Meanwhile, every organisation is aware of the importance of a good group atmosphere. A tightly functioning team is a must for every company. And organising a team building contributes perfectly to this. Because a team building is… well… “building your team”. It is investing time to gain collegiality and friendship. But how do you get started in practice? This article will give you a handhold in organising your next team building activity.
Organise your team building on the right date
A team building brings colleagues together, so you should organise your team building at a time when your colleagues are available. Choose a date that suits your team and takes into account holidays and busy periods at work.
For organisers of team building activities, Thursdays and Fridays are the busiest days. If these are also your preferred days for your group activity, start planning well in advance. That way you will have the most choice of activities and locations.
Don’t pack the day
One of the purposes of your team building is to have a relaxing moment to get to know each other better as individuals and as a group. Therefore, don’t plan your programme too full. What everyone does appreciate is having enough time to talk to each other without it having to be about work. For your team building, draw up a schedule that leaves room for spontaneous chats and impulses of the moment. Strengthening the bond between colleagues takes precedence over what you do exactly.
Organising a team building is something you do for your team
You know your colleagues and the company culture. This will enable you to assess which type of team building would suit them best. What are their interests? What have you done before as a team building? What worked and what didn’t? Make a good consideration and keep your colleagues in mind when choosing a team building activity.
“Good team building should be inclusive, everyone should feel involved and clear goals and challenges should be agreed upon,” states Professor Martin Euwema (professor of organisational psychology at KU Leuven) in Jobat.
You can choose to keep the team building as a surprise for your colleagues or, just the opposite, involve the team in organising the team building. This does not necessarily have to be done via a survey, you can also discuss your ideas over a cup of coffee.
In addition, it is also important to have an eye for the objectives of the team building. If you have a very busy period behind you, then it may be better to opt for relaxing and non-committal activities where the emphasis is on having fun together. At the beginning of the year, it is more likely to present the team building as a kick-off. And so you can opt for a more challenging team building concept.
In need of some inspiration? Check out the best activities for your next team building!
Always organise a debriefing of your teambuilding
This debriefing can be done informally (at the coffee machine) or formally (via a survey). As an organiser you have to make choices and you can’t take everyone into account. Ask the participants what they thought of the team building activity, the location, the catering. What were the top moments and what could be improved? Golden information for organising your next team building.