Finding Team Building Activities For Work Groups
We often receive inquiries from small business and corporations seeking team building activities for their work groups. Some groups desire a recreational day out of the office, others are interested in more in-depth team development. Almost all are unsure of what team building activities are most beneficial for a work group, and how to discern between team building and team bonding.
Team building activities are typically goals-driven. Often the focus of a team building activity for a work group is improved communication, increased trust, leadership development, etc. A good team building activity is usually led by a skilled facilitator. Great team building programs usually have some sort of follow-up, and a way of gauging whether or not the lessons learned in the initial event are being transferred, long-term. Team building is most valuable when it is part of an on-going team development initiative.
Team bonding activities are typically recreational, focused on fun, rather than lasting change. Examples of team bonding activities are adventure parks, paintball, scavenger hunts, escape rooms, skydiving, golf, laser tag, game shows, etc. Many of the activities marketed as team building are in fact team bonding – offering little to no lasting value. While fun, possibly challenging, they are often more competitive than cohesive. Without the benefit of a coach or facilitator, team bonding activities rarely amount to more than a happy memory, and sometimes not even that!
When looking for team building activities for work groups, be wary of the team bonding activity sold as a team building activity. Although both could be heaps of fun, only one is likely to build a stronger team.