How To Start 2023 Strong With Your Teams
Looking ahead this 2023, it's clear that global economies worldwide are set to be inundated with challenges, the ripple effects of which are bound to trickle down to the teams within every organisation.
Organisations must now gear up to be prepared for anything and everything. Even though they cannot predict how exactly they have to adapt, one thing is for sure: teams that start 2023 stronger will have a leg up on those that don't.
But how do you strengthen your team? How do you ensure that your corporate team-building initiatives will eventually prepare your teams to handle whatever comes next? There are no one-size-fits-all solutions, but there are some general strategies that can help.
Let's take a look at what they are and how you can use them to build an even stronger team in 2023 than you have today:
1. Know your team again
Each member of the team is like a body part, with each part playing a critical role in the function as a whole. Excellent team dynamics hinges on team members knowing how each other works and trusting one another to deliver; just as how each body part knows how the other part works and trust that they work together as an entire system.
This could be a difficult challenge — especially for large companies, where teams are often made up of people with different personalities and backgrounds, as it requires constant communication and collaboration between team members and across different teams.
If you think you “knew” your team members the year before, it’s probably a good idea to get to know them again. There is always something new to discover in understanding each other’s working styles and core values.
2. Understand the corporate team-building trends in 2023
Without familiarising yourself with the latest corporate team-building trends, your organisation puts itself at risk of losing the competitive edge in having high-performing teams.
Here are some of the most important corporate team-building trends that you should pay close attention to (and jump on the bandwagon when you’re ready):
Virtual team-building
The pandemic has pushed organisations worldwide to adapt processes to allow teams to collaborate and work together, regardless of location. The rise of virtual team-building is a direct result of this need to maximise the collaboration of teams who work remotely.
Virtual team-building is designed to build team morale in an atypical fashion, and equip teams with tools to be high-performing even if they cannot be physically together. When team members are able to build connections remotely, a sense of camaraderie and belonging to the common cause is established, which paves the way for increased collaboration and productivity.
Hybrid team-building
Hybrid team-building is the next evolution of corporate team-building activities. With organisations still feeling the need to have employees returning to work from office, the need for hybrid team-building workshops have increased. On top of that, the diversity of teams in this era also means that some team members are based in HQ, while others might work in other countries (or even continents).
The right corporate team-building workshop would have all the necessary resources and tools to engage your teams — both the participants that are physically present and including the ones who are dialling in from home or overseas.
3. Invest in strengthening your workplace culture
Employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to stay with your organisation for the long haul. You don’t have to throw money at them; instead, focus on providing opportunities for growth and team development so that they continue feeling challenged and appreciated throughout their careers.
This can be in the form of prioritising corporate team-building initiatives this 2023, if you have been putting it off the previous year.
The gig economy is on the rise, and many organisations everywhere report having high turnover rates. If you want to keep your employees from jumping ship, it’s important to invest in them and create a culture where they feel valued. When you give your employees a clear sense of purpose, they will be more motivated to stay with your organisation.
Final Thoughts
Uncertainty may be the theme of 2023, but employees at the top of their game will be prepared to take on whatever comes next. Start 2023 stronger by using these strategies now, and you're well-positioned for whatever may come your way.
Give your teams a strong start to 2023 with our corporate team-building toolkit here that gives you team-building conversations and insights that you will need to build high-performing teams!
Written by Rachel Chai
Connectedness • Empathy • Strategic • Belief • Context
Rachel is a Strengths School™ Certified Strengths Trainer and the Content Lead at Strengths School™. Being deeply introspective, she believes in helping others draw connections between how their unique strengths play out in their lives.
