, and lower turnover.

The importance of team building

As discussed earlier, workplace relationships are an integral part of your job as a manager or leader. And while having strong friendships outside of work is great, investing time into improving your group dynamics is just as important.

Team building exercises can be fun ways to do this. There are many different types of team building activities that have varying levels of intensity. Some are more formalized, like taking a business trip together, while others are less so, such as organizing a lunch-and-learn event at your company for staff to attend.

Whatever type of activity you choose to do, make sure it’s meaningful. What I mean by this is don’t simply organize a basketball game because everyone likes to watch football and you thought someone was missing out if they didn’t join the club.

That wouldn’t really help anyone connect with each other beyond the surface level.

Examples of team building

Teambuilding is one of the most important things employers can do to strengthen their workplace. Companies that actively engage in various forms of team-based training and entertainment learn how to motivate, inspire, and retain employees.

Teambuilding is an excellent way to boost employee morale and productivity. It also helps promote trust and loyalty within the organization by creating strong relationships.

Many companies offer internal events or activities like lunch and dinner gatherings, educational seminars, game days, free drinks and snacks, and/or contests or giveaways.

These types of events are not only fun for participants, but they also help expose colleagues’ talents and strengths which can be used for career advancement.

General team bonding exercises such as going out for coffee or tea together, sharing stories, playing games, etc. are all great ways to accomplish this.

Some companies even hold annual get-togethers called “Christmas parties” or “Birthday Parties!” where everyone comes together for an event with no specific purpose. These are typically organized at a cost per person.

Not only does this type of activity increase worker happiness, it can also have significant benefits for the company.

Ways to do team building

Recent studies have shown that strong team relationships are an important factor in creating a productive work environment. Developing these relationships can reduce stress, help you gain coverage, and promote trust among coworkers or even your superiors.

Teambuilding is a very popular way to strengthen workplace relations. It can be done at any level — between individuals, groups of people, and departments within an organization.

Facilitators who lead group activities are often trained in team-building techniques, so if you’re looking for some tips, look into this. There are many ways to organize a team activity, so you will not be limited to just one type!

Here are five easy teambuilding exercises that anyone can try. Try two each week until you get the hang of it and then start alternating which ones you perform to make them more fun and interesting.

Take breaks

As mentioned earlier, team building is an excellent way to strengthen workplace relationships. What kind of activities you choose for a break really depends on what type of work environment you’re in and individual people in your department or organization.

For example, if there are no internal projects going on that require teamwork, then just doing something fun like bowling or hiking can be ideal. For more coordinated teams with things happening simultaneously, sports are the best choice.

If everyone in your group is comfortable, maybe talking about current events is enough. Or perhaps having a short discussion about a topic they know well is adequate.

Whatever you pick, make it casual and quick so employees don’t feel too pressured to participate. Just because you chose this activity doesn’t mean others have to!

Not only does taking a break help reduce tension, it also gives individuals time to recover from whatever got them down before the activity.

Be consistent

As mentioned before, team building is not a one-and-done activity. It does not occur once a year at a company event or via an internal group exercise program. Rather, it is an ongoing process that requires consistency to be successful.

That means attending as many events as possible, staying for the right amount of time, and being persistent when needed. There are several reasons why this matters.

First, research shows that people who work with others are more likely to enjoy their jobs and stay employed than those who do not. Having teamwork skills can increase employee satisfaction and engagement. Plus, studies have shown that employees working together longer term are less likely to commit workplace harassment and discrimination.

Second, employers look at how well teams work together during recruitment times. If you’re looking for a job, showing proof of teamwork through past experiences is a good way to stand out from the crowd.

Third, team building is a powerful way to boost morale and productivity among colleagues. Employees will feel appreciated and valued if they see that you invest in them – which can only help them perform better.

It may also inspire them to contribute more towards creating effective teams beyond your current staff size.

Provide structure

As discussed earlier, team building is very important to workplace morale. Not only do groups enjoy meeting together for fun, but it also helps promote trust, solidarity, and understanding of each other’s roles within the organization.

Teambuilding exercises that focus on providing structure are the most effective types. This can be done through having group conversations, doing activities as a team, or even just staying awake during a given period of time.

By having these structured times, people feel obligated to attend and contribute because they have signed up for it. This creates supportive relationships that help keep workers motivated and engaged.

It also encourages participation from others, which again boosts employee engagement and productivity. When people work together effectively, they tend to appreciate one another more and leave happier than before.

Encourage leadership

As mentioned before, team building is very important to workplace success. Not only does it strengthen work relationships, but it also creates an environment where people feel comfortable asking others for help or sharing knowledge and experience.

Leaders are always encouraging their colleagues, giving them praise and recognition for good work. They make sure that everyone feels appreciated and needed, which is a key factor in employee retention.

As a manager, you should be doing your best to create a supportive culture both internally and externally. You can do this by offering rewards and incentives, celebrating achievements, listening to other employees’ opinions, holding regular meetings and conferences, etc.

Be realistic

As mentioned before, team building is not something that happens once a year or even every month. It is an ongoing process that requires consistency to see results. This can be difficult as people are attached to their ideas of what team building should look like and how it should occur, but creating open conversations, sharing experiences, and exploring new things together is the best way to achieve this.

If you’re too focused on having big events then you may miss out on what works better for your colleagues and the organization as a whole.

For example, instead of organizing a movie night, why don’t you all get into a discussion about the importance of teamwork? Or maybe taking some time off to go sightseeing outside the area is more effective than going to a museum.

There will never be a right moment to do team-building, so make it a part of your daily life.

At MyWorkPlace we try to have at least one event per week where employees get together to socialize, discuss products and services, and learn more about each other. These meetings usually last around 30 minutes and are held anywhere there is enough space – from the cafeteria to the office.

This is important because research has shown that when workers spend less time with each other, working relationships suffer (Bassett et al., 2008).

Teamwork is a valuable asset to any organization, which makes it essential to foster strong bonds within the group.