Not only do they build trust and improve communication, they can also prevent conflict. All these factors are important for organisational productivity.

As we know, an engaged employee is more likely to approach their work with greater enthusiasm, leading to an increase in the quality and quantity of output. Team building is an essential tool for creating employee engagement. While some may give it a bad rap, it has various benefits when carried out effectively.

Here are some of the reason why team building is so important:

It builds trust

Trust is an crucial factor for fostering a healthy organisational culture. If employees do not have mutual trust between each other, this may cause constant friction during collaborative projects which will only impair overall productivity.

It improves communication

When effective communication is lacking among staff, problems arise that impede the flow of work. Interpersonal relations between staff members are also negatively affected.

Team building is a time-tested method of improving how employees communicate with one another. Through the various activities designed around team participation, each employee learns how to pass on their thoughts and opinions, how to listen to their colleagues and constructively offer feedback. Good communication skills only serve to improve the office environment, whilst also boosting productivity.

It improves team productivity

Knowing what other team members are capable of can result in more projects completed with minimal disruptions. Workplace team bonding activities can positively impact overall productivity. When employees get to participate in team-building challenges together as a unit, they learn more about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and build morale between each other. The informal environment allows for a more personal assessment of their capabilities as well as the colleagues.

Back in the traditional office space, when the staff next get to work on a team project they will carry this assessment over into their workplace operations. A greater understanding of each other’s ability reduces bottlenecks during team projects, leading to increased productivity.

It facilitates conflict resolution

In every organisation, people butt heads and disagree. Unchecked or unresolved conflicts quickly become toxic to the company culture and also impede productivity. Solving these kinds of issues in a workplace context can be difficult for some personality types amongst your employees.

Team building provides a more relaxed environment to address conflict and its underlying causes. It presents an opportunity for the staff to spend more time with each other and learn about the different personality traits that other colleagues have. It then becomes easier to chart a path to resolution when team members are more comfortable with one another.

The people a company employs are an essential asset in growing and sustaining its competitiveness. Employee interpersonal relations directly affect productivity and company culture. Regular team building brings employees together and contributes towards better collaboration and communication among them. When staff can work and relate better, a company can do more and also set a complimentary office culture.

Sara Al-Bakri is a Marketing executive at Aon Hewitt, an industry leading human resource consulting firm.