Bringing together a group of talented individuals is not enough. You can’t expect them to mesh on their own, and helping them work together is what will ensure that you get the most out of them. One of the best ways to do that is by organising a team-building event.
However, it’s also important to ensure that your team members don’t endure an event that is not properly organised or even relevant. If you are planning one, below are some guidelines to help you organise a team build event that helps foster cohesion and collaboration among colleagues.
Go Offsite
One of the most important aspects of team building is stepping away from the office environment. This in itself is enough to create a different kind of atmosphere and encourage communication. It will also help the team members create stronger bonds by interacting in a more relaxed environment.
For the hosting space, there are lots of event space London options that include both outdoor and indoor areas. While the former may not be readily available in London due to the space and weather, indoor settings can still allow team members to carry out different activities and interact.
Set Clear Objectives
A team-building event isn’t just a day to have fun. On top of the fun, it should accomplish specific goals. This means that you need to come up with the objectives you want to achieve through the team-building event. Is it improving communication, fostering trust, enhancing problem-solving skills, or simply boosting group morale?
Ensure that you’ve clearly set out the objectives. Ideally, they should follow the SMART principle to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Communicate these objectives with the various members to ensure that they meet their set goals and expectations within the different activities you’ll engage in. Note that the objectives are what will set the tone for what you do within the event.
Know Your Team
One of the most important things to consider when planning a team-building activity is the characteristics of each individual. Every person brings a unique set of skills, personalities, and perspectives to the table, and you should be smart enough to know how to maximise these. Learn about the interests, strengths, and personalities of your team members. By tailoring activities to fit your group, you can ensure everyone feels included and engaged. If you’re looking for inspiration, explore team holiday party ideas that can bring everyone together in a festive and meaningful way.
From there, consider them as a whole. What major characteristics can you use to plan for your team build event, and how will you cater to the few people who don’t fall within these? A part of this is also the group dynamics, such as whether there are any existing conflicts or tensions that need to be addressed.
Choose the Right Activities
The most important aspect of team building is the activities that you do. These are what will encourage teamwork, communication, creativity, and general collaboration. To come up with the right ones, first consider the objectives you’ve set. What activities can help you achieve them? If you want to enhance problem-solving skills or collaboration, you will need activities that help teams work together to find answers or solutions.
While selecting the activities, remember to cater to the diverse interests you established while learning about the team. Find activities that appeal to different personalities so that everyone can enjoy and help achieve the set objectives. But while doing all these, ensure that you select activities that are both enjoyable and engaging for participants.
Plan Ahead
Proper planning is a key part of any event’s success. While all the above are part of planning, ensure you have a plan for carrying them out and including the other important details. First, establish a budget for the event. This will guide you in all other aspects. From there, set deadlines for key planning milestones such as securing a venue, organising catering, finalising activities, etc.
You can then consider the logistics – date, time, duration, and transportation. Ensure that you communicate with your team members or send invitations early. Since planning involves lots of things, you can distribute the various responsibilities as this is also a part of any team build event. Perhaps as a bonus for participating you can leave team members with a gift, such as beautifully embroidered workwear for further professional use.
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