10 Benefits of Team Building for Teams Returning to Work

“Back to the office,” is the go-to statement for 2022 or the question of interest among friends. The second wave of return to work has been fueled by various reasons like the subsiding impact of Covid-19 and some organisations, realising the need to have employees work from the office. Return to work activities has been a focus for human resources departments whose organisations are making the switch now. Organisations are looking at being strategic in making this transition work for their teams. To ensure the return to work activities are impactful, they need to be something that benefits the teams.

During the pandemic, teams have had to handle various challenging situations. When your teams regroup and begin to return to the office, team-building exercises can help to supercharge teams to face the road ahead. Before participants jump off the zip-line at Breakthrough, we ensure that participants are prepared both psychologically and physically, and that enables them to jump safely. Similarly, it is crucial to ensure your teams are psychologically prepared to face the change of returning to work.

Here are ten benefits teams enjoy when they focus on team building while their people return to work from their offices.

1. Transition Easier from Work-from-Home to Working from the Office

Employees are now used to working from home, and the transition back to the office can be difficult. Team-building makes this transition easier by providing opportunities for employees to interact with each other and build relationships. Such an engagement help teams to be mentally prepared to make the big switch.

2. Connect New Employees to the Existing Team

One of the biggest challenges with remote working has been connecting new employees to the existing team. Interactive team-building activities will help build bonds between the new employees and the existing team. It brings the entire team on the same page. This will directly enhance their interactions while working together on projects, getting to know each other better, and developing a sense of team spirit. With an overall average attrition rate projected at 19% (Source: Economic Times) in 2022, constant efforts to connect teams are needed.

3. Renew the Zeal for the Organisation

Team building can ignite the passion for the organization through carefully guided reflections. When people are made to feel like they are one unit, the task to move the organization further becomes easier than if they feel fragmented. Team members will feel more connected to the organization and what they are accomplishing together. If you ever watch the Kerala boat race, the zeal for the boat among the oarsmen rips through the lake. Such a passion can be built through a powerful team-building experience.

4. Upskill the Team on Key Behaviours

The workplace has changed over the last two years and the behavioural skills needed to thrive in this new space have changed. To keep the teams on track with the changes in the workplace, team building efforts focused on upskilling teams are needed. Team-building helps to upgrade those important team behaviours and can help to get everyone back on track.

5. Reduce Stress and Anxiety

In the current climate, where so much is uncertain, team-building can provide some much-needed stability and structure while being a fun and enjoyable way for employees to blow off some steam and bond with one another. Covid-19 has been a stressful time for everyone and this translates to strained relationships and professional reluctance. Team building can help reduce anxiety and stress by giving people a chance to interact and bond with others. Employees also are made to realize the importance of supporting each other in the workplace.

6. Behavioural Alignment

The pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty and anxiety in the workplace especially. Team-building activities can help to address some of these issues by providing an interactive forum for employees to share their concerns and work together to find solutions. Additionally, team activities can help identify and address any behavioural issues that may have arisen as a result of isolated working during the pandemic. When the team works together to resolve these issues, it is easy to ensure that they are aligned with the company’s goals and values.

7. Create a Psychologically Safe Workplace

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, for people to achieve their potential, they need to have a psychologically safe space. Employees need to view the office as a safe space when they return to work. Team building can help build this psychologically safe space through meaningful experiences that make people vulnerable and be themselves.

8. Create an Inclusive Environment

Inclusion is about creating a workplace where everyone feels respected and valued. It is an environment where everyone can contribute and feel like they belong. Effective team-building exercises can help to create an inclusive environment. When the exercises are executed by experienced facilitators, it can help to break down barriers and to create a sense of shared purpose. Organizations that are committed to inclusion are better able to attract and retain talent. In time they become more successful and are more innovative and agile. The benefits of inclusion are clear. And in a transitional climate, they are more important than ever.

9. Create a Fun Work Environment

In the post-pandemic workplace, there is a pallor of grey that seems to have settled with people having changed their thought processes and habits. People are more engaged when they are having fun. To ignite the fun in the team, the team-building exercise can be the spark. This is important because it can help to make the workplace more enjoyable and productive.

10. Demonstration of Valuing People

One of the most important changes in the last couple of years has been the way organisation view their employees and productivity. In the past, many organizations regarded their employees as expendable resources that could be replaced at any time. However, the pandemic has made it clear that employees are vital to the success of any organisation.

This has made organisations look for ways to show their employees that they are valued. Team engagement activities can send a strong message of being valued and invested by the organisation. In other words, the organization is telling its team, we care for you. What a strong message to send!

It is essential to note that it has been proved time and time again that employees develop a strong sense of self and identity with the team and organization when allowed to interact in an environment that is outside the workplace. Expertly facilitated team-building exercises can help businesses create a shared vision and plan with the employees actively involved in the same. By bringing employees together to actively interact, brainstorm, problem-solve and develop a clear strategy for moving forward. Employee-centric exercises build a sense of unity and purpose, which is essential during times of hardship.

By creating a shared vision and plan, businesses can increase their chances of success in the post-Covid business world. We hope you enjoyed our blog. If you found this blog helpful, please let us know. If you have any other questions, please contact us at info@breakthrough-india.com. Thank you for reading!