Team building is meant to encourage employees to work as a cohesive unit, but there are questions as to whether these exercises are effective. Although not all team building exercises are effective, there are many that are effective in creating a better working environment. Here are a few reasons why team building exercises are effective:
Socialising
Team building exercises give employees a chance to get to know each other outside of the workplace. The bonds that are created during these moments are effective because employees will have more respect for each other in the workplace if they know their fellow workmates on a personal level. This may also improve communication skills between individuals.
Team spirit
Most activities will allow colleagues to work together on tasks to reach a certain goal. Once this goal is reached, the colleagues will feel a sense of accomplishment which will improve their team spirit. With their newfound team spirit, they will be motivated to continue reaching goals together and, in turn, improve their performance in the workplace.
Communication
Exercises that involve the use of detailed communication to improve communication skills within the office environment. Certain team building exercises challenge the employees’ communication skills by blindfolding individuals and asking another individual to guide them through a challenge. These exercises will show the employer which employees are good at communicating and which employees need to improve their skills, as well as showing the employees how they could improve their communication.
