7 Corporate Team-Building Activities for Every Company

09^th
Jun

Numerous studies and reports have shown the effectiveness of team-building in achieving overall success for companies or organizations. However, becoming an integral member of a team doesn't come naturally to many people. While some are outgoing and capable of fostering relationships with their colleagues independently, others struggle to establish and form bonds. This is where the importance of corporate team-building activities comes into play. These activities are designed and implemented with the sole aim of establishing a positive and open-minded company culture.

The success of any organization, regardless of size, is the result of the collective efforts of its employees. Communication is the most important medium for accomplishing a company's objectives. Without communication, the entire ethos of an organization falls apart. Communication is crucial for sharing ideas, conducting meetings, negotiating, managing conflicts, leading teams, and more. Therefore, the central idea of any team-building activity is to promote smooth communication among employees. Achieving this is the route to building trust, companionship, and comradeship between every single team member.

This article will therefore outline the different types of team-building events that can help boost productivity in the workplace.

What are Team-Building Activities?

Team building activities include games, meetings, and interactive events that bring a group of people together and motivate them to identify their interests and disinterests. Most of these team-building activities are executed to foster trust and communication among employees, which can ultimately benefit the goals and aspirations of the company.

Importance of Team-Building Activities 

• ➤ Communication: Team-building activities are an excellent way to promote communication among employees, encouraging the development of professional relationships within and across industries. Such activities help in building a sense of unity and collaboration among team members.
• ➤ Trust: With the aid of these activities, individuals at all levels of the organization, from upper management to entry-level employees, are afforded the opportunity to interact, facilitating the building and strengthening of trust between one another. This, in turn, enhances collaboration and communication within the workplace, promoting a more cohesive and effective team dynamic.
• ➤ Creativity: It is crucial to incorporate enjoyable team-building activities that involve creative thinking for problem-solving. This approach can ultimately assist employees in applying their creative abilities in the workplace to achieve superior and more innovative outcomes.
• ➤ Motivation: Engaging in these activities can help employees recover and refresh themselves from their busy work schedule. By doing so, they may find the motivation to work more efficiently and effectively.
• ➤ Problem-solving skills: Corporate team-building activities require employees to utilize their creative abilities while collaborating with team members to solve problems. These activities help develop their problem-solving skills, ultimately benefiting the company. 

Now that we are aware of the importance that team-building holds in the workplace, let's look at some team-building activities that every company should adopt.

6 Effective Team-Building Activities 

1. Activity-Based Techniques

An activity-based team-building technique provides respite to employees from their mundane work, as team members gather around each other to participate in the activity. This helps them step out of their comfort zones, and in effect, refreshes and motivates them to work better in the workplace. Outdoor activities are a better option in this case compared to indoor ones. Organizing group lunches, planning a team picnic or getaway, arranging sports tournaments, etc., are some of the team-building activities that the company can consider. These activities foster communication, build teamwork, cultivate trust, and help employees destress before starting to work again.

2. Skill-Based Activities 

It is a well-known fact that certain skills are dominant in an employee's performance in the workplace, including leadership abilities, negotiation capabilities, managerial skills, creative thinking, and conflict management. Skill-based team-building activities are a significant tool in developing and bringing out these qualities in employees, as well as helping to identify which skills they are most confident in.

Examples of skill-based activities include treasure-hunting games that require the team to choose a leader to guide them towards victory. These games also demand team members with creative mindsets to devise strategies to achieve desired results in a shorter time.

3. Activities Focusing on Communication

Communication-based team-building activities serve as icebreakers and help employees interact with new members, fostering healthy relationships and developing interpersonal skills.

These activities are particularly useful for introverts, as they can help shed their shyness and bring out their full potential for the team's benefit. As confidence builds, members can listen, share, question, discuss, and implement ideas with mutual trust and respect.

Some effective activities for breaking down communication barriers include:

• ➤ Group activities that encourage employees to introduce themselves and share their interests, such as sports, literature, hobbies, and dislikes. This approach helps people meet others with similar tastes and interests.
• ➤ The truth and dare game is a fun activity that can promote equal interaction among participants. Rather than just having a normal conversation, this game adds some excitement and adventure to the experience.

4. Activities Focusing on Problem-Solving Skills

Problems are a part and parcel of work life, and it is important for employees to focus on and develop their problem-solving skills to overcome them. The company can achieve this by introducing activities that focus on enhancing the problem-solving skills of its employees. These problem-solving activities not only help in overcoming communication barriers but also strengthen interpersonal skills and pave the way for resolving differences and conflicts between employees. Outdoor activities or games that involve the participation of a large number of members can also be a good option. Football, cricket, volleyball, or basketball are some of the ways in which employees can come together as a team to win the game. This teaches them the importance of problem-solving and team-building in the workplace, leading to a healthier work environment.

5. Activities based on Personality Development

Every company comprises individuals with different personality types. Therefore, it's crucial for managers to identify and support employees with their unique personalities. One way to understand the personalities of employees is to conduct MBTI tests. The results can then be used to assign tasks to smaller groups comprising members with different personalities. This approach promotes coordination and discussions among team members before arriving at a conclusion. Such exercises also foster empathy and understanding between members, which can help avoid conflicts arising due to personality differences. 

6. Get Employee Feedback

It is crucial to gather feedback from employees about the team-building activities organized by the company. This can help in adjusting or changing the activities to align with the interests of the team members and achieve better outcomes.

Undoubtedly, team-building activities have a transformative impact on the professional performance of employees. However, the responsibility of conducting these activities lies with skilled professionals. These activities can be organized by either senior members of the organization or an external trainer. Leadership and team-building training is an effective way to learn essential leadership techniques and tools for managing, leading, and developing a team.

7. Community Service Activities 

Engaging in community service activities as a team can not only improve team morale and communication, but also give employees a sense of purpose and satisfaction by contributing to a greater cause. You can organize activities such as volunteering at a local food bank, cleaning up a park, or participating in a charity walk or run. This will not only help build a stronger team, but also enhance your company's reputation amongst your employees as well as in the industry. 

Message from the Author 

If you’re looking to enrol for Leadership & Team Building course in Dubai, get in touch with Learners Point Academy. To learn more, visit the website: https://learnerspoint.org/, give a call at +971 (04) 403 8000, or simply drop a message on WhatsApp.

Learners Point Academy is a KHDA and ISO 9001:2015 accredited training institute in Dubai.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published.