5 ways to ensure that positive outcomes of team building last

Team building aims to bring about a lasting change in the organizational dynamic or improve team cohesion. Therefore, it is very important to plan the actions that will follow the activity to perpetuate the learnings and achievements.

1. Right to speak

Schedule time at the end of the activity to allow participants to share their experiences. Make sure all participants have the opportunity to take part in the discussion, synthesize their experience, and make connections with their daily work lives.

2. All ideas are good

Encourage participants to voice their opinions and share their thoughts, build on learnings or lessons learned, and if possible, take group resolutions.

3. Get an outside perspective

Ideally, an outside facilitator with proper skills should monitor the feedback session. For instance, this person could be a qualified monitor or a human resources consultant. 

4. Data Collection

In the days following the activity, collect feedback from participants using an evaluation grid. This information will be very useful in making observations for futureteam-building activities

• The good moves and the bad ones
• Things You Absolutely Must Repeat
• Mistakes or pitfalls to avoid

5. Ensure continuity in day-to-day operations

Follow up on the activity and ensure that changes are implemented in the workplace over the next few weeks or months. If you don't, you risk losing the trust of your team members, who will feel that their time has been wasted. To that end, ask yourself what the organization needs to keep moving in the right direction. This may include team meetings about continuous improvement, coaching or training.

Photos : Tourisme Laval; Team-building group, Latulippe Team Building Centre