Satisfied and motivated employees can be the differentiating factor between business success and failure. However, most business owners fail to prioritize team-building activities because they lack the time, fear the expenses, or don’t see the return on investment (ROI).
Successful companies understand that sustained employee appreciation, satisfaction, and engagement are key ingredients to long-term business prosperity and employee retention.
Impact Fire values its diverse group of talented and passionate fire and life safety professionals and prioritizes employee satisfaction as it is inextricably linked to business profitability and success. As a result, Impact Fire consistently implements team-building activities and company culture traditions to improve employee morale and engagement.
Before discussing how Impact Fire prioritizes employee satisfaction, let’s review some of the benefits of team-building activities.
3 Ways Team Building Activities Increase Employee Satisfaction
While generic ice breaker activities may have given team building activities a poor reputation in the past, today’s business leaders understand the relationship between a robust company culture grounded in consistent team-building and employee satisfaction.
From raising morale to increasing motivation, here are three ways team-building exercises increase employee satisfaction.
1. Boosts Morale
Employee morale significantly impacts engagement and productivity. According to numerous studies, employees that feel appreciated and valued have greater commitment, increased motivation, and demonstrate higher degrees of innovation. Morale building exercises break down communication barriers and foster an open and enjoyable work environment.
2. Improves Mental Health
Mental health and employee burnout is an ongoing challenge that remote workforces have only exacerbated. Workers increasingly find it difficult to switch off, particularly work-from-home employees, where it is difficult to separate the home from the office. According to a survey, 45% of professionals who transitioned to remote work because of the pandemic say they regularly work more hours during the week than they did before.
Mitigating burnout and limiting employee stress is essential in promoting positive mental health, job satisfaction, and engagement for both remote and onsite employees. By incorporating team-building exercises, employers encourage their employees to step away from their daily responsibilities, mix up their routines, and engage in something uniquely different. Whether virtual or physical, team-building activities provide employees with an invaluable opportunity to refocus and re-energize.
3. Builds Valuable Relationships
Employees spend roughly one-third of their lives at work. To ensure job satisfaction, employees need the opportunity to create valuable connections with colleagues and meaningful mentorships with seasoned coworkers. Establishing strong relationships with coworkers through team-building activities makes it much easier to create a support network to depend on if issues arise or burnout becomes unmanageable.
Problem-solving and competitive activities are designed to build trust, nurture employee relationships, and create long-lasting bonds that carry through to the workplace. Team building exercises also enable employees to establish relationships with their supervisors or managers, which is an intimidating task for some individuals.
Research indicates 50% of employees regularly do not speak up about concerns and are hesitant to reach out to discuss career development, new ideas, or workflow concerns. Building solid relationships with management increases employee satisfaction, reduces turnover rate, and improves collaborative processes.
Successful companies leverage team-building activities to make their managers more approachable because nothing will break the facade of authority quicker than watching your manager laugh covered in mud as they attempt to finish a Spartan Race.
How Impact Fire Boosts Employee Satisfaction Through Team Building Exercises
According to a Forbes report, the learning process activates through positive or happy experiences. Since happiness and learning are closely related, Impact Fire incorporates unique and fun experiences, even those slightly outside of employees’ comfort zones, to encourage our employees to collaborate and problem-solve in new and exciting ways.
Ron Cooper, General Manager of Impact Fire’s Boston branch, had this to say about the importance of team building activities.
“I did these types of events to create a unique bond between my employees and myself. It’s a way for me to give back but also make it a learning experience by creating friendships in the work environment.”
Impact Fire conducts at least one team-building activity annually to sustain employee satisfaction and happiness. Here are some examples of past team-building activities.
- Flying to Miami for a football game
- Rent a limo bus for a local sporting event
- Boar hunt in Vermont
- Clam bake and boating
- Spartan races
Ron had this to say about the benefits of conducting an experiential team outing such as a high-adrenaline Spartan Race.
“These Spartan Races not only challenge employees physically but more mentally. That feeling of accomplishment that you get to share with your fellow employees, family, and friends is priceless. It’s something they will talk about for years to come, and I look forward to doing it again!”
Employee Satisfaction: A Given for Members of the Impact Fire Family
Companies that prioritize team-building activities are investing in the happiness of each of their employees. While the initial investment requires time and money, the long-term payout is an engaged, productive, and motivated workforce that values their work, colleagues, and the creative and collaborative ecosystem they are a part of.
Individuals interested in joining the Impact Fire team should get in touch with us to learn more about how they can begin their unique fire and life safety journey.
A special thanks to Impact Fire’s Boston General Manager, Ron Cooper, for helping us illustrate the benefits of team building activities. We wish you continued success in your inspiring fire and life safety career.
