We’ve all heard the phrase “Teamwork makes the dream work”.
As an HR manager, this phrase should be treated as your North Star due to the massive benefits that come from a well-connected team.
However, due to mandates over the past few years, team-building activities have moved to exclusively virtual. And we don’t know about you, but virtual escape rooms and trivia got old… quick.
Now that teams are beginning to return to the office, it’s an exciting and perfect time to start planning in-person team-building activities once again.
If you haven’t started looking into booking these types of events yet, we’re here to present you with five reasons why you should.
Benefits to your company
First and foremost, there is much to gain from your company’s perspective in relation to team-building activities.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits.
1. Improves and encourages communication
The way your team communicates amongst each other determines how efficiently and effectively they’ll be able to collaborate.
According to The Economist, poor workplace communication results in consequences like added stress, delayed projects, lowered morale, and missed performance goals.
By planning a team-building activity like dragon boating, you allow your employees to work in unison towards a collective goal, while also giving them a chance to build personal relationships with one another – which can increase your workplace’s productivity by 20-25%.
2. Strengthens employee retention
The costs associated with high rates of employee turnover are grueling. Built In reports the average costs to replace an employee are:
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$1,500 for hourly employees
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100 to 150% of an employee’s salary for technical positions
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Up to 213% of an employee’s salary for C-suite positions
Your company’s culture is a huge deciding factor for how long your employees choose to stick around and how satisfied they are with their job.
Team building activities are a fun way to engage your employees and make them feel like they are a valued part of the team, thus improving your company’s culture and saving you money on recruitment.
3. Promotes enhanced innovation
Employees are always told to think outside the box. While that’s easy to say, it’s not always easy to do.
Successful team-building activities do not only bring your employees closer together, but they also contribute to a more successful and creative workplace.
Introducing this enhanced innovation in your workplace allows for improved productivity, reduced costs, and more motivated employees.
Benefits to your employees
Beyond the benefits that team-building activities have on your company, your employees also receive their own set of advantages.
1. Instills confidence
In an ideal world, you want all of your employees to be confident in themselves so that they’re able to handle any arising problems.
If employees lack confidence, it could reflect poorly on your company’s image and also slow down productivity.
Not only do team-building activities increase personal confidence, but they also strengthen the confidence between employees.
Through this increased confidence, you arm your workplace with the courage to present new ideas, problem-solve effectively, and believe in one another.
2. Boosts mental and physical health
We all know by now that the lockdowns have had an effect on everyone’s mental health.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 81% of Canadian workers reported that the pandemic negatively impacted their mental health. Similarly, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found a 30% increase in mental health issues amongst U.S workers.
It doesn’t help that gyms and recreation centers have been constantly closed, making it challenging for people to take care of their physical health.
This reality has a compound effect on the overall motivation and happiness felt by your employees.
Many are itching for social events after years of only seeing each other through a screen.
Outdoor team-building activities help to decrease stress and anxiety and give a sense of camaraderie that virtual events don’t provide.
And let’s be real, everyone deserves a day away from their desk after these hectic past few years.
Conclusion
There’s no better way to celebrate your team coming back together in person than by planning team-building activities.
Of course, you could choose a generic team-building activity like the Spaghetti and Marshmallow Tower Challenge.
These types of challenges have their perks, but maybe you’re looking for something more engaging; something that really requires everyone on your team to work together to achieve a difficult, yet fun, goal.
Cue: Dragon Boating.
Dragon Boating is an inclusive team sport consisting of a 22-person team who must work in unison to move their boat forward in a race to beat other teams.
To win, each team must focus on building harmony, sportsmanship, and a no “I” in team mentality. If your team can accomplish these factors, you’ll not only bring some hardware and bragging rights back to your office, but you’ll also improve your company’s overall morale and performance.
The best part is, GWN makes hosting dragon boat events for your corporate teams extremely easy. We provide all of the equipment needed, a coach to teach everyone, and the best part – we come to you! So, don’t wait up – contact us today to get your team working in sync and paddling towards a unified goal.
