The phrase "We're a family" or "We're like family" that once symbolized camaraderie in workplaces has taken on a different meaning over the past few years. Now, this saying has essentially been branded as a red flag, suggesting potential issues like unhealthy work-life balance or lack of respect for personal boundaries.

However, while the idea of being in a "work family" has lost most of its appeal, the need for strong workplace relationships remains, as work environments can sometimes feel isolating and tense. According to a Gallup study, people want to find meaning and build genuine relationships at work, and those who are lucky to have this tend to be more productive. Another research has shown that there's a strong link between high employee engagement and positive work outcomes.

Now, the challenge is for leaders to transform workplaces into nurturing, vibrant communities where authentic connections can flourish. In this guide, we'll touch on the importance of team bonding, tips for effective team bonding, types of team bonding activities, and brilliant ideas for your next team bonding event.

Understanding Team Bonding
Team bonding is the art of deepening personal connections among team members. It involves fostering understanding and improving communication through shared experiences.

By nurturing the social bonds between employees, leaders can build a solid foundation for collaboration, respect, and cooperation in their organization. As a result, the risk of costly distractions like workplace conflict will be reduced significantly.

Why Should Team Bonding Matter to You?
If you take a good look at any thriving workplace, you'll find that they have great culture-building and team-bonding activities. Here are 5 main reasons why team bonding is important and should be taken seriously:
1. It reinforces inclusivity
Team bonding, when done right, helps employees feel like they truly belong at an organization. By participating in these group activities, employees begin to feel more comfortable with their colleagues and they find new ways to connect with them. When you have a solid company culture that people are mentally and emotionally invested in, you'd most likely have lower turnover rates.

2. It builds trust and openness
Team bonding is a great way to build trust between employees because it gives them a chance to know each other beyond their daily work interactions. When employees are able to see more sides to their colleagues, they're more likely to become more understanding and considerate of each other. And when there's an understanding, it's easier for trust to grow and for relationships to blossom.

3. It increases collaboration
When it comes to collaboration, no matter how great a team player you are, the fact is that it's often easier to work with people you trust and understand than people you barely know. That's why team bonding is essential for increasing effective collaboration in an organization.

4. It promotes creativity
Another great thing about team bonding is that it helps employees to step out of their shells and be more comfortable sharing their ideas, no matter how unconventional they may seem. And because they trust their colleagues, they'll be more receptive to feedback and would be excited to blend different perspectives and concepts to create innovative projects.

5. It improves overall team results
Team bonding activities are usually designed to expose the strengths and weaknesses of employees and also to give insights into how they can grow individually and through collaboration. These insights help create new and much more effective work dynamics that improve team performance.

What's the difference between Team Bonding and Team Building?
"Team Bonding" and "Team Building" might sound similar, but they mean different things. Understanding these differences can help you better define your activities and ensure you get your desired results.

Team Building
Team building primarily involves training sessions for employees to improve their individual skills as well as their team's collective productivity. Team building activities are usually tailored or geared toward achieving a specific company goal or objective. Problem-solving and decision-making are some of the top skills that are cultivated in team building sessions.

Team Bonding
Team bonding, on the other hand, involves activities that focus on deepening interpersonal relationships. Employees are encouraged to connect with each other through fun games and tasks. While some team bonding activities can result in improving qualities like problem-solving and decision-making, the main desired result is often better communication among teammates. Team bonding activities are also less structured and are more about creating safe and fun memories.

Team Building focuses on improving team productivity, whereas team bonding focuses on improving team relationships.

Effective Team Bonding Activities
Even if you mean well by organizing a team bonding session, the reality is that many employees may view it as just another mandatory activity that they'd rather skip. So, before we explore some great team bonding activities, here are a few tips to ensure your efforts and ideas are well-received:
Time it right - Choose a date that suits your team. Avoid scheduling events during stressful times, and don't plan them on weekends when people usually have personal plans. If possible, dedicate a day-off for an outing or extra break time for an in-house team bonding event.

Ask for your team's input - Don't decide for everyone! Talk to your teammates to find out what activities they like and what interests them.

Mix things up - Variety is key here. Include different activities to appeal to various interests. You can also throw in some surprises and rewards to make it exciting.

Keep things fun - Plan light and enjoyable activities. Don't make them too complicated or time-consuming. Be sure to leave enough room for mingling and building connections.

Don't force it - Not everyone will be enthusiastic about every activity. Let people join because they want to, not because they have to.

To learn tips and ideas for In-house team bonding and Destination team bonding, as well as team bonding activities for remote teams, read on HERE