5 Team Building Events That Are Not “Trust Falls”
In this ariticle John takes a look at some team building exercises you can take part in to build trust, motivation and productivity with your workforce that are a bit different from the usual “trust falls” you’re normally asked to do on company training days
Every organisation or business is held together by a set of teams working hard to keep the corporate wheels moving. While teams are obviously critical to the success of any business, making sure the team members work in tandem is equally as important.
Studies have proven that close work friendships lead to improved productivity. Another study proves that employees that are kept engaged regularly outperform their competition in terms of profits, productivity, and turnover.
While more organisations are learning about the importance of trust building for their teams, most are still not able to do it right. Sure, initiatives are being taken left and right, but they’re completely useless unless these initiatives get the teams excited and interested.
We have all been doing trust falls since grade school and have probably realised they will work with someone that is not trustworthy, as long as people are watching. What corporates need to understand is that team building does not have to be boring and monotonous. If done right, team building events are not only fun, they can be utilised to identify and address performance issues that are prevalent in the office.
Here are 5 trust building activities that are insanely fun:
Games from TV
From the famous and old BBC television series It’s A Knockout, to The Amazing Race, there are numerous options to choose from when it comes to taking inspiration for team building events. Complete the feel with costumes and props, and you are sure to get some souls excited for participation.
Make teams but do remember to mix them up. Preferably, two people that are in the same team back in the office, should be put in different teams during the activity. This way, you will open doors for new friendships. When team members will work together towards a common objective, it will help build the team spirit and the much required trust that is needed for success.
Escape Rooms
Escape rooms have recently gained a lot of attention. For those of you that are unaware about the concept, here is how an escape room works:
You, along with you team, are locked inside a rather peculiar room. The team members then have to race against time as they find hidden clues and work together to solve puzzles in order to get out of the locked room. The rooms usually follow a theme, and have challenges that will put your team’s wit and presence of mind to test, while of course, teaching them to work together, as a team.
The Buddy System
Not so much an activity, the buddy system, as the name suggests is more of a system designed to help new employees get acclimated with the work culture at your organisation. The system is simple, as soon as a new joinee comes in, they will be assigned a “buddy”. The buddy is someone that understands the organisation, the culture, has had a proven success with the teams, and most importantly, someone that really wants to be a buddy to a new hire.
The buddy will act as the guide, friend, and confidant for the new hire so that one day, the new hires can be buddies to future joinees. Such an initiative will help propagate positivity in the organisation, while promoting trust and relationships among employees.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would just like to remind the readers that any corporate event is made successful with innovation. New things excite people, and excitement ensures participation. Participation by your team members is obviously critical to the success of any team building activity.
Do you have any unique trust building ideas? Don’t forget to share them in the comment section below.
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I am glad that you’ve mentioned some new activities here other than trust fall. I am sick and tired of doing trust falls with my team-mates as a way of improving our chemistry. These activities sound better.