Corporate events are great opportunities for employee bonding. Team building through coaching, fun, and team-based activities makes employees get along better when they get back to work – and create a more cohesive work environment.

The idea of combining work with play helps facilitate more effective teamwork at work. Genuine, authentic, and collaborative relationships of any kind have to have an element of fun to really form. Purely functional and professional employee activities aren’t great at helping employees to bond. Imagine how you bond with your friends – through fun.

Some employees are cynical about team building activities. In order for team building activities to be truly effective, they should bolster the work employees are already doing together. Team building activities designed to facilitate bonding should offer a genuine way for employees to unwind and relax. Not everyone is comfortable with certain activities, and event and exercise organizers should be aware of that.

Event organizers should be cognizant of situations or circumstances that can embarrass employees. Making employees uncomfortable defeats the purpose of making employees feel happy, comfortable, and open to deepening relationships with their co-workers. Event organizers should remember to respect boundaries regarding physical contact, not disclose confidential employee information, and realize that different people have different preferences and viewpoints.

When employers set up events and exercises designed to facilitate bonding, they need to keep in mind the differing limitations and needs of their employees. Most events will not work for all employees, so it takes careful thought to plan events that will work for everyone in the office. Holding events during work hours is a good idea, too. Some employees have other obligations outside of work hours, and they could feel excluded or marginalized if they’re not able to attend.

Ideas For Employee Bonding Activities

Volunteering

Encouraging employees to give back to the community together makes them feel better about their co-workers, and themselves. There is compelling research that suggests that participating in volunteer activities outside of the workplace can help employees come back to work feeling energized.

Sports Activities

Sports, fitness, and exercise activities can help employees get out from behind their desks and get moving. Some ideas include softball teams and charity walks. Fitness activities foster employee health and a definite team spirit. One smart idea are employee bowling teams. Some bowling alleys serve alcohol, and it can be a great way for employees to bond and kick back. There are differing ideas on whether to segregate the teams by gender.

Field Trips

Getting the employees out of the office and into a new environment is great for deepening co-worker relationships. Some good ideas include local historical sites, nature centers, and museums. Everyone wants to leave their offices and houses, but they hardly ever set time aside to do outdoor activities. Most people get a lot of refreshment and a new perspective from being outside or at an educational site, but a lot of people won’t set up those kinds of activities if they’re not scheduled or a part of work.

 

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