If ever there was a time to consider team building, the combining of two teams into one is the time to do it.
Whether you are amalgamating units or departments within a single company or merging entire companies, the blending of separate entities can be disruptive to a company;s productivity - even with the most highly developed teams.
It doesn’t matter whether these two groups have worked in the same office or same industry for years.
The reality is, the two will have different dynamics and corporate cultures, not to mention the fact that most team members will be suffering from the inherent stress, jealousy and distrust that comes with merging two teams – “will we work well together”, “will they try and show us up”, “can we trust them to pull their weight”, “will they take our jobs”.
As a result, teams, and the members themselves, fall into an us vs. them mentality and become possessive - creating a silo around them and their projects.
That is why, upon merging your organization’s teams, one of the first things you should do is host a team building event.
Not only will this give you a chance to share critical information about the merger with your entire team, answer questions and provide details on how team members can reach out to you with further questions and concerns throughout the merging process, it will help highlight and strengthen key components of a strong team.
1. Communication
Communication is the key to everything we do and is vital for any successful business. Being able to communicate helps you improve your company’s idea sharing, minimizes conflict and increases productivity.
Team building activities help break down barriers to communication, so that your team members can work together to achieve one clear goal. Improved communication within your company encourages collaboration, minimizes conflict and increases productivity – all of which are critical to the efficient blending of teams.
2. Role identification
Every member of your new team will have a role to play but, with recent changes, they may no longer know what their role is. Team building activities have a way of highlighting each team member’s strengths so that they are put in a role where they can be successful, maximizing their productivity and efficiency.
3. Confidence
Having confidence in yourself, and others, is another critical aspect of working as a team. You need to be able to trust all of your team members to do their part.
Team building can help strengthen confidence in your entire team. By asking your employees and colleagues to work together in a more relaxed environment, they can demonstrate their strengths and weaknesses, allowing themselves and others to become more confident in their abilities.
4. Healthy competition
Friendly competition is a big part of being successful - it helps us push each other to greatness. The problem is that sometimes our competitiveness and need for success in a corporate environment can cause us to inadvertently undermine or overshadow those around us, especially when we are introduced to new team members and feel like we have to prove ourselves.
By participating in a team building activity in a comfortable, relaxed and professional environment, where the competition is inherently friendly, your team members can take the time to get to know one another and appreciate each other for their unique contributions to the group.
Ultimately, a well-organized team building event will show that your company cares about its employees, while at the same time giving your teams an opportunity to bond and build on the skills they will need to succeed in their new environment.
For more information on how a team building event can help with the successful merging of teams and companies, contact us today.
