Here at Fox in a Box we use immersive games to help teams connect and build healthy work relationships. We also like to share tips to use inside of your office to foster productive habits and provide tools and tips to make operations run smoothly! Here are some few key learnings that we would love to share with your team!

How to Think About Team Building

The good news is that successful team building doesn’t have to mean an extravagant week-long retreat in some faraway destination (although some colleagues probably wouldn’t complain if it did). Even small-scale activities and initiatives can yield results, says Hadley. “Loneliness can be a deep-seated and entrenched problem, yet in the grand scheme of things, the solutions to it are often simple and inexpensive.”

That doesn’t mean you can settle for superficial shortcuts, however. Successful team-building demands careful planning, commitment, and a sincere interest in getting to know your team members. Your goal is to build a positive, inclusive team culture.

Take an intentional approach.

Be thoughtful about how you spend your team’s time and what you want to accomplish — especially if some colleagues have reservations about the notion of team building, notes Keswin.

“Even though a lot of people’s first reaction to these activities might be that they’re cheesy or a box to check, as a manager, you need to push through it,” she says. “In the post-pandemic era where many employees may see each other in person only once a week, a few times a month, or just a couple of times a year, there’s a renewed understanding of the need to be that much more intentional when we come together.”

Keswin advises scheduling activities during work hours to show respect for your team’s personal lives and work-life balance. This ensures that colleagues with caregiving needs or other obligations can fully participate and feel included.

Evaluate your team’s needs.

Identifying the best activities for your team requires taking into account your team’s size, location distribution, and your organization’s budget. Your choice of team-building activities will also depend on whether your team works remotely, in-person, or in a hybrid arrangement.

Our experts say that if your team members are mostly remote or geographically dispersed, it’s important to hold at least a couple of in-person activities each year so that colleagues meet face-to-face.

Organizations that are saving money by reducing office space should reinvest those resources in team-building activities, says Keswin. She points to research showing that in-person interactions help strengthen team connections. “Once you connect with someone in person, the tone and tenor of your virtual interactions are different and it’s easier to maintain relationships down the road.”

Include others in the planning.

Unsure which team-building activities will resonate with your colleagues? Ask them directly, suggests Shapiro. Involving team members in the planning process gets people on board and allows you to tailor activities to match your team’s mix of personalities and interests.

“Tapping into their perspectives also helps you better understand the team’s preferences,” she says. “Some people are more playful and open, while others might prefer keeping things strictly work-related.”

What’s more, your colleagues likely bring valuable feedback and experience to the table. “Some of your team members have worked in different organizations and might have insights about what’s effective based on their past experiences.”

Lay down ground rules.

Setting clear guidelines and principles for team-building activities helps manage expectations and ensures a well-organized experience, says Keswin.

These protocols and group norms could be as straightforward as taking regular breaks, ensuring everyone has a chance to speak, and being present with a moratorium on multitasking. The goal is to practice inclusivity, active listening, and focus.

Keswin also suggests instituting a no-smartphone policy during team-building activities. Forming relationships requires engagement. “Pardon the pun, but left to our own devices, we don’t connect,” she says.

Set the tone.

Finally, as a manager, your genuine enthusiasm and commitment are vital. Lead by example, as your team members will take their cues from you. Pay attention to how you come across and avoid giving the impression that team-building activities are a distraction from work, says Hadley. No deep sighs; no tsking; and no negativity. “If you’re impatiently looking at your watch and making backhanded comments like, ‘Our agenda is going to be harder to get through now,’ it’s not going to work,” she says. “As the manager, you set the tone.”

. . .

Hopefully, these suggestions inspire ideas that you can tailor to your team’s size, sensibilities, and circumstances. Remember, these activities don’t need to be extravagant or overly structured. What matters is being intentional about making team building happen. Stay attentive to your team members’ needs, involve colleagues in planning, and show sincere interest in getting to know them. By doing so, you’ll help build a positive, inclusive team culture that tackles loneliness and helps everyone succeed together.