Team outings are a great way to facilitate bonding with your team members, reduce employee stress whilst forming relationships and getting to know each other outside the office.
And, you know, they’re really fun.
Team building significantly contributes to an individual’s motivation and trust within one another, therefore ensuring better overall productivity. It can also allow employees to develop themselves by learning skills off each other and help to employees as it increases their sense of involvement in the business.
What is team building?
The action or process of causing a group of people to work together effectively as a team, especially by means of activities and events designed to increase motivation and promote cooperation.
Effective team building incorporates an awareness of team objectives. Teams must work to develop goals, roles and procedures. As a result, team building is usually associated with increasing task accomplishment, goal meeting and achievement of results within teams.
5 stages of group development
Bruce Tuckman identified 4 stages of group development. The first four stages are forming, storming, norming and performing. The 5th stage is adjourning which was added 10 years later. It is believed all 5 stages are essential to all businesses no matter on their group members, culture etc.
The forming stage identifies a stage when the group has just started to come together. It is characterised with anxiety and uncertainty. The focus for group members during the forming stage is to become familiar with each other and their purpose, not on work. Typical outcomes are determining how the team will be organised and understanding of the group’s purpose.
The second stage is the storming stage, in which conflict and competition are at its greatest, as they now have a feel for the group they begin to address some of the more important issues surrounding the group. Team members who stick with the task at hand may experience stress, particularly as they don’t have the support of established processes or strong relationships with their colleagues.
Gradually the team moves into the norming stage. This is when people start to resolve their differences, appreciate colleagues’ strengths and respect your authority as a leader. People develop a stronger commitment to the team goal as they start to socialise together and ask one another for help.
The team reaches the performing stage, when hard work leads, without friction, to the achievement of the team’s goal.
Finally the adjourning stage, many teams will reach this stage eventually. Once a project ends, the team disbands. Members that have grown close, now feel a loss now the experience is over.
Team building events and activities
Depending on the type of activity you’re looking for, we have some team building ideas for all of your employees to join in on.
- Bridge making
- White water rafting
- Board game tournament
- Kayaking
- Trampoline parks
- Karaoke night
- Go Kart racing
- Laser tag
What can team building activities do for your business?
Team building activities and team building exercises build effective working relationships. You can use team building activities to reduce team members’ role ambiguity. They are a platform for goals to be achieved. Team building is one of the most widely used group-development activities in organisations.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of team building differs substantially from one organisation to another. The most effective efforts occur when team members are independent, knowledgeable and experienced and when organisational leadership establishes and supports the team.
Contact us today
To find out more about our team building events, head to our website today. Alternatively, call 0333 355 6947 to speak to a member of our helpful and friendly team.
If you have found this blog helpful you may wish to read our previous blog on Executive Team Building Activities.
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