Our specialist, Laura Wood, offers top tip on how to build strong and supportive teams at work as part of our ongoing series.
Team building has earned a bit of a bad reputation over the years, conjuring up images of embarrassing role plays and corny ice-breaker challenges. However, team building days are still around and that’s because if they are done right, they can help foster cohesion among employees, increase output and create a harmonious working environment.
Team building has many benefits and, as a manager of a care home, team leader or nurse who leads a shift, there are many benefits.
Better communication
Good communication is essential for great team performance. Team building helps to break down barriers in communication, especially between management and team members. By showing you’re approachable, employees are more likely to come to you with any problems that arise.
Improved team morale
When people begin to communicate better, it dramatically improves team morale. Moreover, it gives staff the opportunity to have fun and relax with their colleagues, which will increase productivity when they return to their work.
A better workplace culture
Team building exercises help to break down barriers between management and team members. They also increase the level of respect that staff members have for each other. This helps to increase levels of trust, build better team relationships, and mitigate potential conflict. These all create a much better workplace environment.
Improved skills
Team building helps to develop your leadership skills and makes people more aware of their team roles. Certain activities, such as those that require problem solving, highlight both individual and team strengths and weaknesses. You can then use this information to delegate appropriate work tasks, which will improve overall productivity.
Greater confidence
Your employees will feel more confident to approach their peers once they’ve communicated with them. For example, a worker who’s shy and anxious about approaching new people will be more inclined to do so after talking to people during team building exercises. Staff will also feel more confident in their abilities and job role.
Identify your objectives
You should base your objectives on your team’s strengths and weaknesses:
- Is there conflict between people that creates tensions within the team?
- How well do team members know each other?
- Is your team competitive or collaborative?
- How well do they communicate with each other?
- Do some members affect the group’s ability to move forward?
- Do some members resist change?
- Does the group need a morale boost?
- Does everyone feel included – or are there “cliques”?
Many companies offer a range of team building exercises whether this is a leadership team building session, collaboration, identifying goals, resilience or even team building days that aim to increase communication.
Always remember that any team building activity should aim to build a stronger team. Team building is not talking about company policies or new products. It is having your team in the one place in a non-work environment. This builds the trust and respect that goes back to the service.
Related Stories
Employee Assistance Programmes for your Workplace – https://www.qcs.co.uk/employee-assistance-programmes-for-your-workplace/
Wellbeing Training for Managers – https://www.qcs.co.uk/wellbeing-training-for-managers/
How to Praise your Employees Effectively – https://www.qcs.co.uk/how-to-praise-your-employees-effectively/
