Who doesn’t love a good party, right? They’re a great way to allow teams to blow off steam or celebrate an accomplishment, like a particularly good quarter or the launch of a new product. More than that, though, they help us relax and build camaraderie between team members who get to know each other on a more personal level. Moreover, parties often mix different teams, building bonds across different areas of an organization – a great way to help stave off siloing . Here are some ways to make sure you’re getting some team building out of your parties.
Include Games
Team games are a great way to get people to work together toward a common goal while having a good time. Games can be strategic challenges, or something a little more silly, but they should involve all team members so that everyone feels included and invested. Imagine company Jeopardy wherein teams compete with their knowledge of corporate trivia. Or try some of the fast-paced games from NBC’s Minute to Win It – here’s a list.
Encourage Mixing
Getting people from different teams and departments to mix together should be a key point of your party. Arrange seating so that people have communal tables to sit down at, and feel free to mix up the seating areas so that people aren’t as likely to group together into their normal cliques. Moreover, put food and beverages in a central area so everyone must go to the same location, increasing the likelihood of running into new people and making new connections.
Theme it Up
Giving parties a theme can be great way of focusing on a common goal or vision. If technology, research, and development are paramount to your company’s vision, then try incorporating those themes into the design of the party. Besides just being fun, it can actually lead to some interesting dialogues among party-goers.
Delegate Parts of the Party to Different Departments or Teams
Assigning different parts of a party to different teams or departments can be another way to ramp up team work. Logistics could handle the food, while accounting takes on beverages and marketing takes care of the decorations. Each department could have a representative who participates in the planning committee – just make sure it’s actually a fun process by providing employees leeway and the resources to get creative.
While it’s true that parties are just inherently fun on their own, by employing some of the suggestions above you can actually use them to increase employees’ sense of team unity. Let’s raise a glass to that!
- Team Building Lessons – How Much Time Should We Spend Planning? - May 7, 2018
- Team Building Lessons – Do We Try a New Approach? - May 2, 2018
- Team Building Lessons - May 2, 2018
Doug handles the marketing and web presence for Adventure Associates. If he's not geeking-out with the latest, greatest web marketing tools, then you'll find him swirling and sipping his way through wine country.
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