Modern Approaches to Team-Building

There are fashions in all industries, where new ideas take hold and become an integral part of an industry. Then inevitably the shine wears off, some people start poking holes in the theory and then it fades away – or if it has merit, it will settle down as a permanent facet of business and keep going. Team-building is a good example of this phenomenon. A few years ago, it was the buzzword of the moment, and a whole new industry sprang up just to cater for the demand in team-building courses and experiences. Is this one of those theories that stand the test of time, or has it reached its expiry date?
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Choosing the right activities and course for team-building.

What team-building is all about
Take a group of people who work together and put them into a situation that has nothing to do with their normal job, where they have to work as a team to achieve a common goal. The idea is that your employees will learn how to work better as a team, which will have a beneficial effect on your business. There’s no doubt that having your employees work well as a team is highly desirable, and makes for a much better working environment and increased productivity. This approach may not suit everyone, but it has been shown that it can work very well if the participants have the right frame of mind.

Finding a suitable course
There are many well-established companies offering team-building days to businesses of all types, and they have a lot of experience in providing rewarding and enjoyable courses. You might want to start here to see how the professionals organize a day, and there are plenty of different activities to take part in, so have a look for something that you think will suit all your members of staff. You could suggest several different courses and get the staff to choose which they’d prefer to do, so they have had a say in the process. Being involved in the organization of such events gives people a sense of ownership, and they’re more likely to participate fully.

Activities to try for yourself
Another option is to organize a day yourself, which will be focused more on the enjoyment of the event and the spirit of coming together. You could try the psychological mystery of decoding clues to get out of an escape room, or go on a camping trip and hike through the forests. You could form a treasure-hunting or geocaching team, or simply start up your own sports team, playing five-a-side soccer for example. Any kind of activity that gets your staff working well together in an enjoyable environment will be suitable, so don’t feel limited to any specific activity that you’ve seen used for team-building.
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Although it’s not a buzzword anymore, there is still an important role for team-building to play. By embracing the concept and adapting it to suit your circumstances and the personalities of your staff, you should find you can combine a fun day together with the positive outcomes of working as a team.
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