Almost everyone is aware of how invaluable and affirming work culture and team building can be in the workforce. Among the many benefits, team building offers improved cohesion, communication, and gets employees to work together in collaboration. According to HR Technologist Community Contributor Candice Dedmon, there are some additional benefits that have shown themselves among teams that can manifest both during work hours and beyond. Some of these include:
- Helping workers to feel less intimidated by managers and supervisors – According to a report appearing on the SHRM website, more than half of workers report saying what’s on their mind on the job. Even with the nicest and most personable manager and teammates, workers can fear retaliation or being viewed as a troublemaker if they were to speak up about their concerns. Teambuilding allows for the creation of a safe space that can help workers to relax enough to begin to say what’s on their minds in a frank and meaningful way.
- Increased Creativity – It’s easy for workers to get into a rut. Having teambuilding exercises and events can provide a way for workers to discuss and develop ideas away from the norm. The casual atmosphere can act to encourage workers to relax enough to let the creative ideas flow and potentially collaborate and solve problems more easily than they might have during a typical workday.
- Uncover potential leaders and others with hidden talents – Every worker has things that they do during their off-hours. Those activities may prove to be invaluable to companies and give workers a chance at increased responsibility or creative expression that further boosts their role within the organization. If, for example, you have a worker who takes pictures and has a blog about their hobby, those talents can be put to use on the job as well. Or, a member of a work team teaches classes on the weekends or after work hours to underprivileged kids or adults returning to the workplace. These individuals may be a good fit for increased leadership roles within the organization as well.