On a daily basis, an average worker will spend more time with their workmates than with their family. In order to keep a workforce running effectively, and keep the morale high, it’s vital that every worker gets along with, appreciates and respects the people they are in a team with.
This is where team-building comes in. At its very core, team-building is an experience designed to get all members of a company to see their co-workers as people, and potential friends who can help and be helped, rather than as resources to be used.
Team building exercises have long been used to improve communication between workers, as well as to hone everybody’s individual skills. The backbone of every office is communication between its personnel – a breakdown in communication could have huge ramifications for a business. An effective team is like a chain – it’s only as strong as its weakest link.
Therefore, the main objective of team-building is to reinforce each and every link. A good business will consider how to build a team with clearly defined roles, while an effective team building exercise will see all the people fulfilling those roles placed on an entirely equal footing. Managers are not expected to give instructions to staff during a team building exercise – they may in fact have to follow instructions themselves in order to work towards a goal. Everyone is on the same page and must use only their skills, rather than their status, to achieve something – there is no office hierarchy during a team building exercise. This will hopefully teach managers and those usually at the top of the hierarchy self-regulation strategies, and the importance of seeking assistance rather than relying on oneself.
A good exercise will see every member of the team realise their contribution is important. This massively builds trust and morale, as each staff member feels like they are listened to. Managers feel like their staff respect their decisions; the staff working under these managers feel their thoughts and feelings are likewise appreciated.
Just as schoolteachers come up with exciting activities to keep their students interested in learning, workplaces can and should also come up with ways to make a difficult job more interesting. Team building exercises can help by demonstrating how the staff’s abilities and their work are useful in ‘the real world’. Activities based on initiative can give everyone a chance to explore their problem-solving skills, which is vital – not just in an office, but everywhere. This will also help people identify and utilise the skills of their teammates.
Of course, skills are not useful if not put towards achieving a goal. Any goal set for a team should be SMART – Specific, Memorable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. There can be both team-based and individual objectives, or two teams could compete to reach a goal. Reaching a goal as a team gives everyone involved a sense of achievement, which builds toward better general motivation and a sense of pride. Some companies give out trophies to those who have achieved the most during a team building exercise, which too can add to a feeling of accomplishment.
The absolute most important goal of team building is to get every member of the team see their teammates as people with their own vital skills, complementary to those of the rest of the team. While one person may have an excellent memory, another person may have great negotiation skills, while the third may have the ability to think outside the box. Team-building will identify each member’s skills and teach a team how to utilise them best for the good of everyone around them. It is one of the most important things a company can do for its staff.
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About the Author:
Jelena Djurdjevic is a business woman, mom and wife. She is currently staying at home due to a great reason, her family. In her free time she loves blogging about business management.
