Why Team Building is so Important in the Workplace

Team building has a slightly uncool reputation – try not to cringe too much when you think of awkward ice breakers & uncomfortable trust-building exercises. Despite this, if team building is done right, it can be incredibly influential for your business and co-workers. Plus, they can actually be fun!

Team building activities have been proven to build trust, mitigate conflict, encourage communication and increase collaboration. It’s also great for a happier company culture which means more motivated employees.

Recently at Blakeney Point Search & Selection, we have been expanding our company with new recruits who are dotted all over the country. But through this, we have still created close working relationships with one another – even whilst working from home! Team building who a big part of the success of this.

So here are some tips to help you plan a fun and successful team building activities:

Save the corporate talk for the office

Although it might be tempting to use the escape room your employees just broke out of as an excuse to give an insightful speech about teamwork and perseverance… but the truth is, that’s not what these activities are about. Team building days will prove to be so much more powerful if the focus is put simply on spending time together and sharing an experience.

One example that shows this: we recently went on a day-long walk in the High Peaks. It was one of the hottest days of the year and no one, in particular, was that serious of a rambler, yet there was no lesson about determination once we reached the peak. We had a picnic, enjoyed the view whilst everyone chatted and in the end, the experience brought us all closer.

Aim to make the day interesting

It may sound obvious but make sure the activity is genuinely fun and interesting for everyone. A day with colleagues is a great opportunity to try new things! Picking a unique activity that might be slightly out of people’s comfort zone can ultimately make you a stronger team.

The goal is to make real friendships with colleagues which can’t just be done over a coffee. Putting time and effort into creating memories will not only serve employees but the business too.

Keep up the (positive) work!

If you were hoping this was a one-time, quick solution then sadly for you: you’d be wrong. You’ve got to keep the excitement and energy up once you’re back in the office. Make the most of the team building days by allowing space for the interactions and connections that were made in day-to-day life.

Here at Blakeney Point, we check in with one another every morning where we discuss our ongoing projects and celebrate achievements together. At the same time, we allow space for friendly chats and life updates. Beyond that, when it comes to picking the team building activities, we all get a say in what we would like to do. Just by giving everyone the chance to suggest something to do together, you get more of an insight into who people really are.

It can be hard to know if you’ve got team-building right.. but generally, if everyone was laughing and is up for the next activity then you’ve probably got it right!

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