Team building events get a bit of flack for being something employees dread. When we think ‘team building’, images of being blindfolded and falling back into the arms of your colleagues come flooding to the mind.
In this day and age, team building has come ahead in leaps and bounds. Now recognised for their contribution to the success of the workplace, team building events are creative, fun and memorable.
For both performance and retention, staff need to feel valued, if you want them to find the motivation to show up and do their best every day. And for that purpose, we have put together our top five reasons why team building events are an investment you won’t regret.
Getting to know each other better
Day in and day out, your staff sit near each other. They share cups of tea together. They exchange all the pleasantries one would expect from a colleague.
But how well do they really know each other?
Particularly in group situations, voicing ideas and participating in conversations may not come easy to everyone.
Large offices come with a range of different personalities and no two people are the same.
This is why team building events offer staff a chance to get to know each other on a much more personal level than the mere “hello” and “how are you?” they exchange on a daily basis.
There is a reason team building is also referred to as team bonding.
Staff really do bond with each other while working together and problem solving as a tight-knit group. Even the most unlikely friendships can blossom after a successful team building event.
Improve team spirit, motivation and performance
Throughout the year, every workplaces can experience a lull patch here and there. The daily grind has a way of making us all feel a little complacent at times.
Don’t wait until your staff are so unmotivated that it significantly affects their performance.
Team building events will boost them up again, but regular team building events will maintain a high level of motivation all year round.
When staff are performing well, team spirit is high (and vice versa). These two concepts work together hand in hand to improve the workplace as a whole.
Enhance creativity and innovation
When a team building event is done right, it should incorporate a number of problem situations that staff need to resolve. The key here is to have them thinking outside the square as much as possible.
Tapping into their creative streak will teach staff how to think creatively when resolving everyday issues in the workplace. This not only gets them to extend their way of thinking, but it also helps them to learn all that they can from a situation – more benefits for you as the business owner.
Training staff to think more creatively also enhances their ability to be innovative.
Innovation is something all workplaces should aspire to achieve as often as they can.
Without innovation, companies simply cannot grow or reach their optimum potential.
Improve communication and teamwork
Improving communication is one of the most important results from a good team building event. Out of the office and dressed in their casuals, staff will be excited to leave work behind for the day and enjoy what’s planned for them.
Perhaps Steve only ever sees Kathy in the tea room and stops for a polite chat.
Perhaps Sue only ever approaches John about accounts.
All in all, being together outside of the office gives staff a new way of perceiving each other. They’re people, they have personalities, and they have lives outside of work.
And, boy, do they look different when they’re not in a suit or uniform!
This alone is enough to enable staff to feel more comfortable around each other, which is the starting point for improved communication.
Improving communication should be a focus for the event as everyone benefits from a workplace where people feel comfortable to talk to anyone. This will then have a positive flow-on effect in all areas of the business.
Create positive energy that flows back into the workplace
As much as they might initially protest about being taken away from their desk for a day, staff really will appreciate the efforts you’ve gone to in putting on the event for them.
It’s amazing what a few laughs, friendly banter and some healthy competition can do to restore positivity levels among staff. Having shared such a pleasant experience together, they’ll be in high spirits to tackle workplace challenges.
And, better still, they’ll be more likely to tackle them together.
It can be a daunting task to organise a team building event. Where to have it, what to do, catering, transport – you’d be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed.
How easy would it be if you could organise it all in one phone call?
Let the team at Markovina Vineyard Estate take care of everything.
Call Markovina today and have them customised a package for you that includes all you need for your team building event.
With extensive grounds, onsite catering and an experienced team of organisers, you won’t have to find the time around your busy schedule to fit in copious amounts of planning. The friendly experienced team at Markovina will arrange everything!
Together with our friends at Party Bus, Markovina can even arrange transport to and from the venue for all staff. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
We’ve told you the benefits so now you know how easy it is to make it happen.
So pick up the phone and book your team building event today!
