The Importance of Team Building for the Future Workforce: 6 Things Employers Must Know

Let’s face it: the office can get a little dull sometimes. There are days when motivation reaches an all-time low, and the overall group performance just isn’t up to par with the previous months. Team building is a great way to reignite that lost spark. This is important in any workplace, but it’s especially crucial for companies with a young workforce.

Younger generations, who make up a significant percentage of the workforce, are tech-savvy and used to being connected 24/7. They also often crave a sense of belonging.

Team building activities help employees get to know one another on a personal level, which can lead to a stronger sense of community and belonging. They also promote positive company culture and reinforce company values. According to a Deloitte survey, 77% of Gen Z respondents (also known as Zoomers) are more inclined to join a company where value alignment is achieved.

Whether you have Zoomers or experienced workers on your team, the importance of team building remains the same, and we’re here to tell you why. 

• Collaborative work boosts mental health 

  • Mental health awareness has become a hot topic, thanks to the insistence of Zoomers. People are now looking beyond monetary fulfilment at work, and having stable mental health is one of the many pursuits of young professionals. Team building is especially effective in boosting mental health as it often requires people to participate in physical activities. This is an opportunity for happy hormones to kick in.

  • If the company recently experienced a particularly terrible crunch time the past week, team building can help assuage stress. It also promotes open communication and motivates employees to mingle with other people in other departments. In turn, this creates a more vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.

(Read more: How an Emphasis on Mental Health Positively Impacts Company Culture)

• Team building doesn’t have to be boring

  • If classic games worked on your older employees, don’t expect the same results for your younger ones. Team building activities are supposed to be engaging and fun; they should be able to sustain the participants’ attention for them to get the most out of the event. Take note that if you have more young blood in your roster, you might want to reinvent some of the activities to ensure engagement. 

  • Your team building exercises should make everyone want to participate. Everyone has different sets of abilities and inclinations. It’s important to be considerate and execute activities that will guarantee the most number of participants.

  • When thinking of the activities you want to do, there are a few things you have to consider:

    • Age 

      • Determine who your participants are. This way, if you ever need to form groups before the games, you can take in mind the various age groups and group them accordingly. 

    • Abilities 

      • Younger employees tend to be more adept in activities that require gadgets. If you also have physically fit employees, it would be best to distribute them fairly in different groups to promote fairness, especially if you plan to do the classics, such as tug-of-war. 

    • Energy Consumption

      • While it’s important to keep your employees engaged in team-building activities, it’s almost important to monitor their energy levels. If one activity has left them poofed out, it’s better to give them a lunch break or make sure that the next activity doesn’t require them to exert too much effort. 

    • Feasibility 

      • Pan out your activities well. Include breaks in between activities and try to adhere to the allotted time. This way, everyone gets to enjoy each team-building activity.  

(Read more: 30 fun & low-cost team building activities)

• Regular team building promotes positive company culture 

  • Employees, especially the younger workforce, will feel more at ease if they’re working for a company that values a positive workspace. The aftermath of team building exercises will most likely lead to mutual assessments. Employees will now be more aware of each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. They will walk away with a new sense of understanding that will improve the way everyone treats one another in the workplace.

• Group activities foster inclusivity

  • Zoomers are considered the “woke generation”, or people who are aware of social issues and are active in promoting all kinds of causes. If a company says that they are inclusive or that they have this set of values, Zoomers expect them to genuinely have it as they can detect shams.

  • The younger workforce is more inclined to modern causes such as gender equality and queer representation. One of the most natural ways to foster inclusivity is through team building. Through these activities, people will be alongside others who they may not have had the chance to interact with before. 

(Read more: How To Prevent Workplace Discrimination)

• Team building activities inspire creativity

  • Team building exercises stimulate the mind and enable employees to think quickly on their feet. By having a variety of these activities and exposing your employees to unfamiliar situations, they will be trained in an unconventional way. The purpose of team building is not only to improve overall collaboration but also to boost individual strengths and ways of thinking. 

• Bonding makes people want to stay

  • As an employer, one of your main concerns is employee retention. It’s not always easy to do. There are countless companies and opportunities out there; sometimes, your workforce tends to get persuaded to jump ship.

  • Employees all want to feel valued, like they are part of something more than just a regular old job. When a company spearheads an event for them that is fun and is all about making them happy, it can contribute to their positive perception of the company. One of the ways to achieve employee retention is by making employees feel they are part of something special.

  • If you want your team to be in it for the long haul, invest in team building activities that acknowledge everybody’s sense of intrigue and fun. You have to remember that you now have younger generations on your team; they might be the future of your company. 

  • Different generations prioritise different things. Most young professionals now have a deep need for connection. Team building activities can provide that for them and also train their minds to not only rely on themselves but also work as a team.

Team building is important in the workplace because it helps build stronger and more nurturing communities. When employees feel like they are a part of a team, they are more likely to be productive and happy. There are many different ways to do team building, but all of them have the same goal: to help employees feel connected to one another.