Why A Teambuilding Workshop Can Make A Huge Difference

The modern business environment is more competitive than ever. In order to survive, companies need to add value. They need to be creative and they need to set the pace. This requires highly motivated and skilled teams. Effective teams have been known to turn the fortunes of companies around, for either the better or the worse. This is why so many companies depend upon a teambuilding workshop to help their teams to develop and to remain at the cutting edge.

Team building exercises are often misinterpreted as free time away from the office. Effective team building exercises have very specific goals that address the needs of the team in question. It may aim to improve communication, to resolve conflict, to instil leadership skills or simply to allow team members to become more familiar with each other as individuals. These, and many other objectives, are best achieved away from the work environment.

The very popularity of team building exercises and excursions have given birth to an entire industry catering for this need. Team building experts charge steep fees and many venues have seen the gap in the market. They invest in special facilities and activities specifically geared towards the corporate market. Many venues even employ team building managers on a full time basis, offering their clients significant savings.

Companies need to be careful when appointing team building contractors. Far too many operators have no formal qualifications in team dynamics or any other field related to effective team building exercises. They are merely event organizers and treat these excursions as they would a a short holiday. Professional team building managers will be able to provide references and a solid record of success in helping teams to perform better.

Because the purpose of team building exercises can vary wildly, it is vital to make sure that the organizer is properly briefed. He needs to know what the goals of the exercise are. He also need some information about the various team members and he needs to be given a very specific budget. Only then will he be able to develop a program that will meet the expectations of the client.

Team building exercise can be extremely expensive. It is therefore important for clients to make sure that they will get value for their money. To this end it is necessary to insist that the organizer submit a proposal that details every aspect of the event, including his exact plans for achieving the objectives of the exercise. The client should also be given the opportunity to make changes to the program and the other aspects related to the event.

A proper team building exercise should contain elements of evaluation. Not only should the members of the team give feedback to their colleagues, but the contractor should also provide a detailed report. This report should be viewed as confidential and should be honest about the ways in which individual team members contributed towards or thwarted the efforts to strengthen the team as a whole.

Team building is important because it empowers teams to work more efficiently and productively. There is a great danger, however, that these exercises will be seen as nothing more than motivational breaks or rewards, rather than serious development exercises. The use of professional and experienced contractors is therefore essential.