The Importance of Team Building in the Digital Era

​Only 15% of employees globally are engaged in the workplace, according to Gallup, and that lack of engagement costs companies over $2,200 per employee each year. While opinions about the causes of this disengagement vary from industry to industry, the lack of face-to-face interaction and the constant connectivity to digital devices have been noted as being factors. In a world where we are able to do pretty much everything online, including interacting with our coworkers, team building is becoming more important than ever.

How Technology Affects Relationship Building

Real relationships are built little by little over time. However, the face-to-face time required to truly build a solid relationship, whether personal or professional, is often not taken into consideration when working with teams in workplaces nowadays. What HR teams and managers don't know, however, is that team building in an effective way can actually boost morale and increase productivity. The key lies in combining technology with team building to craft modern-day exercises that intertwine the use of digital tools with face-to-face personal interactions. Exercises that either gamify the experience or allow employees to interact in a way that pushes them outside of their comfort zone just enough to spark a conversation are great for modern-day tech-connected people. Using this combination of technology and personal interaction actually also works great for in-office communications as well. Using video chat platforms to hold conference calls increases the understanding of what's being talked about, and using technology to enhance system workflow integration can help teams work together more effectively.

Certain Industries Benefit More

Industries that require employees to work directly with clients regarding sensitive issues or work in high-stress situations with others can particularly benefit from team building. For example, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals benefit from teambuilding due to the fact that it allows them to effectively understand their role in the workplace and build trust with their coworkers that carries over into high-stress situations. This also helps them feel better equipped to speak with patients when communicating certain issues or test results. In the digital era, it is often easy to forego face-to-face communication, especially in fast-paced industries like healthcare. Doctors send results via email and put data into a form on the computer to communicate with their coworkers on a different floor. However, this has been shown to have negative effects on both employees and customers or patients, making it even more crucial to integrate modern-day strategies into these types of exercises.

The Future of Cohesive Teams

Whether it's in a fast-paced industry like healthcare, a customer-focused industry like sales, or even a totally digitally-based industry such as web design, everybody benefits from team building. Not only is it an effective way to combat declining engagement in the workplace, but it's also a great way to ensure that employees are working together effectively in a way that enhances brand identity and overall customer service.