No matter the size of your business, you want to do everything possible to help your employees succeed. That’s even more important for small business owners who may only have a small team. To help bring out the best in your workers, it’s a good idea to look into team-building activities.
Read on to find out the answers to these questions and learn how to help your employees bring out their full potential and the potential of your business.
Volunteer together
You may be short on funds. Volunteering with your employees is free, and it’s a great way for you all to bond with each other. There are sure to be organizations in your geographic area that you care about and need volunteers.
If you have trouble thinking of such organizations, ask your employees if they can recommend any. By volunteering (and not just during the holidays), you get a better sense of causes and organizations in your area. That, and you have the opportunity to make memories with your team.
Go to an escape room
Escape rooms are also high on lists of examples of team building activities. Escape rooms give people the chance to explore and utilize skills they may not get to on a day-to-day basis. Your employees can put those skills to good use figuring out how to escape a themed room.
Not only are escape rooms enjoyable, but they can also reveal your team’s capabilities. You may be able to use that insight on upcoming projects. This type of experience lets your employees step outside of their normal responsibilities and engage in something else they enjoy.
Take a cooking class together
Everyone enjoys eating, and some people love learning how to cook even more. See if there are any local cooking classes your employees may have an interest in. Creating meals together is an especially great team-building exercise if your employees are more accustomed to teaching others in their jobs. Not only are cooking classes enjoyable and a great way to build camaraderie, but they can also be rather relaxing, too. You’re not just strengthening your team; you’re also helping them reduce their stress.
Go on a scavenger hunt
Much like escape rooms, scavenger hunts can be a refreshing change of scenery for your employees. Even better is that scavenger hunts don’t require much money. Send your team out and have them work together to decipher clues. To ensure full participation, make sure the first-place reward is worth your team’s effort. For instance, you can offer a gift card, extra paid time off or cash.
Share employee accomplishments
Another way to build your team is to focus on individual employee accomplishments. Besides letting your employees know you appreciate them, this gives your team the chance to celebrate each other. Specific accomplishments to share include meeting sales goals, promotions and outstanding customer reviews. By commending individual achievements, you give employees a better idea of their strengths. Only focusing on your team as a whole can lead to frustration, complacency and dissatisfaction. Remember, it’s the separate parts that make up the whole.
Attend a continuing education event
Speaking of focusing on your whole team, take them to a continuing education event. Employees can’t continue to make accomplishments if they don’t have the necessary knowledge. See if there are any local conferences, events, speeches or the like that pertain to your industry. If something looks appropriate, arrange for your team to attend.
Not possible to make the trip to the event? See if you can arrange to have an industry expert come to you. What your workers learn benefits your business just as much as it does your employees.
Let your team choose an exceptional employee
If your team is too small for employee of the month, you could have an employee of the quarter. Your team chooses the winner by emailing you their pick. In the email, each employee can include a few lines about why this employee makes for a good choice. Besides announcing the winner, you can also read all the comments about her or him. Gaining some insight is a great way to bring your team together to help lift each other up.
Attend an improv class
While it’s great to watch improve, it’s also nice to participate in improv. Depending on your industry, your employees may already feel as if they have to improvise every day. Taking a class can be a great way to put their skills to the test for fun. Even better, learning improv allows your team to learn the skill of active listening, which is vital in many an industry.
A strong team makes for an equally strong business. Test these tips out to see how much better your employees and your company rise. Together.
