Close friendships increase workplace productivity , and friendships flourish when people spend time together. So team building events should be good for your team, right? The answer is not as straightforward.
Poorly designed social events can make some people feel excluded and even anxious. To include everyone on your team:
Pick a low-pressure activity Stay close to home Include everyone, including yourself
Pick a low-pressure team-building activity
They won’t admit it publicly, but many people dread going to social events. Thoughts like, “What am I going to say? What if they think I’m no fun?” go through their minds. A social event that’s supposed to be relaxing turns into yet another obligation to perform.
To put your team at ease, pick a low-pressure social activity. To give you an example, let’s compare a traditional happy hour and an art workshop.
Happy hours are a high-pressure activity.
Loud rooms exhaust people who operate in their second language or need quiet to function. Introverted people (and most extroverted people, too) feel awkward because they must maintain a conversation. Happy hours imply alcohol and staying out late. They aren’t great for people who have family or can’t drink.
Art workshops are a low-pressure activity.
It’s quiet, and you hear what your team is saying. The focus is on the workshop, not on you. So it's okay not to talk if you don't feel like it. A magical thing happens: people start sharing more about themselves. Art triggers associations and memories that you can access only when you're out of your routine environment.
Try a low-pressure activity when you plan your next team-building event.
Keep your team events close to home
Sometimes a good social event is simply about convenience. Not everyone on your team is ready to change their daily routine for an offsite. Luckily, you don’t have to go far to have a good time. Consider hosting your team-building event in your neighborhood or at the office. Here are a few unconventional ideas:
5 team-building ideas in your neighborhood :
5 in-person team-building ideas you can bring straight to your office :
These a just a few examples. You can browse hundreds of other inclusive team activities on Spaciously .
Run the team activity during the work hours
Most people hate it when a team activity is scheduled outside of work hours. They have other commitments, and most people are out of energy by the end ofa work day. Schedule team building to end before the end of work day. That way, some people can leave at their regular time, and others can continue socializing over dinner if they want. Your team will thank you.
Include everyone, including yourself
Remember that your team will have fun if they see you having fun.
Having helped many clients with their team-building events, we’ve noticed one thing in common. Our clients care a lot about their teams. They want a perfect event and are faced with many decisions.
Some decisions, like picking the right restaurant or activity, are important. Other decisions aren’t. One client, for example, had a hard time choosing between tiramisu and chocolate lava cake for their team’s full-day offsite. In the end, the team didn’t even think twice about the dessert they received, let alone ask what the other option was.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Are you ready to book an inclusive team building activity?
Spaciously has hundreds of team building activities you can book with just a few clicks! All activities are designed to be inclusive, low-pressure events your team will enjoy. If you can't find one in your city, email us at hello@spaciously.io, and we will add it for you.
