The Top Trend in Team Building

As children, we all imagined becoming many different things “when we grow up.” The answer varied from the extraordinary—astronaut, president, rockstar, to the less glamorous—teacher, firefighter, librarian. As we got older, the limitations of education and finances fine-tuned our visions and crafted them into the careers we have today. While very few of us became rockstars, age did not diminish our desire for a little enjoyment in all that we do. What often tempers our desire for fun, however, is that nagging little notion known as responsibility. It’s typically the thing in our brains that holds us back from some things, telling us “your time would be more productive doing something else…” the very same notion that keeps us and our companies on the right track.

In the past few years, we have seen one clear trend in the team building industry; the inclusion of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This trend combines the Team Building concepts required of corporate America, with the more philanthropic experiences being promoted in the new economy. Where companies were once seeking day-trips to resorts for fun and recreation, they now are looking to encourage a sense of camaraderie amongst their employees through a shared experience of giving back to the community. The trend began several years ago, and is continuing to hold it’s strongest today, where the concept of philanthropic Team Building activities versus more recreational centered experiences are more frequently requested than they were just a few short years ago.

Team Building, at its core, should enable the employees of a particular business to have fun, while learning something about themselves and how to work better as a team. With the advent of the communications revolution and the changing global market, our modern society is the most fluid and dynamic it has ever been. It is now a matter of course that individuals move between many different groups of people in their work and personal lives. This standard is now common amongst workers in the majority of industries, be it investment banker to catering staff to musician. This movement has created a clear need for developing techniques to help people adapt to the new requirements and how to work cohesively in a new group.

While the activities offered as Team Building opportunities can vary from things like a scavenger hunt to a group cooking lesson, the important difference with Team Building events centered around CSR is that the level of engagement between team members engaged in an experience aimed at benefitting “the greater good” tends to leave a more lasting impression within the organization. Experiences like donating bicycles to underprivileged children, preparing food to donate to a homeless shelter and assembling care packages for soldiers deployed overseas can all help benefit your business while giving back to the community.

This trend in philanthropic Team Building reflects the importance that CSR has taken in the modern world. Companies are finding it hard to rationalize playing games when they are also making hard cuts and tightening budgets. With philanthropic Team Building, businesses get the benefit of Team Building with the added satisfaction of giving back. The entire notion ultimately becomes a sort of trump card, where, amongst companies that are otherwise equal, one can stand up and say to the community “we do business here, and we care.” This aspect can help retain employees longer as well as attract new ones. The resulting effects go beyond improving communication and morale, to finding that employees end up thinking their company is actually “pretty cool.”

The benefits of participating in CSR related Team Building goes even further within the business itself. Companies with rigorous corporate responsibility standards are also best positioned to attract and retain high quality staff, thereby reducing employee turnover rates and the costs of recruitment. Businesses have also pointed to improvements in their reputations as a result of having been seen doing “good things”. Customers trust them, while staff feel good about their work. This in turn can have a direct influence on the balance sheet. Philanthropic Team Building improves morale and strengthens feelings of camaraderie amongst your employees because they get to know each other on a more personal basis, outside of a work environment. These experiences can help break down barriers by getting them to work together in a way they never have before. With the current state of the economy, companies are finding that simply playing games or having a group outing together flies in the face of the mentality most companies, big or small, are working harder than ever to promote; one of world-wide awareness and sensitivity.