A popular saying says that “teamwork makes the dream work,” and today science has collected plenty of evidence that it really does. It enables better problem-solving, greater productivity, more innovation, and savvier risk-taking. It even cuts down on mistakes.
Few, if any, of humanity’s greatest accomplishments have been achieved by a person acting alone, even if they are a genius. Einstein might take the credit for coming up with relativity, but he refined it by chatting with friends and colleagues before it was ever published.
Despite all this, team-building has something of a bad reputation, at least in corporate environments. Yet all the evidence suggests that it works and is really important for businesses. This article will explain why.
Better collaboration
In the second half of the twentieth century, psychologists decided to take a look at why people do things for each other. One of their discoveries was that we are much more likely to do things for people that we like. Surprise, surprise.
And what kind of people do we like? Those we know well and socialise with. In person team building is an excellent opportunity for employees to do both of these things, and the bonds they build will make them more likely to get along and help each other out.
Increased morale
The announcement of team-building activities is often met with groans and eye rolls, but many people simply play up to the cultural expectation that they must find team-building lame.
The truth is that most employees actually enjoy the activities, and this leads to a morale boost that continues once you get back to the office. You can expect your employees to be more enthusiastic and engaged when you return, but this may not last without some team-building top-ups to sustain it.
Spot new leaders
Some of your employees might only need a change of environment to let their hidden talents shine through. A more casual and creative one can be just the thing to let new leaders emerge. You can see in the activities who takes charge and who others naturally listen to.
While leadership skills in this kind of controlled context do not necessarily translate into real life, there’s still a good chance that the person who stands out has something special about them. Set them up with the right mentor or leadership training to make sure. Digital tools like mentoring software from Chronus help optimize professional matches and streamlines program management.
Connect different departments
Belonging to a group is a powerful force in human behaviour. We are overwhelmingly more likely to help out those in our group and care little about those outside it. Once your company reaches a certain size, the group your employees belong to won’t be your company as a whole, but their specific department. This can create a more challenging dynamic.
Team-building can be a good way of getting your employees to expand their group again and work more collaboratively with other departments.
Summary
Despite its reputation, team-building exercises are a worthwhile investment that your employees are likely to enjoy. Most of the benefits come from the relaxed environment and mixing with new people, so the specific activities do not matter so much as long as they create the right atmosphere.