If you look for the secret behind the success of prominent businesses, chances are you’ll discover one simple recurring theme: great teamwork. From communication to efficiency to personal support, teamwork is the backbone of nearly all great companies. Great teams are not built overnight, however. Trust must be earned, goals must be communicated, and roles must be understood. Businesses that take the time to nurture these elements will benefit from their results. Sometimes, this can happen organically over the course of people’s regular working days. More often than not, though, specific time must be devoted to make a team develop, and the more you can do it in an out-of-office environment, the better. Here are four effective and fun ways to go about team-building.
Escape Rooms
Whether your team works on a production line or specializes in bank loans for pool financing problem solving is a universal component of great team work. In recent years, escape rooms have popped up across the country, and they’re just as great for team-building exercises as they are for social gatherings. The idea is that you are put into a room (or small series of rooms) with a group of people who must find clues to unlock the door to get out within a set amount of time. The rooms are elaborately decorated and usually have a theme like “western saloon,” or “Alice in Wonderland.” Teams can approach the clues in different ways, and it can be fascinating to see what roles people take on in the group.
Laser Tag
While it’s important for teams to work together to solve problems, it’s also important for them to let off steam. This can even escalate to the point of taking out frustrations against each other. You’d rather have this done in a controlled, safe, fun environment than in the office, right? Laser tag is a great way to “have your cake and eat it, too.” Where else can you “shoot” your boss? Laser tag facilities also exist throughout the country, and usually have padded courses with helmets available, making it a safe way to get physical and still have fun with this team-building activity.
Taking Time in Nature
Let’s go in another direction: to the great outdoors. Slowing things down with a nature retreat is a great way to contrast the harsh fluorescent lighting of the office with natural sunlight and fresh air. This can be as structured or loose as you like. If you have the time and budget, you could rent out a campground for an overnight stay, filling the day with canoeing, hiking, and team-building routines like trust falls. You can also design problem solving exercises like scavenger hunts, tent building, or fire-starting. At night, you can build a campfire, tell war stories from the office, and enjoy each other’s company. It could also be as simple as a half-day’s trip to a state park with a picnic lunch. The point is to get out, be together, and have some fun while team-building and bonding.
Professional Development For Team-Building
We’ve looked at the importance of getting out of the usual office environment, but sometimes that simply isn’t possible or feasible. It’s still important to provide some team-building strategies to your staff. Many people roll their eyes when they see the words “professional development.” That’s probably because they’ve only seen it executed poorly. You should always want your team to be lifelong learners, and you should always provide them new training to help them grow. If that takes the form of watching their boss lecture them for two hours about a new product or process, or attending countless webinars, an opportunity from real team-building or growth is being missed. Can you bring in a guest to host a professional development seminar? Think outside the box of your industry. Find a dynamic motivational or educational presenter to lead a training session. Your team will remember it and take the skills they teach to heart.
Your company can only be as strong as the teams that support it. From full staff training to department breakouts, an investment in team-building is sure to yield great returns.
