In job interviews, you will likely hear one of the following…
“I have great confidence in myself”
“My leadership skills make me the perfect fit for this position”.
“I keep a positive mindset when things don’t go my way”
These phrases are great, but are they true? Let’s be honest – most people are just trying to land their dream job!
That’s why you need to be reading between the lines in an interview. Anyhow, there is a surefire way to determine whether your employees possess the skills they talked about in the job interview.
The answer is team-building activities.
In this article, we explain what team-building activities are and their benefits.
What Are Team Building Activities?
Some people think team building activities are about breaking the ice with co-workers. While team-building activities do serve this purpose, it’s not the aim of the game.
The main purpose of team-building activities is to see how potential employees and co-workers react when solving problems. That employee that boasted about her leadership qualities in the interview may fall silent when it comes time to lead a team.
In many ways, team-building activities are similar to ‘escape rooms’. In an escape room, a group of people has to solve puzzles in a specific amount of time to win the game. Some people sit back and follow, whereas others take charge and lead from the front.
4 Benefits Of Team Building Activities
1. Breaks The Ice
There is no better way to build relationships than engaging in a fun activity with co-workers. As an HR manager, employee relationships at work make a major difference in the way work is carried out.
A tight-knit team of employees will work together and produce better work. Everybody will also feel more motivated and productive, making them less likely to take unnecessary days off work.
We recommend that new employees engage in team-building activities on the first day. It will pay tenfold over the long term!
2. Determine Strengths And Weaknesses
If you need to determine a new team member's strengths and weaknesses – don’t bother asking them. The chances of getting an honest response are slim!
Instead, get them to take part in some team-building activities like timed jigsaw puzzles. This type of team-building activity will expose employees' weaknesses and highlight their strengths. Take note of how they interact with co-workers when under pressure.
Here are some other questions to ask yourself…
Do they panic when things get difficult?
Are they cool-headed?
Do people look at them for leadership? Or do they look to others for leadership?
Can they solve problems on the fly?
What are their communication skills like?
3. Decision Making Skills
If there’s one thing you should know about employees – it’s their decision-making skills. Being able to make the correct decisions quickly is one of the best skills an employee can possess. It also shows that they can stay calm and think clearly when things go south!
Keep in mind that not everybody makes great decisions when under pressure. It’s important to look for employees that are not scared to voice their decisions to the team, even if it’s not the correct decision.
4. Increased Creativity
Certain industries require employees to have excellent creativity to excel in their jobs. Some examples of creative industries include:
- Marketing
- Crafts
- Design
- Software
- Writing
And anything else that requires mental energy as opposed to physical.
So where do team building activities come into the equation?
Regular team-building activities with co-workers force employees to be creative and think outside the box. A perfect example of this is a game called ‘The Agency’.
Employees create a sales pitch for a random object in the room. They will need to get creative by designing a logo, branding, and then delivering a pitch.
It doesn’t take long to realize which employees can come up with unique branding that turns boring objects into money-makers!
Summary
As an HR manager or business owner, team-building activities are an excellent way to observe the strengths and weaknesses of your team. In addition, they are a great training tool for increased creativity and enhanced leadership skills. To get the most from team-building activities, we recommend doing them at least once a week.