5 Ways Team Building Can Provide Relief To Your Employees This Pandemic

Life may return to some semblance of normal after the pandemic first hit in 2020. The quick snap to remote work was challenging for teams that were used to working in person. Every day, organizations struggle to manage people with different work modes and work time.

 

Now that more and more people have begun returning to the office, it’s also a great time to introduce fun team-building exercises your team can participate in. Team building can be safe despite many restrictions and safety precautions. In the end, everyone must participate in achieving some normalcy even though we are still in the pandemic.

 

Here are five ways team building can help an organization relief during the pandemic: 

 

1. Normalcy is all that matter

According to a report from Fundera , after the pandemic hit, many people were forced to work from home. Most of these people have been used to interacting with their colleagues regularly. They had people in their social circle whom they could share their problems with. 

 

Aside from that, most of them were used to working as a team. Many companies have shifted to remote working, and working alone without a support system can be challenging. It’s also hard to come up with a good work schedule. 

 

Furthermore, some workers can develop emotional and mental challenges because of isolation and reduced communication. Team building motivates workers, especially those working remotely, since they can bond and enjoy with their colleagues outside the workplace. It also breaks communication barriers, allowing people to understand one another better. 

 

2. Networking and connecting with your coworkers

If your employees work remotely, they only have digital relationships with their colleagues. Working from home takes away that coffee break chit chats in the break room or impromptu meetings that can happen in the office. 

 

Giving your team time to get to know each other outside work allows them better to understand each other’s roles in the organization. This will enable them to work better to get the best results possible. 

 

3. Rebuilding trust matters for employees

You have to know people enough to trust them. To work with them well, you have to trust them. If members of your team have been away from each other for too long because of the pandemic, then that trust may have gradually dissipated over time because of regular contact. 

 

Also, if a team member doesn’t know someone enough, they don’t know what they’re capable of, and their relationship with them can be strained over time. Meanwhile, cultivating trust makes people safe and willing to open up, share new ideas, and be more productive. 

 

Employees learn to depend on their peers by working together in team-building activities. You can opt for activities focusing on developing that trust, like an obstacle course. To complete the course, every member has to depend on their teammates for instructions and judgment. 

 

4. Encouraging positivity despite the pandemic

One of the best ways to have effective team-building activities is to ensure that they’re not one-time events and have a lasting impact on employees. 

 

So, plan events outside working hours to encourage more relaxed, positive interactions. Pick a large venue so your team can spread out, preferably outdoors. By interacting with each other outside work, you can keep that positivity even in the office, improving relationships and enhancing company culture. 

 

5. Morale boost for every team members

Finally, a positive and motivated team creates excellent workplace morale. Team building activities can identify barriers to positive morale, highlighting strategies that allow you to create fun and positive day-to-day work. 

 

Committing to regular team building events builds camaraderie within the workplace, letting employees feel excited and more comfortable approaching each other. Moreover, it encourages employees to step away from their desks every once in a while and have fun. That way, when they return to work, they feel refreshed and re-energized. 

 

In Summary

So there you have it. These are some ways team building can help your employees and how it is vital to incorporate into a business. 

 

In fact, integrating team-building activities in your organization can make a difference. It helps your team reach its goals. It also rebuilds trust, injects positivity, boosts company morale, and allows better interactions with your employees. 

 

The caveat of all this is that you must keep in mind that the pandemic is still not yet over, so when carrying out these activities, everyone should still practice safety protocols to stay safe and healthy.