Rallying the Troops: Team Building in a down economy

Teambonding was interviewed by Maria Lenhardt for MeetingsMedia (Meetings West, Meetings MidWest, Meetings South) Excerpt here:

What with rampant layoffs, corporate mergers and a dark cloud of gloom and doom hovering over many a workplace, it s little wonder if those left on the office team are in sore need of a morale boost. But while sometimes viewed as a frill, team building is taking on a new sense of urgency in these troubled times.

At the same time, budget-strapped companies need to ensure that every investment yields a full measure of return. Doing so means taking a hard look at what needs to be accomplished and working with the team-building facilitators to find the right solution.

Jayne Hannah, Director of Client Solutions-West, for TeamBonding, a company with office locations that include San Francisco and Phoenix, also recognizes the trend. “So many companies have downsized because of the economy, that their configurations are different,” she says. “Departments have combined, offices have closed. There are different people in the departments; it’s a different matrix. Team building gets these people to meet each other, to learn each other’s strength. It’s more important than ever.”

Along with building morale, facilitators also say team building serves an important purpose in getting people unplugged from an increasingly technological environment.

“We’re all way too connected to our computers it’s getting to be epidemic”, Hannah says. “The idea of team building is to get people away from their computers and let them meet people who may just work on another floor, but that they never see. Some people are not even leaving their offices these days. It’s amazing to get them together.”

New Approach

With team building serving a more serious purpose these days, many companies are not satisfied with traditional programs, and instead want a fresh approach. Hannah believes that the down economy and the emergence of younger people in the workplace has also intensified demand for socially responsible programs.

“Economic conditions have created more people in need, and the Y Generation is very conscious of it,” she says. “They really feel the purpose of giving back, which I think is higher than it’s been in 100 years. And green concerns have never been so important; they were hardly an issue 10 years ago.” She also believes that team-building programs in general are essential for motivating and retaining younger employees.

“The Y Generation is different from the generations before them, and loyalty and commitment are on the decline,” she says. “They respond to perks and to fun events. Their mantra is life first, work second. If their company lets them have fun once a month, but another doesn’t, they will go with the company that lets them have fun.”