Get involved: Motivate your team with team building exercises

Well, it’s been too long since I’ve posted here, about a week I think, and I’m a bit annoyed at myself for letting that happen. The reasons for this are two-fold: firstly, my project is getting much more intense and I’ve been super busy, meaning that time to research and write posts is at a severe premium. Secondly, for a fair whack of this time I’ve been out of the office participating in team building activities. And this brings me to today’s post topic.

‘Team Building Activity’ is a title which can represent any one of a number of varying activities, from an afternoon at the pub sinking jars and playing stick, to professional tutors teaching new skills and competencies. So what works best? Why should teams go to the effort and expense of organising a team building activity? Is there really anything to gain for the participants?

From personal experience, team building activities can be both rewarding and educational. So far some of the activities I’ve been involved in are:

• Presentation skills course
• High achiever presentation
• Learn to sail course
• Lawn bowls
• Volunteer work for charity (sorting Christmas presents for underprivileged children)
• Karaoke
• Clue based treasure hunt
• Afternoons at the pub

Obviously some of these were more aimed at fun whilst others were aimed much more at professional development. I believe it’s important to address both sides of the coin, as everyone likes to have fun, but many also yearn to develop themselves and their career. In some cases, we’ve been able to combine both aspects into a single day which is enjoyable and rewarding for everyone. Presenting these opportunities to the entire team can benefit both the individuals and the organisation.

It’s also important to organise regular events for the team. It’s very easy to slip into a monotonous pattern at work where energy levels and morale may drop as projects take hold and deadlines loom. However, I’m a strong believer in the old saying that ‘A happy worker is a productive worker’, and organising team building events is a great way to promote higher morale levels within your team. It’s also a great way of allowing all team members to spend social time together, getting to know each other and strengthening personal and professional relationships. The benefits of these to the professional environment are numerous and far reaching.

Often the drawback to such activities is getting the time off work and the funding to organise them. All I can say is that it doesn’t hurt to ask. The sailing course I went on was a result of a comment made by one team member with respect to team morale; within a month or so we were out on the water and the atmosphere in the office since has changed for the better. Other activities have been outside of work hours and have been self-funded. The bottom line is, we had fun and we did it as a team.

So I guess my tip for today is to rally your team, hassle the boss and get out and have some fun. It’s great for all involved and can really improve the enjoyment and energy levels around the office. You might also pick up a few new skills in the process.

Thanks for reading!
-Howo