The office can be a boring place which people dread if there is not a cohesive group of people working there. Creating a team environment through activities and bonding can do a variety of things. People who are comfortable going to each other can help with workflow as sometimes speaking to an individual helps clarify in a better way than email.
Productivity flourishes when people are communicating and can be crippled if communication is spotty. Morale is the most important factor when it comes to building a team at the office. Enjoying the people you are around can help lessen the feeling that you are actually working. The following are team building ideas that can help improve numerous areas of your business.
Kick back and relax
Allowing the staff to work from a relaxing location can be a great perk. A few days at the beach working for staff can be the perfect way to bond, have fun, and recharge the productivity batteries for upcoming rushes. Smaller companies can even rent a luxurious Airbnb for a few days to work in.
A change of scenery can boost productivity as well as show different sides of staff. A strict boss joking around or being personable allows them to become a better boss as their staff has seen their versatility. Showing another side in these relaxing settings is much different than even a company picnic where the boss still has to be the boss.
Turn productivity into a game then reward the winner
Boosting productivity can be done simply by turning it into a contest. Splitting up teams then rewarding the winner can bring out the competitive nature in people as well as get them to work in an efficient manner. Allowing the winner a few more work from home days in a month can be enough to motivate most staff. Monetary rewards can also be motivation but make sure to limit the amount to around half or less of what the extra productivity earned the company. Keep these contests weekly or monthly as contests that go on too long lose their appeal especially if the same people keep winning.
Health initiatives
Health initiatives allow the staff members to see another side of their coworkers. Having staff care about the well-being of everyone in the office can allow those who might have never spoken to bond. Healthier employees are more productive so you can support this initiative by providing healthy snacks instead of candy or sugary energy drinks. The entire staff getting into better health can even lower health insurance rates for the company as a whole. Healthy snacks will also help ward off the sleepy feeling many people feel after a meal or snack.
Pay for employees to go to lunch
There will be times where a completely new team of people will all be working on the same project together. These employees could have had limited interaction and a lunch to get to know each other can be perfect. Even having the project team go out for drinks can be a perfect way to break the ice. Entire company happy hours can help boost morale but make sure to get a bus rental to make sure everyone gets home safely. Providing food and letting a team go over a project in the office can be a casual way to start working together. This can help those that have a hard time socially or are poor communicators unless you know them.
Unifying staff can allow a company to work at a higher level than ever before. If team building is not happening naturally then it is time to try some of the above methods. These can be great even if you have a strong team to make it stronger. Do not allow a fragmented office to define your business.
