As we know, COVID-19 has turned the world of work upside down, and will continue to do so for a long time to come. HR departments are currently working flat out to integrate employees, who are now accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle, and to motivate the workforce to return to the office. One of the lessons learned during this difficult period is that personal connections and a good working atmosphere are vital for retaining teams and facilitating cooperation and collaboration. By allowing employees to have a good time together and get to know each other better, team building activities are part of the solution for easing the return to the office and rebuilding relationships. Here is an overview of the latest trends in this area.
The search for meaning
Whereas yesterday’s employees just wanted to have fun, today they are looking for activities that have meaning. As a result, we are seeing more and more solidarity-based team building activities in which participants work together for a good cause. In addition to allowing them to feel a real sense of collective pride, this type of team building offers the company an opportunity to communicate about its CSR approach.
Eco-friendly team building activities
A major concern at the moment, climate change and ecology more generally are finding their way into team building events. Indeed, what better time than a team building event to convey key messages and try to change behaviors? Sometimes accompanied by a more informative component or purely hands-on, companies decide for themselves how to approach the subject. Activities vary, from litter picking to discovering tips and tricks for reducing your carbon footprint, to CSR serious games. But the companies’ goal remains the same: to raise awareness among teams and communicate their CSR commitment to their employees.
More frequent, smaller and more focused
It is true that there are still companies that organize team building once a year for all employees without feeling the need to analyze how teams function and what their needs are. However, more and more team leaders and HR managers are aware that team building goes beyond simple fun and that relationships need to be nurtured over time. Organizing team-building events more often, working more deeply on one or another aspect of cohesion, and with smaller groups has real added value. This is especially true if the company has a strategic approach and analyzes and monitors performance to be improved in order to guide its choice of team-building activities. This increases collective performance, improves communication, and increases participant engagement in activities.
Enhancing the employer brand
More and more companies are realizing how much integrating serious games into training, prevention, awareness, and motivation programs impacts their image. The younger generations like to join companies that communicate with them through their preferred media. They resist brainwashing and want to learn while having fun. In their early days, serious games were inspired by digital technology and video. Today, they are expanding into other formats such as role-playing games, escape games, and treasure hunts.
And companies see real added value in creating customized games that meet their needs.
The famous escape game
After appearing in rooms in all major cities, escape games are now finding their way into businesses. Requiring little equipment, escape games are in high demand by companies because of their “trendy” aspect, but also because of their diversity. This type of activity calls on different skills such as observation, logic, and “out of the box thinking,” and also allows for the analysis and discovery of group dynamics.
Traditional activities that are still popular
Finally, treasure hunts and scavenger hunts remain popular favorites that are always a big hit. In a country where nearly 50% of workers are cross-border commuters, companies are keen on programs that combine team building with discovering local heritage.
A recent development in recent years is the use of digital technology, which has replaced the traditional paper roadbook. This greatly facilitates logistics and offers new possibilities in terms of challenges. Using phones also allows teams to communicate with each other, which further strengthens cohesion.
Thanks to its benefits in terms of communication and team building, teambuilding is proving to be the ideal tool for improving team performance and facilitating a return to the office, which is not always easy.
Netty Thines
Communication Consultant
Mediation SA