Our corporate facilitators know that happy people are productive people. The companies that understand this foster relationships and positive attitudes amongst employees. This is wise, as building teamwork within a company contributes to better bottom lines overall.

Team-building exercises, although they may seem synonymous with corny games and ineffective time management, can be important tools in connecting co-workers to a bigger picture. However, successful team building is about more than just cheesy ice breakers. It takes professional planning, understanding and action to lead a productive team-building event. 

The goal of team building is not to create warm feelings of friendship in the office, though that certainly does not hurt. Team building unifies a group of people toward achieving a specific cause or goal. Understanding this simple fact will help you organize and lead far more effective team-building activities.

Clear Mission 

Team exercises that do not connect back to real-world situations faced by team members are usually regarded as busts. In order for a team exercise to truly be worthwhile, they should serve as microcosms for issues that teams must solve in the workplace. Choose an activity that will be both enjoyable for employees and relevant to their own professional goals as well the company’s.

Clear Results

Measure performance both before and after team-building exercises to gauge their effect. Do employees seem driven toward a common goal? Do they have a better understanding of how to work together to achieve that goal?

What To Avoid

Don’t host team-building exercises just for the sake of hosting them. They should have a direct purpose. Team events should be inclusive for everyone, so avoid physically taxing exercises that might prove too difficult for all employees. Also avoid patronizing, mindless tasks that can be potentially counterproductive.

Hiring a third party to organize and lead team building is a wise option for many. Our searchable database that allows companies to select meeting facilitators to help them reach a variety of business goals, including team-building.