Team building ideas and events

Team building is a concept that is rapidly gaining popularity in the corporate world as management realizes the importance of happy workers who get along with each other and function within comfortable work dynamics. Charles Schwab said, “The man who works not for the love of work, but only for money, is not likely to make much money or have much fun in life.” Therefore, it is important to make the work environment as pleasant and welcoming as possible. Many companies like to flaunt their family feel, but very few practice that approach, preferring the cool formality that has defined the business world until now. Only a lucky few can say that they work in a truly comfortable environment where they feel at home and even look forward to going to work each morning.

When the dynamics in an office environment are a little iffy or a team isn’t working the way it should for reasons ranging from personality clashes to professional differences of opinion, it may be time to consider a team-building break. Team building events can last from mornings or evenings to entire weekends or even a whole week. The duration you choose and the activities you choose will depend on the nature of the problems you are experiencing. Maybe you’re not experiencing any serious problems and just want a fun day out for your staff, or want to do something different for your Christmas party.

There are a variety of reasons why companies might choose team building events, some of them include: to create cross-functional efficiency; to facilitate any change in management; increase strategic planning initiatives; assist in the development and understanding of culture; adds value at the start or start of a project and many more.

When deciding which activities you think your team should engage in, it’s important to understand that team building is an ongoing process and not just a one-time event. Therefore, it is important to have a strategy and consider the following: 1) What problems is your team struggling with? 2) What goals would you like the team building activities to achieve? 3) What issues are priorities that need immediate attention? 4) How will you plan follow-up phases to reinforce messages and make improvements? 5) Can the principles and objectives be developed in the future and, if so, how?

Team-building games or activities are often called interventions, a more developed term that implies that while the activities are fun, serious results are intended. If the game requires the team to be divided into competitive groups, it is emphasized that winning or losing is not as important as what is learned along the way. A selection of some of the games includes:

toxic swamp

This game involves the team navigating through poisonous terrain using limited resources and relying heavily on team spirit. To successfully complete this task, the team must use ingenuity, creative thinking, problem solving, planning, prioritisation, leadership, and of course teamwork.

Search and destroy

In this activity, the team must reach a bomb using a terrorist’s booby trap code, there is the added complication of avoiding competing SWAT teams. Here the team must use dedication and focus on the task at hand, they must also be able to think quickly and collaborate well together.

Blind faith

Completing this task requires rescuing injured teammates and overcoming some difficult obstacles, including a memory minefield, which requires the team to learn from their mistakes. Exercise also requires trust and communication.

Crossing the Crocodile River

This exercise is about solving the problem of how to get everyone safely across a raging river without being eaten by crocodiles or swept away by the strong current. There is the added element that your resources are depleted if you lose focus for even a minute. The focus here is on crisis management, team spirit, and selflessness. It also highlights the need to be flexible in planning a teamwork project.

The Web

Teams must navigate a 3D web without touching it; members help each other by shouting instructions and cheering each other on and offering support when someone touches the web, because then it all goes back to square one for them. This helps improve confidence, time management skills, as well as delegation and logical thinking skills.

Reach the sky

This is a fun project that involves a lot of thought, planning, and design. Team members must use the equipment provided and assemble and launch a rocket that will fly in a horizontal plane. The purpose is to fly further than the other teams. The emphasis is on teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and goal orientation.

toxic waste

This is a small group activity where a group is given a bungee cord and rope and they have to figure out how to transport a bucket of “toxic waste” to dump it into a neutralization bucket. This exercise can be used to address almost any aspect of teamwork.

These are just some of the activities that event companies use in their team building sessions. For something more adventurous, some companies offer activities such as safaris, bungee jumping, rafting, camping, 4×4 tours, rock climbing and much more. Your options for teaming up are virtually endless, as are the opportunities to have fun and learn. And if team building isn’t what you’re looking for, employees always appreciate a fun day out of the office, whatever the reason.

Recommended site:

http://www.moversandshakers.co.za/teambuilding_other_exercises.html