Team Building – Not Just Trust Falls

All companies, large or small, no matter what industry, have one thing in common – a team behind the scenes who makes it all happen. Whether a business is expanding their team, or has had the same group of employees for the last 15 years, it is important to foster camaraderie between all team members to keep productivity up and successes coming. Taking time to organize and participate in team building activities, whether on a company or smaller group level, is a fantastic way to ensure this growth takes place!

Here are just a few of the memorable things our Nimble team has done in the past for team building activities:

  • Visit the local water park on a hot summer’s day
  • See the latest pop culture obsession at the movie theater
  • Go for a hike! One particular day we grabbed sandwiches and chips from a local deli and had a picnic near the historic Ranch house that belonged to Will Rogers. We ended the outing with a great hike that peaked at a spectacular view of the Pacific ocean on one side, and Los Angeles’s mountains on the other!

There are also Team Building activities we take part in regularly, whether that means every day small things, or larger team traditions on an annual basis. For a mid-morning break, we might take a walk to one of a couple of coffee places nearby, and catch each other up on the events in our lives. We also utilize a few different off-topic channels on the team’s Slack account, which might be filled throughout the day with fascinating articles, personal discussion, and relevant memes.

Most days, our Nimble team also makes it a priority to eat lunch together. This provides quite a few benefits – the first of which is a change of scenery away from our computers! Additionally, this allows us to enjoy a delicious meal together from either a group favorite, or a new experience out of the many culinary options Los Angeles has to offer. Not only does eating lunch as a team provide an opportunity to learn more about our colleague’s personal lives and interests, but we often find ourselves bouncing around ideas for work projects, taking advantage of the opportunity to gain input from other teams who may have a different perspective.

For a couple of years now at the end of October, the Nimble office organizes a potluck Halloween party. The team brings in either a cultural dish or something they simply enjoy making, and we dress up to boot! Costumes can range from pop culture references, to fairies, to time period icons. Additionally, every year in December, we take an afternoon to dress in our Holiday best and head out on the town for a luncheon by the ocean! We enjoy everyone’s company and reflect on the successes of the past year, as well as begin setting our goals for the new year on the horizon.

There are many other ways to build camaraderie among your colleagues. For example, your office might give back by identifying a community need and working to meet that need. This could include volunteering for an afternoon at a local shelter, or beautifying a common area inside or outside. The team might also agree to meet on a specific night once or twice a month for happy hour, host a game night, or visit a local Escape Room!

For more ideas, searching “team building activities” on Google will lead to a wealth of information. Below are a few resources that may provide some inspiration:

  • Wrike.com demonstrates what team building looks like when you think outside of the box, from Zombie games to karaoke!
  • Huddle.com is another great source, sharing some smaller-scale options.
  • For companies with remote employees, see how HelpScout utilizes video to ensure all team members are included in team building exercises.

What team building activities does your company utilize? Feel free to share in the comments!