Introduction

Employee morale is critical to the success of any organization. When team morale is high, employees are more engaged, productive and willing to go the extra mile. But when morale is low, negativity spreads, performance suffers and retention becomes an issue. Implementing team building events and employee engagement activities is one of the most effective ways to boost morale.

Did you know companies with high employee engagement levels are 21% more profitable? Team building is a proven way to get there.

Numerous studies show that team building events and activities positively impact employee morale, motivation, collaboration and retention. Here are some of the top morale-boosting team events to consider:

• Team Olympics

  Friendly competition is a great way to energize employees and bring teams together. Events can include obstacle courses, tug of war, relay races, trivia, etc. Offer prizes for the winning team(s).

• Escape rooms

  Escape room challenges are immersive, require collaboration and provide a bonding experience. Have small teams race to ‘escape’ by solving puzzles and clues.

• Amazing race

  Send teams around the city or office hunting for clues and completing fun challenges. Taking photos and videos along the way adds to the excitement.

• Cooking challenges

  Split into teams and have a cook-off competition. Bake-offs, food trucks and TV-style chef competitions work too. Tasting and judging brings everyone together.

• Themed events

  Pick fun themes like summer luau, superheroes, underwater, carnival and more. Decorate accordingly and have activities match the theme. Costume contests add to the spirit!

• Volunteer projects

  Giving back as a team builds camaraderie and morale. Ideas include building homes, planting gardens, cleaning parks, and sorting donations.

• Game tournaments

  Friendly competition playing sports, mini golf, bowling, ping pong, video games and more keep energy levels high. Offer prizes for winners.

• Amazing hunts

  Scavenger hunts in the office, at local attractions or citywide. Solve clues and complete challenges as you go. Make it educational or just plain fun.

• Improv workshops

  Improv builds listening, communication, creativity, confidence and teamwork. Certified teachers lead hilarious games and exercises. Lots of laughter guaranteed.

• Themed parties

  Fun themes like casino night, Oktoberfest, Luau, 80’s prom, and more combined with food, music, dancing, and games make for a festive time.

The key is choosing events and activities tailored to your team and company culture. Mix up locations, keep it playful, foster friendly competition, and ensure everyone participates. The result is improved communication, stronger relationships, reduced stress, and higher employee retention, satisfaction, engagement and productivity.

For example, Cisco holds an annual ‘ appreciation event’ where employees across the globe take part in team building activities focused on giving back. Employees have built 173 homes in Mexico, planted 1,500 trees in Bangalore, and packaged 200,000 meals for the hungry. These volunteer events provide a shared sense of purpose and pride.

At Trek Bicycle their annual summer picnic includes team relay races, scavenger hunts, burrito eating contests, tug of war and more, culminating in an award ceremony. Employees cite the team building day as one of their favorite events of the year.

Boost team morale and engagement at your company. Contact Trebound to help plan your next successful team building event. With over 500+ corporate clients and 20+ years experience, Trebound is the leading expert at creating team events that motivate, unite and inspire. Learn more about their highly-customizable team building programs perfect for any budget and goal.

Examples

- A Fortune 500 tech company saw an increase in employee Net Promoter Score from 78% to 94% after implementing regular team building events focused on collaboration, communication and creativity.

- After annual morale-boosting volunteer events, employees at a healthcare company reported a 63% increase in job satisfaction and a 41% increase in pride regarding their employer.

- An accounting firm that began quarterly themed team building activities saw project completion rates increase by 18% over the following year.

FAQs

1. How often should we run team building events?

Experts recommend at least quarterly to maintain engagement, morale and motivation.

2. What types of activities work best?

Interactive games, friendly competitions, creative challenges and volunteer projects are ideal for most teams.

3. How do these events boost morale?

By facilitating relationship building, reducing stress, encouraging communication, and reinforcing company values.

4. How can we track ROI?

Metrics include employee retention, satisfaction, productivity and Net Promoter Score.

5. Are team events better onsite or offsite?

Both have benefits, but offsites allow employees to bond in a fresh setting.

Conclusion

Implementing regular morale-boosting team building events has proven returns for employee motivation, engagement, collaboration and retention. How will you foster high morale and productivity at your company this year? Contact the experts at Trebound to start planning your next successful event now.