Improve Your Team Culture With Team Building Activities

Team building activities help build a purposeful team culture within your organization. One of the reasons companies have offsite meetings is to not only share and gather information, but also to improve their team culture by giving people "face time". If you're planning an offsite meeting, here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Build camaraderie with interactive sessions. When you have a quarterly or annual meeting it's a great opportunity for your team to get to know each other through interactive team building activities. When we are connected to each other, we participate. When we have trust, we take risks. When we care, we are willing to go the extra mile. Collaboration and creativity start when we begin to know each other as human beings, not just roles or titles. For example, we provided our Build-A-Bike workshop for a client in the New York area last month. Because of the interactive team building activities, the participants said they knew each other better after a half day session than after a year sitting next to each other in cubicles. And when times are uncertain, it's the relationship that matters.

2. Learn to think creatively. In today's economy everybody has to learn to do more with less. What happens when we have limited resources? How do limited resources impact our relationships and integrity? To not only survive, but thrive we need to do things differently to get better results. Going back to the New York team building activity we provided, participants were given a series of creative challenges and problem solving activities. What they realized was just because we've always done it that way, doesn't mean it's the way we should continue to do it. Rather than looking for what's not working - ask what's possible. This releases creativity and attracts those who care and are committed to making it happen.

3. Feel good by giving back. Team building activities that include a philanthropic twist have become increasingly popular in recent years. And with good reason! Service to others has become a strong part of the culture within many companies. Build-A-Bike is by far our most popular workshop because teams build bikes that are then donated to children in the community. Do you remember what it felt like when you got your first car - how it expanded your world? A new bike can change the life of a child, and it's a goose bump moment when you watch them ride it for the first time. Decide if a service mentality is an important part of your culture, and send that message at your next offsite meeting.

So if you want to improve your team culture, start at your next offsite meeting by building camaraderie with interactive sessions, learning to think creatively and be resourceful, and feeling good by giving back in some way. There is no power greater then a group discovering together what it cares about.

Colette Peterson is a speaker and trainer specializing in Team Building in New York City, NY that insert fun and energy into any convention or annual meeting.
( http://www.teambuildingnewyorkny.com/ ) Colette teaches team building events in major cities New York, Boston, Detroit, and Toronto.

Staff Productivity Plus Great Culture Equals Effective Workplace

Once you have these great people, there is a true art to keeping them productive and happy, and that art is known as “creating a culture”. While it may not sound hard, creating and maintaining a culture that meets all the requirements for all of your employees can be a balancing act to say the least! Here are some ways to build a great office culture and to keep employees happy in their job.

Office Surroundings

There aren’t many people that enjoy going to work in a pokey, dark office! That’s why the office culture starts with the surroundings in which you put your staff. When choosing an office space, look for a location with plenty of windows, large break out areas for staff to have lunch in and good heating and cooling. These things may all sound like standards, but you would be surprised! Many business owners will look for places that are low on extra space (to save money) and rarely think about the positive impact that natural light can have on their staff, never mind a good heater and air conditioner.

There are a range of options when it comes to livening up your office. Bright paintings, colourful furniture or cushions, or even funky office stationery will improve morale and lift everyone’s spirits.

Plants have also been shown to increase productivity levels in staff, decrease stress and provide an all round more positive environment in an office situation.

Team Building and Office Perks

Many people are now sold on a job, not by the remuneration they are offered, but the perks the company provides. Simple things like buying a coffee machine, keeping a stock of drinks in the fridge or a Friday afternoon off in the summer months every now and then all helps to make a business a more enticing place to come and work each day. These initiatives may only cost the business a small amount of money, but will have a huge impact on team productivity and happiness.

Team building exercises don’t need to be weekends away or huge off-site extravaganzas. Something as simple as getting a table tennis table in the office to encourage staff interaction, or even ten pin bowling once a month can do wonders for building a strong and supportive team.

By: Ralph Garofano