Many organisations provide occasional “away days”, team-building events and “de-stressing” activities for employees. But what are the benefits of doing this – and why are events of this kind an important factor to consider in terms of job satisfaction and employee wellbeing?
This article will explore just a few of the reasons your company and its management team members might consider taking this approach.
A greater sense of loyalty
Your company’s staff members need to know that those in charge have their best interests at heart. The chance to do something fun that caters to their tastes and preferences is likely to instil a sense of loyalty among employees.
An even more positive response may be achievable by providing a range of options for workers to choose from – as this shows that your management team is not simply “ticking a box” but is actively listening to the requests of individual workers.
Wider-company socialising
In many companies, staff members can go from the day they start to the day they leave without interacting with members of other departments.
Company socials and team building days can help employees feel fully integrated and engaged with the wider company. Such events can increase their sense of loyalty to the organisation, allowing them to feel comfortable and introducing them to new friends within a range of teams.
According to Matrix Diagnostics, specialist providers of workplace drug testing products, the relief of workplace stress and a positive attitude towards management and healthy social interactions within a company can help tackle underperformance and other issues.
Improved performance
By showing that you are working in your employees’ best interests and giving them the opportunity to relax and do something not directly work-related, you are likely to see a measurable improvement in performance following an event of this kind.
Away days and other activities can also be used as rewards for excellent performance, serving as a great motivator.
An exploration of individual and group strengths
Team building exercises can help managers and employees to work out where their problem-solving and interpersonal skills lie. These strengths can then be further explored and applied in their day-to-day work.
It also offers an excellent opportunity for staff members to explore different ways of working together to determine how they best function as a team. This, again, is something that may improve productivity in the workplace.
A chance to “reset”
Away-days, socials and stress-relieving activities are a great way to tackle burnout, as they allow employees a chance to “hit pause” and let off some steam.
For this reason, arranging one to coincide with a major project or a period of intense work may prove highly beneficial.
However, timing is important. If you leave activities of this kind until after a project deadline, you may miss the opportunity to tackle the worst of the stress. At the same time, interrupting the flow of work with an event may cause additional frustrations and reduce productivity.
It is therefore up to you to decide when is best to programme a team-building or stress-relieving event.
