When employees hear “team building’, they want to look—or run—the other way. However, team building is a fun and necessary part of strengthening your team. The most successful team building events are those that don’t have a corporate feel—who wants another regular old day at the office anyway?
But if you’re going to do it, you have to do it right by making it fun and enjoyable. There are some tried-and-true tips for making a successful experience.
- Don’t overtly have a leadership lesson. Instead, have teams work towards a common goal like building a widget or doing the Jenga game—anything that is fun but also fosters teamwork. The main key is that your team is sharing the experience by spending time together.
- Just have fun. You can also ditch the corporate lessons and just have an outing together. That bonding is critical. Go to a movie, museum or concert together. Your team will feel very appreciated.
- Research shows that learning and happiness are closely knit, so trying new things can really create good will among your employees. Don’t go with the old company picnic idea, choose something new. This will encourage your team to come together in new ways.
- It’s an investment. Savvy corporate managers know that team building is a smart investment. These sessions are not an extra cost or a splurge or something you only do with a surplus budget. Team building is truly an investment. Having a day outside the normal routine can encourage communication, build trust and even resolve or mitigate conflicts. Engaged employees are the key to a better bottom line. Don’t go cheap, but you don’t have to break the bank either.
- Don’t be one and done. Team building is an ongoing endeavor. Don’t do one event and then forget it. After your big event, keep creating meaningful ways for your team to engage and connect outside of your regular meetings. Some companies have a quick daily huddle or fast stand up meetings to periodically relook at the companies achievements. Some companies even use apps where employees share great books they’ve read or share life goals or bucket list items.
You’re looking to create a sense of excitement, accomplishment and laughter. Sharing a meal together is always a great way to build team spirit, and you’ll be a hero boss for having a dinner “just because”. At the dinner, have each employee say something about themselves that their fellow employees might not know.
Even better, you can combine this dinner with a cruise, such as a day cruise or evening sunset dinner cruise as a private charter with Twin Cities Cruises. We can host your private charter event on our Paradise charter cruises or on our Minneapolis Queen. Heck, we can even have a casino night for you. This can provide a fun-filled day trip or an elegant evening affair for your workplace. Most people are going to love spending a relaxing, beautiful day out on the water. Give us a call for a memorable team outing your employees will be talking about for a long time!