10 Must-Know Team Building Strategies to Motivate Your Employees
Do you want your employees to work efficiently while enjoying their work environment? Here are 10 team building strategies you need to know about.
The leading cause of lack of efficiency in the workplace is employee malaise.
Sure, work is still work. For the most part, your employees are happy to be employed. They’ll do anything to ensure job security.
But, don’t you want your employees to be happy to be there instead of just getting by?
When your staff takes individual pride in their work, that will boost their job performance. It also gives everyone a common goal, which encourages camaraderie between everyone.
It’s a proven fact that teamwork facilitates productivity and higher quality of output.
Of course, getting everyone excited to go to work and play nice every day is easier said than done. Luckily, there are validated methods you can try.
Do you want your employees to work efficiently while enjoying their work environment? Here are ten team building strategies you need to know about.
1. Work Should Not Always Be Work
Workers spend a third of their day in their office.
Ideally, your employees feel stimulated by their job. But, even if they do, that only goes far. If those forty hours a week are spent only on work, your people will burn out.
At least once a week there should be a social, non-work related event. A special lunch or happy hour drinks gives people something to look forward to. They’ll be more excited to get back to work after taking a well earned “work-cation”.
2. Fun Team Building Activities
Icebreaker games and other team building activities may make some employees cringe. But, there are new approaches to these types of exercises that will make them a lot less lame.
For these actives, it’s best to hire professionals. Bring a group into the office who know how to make these activities fun and effective. When your employees become more comfortable with each other they’ll work better together.
3. You Get What You Pay For
If you are underpaying your employees you are not doing yourself any favors. Sure, you’re saving money, but the cost of efficiency is not worth it. When setting salaries make sure to check with the averages in your industry.
Paying your employees a competitive wage will keep them loyal to your company. It will also inspire them to work hard and earn what they make.
4. Establish a Safe Space for Criticism
When your employees are working well together they’re making each other better. Teams make people more accountable for their actions. However, when criticisms arise, people need to feel like it’s okay to air them.
Make yourself the example by giving productive feedback and asking for it in return. If your employees feel safe giving you critiques, then they know their coworkers will be comfortable with it as well.
This will help everyone grow together.
5. Watch Out For Cliques
Cliques make people on the outside feel unwelcome. Just like in high school when there was a cool kid’s table. You don’t want your team to have an internal cool kid’s table.
Sub-groups will ruin communication between the others. It can also create resentment and animosity.
If you find cliques starting to form, try mixing things up. Put a few people on a project that normally wouldn’t work or socialize together.
6. No Meetings For the Sake Of Meetings
Nothing can slow down a day’s productivity and harm teamwork like an unnecessary meeting. For some problems, it can be very productive to get all hands on deck and hash it out. But, a meeting for the sake of a meeting can ruin a day of work.
Schedule meetings at a regular time every week so people can plan their days around them. Also, make sure to only invite those who need to be there. Let the teams who don’t need to be there continue to thrive while you get your meeting in.
7. Know When they Need You and When They Don’t
When creating efficient teamwork in your office the most important job you have is establishing the teams. You know who will work well together and who won’t. After that, you need to choose your battles in terms of interfering.
Micro-managing your team will defeat its purpose. If there is something you know you can do better than others then lend a hand. But, if the team feels like you’re trying to take over you’ll ruin efficiency.
8. Make Sure The Workplace is Ideal
Giving your employees a pleasant workplace is one of the easiest things you can do to raise efficiently. This doesn’t require any personnel management. You just need to make sure the office is a comfortable and stimulating place to be.
A new paint job and more comfortable chairs can go a long way. Also, a designated socializing area can help further establish coworker bonding.
9. Establish Some Tangible #Squadgoals
Once your teams are established, they need something to work towards. This goal should be challenging but achievable. You could ruin productivity if you give your employees an impossible goal.
A common goal will ensure everyone will work together to get it finished as quickly as possible. Like any sports team, your squad will do what it takes to win for you.
10. Make Sure Everyone Knows Their Role
Every employee has different strengths and weaknesses. In the more efficient teams, those weaknesses and strengths all even out. It helps to have a hierarchy established so everyone knows their place.
Yes, your coworkers should feel equality between themselves. But, they should also know who to look towards for help. Establish a leader on each team so work can be delegated efficiently.
Use These Team Building Strategies For Office Success
Let your employees have fun and get work done too. Using these ten team building strategies will ensure a happier and more productive workforce.
Do you need to rally your employees to create a high-functioning office? Then contact us for more information on what we can do to help.
