Team building: 40+ activities to unite your team
How can we strengthen the integration of employees in the company? Team building can be one of the solutions: team activities, seminars, challenges, dynamics and entertainment. There's no shortage of team building ideas to create a bond with the team.
In this article, we give you more than 40 ideas for team-building activities to reinforce the well-being and connection of your employees. Fun or a real tool for improving the organisational climate? Let's find out.
Definition
What is team building?
Team building is the construction of teams through fun activities offered to a company 's employees to encourage unity and bonding. It's an opportunity for those who make up a company to come together around common values in a more informal environment.
The concept of team building was born in the 1980s in the United States and was quickly exported. Brazilian companies have embraced the idea of team building as they seek to create bonds within their teams.
There is also talk of "team bonding", the concept of which would be "building bonds within the team". Team bonding is contained in team building, the idea being to always seek a deeper connection and union between people, which will eventually facilitate exchanges and teamwork.
What does teambuilding mean?
Team building literally means: building (the) team. The sense is that it is an ongoing activity (the gerund is deliberate), because it is something constant, i.e. you don't build a team in the sense of a united, cohesive and synchronised team all at once. It takes time, but team building activities can speed up the process, as we'll see.
The limitations of team building
There are limits to team building: it's not a miracle solution that will make all tensions and problems (if any) disappear. Make sure you foster relationships between colleagues on a regular basis, and don't do team building to make them forget about problems.
Take into account the limitations of each member of staff: the start of the school year or the school holidays may not be the best time to organise a seminar lasting several days, employees who are parents won't like it very much. The end of the month can also be tricky for sales staff.
➡️ Ask your employees for their opinion, or at the very least, listen to their feedback after the event and consider it to improve the organisation of the next team building dynamics.
⚠️ Attention: never forget that team building, even if it's an evening among colleagues, is a meeting held in a professional environment. You are in the company of your colleagues, managers: although more relaxed and informal, act as if you were in your work environment.
The objectives of team building
Team building, show, but what for?
Firstly, to improve existing relationships between people in a small company, or working within the same department. Or to create bonds between people who don't work together on a daily basis, aren't in the same geographical location or simply don't know each other. In all cases, the aim is the same: to get people talking, exchanging ideas, getting to know each other better and creating a relationship of trust.
In addition, team building can also be an opportunity to improve internal communication, to pass on messages to employees, reducing hierarchical distance and encouraging " speaking openly", without fear of reprisals or criticism.
Another aim of team building is to bring employees together in a different environment, so as to encourage exchanges, strengthen bonds and increase confidence that everyone will subsequently be able to work together under good conditions.
Take advantage of this opportunity to reward your team's efforts.
What are the benefits of team building for the company?
The importance of team building can be seen in different parts: employees, managers or the company as a whole.
Benefits of team building for the company
Sharing an activity or a few days of seminars has the beneficial effect of developing employees' " sense of belonging". Team building can be a team management tool to strengthen employee loyalty.
It also encourages collective intelligence: a person who knows how to express themselves and speak up in a team building activity, especially in a team that doesn't necessarily know each other well, will be able to behave in the same way in a professional context. He or she won't be afraid to propose new ideas and take their point of view in order to co-construct projects, for example.
How can conflicts be resolved in a company? How can dialogue be reopened between employees who can no longer work together? Team building can be one of the options: a "neutral" context outside the workplace can promote communication and bring people closer together, reducing any tensions and difficulties in relating.
Advantages of team building for employees
Team building can be a stress management tool for employees. Above all, it's a moment of exchange, of letting off steam, which helps relieve tensions that may have built up over the weeks. In short, actions that can help with well-being!
This can also be a time to create or strengthen real cohesion between employees, but also between employees and managers. Listening, sharing and openness to others are on the agenda of any team-building activity.
One of the advantages of team building is that it strengthens trust within the team, but also the confidence that each person has in their abilities and the perception of their place within the company.
It can be a good way of integrating new employees: discovering new friends, creating bonds, learning about the corporate culture... It's a "softer" way of finding your place in a new organisation.
Over 40 ideas for team building activities
Not sure which activity to offer? We've put together a list of activities and dynamics to inspire you.
Fun activities, in teams, based on collaboration or coaching: anything is possible!
Sporting activities: increase team spirit
- watching a sporting event;
- bubble sport (like the gif above);
- soap bubble football;
- golf/mini-golf;
- kayaking;
- Olympics;
- ping-pong tournament (doubles);
- paddle;
- rafting;
- bike tour;
- sailing;
- volleyball.
Art and culture activities: stimulating creativity
- blind rehearsal;
- cinema;
- theatre class;
- corporate circus;
- artistic creation (e.g. giant fresco);
- dance;
- riddles;
- music
- painting;
- quiz;
- improvisation workshop.
Outdoor activity: expand your horizons
- hiking;
- treasure hunt;
- orienteering;
- sailing;
- rally;
- caving;
- Commando course/bootcamp;
- dragoon boat;
- wordsmiths.
Life-size experience: cooling your head
- life-size chess;
- escape room;
- role-playing games;
- karting;
- lasergame;
- paintball;
- amusement park;
- pathway/room of the 5 senses;
- virtual reality room;
- beat the box;
- chain reaction table top.
Culinary experience: a moment of conviviality that brings together
- cocktail;
- collective cookery class;
- wine tasting session;
- dinner at a restaurant or in the company.
Last tips for successful team building
👉 Don't improvise: you'll need organisation and anticipation to find a date that suits everyone and the ideal place to host your teams.
👉 If you don't have time, hire professionals: people, companies or agencies who will organise a tailor-made, creative and exceptional team building.
👉 Keep memories of these events: photos, videos... why not use them to decorate your offices?
👉 Publicise it on your social networks: as a showcase for the brand, to give those who want to come and work for the company a taste of "I want it too".
👉 Have fun!
Have you ever organised a team building? Is there an activity missing from our list? Feel free to share your feedback with us!
Article translated from Portuguese