In today’s day and age, economic instability has deeply impacted our professional lives. An increasing number of people believe in the notion of “every man for himself”, meaning that each person should take care of their own needs.
In a 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center, people described the average American as ‘patriotic, intelligent, and selfish’. While this type of thinking is necessary for survival at times, in the long run it hinders the productivity of the company.
People find it hard to work together when their main motive is self-gain. So, how do we get people to cooperate, when they feel like their personal stability is threatened in the corporate envrionment?
What are team building exercises?
Enter, team building exercises. These are exercises meant for team members to get to know each other better. These are group activities that are meant to help members get used to working with each other.
It’s difficult to cooperate with people we know nothing about. Team building exercises are a way for people to get a glimpse of what each member is like under different situations like deadlines, critical decisions, competitive tasks, etc.
Why are team building activities important?
Informal interaction
Team building exercises encourage more informal interactions among the members, so that they become more comfortable around each other. It becomes a common memory they all make. It is a shared experience that becomes a stepping stone to work friendships.
Understanding potential of members
At the same time, it helps team members understand each other’s potential in terms of leadership, decision making, analytical skills, etc. It lays the groundwork for group dynamics. For example, if they find that one team member is good at leading the team during confusing tasks, they are likely to elect her as their leader when the team is given an ambiguous project.
Improves team performance
Bruner and Spink (2011) found that a team building intervention improved session attendance and group task satisfaction among young adults. When members of a team have a sense of friendship and togetherness, they feel more accountable to each other. This in turn motivates them to show up and give their best.
Team building exercise ideas
Office trivia night
A tried and tested game of teamwork and competition- trivia night! usually trivia nights have fun themes like history, science, pop culture, etc. You can organize a small trivia night after work hours, where the questions are related to the company and the office.
- Here are some ideas for questions:
- What brand of coffee machine do we use at the office?
- What is the most popular snack in the office vending machine?
- At what time does *insert name of coworker* have his coffee everyday?
This activity helps people realize the little things they know about the office. It gives a sense of familiarity and belongingness, and adds to their comfort with the workspace. As a team, people start paying closer attention to each others likes and dislikes. Plus, the memories they make together will make them laugh for months to come.
Guess the coworker
In this game, each person writes their name on a piece of paper and put the notes together. A note is picked randomly by one person, and they have to describe the person until everyone guesses who it is.
This activity also helps team members get to know each other better. Some coworkers might have many things in common, and this is a great opportunity to break the ice. Also, it also puts everyone’s skills of deduction to test!
Escape rooms
What better way to see your team’s performance in high pressure situations, than a simulated escape room? An escape room is an adventurous games. Once you book the room, you’re put in a room full of puzzles and riddles.
One puzzle leads to another, and so on, until you find the key to unlock the door and escape. Of course, you have to do this within a deadline, usually in a few hours. This activity will help your team understand everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.
For example, some members are good at a trial and error way of problem solving. They relentlessly try different solutions until they find the answer. Others are good at making decisions on a deadline. They can quickly weigh the pros and cons, and take their chances. These people are usually not perfectionists- they work on the motto ‘get things done’ instead of ‘get it right’.
Both types of people are essential for a team, so that they survive different kinds of situations. An escape room is a great way of observing how each team member approaches the situation. It can also help the members themselves understand their strengths and weaknesses, so that they can adjust their efforts to maximise performance.
Outdoor adventures
If your team members are enthusiastic about the outdoors, you can take them out on hikes, nature trails and adventure activities. During these outings, team members get an opportunity to help each other out in difficult situations.
For example, treks are a lot of work. People have different energy levels, and they like to use this energy in different ways. Some people like to finish the trek as soon as possible so that they can enjoy the view on a hill top.
Others want to enjoy the process of trekking. They like taking pictures and talking to each other on the way. For them, the journey is an experience in itself. Some people are also highly anxious about these situations; for them the goal is to make it to the top in a relaxed state of mind, without exhausting their body too much.
When all these different people come together, they learn to adjust their behaviour so that the entire team feels included. The enthusiastic marchers motivate others and physically support them during rough patches on the trek.
The laid-back explorers enrich the experience with music, jokes, and fun. In the end, when everyone makes it to the top, it’s like getting a glimpse of how teamwork pays off. This experience of success comes with important lessons about unity and loyalty to the team.
If you want to plan a group activity for your team, we hope this article gave you some good ideas. Keep learning, keep exploring!
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