If you haven’t organized team-building before, it might seem daunting. You already have a lot on your plate. Now, you must carve out time for team-building while your team is already hard-pressed for time. You must find things to do and face your team’s comments like, “I hate being outdoors.” And at the end of it, what tangible outcome do you get from team-building? Is team-building even worth it?
Is team-building worth it?
Let’s think back to the moment you first considered team building. Maybe you noticed that you were spending way too much time in meetings. Maybe you just onboarded new people, and suddenly, conversations became less open. Or maybe you sent a pulse survey and realized that your team wasn’t as happy as you thought they were.
When people aren’t talking openly, they are disengaged. Disengagement means that your people are not motivated and are likely to leave. No leader wants this. If you do nothing, things will only get worse.
So what do you do?
Understand why people join your company in the first place (use survey results from newly-hired employees). Remind people that Their work is valued You know and appreciate them You are working on fixing big problems together (bring a customer) They are helping real people (bring a customer)
To show your team the big picture, you need to create a special space for your team away from work. And if you’re a team leader or a founder, like me, you also need that space to stay motivated.
Team-building is worth it because you cannot afford not to do it.
Let’s address common team-building questions
Can we afford for everyone not to work?
Most teams can afford to step away from work for at least a few hours. There are teams and industries that can’t shut down completely. Your customer support team can’t ignore customer messages. If you’re in retail, you can’t suddenly shut down all stores. If this sounds like you, you’ll need to be creative. Here are a few solutions:
Split into two team-building cohorts Back in some break time and rotate people to stay on top of customer emails Pay over time for people to attend
Do team-building activities take a long time to plan?
Only if you start from scratch. I’ve seen a 17-page color-coded spreadsheet that someone put together to plan a work retreat. Even a simple half-day itinerary takes 8 hours to plan on average. My guess is that no one on your team will be willing to go through this. And if you are truly strapped for time, you probably don’t want them to. Book on Spaciously, where you can browse team-building ideas and book in one click . If you don’t see what you want, email me at hanna@spaciously.io , and I’ll make your event happen.
How do I plan a team-building activity that isn’t lame?
Some activities are fun with friends or romantic partners but lame with co-workers. One prominent example is the happy hour. Happy hours are loud, uncomfortable, and exclude people. Another example is a spa day. No one is ready to see their superior in a bathing suit .
To plan a team activity that won’t feel awkward , strive to:
Do it locally. Make it convenient for people to show up. Respect their time. Do it in person. Virtual events feel just like another meeting. Get your team to let their guard down. Pick a low-pressure activity that will shift the focus from people to something else. For example, when you are painting and sipping, you don’t have to maintain eye contact or a conversation with your colleagues. This is how you break the ice. At the end, gather everyone over food and give a short speech:Talk about your company’s values and mission Recognize your team’s achievements Talk about the challenges ahead and how you trust your team will overcome them
What should my team-building itinerary include?
Start with this agenda:
Arrive, grab name tags, and have light snacks and drinks (45 minutes) Do a low-pressure activity (2 hours) Gather over food (2 hours)
Are team-building events expensive?
No, and unless you run Salesforce , your employees will think you’ve gone mad if you throw a luxurious team-building retreat when they are bombarded with lay-off news.
So what can you do, and how much cash will you need to fork out?
Team-building activities that fit all budgets
“Budget Zero” team activities
Play board games at the office Do a potluck-themed picnic Design a trivia Go for a mellow hike When your event is done, set aside a team-building budget for your next planning cycle.
$20-per-person team activities
$50-per-person team activities
If your team is small, treat them to lunch If your team is larger, you can book a few fun activities like:some text
$100-per-person team activities
A boxed lunch + hundreds of chill activities like:
$200-per-person team activities
You’ll comfortably afford an activity + lunch or dinner at a local restaurant.
$300+ per-person team activities
If this is your budget, you can treat your team to once-in-a-lifetime activities like:
Coach-guided team-building sessions Hot-air balloon rides Multi-day national park visits
So what will you do?
Team-building is essential to helping your team connect. It doesn’t have to cost much or take a lot of time. There are many things you can do on a budget.
Spaciously is here to help you find and bring to life an event that will work for your team. Browse our group activities, or let us help you brainstorm your next event for free. If you can’t find what you are looking for, we will do the research for you and add the right options for you to our website.
