INTHEBLACK May 2022 - Magazine - Page 57
CRINGEFREE TEAM
BUILDING
W H E N I T I S G O O D , I T I S V E RY, V E RY G O O D – A N D
WHEN IT IS BAD, IT IS HORRID. IN THE RIGHT
HANDS, TEAM BUILDING CAN BE A POWERFUL
T O O L , E F F E C T I V E A N D C O M P L E T E LY C R I N G E - F R E E .
STORY JESSICA MUDDITT
L
ong-term remote work and the stresses of the pandemic have
eroded trust within organisations, and many managers are
turning to team building exercises to rebuild connections
between team members.
When it is done well, team building can have powerful benefits. A
study by the University of Sydney has found that, when colleagues get
to know each other on a personal level outside of the office, this boosts
both productivity and morale.
The study’s author, Julien Pollack, associate professor with the School
of Project Management, says, “The organisations that are preserving
social capital within their companies are the ones that are finding ways
for people to connect with each other as people, rather than just being
task-related or project-focused.
“In a post-COVID-19 environment, there may be a lack of casual
social interaction, and we need to think carefully about how we
build social capital in the workforce. This is not just for our existing
relationships, but also for new people coming into teams.”
MEASURABLE IMPACT
Participants in Pollack’s study undertook a self-disclosure relationship
building exercise with one other person that lasted for just one hour,
and then did follow-up surveys about the experience.
“The time commitment was small, but there was a measurable impact
on the relationship they had with the other person for up to three
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au May 2022 57