Team building is a procedure in which several workers are transformed into a coherent team. Team building activities are a set of tasks accomplished to impel or prompt the employees working around. As a result, cooperation and mutual collaboration are incorporated into the workplaces. Egg drop, talking in circles, escape rooms, three truths and a lie, and watch your steps are some popular team building activities that motivate employees by evolving stability and strength in them. Also, these activities help to address the team and individual weaknesses of employees.
As mentioned earlier, team building activities propel motivation among the employees, thus, giving gifts to the employees as Corporate gifts, and work anniversary gifts can also play a vital role in team building. Various ideas have been contrived for the best corporate gift ideas for the year 2021. The novel Coronavirus has made people aware of their health. Custom face masks, personalized yoga mats, sanitation kits, and home garden herbs are some popular examples. Receiving gifts from the companies make them feel valued and honoured that ultimately incite the workers of the company. These activities potentially boost team performance.
It has been noted that without team building activities the employees can not work as a team because they are unaware of each other’s skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Team building activities align group workers into rectified teams that are well organized and work concurrently to converge the requirements of their clients.
Team building activities conducted among the employees should not initiate competitive edges rather mutual collaboration should be considered a priority. This ultimately triggers an advantageous and peaceful work environment where employees understand their colleagues in a proficient manner. Consequently, workplace projects are accomplished soundly. Many team-building activities are designed to enhance the performance of employees as a team, important of which are accounted below:
- Egg drop test:
The egg drop test requires exalted collaborative skills of the team that also tests the creativity level of the members. The participants are directed to pack the eggs in a suitable covering so that when it is dropped, the egg does not break. Plastic bottles, straws, disposable cups, newspapers, rubber bands, and balloons can be used to pack the egg. The team whose egg remains intact after dropping it through a definite height is considered a winner.
- Talking in circles:
Talking in circles is a fun-filled activity that actively tests the communication abilities and patterns of the participants. The communication abilities are tested with the help of a rope while standing in a circular exemplar. Each participant holds a section of the rope and is asked to form various patterns or shapes such as triangle, square, or rectangle. Sometimes, the participants are allowed to cover their eyes with pieces of cloths or bandannas to increase the difficulty level. The required shapes are then formed by the participants by communicating with the team members effectively.
- Two sides of a coin:
This activity helps to determine positive and negative notions of a particular situation or a happening. In this activity, two participants are selected and the first participant shares a negative notion about the situation. Afterwards, the second partner shares any positive keyword related to the situation. The exercise aids in exploring positive countenances of that situation by switching the roles of the participants.
- The minefield:
The minefield is a contest in which elicits teamwork, encouragement, confidence, and trust. A specific area is enclosed having different objects placed at various stages. The participants are divided into two teams and one member of a team is blindfolded. Afterwards, the team members of the blindfolded member instruct him to pick the objects in a specific duration. Thus, it induces skills of teamwork, communication and active listening.
- Gifts to employees:
Giving gifts to employees do not test their competency rather urges motivation in the employees by making them feel valued and ultimately is a good way to transform groups into teams. For this purpose, welcome gifts, corporate gifts, and anniversary gifts are given to the employees. These gifts encourage the company’s loyalty as well. The year 2020-21 has altered the preferences of these gifts and people are now given healthcare accessories such as Custom made face masks, yoga mats, and sanitisation and disinfectant kits. Also, people are given home plants and herbs for quarantine stress.
- Three truths and a lie:
This activity helps to know more about the teammates and make judgements about them. One of the member states 4 true and 1 false fact about his personality. The rest of the team members has to guess the truths regarding the participant.
- Zoom:
Intelligent communication and patience are the two attributes that are persuaded and tested in the team members. Different pictures are distributed among the group members who are instructed to hide the pictures from others. The members then describe the features of the portrait due to which a unified narration is made. Due to this activity, the perspectives of different employees are acknowledged.
All these activities potentially boost team build-up which induces a sense of collaboration within the employees. Brainstorming is another important element to barter ideas and find solutions. Teammates also provide creative solutions to the problems arising in the workplaces to meet the needs of the customers. Team building activities further help in knowing their team members more and induces motivation to achieve the goals.