Building Your Team

Teambuilding. It’s a buzzword that can elicit groans and rolled eyes amongst co-workers, but there are ways to address the issue of teambuilding without the need for name badges, dangling from treetops and other artificial exercises. One thing’s for certain: staff who work as a team communicate better, generally feel more motivated and produce more consistent results, whatever their industry. In a general practice the need for trust, respect and clear lines of communication cannot be overstated, so let’s talk teambuilding.

Social Clubs

Teambuilding within your practice can flourish as a happy by-product of other activities. Often the best results come from less contrived situations where bonding happens without the pressure to do so, as it does in natural, social conditions. So, get social! Setting up a monthly book group, for example, a free after work yoga session in the practice or a one-off friendly badminton tournament can help break down existing barriers between staff members in different areas of your practice. Sponsoring local charity events like fun runs and fetes is also a way to foster a wider sense of community, too. Sponsoring team members to take part in a relay challenge or paying their entrance fee is another way to encourage people to get together and connect outside the workplace.

Days Out

The staff jolly perhaps happens less in your workplace than most, but a summer get-together or Christmas catch-up can serve as an apt ‘thank you’ as well as a chance for hardworking employees to finally relax together on neutral territory. Alternative ideas to the staff dinner, night out or lunch are family days that employees can bring other halves and children too. More relaxed than going for a meal and with little ones thrown in as ice-breakers, something like a bring-your-own BBQ with a game of rounders on your local common or a subsidised trip to the panto at Christmas are nice options to offer your team that needn’t eat into your annual budget.

Awards Nominations

Set up a monthly awards draw where staff members are invited to nominate colleagues throughout the month for good deeds, whether they’ve dealt with a difficult situation really well, supported a co-worker in some way or celebrated a professional milestone. Pop a letterbox somewhere accessible to all and use your monthly staff meeting to announce the winner and present them with their prize. A nice bottle of Champagne always goes down well, as do restaurant, spa and theatre vouchers. Doing this not only gets team members thinking about their own work and that of their immediate colleagues, but also draws attention to the work of those in different areas of the practice. Finding out who nominated you is always nice, too.

TEAM. Together Everyone Achieves More.

Do you have any tips or ideas for team building at your practice? If so please leave your ideas in the comments.