I have worked with corporate team building on several continents. I have delievered corporate team building activities to people of all ages and from all kinds of different companies. A common nominator is that a lot of the time companies do not invest in these kinds of activities until the, you know what, has hit the fan.
When things have gotten problematic, when conflict has arisen, that is usually when the phone rang and they wanted help through one or another corporate team building event. Rare were the occassions when somebody saw the great sense in investing in these trainings when all was well.
When people are happy, when finances are good, that should be the time to use preventive teambuilding. To establish good relationship and sustainable norms that will carry the group and the company through the rough times.
I think the so called financial crisis that is now major headlines around the world will also sort out the companies that have been preventive. Of course there are other factors that determine the success of a company in challenging times, but I have learned how corporate teambuilding has been used, or not been used, to be a strongly determining factor.
Whilst there is a place for team building activities in any workplace, they must be in context with the culture already in place and created by the team, especially the leader.
Cosmetic ‘fun’ activities just make matters worse when a team experiences them within a workplace experience that is less than satisfactory.
Then, it just wastes money.
Thanks for your response Martin and for the important point you raise. I believe the question “Why do you want to do/use teambuilding?” is vital.
In Sweden, where I was born and raised, the was a big boom of corporate team building from around 1997 and five years forward. It became a buzz word and nobody really thought, like you do in your post, about the purpose of it.
Today the market has clearly matured in Sweden and more trainers and consultants are aligning their work with the true needs and culture of their clients work force.
Here in the UK – even before the crunch hit their credit – our clients have increasingly demanded much more specific returns on their investment in any kind of team building or team development programme.
And when these companies take the time to identify their objectives, talk to a number of different providers and then refine their plans for a team building programme, the long-term results can be hugely positive.
There will always be leaders who think that a hastily arranged, one-size-fits-all “team day” will do the trick. But in these leaner times, surely any investment needs a significant result, not least to keep up morale?
Thanks Jane for your update on the situation in the UK market. That is great news to hear. I think it makes sense that ROI (being Return On Investment) is not just a term used for investing in stocks, real estate, metals and the like, but also in team building and other improvements of the work place in psychosocial terms.
I believe it believe this also forces providers, just like you describe, to step up their game and be able to deliver more stats and measurable results from their trainings/programmes.