“Team Builders, huh?”

Yea, I know. But humor me for a moment, ok? Suspend the eye rolling and smarmy scoffs – you know, the ones that usually follow shortly after someone mentions the words “team” and “builder” in short succession. Keep an open mind and I promise by the end of this post you’ll think about it in a different light.

Within the dregs of nine-to-five monotony, it’s often easy for employees and employers alike to become complacent; satisfied in the same comfortable routine, day in, and day out. Sure, productivity isn’t suffering, so why change?

Well, because it’s not improving, either.

Consistency can be great when it comes to things like punctuality, assembly line manufacturing, and remembering to call your gram on her birthday, but if you’re seeking advancement rather than plateaus (and you should be), it’s time to mix it up a bit. Crush that office stagnation with a Team Building day.

What are the Benefits of Team Building Exercises?

They break the ice like a massive Arctic Ship.

Everyone has those first conversation insecurities. We try small talk.

“So, how about this rain, Jim? It’s quite a thing when water falls from the sky is it not?”

“Our home team achieved more points than their opponents. We should feel victorious by association, no?”

“Coffee is good at making one feel less tired, would you not agree?”

“Monday is certainly a day of the week.”

Not much substance there. These types of conversations are great for robots, but do nothing to encourage coworkers to connect on a deeper level. It’s understandable, though. Often, the fear of not knowing what to say or saying the wrong thing (or maybe just lack of coffee) leaves many people avoiding office dialogues altogether.

Instead of just going through the motions, try putting together a team building exercise. This will provide a means of conversation to those employees who may not, under normal circumstances, have the opportunity to talk to each other. It’s hard to feel disconnected to your fellow coworker when a three-legged race has the two of you literally bound at the shins.

By facilitating workplace communication with hands-on activities, you’ll get all the members of your team talking to each other and working like a finely-oiled machine.

They Jump-start employee morale

Sometimes, it’s great to be rewarded beyond a paycheck. Everyone loves being told they’ve done a great job. Helping your employees feel inspired and motivated outside of the office can help boost morale. As corny as it may sound, participating in team building activities can give employees the sense that they’re part of a winning team.

And of course, they’re fun!

It’s work. You can’t expect to have the time of your life from Monday through Friday. You get in, do your job and come home. Home is where you enjoy yourself.

At the same time, there’s no rule that says you can’t inject a little fun here and there, especially when that fun is productive. Games are a great way to break up the tedium. When people are enjoying themselves at work, they become more productive, creative, and motivated.