As organizations are made of people, engaging people and building lasting relationships is key to the growth of the organization. When team members share a bond, they are more likely to engage in purposeful communication and share the vision of the organization.
Team building activities play a crucial role in building authentic relationships. Outdoor activities particularly have a great impact on building lasting bonds. These activities help team members break barriers and come together to build camaraderie and trust. This lets team members understand and support each other. Doing an outdoor physical activity together also boosts team morale and improves leadership skills.
Post pandemic, outdoor activities have become an anchor for organizations to keep employees motivated in offices. For example, outdoor group activities in Singapore like food tours, ethnic tours, escape rooms have become increasingly common as opposed to indoor activities like icebreakers or board games. Although outdoor activities are used for a plethora of reasons, they are pivotal in building relationships between team members.
Here are 5 ways in which outdoor team building games help in building corporate relationships:
5 Reasons You Need to Organize Outdoor Team Building Games for Corporate Relationships
Sparks conversations and builds a personal rapport
Communication and personal bonding is the foundation of building great relationships, especially when hiring a team building company to help with your team. Without getting to know each other on a personal level, developing effective communication between team members is challenging. Team building activities allow team members to get to know each other and spark great conversations.
Outdoor activities in particular give the opportunity to network and connect in an informal way. Moreover, outdoor activities are considered more relaxing and fun than indoor activities. Some examples of great outdoor activities to spark great conversations are truth or dare, debates, group discussions, etc.
Brings out the competitive and collaborative spirit
Teams are more successful and productive when the individual competitive spirit merges with the collective collaborative spirit of the team. Each individual needs to be motivated to deliver towards the vision of the organization. Outdoor team building activities are very impactful in motivating employees. For example, a team sports day is beneficial for employee physical and mental health while also improving the competitive and collaborative spirit of the team. Also, outdoor team building activities have been proven to be more engaging than indoor activities.
Nurtures trust, integrity, and empathy
Trust, integrity, and empathy are the pillars of long-lasting corporate relationships. When employees trust each other and their employer they are more likely to build relationships and deliver their best for the organization. Likewise, a lack of trust leads to unengaged employees and dysfunctional teams.
Team building activities help in avoiding this by building trust between the team members and with the organizational leadership. Engaging with each other in activities outside work help team members learn and understand each other while also developing a team spirit. As outdoor activities typically demand more energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork than indoor activities they allow teams to develop a strong bond.
Builds a strong organizational culture
Organizational culture is the shared values, ethics, and beliefs of team members. When team members are misaligned with the shared values, they cannot co-exist and identify themselves with the organization’s vision and mission. Therefore, a strong organizational culture is the foundation of cohesive and collaborative teamwork. The impact of team building activities on strengthening organizational culture is often underestimated.
Team building activities, specifically outdoor ones bring together team members to achieve a set of milestones as a team. This not only lets the team members take charge but also lets them explore the team’s approach and underlying values. Some examples of activities that help in strengthening organizational culture are activities that focus on individual talents of team members, outdoor sports, campfires etc.
Reduces stress and makes time for fun
The World Health Organization has recognized burnout as an occupational issue in 2019 and a survey by Indeed revealed that 59% of millennials are experiencing burnout in 2021. Burnout is a mental health issue that leads to unproductive employees and a high employee turnover. Therefore, keeping employees stress free and preventing burnout is crucial to the productivity of a team.
Team building activities allow teams to relax and rejuvenate themselves. Organizing a fun outdoor activity day will not only let your employees feel refreshed but also reflects on the organization’s commitment to employee mental health. When employees are relaxed, they are more likely to connect with each other and build relationships. Stressed employees are often at the brink of quitting and will not be interested in building lasting relationships. Stress-free employees are highly productive and beneficial to the organization.
Team building activities are often considered expendable activities and are only organized as a checklist activity. But it is a misconception and the benefits of team building activities are overlooked. Corporate relationships need value addition and mutual bonding consistently and team building activities serve as a tool for that. If well utilized and organized, outdoor team building activities can be of paramount importance.
