Team building activities not only increase employee interaction, but also raise awareness of other departments’ job responsibilities, help understand the need for cooperation, the importance of sharing knowledge, and the benefits of teamwork.
Games are an essential part of the team building process. Team Building Games are more than just opportunities for recreation and fun for employees. The games teach the importance of teamwork and help build team spirit. They help bridge the gap between the different departments of an organization and promote cordial relations among employees. They also go a long way in bringing different employees together to form a cohesive unit driven by mutual focus on goal achievement.
They can be classified into two different types: Indoor and Outdoor games.
Board games, puzzles, mimes, indoor golf, musical chairs, carambola, Passing the Parcel, Truth or Dare, Chinese Whispers, indoor basketball, etc., are some of the Indoor games that will be played within the office premises. Games like 3 legged racing, apple hunting, lemon balancing, treasure hunt, cricket, football, rugby etc. are outdoor games to be played during sporting events organized by the company.
Indoor and outdoor games can also be combined. A typical example of a combined game is Treasure Hunting.
Importance
When multiple departments work together on a project, the practice is often to disparage one department for another. Most of the time, the employees themselves are responsible for discriminating against their co-workers. A typical example of this is the endless struggle between the technical and creative departments.
Efficient management is one that is aware of interdepartmental relationships. When you choose team-building games, you need to take interdepartmental “wars” into account. Your goal should be to bring the departments together in a social environment. This can be accomplished by getting them together or by participating in indoor or outdoor games.
Also, remember to mix your employees well. It is not imperative that the creative and technical departments form two unique teams. Including the same number of employees from both departments on a team will increase the scope of interaction and minimize cross-departmental bias.
While you can choose from many common games played in corporate industries, you can also experiment with other unusual games. Cricket, football, basketball, tennis and badminton tournaments are the most common games played during company sports days. You can also experiment with chess, hockey, rugby and golf matches.
When you make games, feel free to introduce new games to your employees. Your employees must be able to adapt. In addition, the new games will also generate excitement and encourage interaction. Remember, people come together most effectively when they face challenges collectively.
Whichever Team Building Games you choose, the purpose must be clear to your employees. The goal is to increase interaction and establish cordiality among colleagues. When you have games, make sure they are games that everyone can participate in. Consider the female population in your organization. A mix of games that both genders can play is important.
Choosing team building games may seem as simple as choosing games for a children’s party. However, it is not. Because you’re dealing with professionals and people of different personalities, skill sets, and work attitudes, choosing a game that induces a teamwork spirit is a bit more challenging than picking any game out of the hat.