If you want to improve bonding and productivity within your marketing or PR team, you should consider using teambuilding events. But how exactly do teambuilding events work? Why are they so beneficial? And how can your business start using them to build camaraderie?
Planning a teambuilding event
Let’s talk about some of the steps you can take to plan your next teambuilding event:
- The nature of the event. Teambuilding events come in many forms. You might head to an escape room and see if your team of marketers can solve a series of puzzles together. You might go on a recreational event, like going kayaking together. You can even put together a murder mystery of your own and host it onsite. The first thing you’ll need to decide is what type of teambuilding event to have, since each type of event will have strengths and weaknesses, as well as unique characteristics. If you plan on hosting many such events, optimize for diversity, so your team members are constantly exposed to new situations and new challenges.
- Event location and transportation. You’ll also need to decide where this event is going to be held. If you’re tapping into the power of a local business, or if you’re heading to a specific destination, you may not have much flexibility here. If the event is relatively far away, you may need to arrange for transportation, booking a charter bus service or something similar to help your employees get there.
- Other accommodations. Depending on your goals, you may also want to plan for other accommodations, such as food or hotel stays for your staff.
How do you make these types of decisions if you don’t have any experience? These are good places to start:
- Team dynamics and personalities. Think about the nature of your team and the personalities of the people who work in it. Marketers and PR people tend to be good communicators, they tend to be creative, and in many cases, they tend to be outgoing. But what else makes them unique? Try to find something that will appeal to everyone.
- Your budget. One of your biggest limiting factors is going to be your budget, so consider how much money you want to spend on this event from the very beginning. Once you have a number in mind, you’ll have a much narrower list of potential options to choose from.
- Proximity and availability. How convenient and accessible will this event be? There’s nothing wrong with arranging for travel, but you need to be prepared for increased costs and increased complexities the further away you get from the central office.
- Employee feedback. Ask your employees what they think. Employee feedback is always valuable, especially if you’ve had teambuilding events before. Use employee insights and advice to craft the perfect teambuilding event; some of your employees may even have specific suggestions for what type of event you can have.
The value of teambuilding events
Why bother? Marketing and PR teams can benefit enormously from teambuilding events in the following ways and more:
- Communication and collaboration skills. Teambuilding events often require your team members to come together to solve a common problem. In this situation, they have to communicate concisely and clearly with each other and they’re forced to work together. This will teach them stronger communication and collaboration skills, which they can use to collaborate better in the future.
- Bonding. This is also an opportunity for people to get to know each other on a more personal level. Stronger bonds will lead to a greater sense of camaraderie within your organization, and make it easier for individuals to help each other in the course of business.
- Productivity. For a variety of reasons, teambuilding events also tend to increase productivity. In some ways, the event is going to serve as an excellent break from normal work responsibilities, and some employees may even see it as a brief vacation. When they returned, they’ll feel mentally refreshed and more empowered to tackle their normal responsibilities.
- Morale and motivation. Marketing agencies that have regular teambuilding events tend to have higher morale and see greater motivation from their employees. Your employees will feel more valued, since you spent more time on them and gave them this interesting opportunity, and your employee retention may increase as a result.
- Leadership discovery. This is also an interesting opportunity for you to scout potential leaders. When faced with a group problem, which individuals are willing to step up and volunteer ideas or coordinate others?
Teambuilding events aren’t strictly necessary, but they are highly valuable. Even if you’re working with a small budget and a small marketing or PR team, the occasional teambuilding event could provide you with a massive return on investment.
