2019 has already started out as an exciting year for team building here in Hong Kong and across Asia. Some of our clients have been asking about the latest trends that we expect to see this year. So, inspired by Anne Thornely-Brown, President of our north American partner, Executive Oasis International and her latest blog, we’ve put together our top trends and things to watch out for in Asia.
Here are our predictions for team building activities and trends in 2019 – get in touch to learn more or explore our website for ideas for your next team building activity.
1. Trend: Gamification & Experiential Activities
While we’ve been using gamification and experiential activities for years, 2019 will continue to be an important year for fun and interactive ways to approach team building.
Experiential activities, when designed and managed properly, drive more effective learning and lead to effective results for teams and individuals. Participants work together to come up with a solution through fun and challenging activities designed to lead to specific outcomes.
Some of our most popular team building activities include Beat The Box, FreshBiz, and Need 4 Speed. Each activity has its own merits and purpose – customized for each group. Find out more about our activities on our website.
2. Trend: Training for All Sizes of Teams
Team training is not only for large groups. The trend this year will be towards a mix of team sizes – allowing for different types of focus and outcomes. From the department level down to a smaller business unit, teams of all sizes can benefit from different types of activities and team building training. This can also make it easier to plan smaller activities.
3. Hazard: Confusing Entertainment with Team Building
According to Harvard Business Review (September 2018), many companies invest in elaborate offsite events such as bowling nights or ropes courses. While social activities have a place in a human resources program, entertainment alone will not bring about the outcomes and results that senior leadership is striving for.
Focused efforts to build collaboration and demonstrate why it is needed, are essential parts of effective team building.
Accountability is another key element that team building activities should address. Participants should be encouraged to understand how will they build collaborative commitments into their own performance. While entertainment-related activities have their place, looking to advance team performance requires more than Friday Drinks.
4. Hazard: Under Investment
The world is looking nervously to China and US trade negotiations and the slowing of China’s tremendous growth . During times of economic uncertainty is often when investing in HR and group activities are restricted. However, the battle for talent has never been more fierce – across Asia as much as anywhere. Developing and keeping great talent, while improving the performance of your teams is more important than ever.
Budget constraints don't mean you need to cancel training and team building altogether…
- Consider smaller team-focused activities.
- Keep the team closer to home (although offsite is still recommended for many training activities).
- Focus on results and experiential activities that don't bust your budget, but at the same time provide value to the participants.
5. Trend: Moving away from Traditional Training
The old style of training meant sitting at a row of desks, trying to pay attention to a trainer going through a slide deck. While some situations may require this kind of one-directional lecture format, the trend in modern training is towards engagement in a workshop format. This not only improves the outcomes of the training but makes participation interesting and fun for the participants. And we know from experience that engaged participants get a lot more out of the activities. Team Building Asia has dozens of workshop programs designed to stimulate groups and encourage full engagement and participation.
When planning any scope of team building event or programme, it’s vital to remember why we do corporate team training:
- Integrate company core values into teams,
- Strengthen team collaboration and communication,
- Develop soft skills,
- Enhance creative thinking, and
- Improve decision making.
These are just a few of the potential outcomes. Contact us to learn more about how we can help improve your team’s dynamics.
References:
https://hbr.org/2018/09/stop-wasting-money-on-team-building
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/238079/state-global-workplace-2017.aspx
