Team Building – What is Team-Building?

Team building is an umbrella term for different activities that help groups come together socially and divide their responsibilities among team members. Oxford defines team building as something that allows a work group to operate together as a unified team. I designed the activities to bring colleagues closer, inspire better effort, and encourage collaboration. 

Unlike team training, which hones one or two important work skills, team building concentrates on how well employees collaborate.

According to statistics and research, about 75% of employees believe effective teams rely heavily on team building. Gallup Research shows that a highly cohesive team's productivity will increase by 58%. Building team spirit throughout your staff is important not just for boosting people’s moods but also for improving your productivity.

Team building allows members to unite around specific goals, identify what everyone does, and handle interpersonal problems, helping teams function well and raising the company’s overall productivity. Usually, typical formats for team-building consist of off-site events, guided workshops, and problem-solving exercises that help each team overcome its challenges and work better together.

Main Approaches for Team Building

1. Setting Goals: Defining common, measurable tasks helps everyone decide on goals and see their results. Since time is a factor on every project, everyone needs to act as a team, watching for cues on how to handle different situations. All teams should make this a priority to help them make decisions faster, considering time as an unavoidable hurdle.

2. Role Clarification: Such activities explain what goes to every team member so they know how their efforts help the team. Sometimes, teams will need to set the roles they will play and who will take on what tasks. Well-trained and skilled workers help to assign and clarify each person’s role.

3. By collaborating, teams must divide labor, choose a strategy, and decide together for success. Doing work that needs team planning and group choices improves our analytical abilities and makes us more dependent on one another.

4. Trust-building games and storytelling make participants care about one another, open up to each other, and give mutual encouragement.

Why Team Building is Important for Today’s Offices

Enhancing Communication

Any team that succeeds relies on strong communication.

Team-building activities done well encourage everyone to be open and supportive so everyone can share their thoughts and listen to others.

Regardless of the work situation, virtual problem solving sessions and guided discussions guarantee everyone gets a fair chance to speak.

Building Trust

If there is trust, people on teams are comfortable sharing ideas and taking risks, knowing they won’t face criticism.

Having people do joint activities, such as storytelling improves relationships and reveals equality between them.

With trust among members, a team becomes more resistant to pressure and has the skills needed for solving tough tasks.

Improving People’s Energy and Driving

Team-building events can make work more lively and increase employees’ desire to work well.

Adding entertainment to work, such as activities or cultural events, can improve mood and build a better company culture.

Enthusiastic groups deliver more and are more involved in meeting the organization’s objectives.

Promoting both teamwork and new ideas

When collaboration is involved, people from different fields in a company are able to join together and make use of their individual skills.

Going through creative tasks like a hackathon or engaging in scenario planning promotes individual ideas and gives rise to new business solutions.

Firms need to innovate quickly when things move fast in technology to stay ahead of the competition.

Employee Engagement and Retention

Having a strong team connectedness raises employee satisfaction and reduces the risk of them leaving, which saves costs during hiring.

Team building helps an organization value its people, which inspires loyalty and strengthens their commitment over the years.

Teams that support each other in a crowded job market have a bigger advantage in recruiting top people.

Team Building Among the Kenyan Companies

Cultural Relevance

Incorporating Maasai and Swahili cultural activities into team-building at work can improve things in Kenyan workplaces.

Joining community projects such as tutoring or helping clean the environment improves the connection among the team and, at the same time, benefits the community.

Top Team-Building Activities in Kenya

1. Physical exercise routines in various activities have been the top favorite types for most people visiting.

Most companies decided that requesting a Zumba-style event would best suit the scope of their teambuilding event.

2. Local community themes are becoming more popular, with clients and MCS and DJS favoring traditional music and dance for their events. This approach helps us respect and support each other more as a team.

2. Team-based projects are arranged as volunteer programs where everyone chooses one leader based on their willingness to serve. They help connect team members and offer experience in communicating, trusting and sticking together for success.

3. Adventure and team retreats have proved capable of achieving team-building goals, so many organizations are using them. Organizations tend to book retreat team-building sessions either on the outskirts of Nairobi or in the country.

Doing challenges in the Rift Valley and Great Lakes using the safari program nurtures inner tranquillity, strengthens leadership, trust and prepares people for pressure.

Ensuring Effective Team Building Happens

Best Practices

1. Make sure what you do backs the organization’s main goals, for example, helping different teams cooperate or boosting customer service.

2. Choose exercises that correspond to the size, roles and background of your team to make them more important and interesting.

3. Employ experienced facilitators who can guide the conversation, handle group issues and derive important results.

4. Bring together virtual icebreakers and in-person get-togethers so you can reach employees who work wherever they are.

Since our world moves fast with teams working across different locations, building teams is still a key action for Kenyan companies striving to succeed and create strong company cultures.

When organizations use goal alignment, make roles clear and build trust and add more culturally appropriate activities, they can get the best out of their teams.

When teams keep working on their programs, they find lasting results: better communication, more innovation, happier employees and stronger growth for the business.