4 types of team building activities to improve working relationships
22 March 2023
New Forest Activities have been providing team building in the New Forest, Hampshire, for 20 years. From rewarding and social canoeing trips on the Beaulieu River to fully facilitated and structured team building days filled with team building activities and training.
Over the years, we've seen the positive impact team building can have on all team sizes and from any industry. From problem-solving to communication and trust-building activities.
In this article, we're going to share some of our knowledge on the different types of team building activities and why as a business owner or team leader, it's important to recognise which type would benefit your team the most.
What is the main purpose of a team building activity?
Let's first discuss the main purpose of team building exercises and running a team building event. The main purpose is to bring a group of people together to achieve a common goal.
This can be to help team members build stronger relationships, trust one another, and work together more effectively. This can be important when you have new team members or the whole team are rarely together, if they are remote working, for example.
Businesses can be made up of all different personality types, so team bonding activities can help with team cohesion and conflict management. Team building games and different activities are a great way for the team to get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses, this way they can learn to work together and utilise each other's strengths.
Every business should have a team building process to ensure everyone is working as a team. If you can get your team working together to achieve a common goal, you'll enjoy greater business success.
Four types of team building activities?
A New Forest Activities, we understand how effective team building activities are crucial for promoting collaboration, enhancing communication, and fostering a positive work culture.
There are numerous team building activities you can choose from, each with its unique benefits. Here we are going to explore 4 types of team building activities that are commonly used in our own team building events.
Communication Activities
Communication is the foundation of any successful team. Communication activities focus on improving the team's ability to listen and communicate effectively. When you improve communication, you establish a more cohesive team.
These activities often involve group discussions, role-playing, and problem-solving exercises that encourage team members to express themselves freely and listen attentively to others.
We use various team building activities focused on encouraging communication within the team. These tend to be more intellectual activities that require conversations among team members. They can also be a great way for the team to get to know each other better and learn how each person communicates.
Trust-Building Activities
Trust is an essential ingredient for any successful team. Trust-building activities aim to strengthen relationships between team members by encouraging vulnerability, honesty, and mutual respect.
These activities often involve physical challenges or problem-solving exercises that require team members to rely on one another and trust in their abilities.
One example of a trust-building activity we do here at New Forest Activities is our ropes course. In this activity, team members must navigate the ropes course with the guidance of their teammates. This activity builds trust, communication, and cooperation as team members work together to accomplish a common goal.
Problem-Solving Activities
Problem-solving activities aim to improve the team's ability to work together to solve complex problems. These activities often involve brainstorming sessions, critical thinking exercises, and simulations that require the team to analyse and solve problems collaboratively.
Our BattleZone laser tag can be a great problem solving activity, where teams must work together to come up with strategies for tasks such as capturing the flag.
This activity encourages team members to work together, communicate effectively, and use their critical thinking skills to solve problems. We don't always use physical activities for this, some classroom-based problem solving team activities can be just as effective.
Social Activities
Social activities aim to build camaraderie and create a positive work culture. These activities are less focused on specific skills and more focused on creating a relaxed and fun atmosphere where team members can bond and get to know one another outside of work.
One of our most popular fun team building activities is our paddle to the pub. This activity provides an opportunity for team members to socialise, relax, and build relationships while enjoying time together away from the workplace.
Effective team building activities for your team
Physical activity is a great way to bond your team. Whether small groups or big teams, outdoor activities focus on developing skills and relationships. They enable teams to work together and trust each other, greatly improving team relationships.
A combination of various mental or physical activities helps when some employees are more introverted, so every team member has the opportunity to show their strengths and not be overshadowed by the rest of the team.