There have been many studies on employee engagement and it’s effects on a company. Gallup research has shown the costs of disengaged employees:
- 37% higher rates of absence
- 60% more errors in work
- 16% lower profitability
- 49% higher accident rate
- 65% lower share price (over a period)
Building a strong work culture
So how does a company go about building a strong work culture? There’s no simple approach. It requires a commitment from the very highest levels of the business and includes factors such as reward and recognition, salary and benefits, professional development opportunities, and leadership.
Another important aspect is forming strong bonds within teams so that they work well together and achieve. Team activities play a huge role in this and should form an important part of your company culture.
How team activities help
Team activities can cover a wide range of potential events. From a weekly team lunch to an annual retreat, they all have their part to play in the overall process. Whatever the activity, there are a number of outcomes that you should be trying to achieve, including:
Getting to know each other socially
Being comfortable with your team is one of the most effective ways to up the productivity levels in the office. Friendly, social interaction within teams is a great place to start. . If your team works remotely, this may be more difficult to do on a regular basis, but you should still make the effort to bring them together as often as is practical.
Ideas for social activities are endless, from team lunches to nights out of even an office water delivery of team drinks or coffee club. It very much depends on what your team likes to do. If in doubt, ask them and choose an activity that is going to allow the greatest number of people to be included. For example, those that don’t drink or have outside care responsibilities will feel left out if the only thing on offer is a night out at a bar.
Improve team performance
Employees are not only happier but are invested in their team’s success, meaning that they are more likely to meet their targets and maintain productivity.
Use team activities that need them to work together to solve problems. Through this activity, they will develop a better understanding of each other peoples’ personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. This kind of understanding bonds a team and helps them work collectively to reach their goals rather than having disparate personalities all pulling in different directions.
Develop communication skills
Good communication between employees can improve working relationships and lead to an uptick in productivity. A friendly, communicative environment fosters great working relationships and successful teamwork.
Build team spirit
Friendly competition between teams is great for building a sense of camaraderie and team spirit. Quizzes and competitions are good ways to start building this kind of team spirit.
Foster creativity
Being surrounded by a supportive team is an ideal environment for people to develop their creativity. Knowing that they are not going to be judged and that failure is an option, employees are more likely to move out of their comfort zone to solve problems. It is times like this that people really grow professionally and personally.
It is widely accepted that successful companies are those that work very hard to create a strong, engaged workplace culture. Engaged employees care about the success of a company and go above and beyond to support their coworkers and achieve their goals.
