Is Team-Building Actually Important?

Whether a startup or large corporation, team-building is the glue that keeps businesses together running efficiently. Without cohesive teams, and good communication at all levels in a business, businesses will find it harder to retain staff and grow properly. 

This post explores the importance of team-building, for companies of all sizes, and how it can benefit organisations and employees career growth simultaneously. 

What Is the Definition of Team-Building?

Team-building can be achieved and implemented through many strategies. Whether it be through a work social at a pub, or a team-building exercise done in the office, team-building is truly important for businesses of any size. 

Team-building can be briefly defined as the action, or process, by which organisations bring employees together to work effectively in a team and encourage motivation and communication. 

Why Is Team Building So Important? 

In short, team-building can help keep a company’s culture and values in-tact. Through team-building activities, companies can ensure employees are engaged and communicating with one another effectively. 

There are a variety of benefits that team-building brings. From employee welfare to productivity levels, team-building activities will help all areas of a business. Team-building is especially important in today’s society where many employees are working hybrid or remotely. Keeping staff engaged with both the business, and one another, is crucial for long-term success. 

The Benefits of Team-Building 

There are a variety of benefits that team-building exercises can bring long-term success and growth for a company. Below, find some of the examples of how implementing team-building activities can help a business flourish: 

Connect Employees

Employees are at the core of any organisation, small or large. Following the arrival of COVID-19 in March 2020, many businesses have now implemented hybrid working models. In February 2022, 84% of workers have since continued working remotely and in-person. 

With hybrid-working models evidently remaining commonplace, connecting employees has perhaps become more challenging. However, online and in-person fun team-building activities can help strengthen workplace relationships and communication and in-turn combat isolation and lack of productivity levels. 

Encourage Communication

Team-building activities like Topgolf are built upon encouraging communication. Whether it be a group competition or an outing which relies on group efforts, team-building games will help employees relax and get to know one another better. 

Understanding how everyone communicates, and learning more about your colleagues, can help make workplace communication stronger. For instance, knowing one another’s strengths, weaknesses, interests alongside helping employees trust one another through fun activities can all help communication. 

As a result, businesses will find employees will feel part of a group and therefore valued. Likewise, the chances of strained workplace relationships, and thus miscommunication, will less likely occur. 

Stimulate Creativity 

Another great thing about fun team-building activities is that they often encourage groups to think creatively. Many team-based games will rely on people thinking outside the box and bringing everyone’s strengths and skills together. 

Creativity can often be overlooked in organisations as a fundamental skill. However, team-building exercises are a great way to highlight the importance of thinking creatively and using one’s imagination. A skill which can be applicable to individual and group work projects that might encounter obstacles. 

Promote Wellbeing 

Last, but not least, employee’s mental health and wellbeing are factors which can be helped via team-building exercises. Especially in today’s climate with employees possibly working online or predominantly from home, making employees feel noticed and a part of a larger picture can help motivate and encourage stronger workplace relationships. 

Team-building exercises need not be elaborate, it can be as simple as someone planning a work outing to a pub quiz or booking an event space that focuses on team-building. Getting everyone together in a relaxed environment is really important for ameliorating any workplace loneliness and conflict.