Hi there,
I work at a financial services firm filled with non-cheerleaders and overly-busy cynics (like myself). I feel we need to do something to bring us all together a bit more
Punk Rock HR Question: Team Building
Previous post: Colloquialisms at Work
Next post: FOT Power Rankings: PRHR Gets An Honorable Mention
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
“Team Building” events are useless as after all the fake merry-makings, fake jokings, going-through-the-motions to show our bosses how well we “blend together as a team”, back stabbings and conflicts still continue to happen when we return office. What’s the whole point?
Laurie I completely agree with you. What he/she really wants is a culture change and that can only be done through long term strategy (not that pizza parties aren’t extremely important
).
I am now totally sold with the community event thing. Taking the time to do something good for those less fortunate makes those people who are inclined to be engaged feel good and those who are inclined to whine feel stupid (seriously what are YOU complaining about — you have a home/food/etc.).
All in all a win/win.
I was totally against teambuilding activities, and I still am, but my new employer has a really wonderful tradition that truly works. Long but I don’t have a blog so I’ll just hijack Laurie’s.
Here’s the situation – New employer is a loosely matrixed organization, with less experienced staff who market their skills to project managers and salespeople. No managers or team leaders. People are located across the US and work primarily onsite with clients, so it’s critical to make the effort to get to know coworkers on your own – it doesn’t occur naturally over the watercooler.
So what does new company do? Takes everyone, all 200 employees, to Mexico for four days, to a remote all-inclusive resort, very year. No teambuilding activities per se, but lots and lots of opportunities for people to get to know each other over margaritas. Generally there is a non-mandatory community service event that takes up one full day, and a reception with some recognition and rewards, but after that, it’s really up to the employees to network with each other and get to know each other. Lots of bad karaoke, pick-up basketball, and hanging out by the pool playing poker.
It wouldn’t work everywhere, but it’s completely in alignment with this company’s work hard-play hard culture, there’s no “Kumbaya” BS, and it furthers company goals that people get to know each other and use different people on projects.
(Thanks Laurie, now back to your regularly scheduled blogger.)
That’s “every” year. Not very year.
@tek @dan @megbear You’re always welcome to comment when you agree with me.
@frannyO Wait — who said anything about being anti-Mexico? I’m totally pro-Mexico. I’m also pro-Hawaii and pro-Caribbean. I might be pro-Canary Islands, although I’ve never been there.
That’s not team building. That’s just awesome. It wouldn’t work everywhere, you’re right, but I think it falls under the “recognition” category.
I have been exposed to several types of teambuilding exercises over the years. My favourite was being forced by the teambuilding consultant (now there’s a job I’d like to have) to go to one of those pizza and beer places that have midway games installed. We were made to “shoot” electronic basketball in teams and drive electronic cars in teams so at the end of the evening we could see how badly most of us suck at electronic athletics and enjoy listening to the sales jocks who spend a lot of free time in bars or at home downing shots and playing electronic sports crow about winning. The organizer couldn’t understand why some of us were less than enthusiastic about the whole thing, but she put down to lack of team player mentality – a black mark if ever there was one. I would have gladly shot her, but all I had was an electronic gun.
oh. i so love this topic. and i totally agree with laurie.
however, even with the recognition lunches and such, you have to be careful with implementation. after all, if they’re done enough times they just become accepted and people not only begin to no longer value them, they’ll become ticked off when they don’t happen.
overall, though, i believe most team-building exercises are a waste of time and most senior management doesn’t realize how poorly they can come off.
i know of one company where the top senior-level person regularly held dinners at her home for her team of managers. she did one every december for the holidays. seems harmless enough, right? over time, the non-management employees saw it as a perk they never received and as another example of the divide between management and employees. and there was also this…..
this same company did two (2) holiday events every year. so if you’re counting weekends, that normally leaves about one weekend in december before everyone starts heading out to be with their families. that remaining weekend? you got it. that’s when the top senior-level person’s party would be.
the only people who really liked this idea were the poor managers who just loved getting to go to the ‘nice, big house’ and kiss butt. it didn’t make them better managers. and those who actually had a life? (yep. i said it.) those who actually had a life hated being obligated for so many company events at a time when most people want to be with friends and family.
don’t get me wrong. i do think there are some team-building exercises and events that can work. but too often, managers put together team-building events to make themselves feel better (“see what a great company we are? look at what we do for you!”)….or put together events that the manager would like, rather than taking the time to consider what the employees really value and what would mean the most to them.
that’s just my two cents, of course.
all the best!
deb
Laurie mentioned ROWE although she can’t stand the acronym
Tu es la meilleure, Lohree!
I think a trip to Mexico is a brilliant idea. Now to get the CFO to sign off…
RE: trip to Mexico – Why hasn’t this company company hasn’t gotten its’ ass handed to it on a lawyer’s platter? I think there are several factors -
a) The company is known in the (smallish) industry as the “work hard, play hard” company, and this is mentioned several times in the interview process. For instance, there are beers and wine in the fridge, and interviewees who come to the office in the afternoon are regularly asked if they want one. People who don’t like that aspect can self-select out pretty readily.
b) Though there is an open bar, this is essentially a networking event, so the least experienced (and most likely to offend/be offended) employees are generally trying to make a good impression on the people who might hire them for their projects.
c) There is SO much goodwill associated with this trip, no one wants to be the jerk who ruined it for everyone else.
d) The owners are caring and protective and there are enough of us quietly keeping an eye out for issues/sending drunk people up to their rooms that so far, nothing totally untoward has happened.
e) Spouses and children are invited and paid for, so most people have other family members around to keep them in line.
f) Lastly, because lawyers always find a way to be buzzkills, we sign a 2-page waiver before we get on the plane.
I can’t imagine doing a trip like this with any other company, it’s just something that grew organically with the culture. But one day, selection, reward, and culture will get out of alignment and we’ll have hell to pay.
And Maggie – yeah, the CFO totally hates this thing!
@robyn I hate those events but I do like skeeball. I’ve played it in Hawaii, Aruba, Mexico, the Bahamas, and just about every other place I’ve gone on vacation. I’m classy like that.
@deb Wow, well said. You should post this!!!
@Etienne Oh you say the nicest things.
@maggie What the CFO doesn’t know won’t kill him (or her)
@FrannyO Why aren’t you writing your own blog? OMG, these stories are awesome.
The best team building exercise I have enjoyed was last spring at a “staff retreat” where we went out drinkin’. Well technically, it was dinner, but we were drinking these things called “Crack Ho’s” which were paid for by my employer (and there wasn’t a boss in sight.) Most of us showed up to the morning meeting with a hang-over, which in itself was a bonding experience.
CRACK HO?
I want to have a CRACK HO party. WTF is that?
I hate to be a parrot, but I agree with Laurie. Teambuilding is a waste of time. If you want change you need to change the company culture and teambuilding exercises do little but piss people off and/or stress them out. I like the community service day idea, good press of the company and a nice break for the employee and I could present an opportunity for bonding
I hate to be a parrot too but I totally agree with @deb that the only people who really liked this idea of “team-building” and “get-togethers” were the managers. Can you believe that one of my manager actually tracks the number of dinners I missed attending? “I think you did not attend the last x dinners, you know?” Man… I’m wordless, they can get so desperate getting people to those events.
laurie, i’ve been debating about posting what i wrote. the senior level person i mentioned? her assistant reads my blog.
all the best!
deb
You already know what I’m going to say….MBTI, baby!!!!!
Hi Guys
What most of you seem to be talking about is “group entertainment” – very far from REAL team building.
I agree that typical group entertainment has no real vaule in building and bonding a team. There are however very good true team building services available, that focus on the core of the team building experience, and the critical success factors required to enhance temwork.
So lets call a spade a shovel – group entertainment can suck – big time… Genuine team building has merit and long term efficacy, when done correctly, like with Appreciative Inquiry as a team building activity and approach.
Namaste’
Tony Dovale
South Africa
http://www.lifemasters.co.za
team@coachfree.com
083-447-6300
REAL Team Building for real teams.