Team building
Team building: does it really pay out?
You know your people are the key for success.
However, a whole day away from the office, for a corporate team building, may seem unthinkable. It might seem to some a lavish expense and one that you can do without. The reality is that we need to ask ourselves if organizing team building events can really pay out for your organization. Well, can it?
Truth is whatever your organization, and no matter how big or small, it will certainly be more productive when your team is happy and able to work together.
In fact, organizing team-building activities within your organization can bring you value in return. A study conducted by AGEFI observed a productivity gain of 30% for organizations offering team building events to their staff. It showed better work quality, less time to complete tasks, increased flexibility and responsiveness of staff and more satisfaction at work.
So that answers the question.
Does that mean that any team building is likely to increase productivity?
Not really. If you are looking for a team specific result in your team, one that you’ll notice once back in the office, then it’s best if you stay away from the fun-only activities and find something which can connect to your organization life. It should still be fun but fruitful as well.
To look into when choosing a team-building activity
Your goal (what do you want to achieve with your event: improve communication? Solve conflicts? Improve cohesion? Just have fun?)
Time and budget available (1 day? A weekend? In-house or external venue? How much can you spend?)
Your people (how many? What kind of activity can suit them?)
The provider (can they advise you on options that best suit you? How do they work? Can they make a fun and memorable event? Can they make the link between the corporate team building activity and the challenges your team faces in the office? )
When to conduct team building activities
Aim to organize team building activities and events at least once a year, this gives your staff something to look forward to and stimulates performance.
Many organizations organize their yearly event during the months when work is less intense (usually around summer).
However, we have noticed that organizations benefit much more from the positive effects of a team building when conducting them throughout the year as it gives staff a short break and energises them for the challenges to come.
Something to bear in mind when organizing your next team building