Importance of Team Building

Our team (Team JG) did something different this week; we went to Shaftsbury Avenue to try out the new Crystal Maze. If you were ever a fan of the show you will know how the game works.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with the 90’s show, you are led through a ‘maze’ or different themed rooms with various challenges in each. Led by an enthusiastic host, you are left to work as a team and must help each other pass each challenge.

This was not just your everyday work outing, this was a team building exercise! This was a time for us to combine our expertise and skills to work together and encourage each other to win the game and therefore collect as many crystals as possible.

In our day jobs at Joyce Guiness we very much rely on each other as we all have our individual duties to complete, which when put together, complete the main task.  It is important therefore that we are able to work together as a team and coordinate ideas and skills.

When doing team building activities these can highlight various characteristics and skills of individuals that you might not have known about before. Not only this, it can also help to build trust between you all. Having trust within a team is crucial as it means that people are comfortable to share ideas and ask for help, which in return can increase productivity. As mentioned, our success in the Crystal Maze relied a lot on our communication with each other.  Being able to communicate clearly and confidently with your colleagues in the office results in people not having to face challenges alone and being able to discuss issues without miscommunication and confusion. Team building events can also give everyone the chance to see how individuals work in a team and what position individuals thrive in. Some people like to lead where others like to be led and then others may prefer to participate as little as possible. Knowing and understanding how everyone in your team works together can be a huge help when working in an office as key skills and qualities may have been highlighted in the team building activity. Finally, team building events can unmask hidden talents that you might not know about. These talents could be things that are not relevant or relatable to the office at all, but it can highlight what each individual is capable of achieving and it gives you the opportunity to learn more about your team but also about who you are.

Team building can have benefits to every team, whether it be learning to trust each other, boosting teamwork, reveal hidden skills that you didn’t know about and help with improving the communication between you all. It is also a fun opportunity to get out of the office and try something new together! We would all highly recommend it!