Most successful companies organize retreats or team-building exercises to boost employee engagement. Such activities bring people together and let them collaborate amongst themselves. Engaged employees are more enthusiastic about their work and are committed towards organizational success.
Understanding Employee Engagement
Employee engagement shows the emotional connection employees have towards their work. Companies can foster a positive work environment to ensure higher engagement. Some characteristics of higher employee engagement include:
- Creative, innovation, enthusiasm, and positivity
- Sense of purpose
- Higher performance levels
- Work ownership
- Greater job satisfaction
Importance of Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is crucial for organizational success. It fosters an organizational culture where people feel valued, which enhances job satisfaction and productivity. Moreover, higher employee engagement encourages loyalty and commitment and decreases turnover.
Team Building Activities to Boost Employee Engagement
Bringing people together does not constitute teams and without such activities, team members may soon become disengaged. Here are some team-building activities to boost employee engagement:
Through Innovation and Collaboration Activities
Innovation and creativity are demonstrated by teams rather than individuals. Participating in such activities brings the participants together, which encourages creativity. Teams that collaborate enhance knowledge sharing thereby improving understanding. When team members get together in relaxed environments, it encourages innovation and they can come up with innovative solutions to problems through sharing ideas and brainstorming.
Activities like cardboard boat building promote collaboration and innovation encouraging individuals to think out-of-the-box. The objective of this activity is to construct and engineer a seaworthy boat using basic materials like cardboard and tape. Team members must demonstrate camaraderie and ingenuity to transform basic materials into a maritime marvel.
Through Bonding Activities
Team members may not be open in the workplace thereby limiting their bonding. Team bonding activities in informal settings boost camaraderie. When individual members collaborate to resolve challenging situations, it encourages bonding through a higher sense of mutual respect. With higher trust, the employees can emotionally connect and the organization while making them feel valued.
One bonding activity included in an employee engagement program is Mission Incredible. It is an adventurous, challenging, and exciting activity designed around a specific location. This activity provides an excellent opportunity to explore new locations, and connect among team members while incorporating the organizational theme.
Through Problem-Solving Activities
Often people feel stressed when they are not able to solve problems, which may lead to disengagement and lower productivity. Activities conducted in a stress-free environment outside the office can entertainingly impart problem-solving skills. Problem-solving skills are an important component of team coaching programs and encourage everyone to approach problems from a different perspective to find resolutions.
Activities like the art of flight are a test of ingenuity and collaboration. Team members are encouraged to work together to use basic and simple materials to construct an airworthy aeroplane. As teams work to construct an aeroplane, several skills are needed to make them successful. This experience will make teams stronger, more cohesive, and equipped with the skills needed to navigate through challenges confidently and collaboratively.
Through Communication Skills Activities
Most projects in companies require people to work together. Lack of coordination between team members may be detrimental to the successful execution of the projects. Most effective leadership team coaching programs focus on developing the communication skills of the participants. Some of these include active listening, respecting other people’s opinions, and clear communication. Additionally, people must feel comfortable expressing their views without feeling judged for improved interpersonal workplace relationships.
Activities like the slingshot marshmallow activity require the participants to be attentive as the events become more dynamic. Starting with an icebreaker to make people comfortable, teams need to work together through multiple activities that help them discover new communication styles and active listening skills.
Through Mental Wellbeing Activities
Team building events positively impact organizations and enhance the mental well-being of their employees. Such activities reduce stress by encouraging soft skills development. Moreover, fun activities are an excellent way to relieve workplace stress and promote healthy relationships. Additionally, these activities help employees to resolve conflicts and arrive at collaborative decisions.
In the domino effect activity, the participants must create an innovative and inspiring machine to execute a simple task elegantly and intricately. The participants must work together to develop seamless chain reactions to understand the importance of collaboration for organizational success. This activity requires the team members to complete complex processes in an artful, creative, and fun way.
Team building is important for higher employee engagement and successful organizations. Connect with the experts to develop an entertaining team-building program customized to the specific needs of clients.
