If your goal is to build a more cohesive and productive workforce, then it’s worth your investment to develop a robust team-building program. Get creative! Take your team from good to great, and then from great to extraordinary. Use these tips to make your team-building initiative not only effective, but also enjoyable for everyone.
The “How To” of Team Building
In one recent study, 31 percent of workers said they disliked their company’s team-building activities. Engagement is key, so be sure you:
- Find out what your employees want. Create a common vision for all team members. Learn exactly what people are looking for to enhance their work and efforts, before you begin designing your program. One of the most common pitfalls of team-building programs is they don’t match the needs of the team.
- Create an action plan. Once you’ve determined what will work best for your organization, create an action plan to make team building an integral part of your culture. Make it happen on a regular basis and you’ll see trust, cooperation and understanding build with each successive event.
- Ensure management support. Call on your managers to keep the learning alive. Make sure they follow up with staff regarding what their needs are and how team-building efforts could be improved.
- Encourage collaboration, not competition. Choose activities that encourage employees to work together to solve problems, versus “contests” where teams face off against one another.
- Take it out of the office. Schedule team-building during regular work hours but, if possible, hold your activities off-site. Just getting outside the four walls of the workplace often helps people interact more freely. Plus, this helps eliminate everyday distractions.
- Have fun! While ensuring that participants are challenged throughout the process, make sure your activities are fun, engaging and meaningful. Don’t let your employees become a part of those negative statistics.
- Gather feedback. A few days after a team-building event, reach out to attendees and ask for their constructive feedback. It can be very useful for future planning. Equally important, it shows your employees you really care what they think – and are giving them ownership into the company and their growth.
The workforce development experts at PrideStaff Modesto can help you design and administer a customized team-building strategy for your company. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.
