Happiness in the office: on-going team building ideas

Effective team-building is essential
for any business, large, medium or small. It improves employee morale, unit
cohesiveness and work ethic, while decreasing friction and interpersonal
conflicts. Team-building is most effective when it is not simply a one-off
event but an on-going effort that reinforces fellow feeling and a spirit of
community. Here are ten ways a company can strengthen their teams in a
continuing fashion.



1) Pot-Luck Fridays
Every Friday staff are encouraged to bring in a dish that they have made at
home. All the staff in this section then have a communal lunch, sharing cooking
skills and recipes.


2) Company Sports Teams
Participating in team sports builds unit cohesiveness and increases
physical fitness, giving knock-on emotional and psychological benefits. Even
those who are not on the team can come along and cheer for their co-workers and
the company, and it’s already working well in a business park context at Harwell Oxford, which boasts a range
of sports for employees to get involved in.


3) Dedicated Coffee Breaks
By having coffee breaks for all staff within a section scheduled for the
same time, staff can easily and without guilt chat to each other and find out
about how their day is going. This propagates friendships and community spirit.


4) Monthly Dinners
A company-sponsored dinner out once a month allows for any tensions that
have built up in the workplace to disappear. Co-workers can interact on a
social level and forge personal connections that will help them in their work.



5) Office
Birthday Parties
Everyone
has a birthday, and a company that allows an hour of the workday to celebrate
staff birthdays will be a company with improved morale. Staff will feel valued
by the company and by their peers, improving their interactions with co-workers
and the company.



6)
Company Choir
Choirs
require every member to work as a part of the team while contributing in their
own special way. The benefits of performing and indulging creativity will make
staff more confident and forge bonds with their peers.



7) Book
Clubs
Company
book clubs held over lunch or after work allow interested members of staff to
come together and discuss literature. They will feel intellectually stimulated
and appreciate their co-workers views and contributions.



8) Staff
Initiatives
Companies
should be open to staff suggestions and ideas for team-building and
morale-boosting initiatives. Should a member of staff wish to organise a
recycling drive or similar then company support will allow that staff member to
display initiative and bond with co-workers over an issue that they hold dear,
while improving the workplace.


9) Company Magazine
A company magazine or newsletter can highlight the work and extracurricular
activities of staff members. It can also develop leadership roles and teamwork
between those employees who produce and distribute the publication so that they
feel connected to the company.


10) Company Celebrations
Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day and Halloween are all great reasons to
have a party. By facilitating and promoting such events, the company can allow
employees to relax, socialise and get to know one another. The organising
committees for these events can work together, take suggestions from other
members of staff and facilitate an event that all will enjoy.




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