Team Building Exercises: Do They Really Make a Difference in the Workplace?

I'm a newbie to this forum. Please let me know where I can find articles regarding the effectiveness of training, especially team building. Do team-building exercises really work for companies? Looking forward to the reply.

Regards,
Soni

Dear Soni,

You have raised a little ticklish issue. In my last decade in the training field, I have yet to come across any training professional or employer who could measure the training effectiveness of team building training using the Kirkpatrick Model or any other model.

The results of team building training, whether inbound or outbound, typically only last for a couple of days or weeks before fading away.

The Mumbai Dabbawalahs and the Indian Army are classic examples of organizations that exhibit teamwork without any formal training. Recently, there has been a discussion on why team building training involves games. You can click the following links to read my views and those of other members:

- [https://www.citehr.com/306314-why-do-team-building-activities-usually-involve-games.html#post1386981](https://www.citehr.com/306314-why-do-team-building-activities-usually-involve-games.html#post1386981)

- [https://www.citehr.com/306314-why-do-team-building-activities-usually-involve-games-2.html#post1387645](https://www.citehr.com/306314-why-do-team-building-activities-usually-involve-games-2.html#post1387645)

(Note: Although the above two hyperlinks appear the same, the comments are different.)

Training on team building will be successful provided that participants are trained in interpersonal skills, conflict handling skills, negotiation skills, organizational communication, and so on. Without these, team building training is likely to fail.

Teamwork is an output, not an input. It is the output of leadership and organizational culture. Leadership instills teamwork into the DNA of the organization, making it an integral part of the culture. If both of these aspects are not conducive, teamwork is likely to fail, even if staff are trained in the skills mentioned above.

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

Dear Soni,

I am happy to tell you that the effectiveness of any interpersonal training program, be it Team Building, can be measured, and I do it for all my training programs. [Dinesh.... I am one of the proud trainers... :) ]

The trainer needs to keep in mind the training goals and the purpose of the training. For this to be effective, one needs a systematic TNI and TNA to understand the training needs. I can cite an example from my past experience where a client of mine wanted Team Building training for its team. After conducting the TNI, I got to know that the team needs training for Team Dynamics. I also suggested the client go for Transactional Analysis Training for the team to increase their interpersonal skills.

The results were as follows:

a) The REACTION of the participants was 4.7/5 post the training session.

b) The LEARNING of the participants was captured by five case studies conducted online.

c) The BEHAVIOR of the team members was observed for three weeks. We called this process Impact Check. The supervisor was supposed to maintain a checklist of some behavioral indicators of the team's displayed behavior.

d) The happiness score (RESULT) of the team increased from 5.4/10 to 7.1/10 over a period of three weeks.

And there were a lot of other benefits that came as a result of the two workshops. So, this way, I covered all the levels of Kirkpatrick's model. I am appending the happiness score sheet for everyone to see.

Do let me know in case you have any more queries.

Dear Mr. Atul Sharma,

a) The REACTION of the participants was 4.7/5 post the training session.

Fine. You have fulfilled Level I of Kirk Patrick Model.

b) The LEARNING of the participants was captured by five case studies which were conducted online.

When you say you measured participants' learning by five case studies, I need to understand a little more about this. This is Level II of Kirk Patrick Model. Did you conduct any tests, and were these case studies part of the test? If yes, then what was the test score and the average test score? What was the passing percentage? How many scored a distinction, and how many failed?

c) The BEHAVIOR of the team members was observed for three weeks. We called this process Impact Check. The supervisor was supposed to maintain a checklist of some behavioral indicators of the team's displayed behavior.

You did an "Impact Check" of the participants. This is Level III of Kirk Patrick Model. However, you could have mentioned what was increased or decreased. Have you measured customer satisfaction or any other financial or non-financial ratios? What were the pre-training score and the post-training score?

d) The happiness score (RESULT) of the team increased from 5.4/10 to 7.1/10 over a period of three weeks.

Gentleman, if you look at the Kirk Patrick Model, Level IV is not a "happiness score," but it is a business result. What was the revenue impact due to this increased happiness from 5.4 to 7.1?

Secondly, checking Level IV just after three weeks is too early. You could have checked this after at least six months.

Thirdly, have you measured the cost of conducting this training program, and what were the returns? For what time period did you see these returns?

Also, what were the other benefits that resulted from the two workshops? Did operational expenditure decrease, or was more revenue generated?

So, this way, I covered all the levels of Kirkpatrick's model. I am appending the happiness score sheet for everyone to see.

In a business context, let me give you the following examples:

a) Our plan was to reduce the spending base by at least 10% during 2010-11. As of now, our percentage is 9.5%.

b) We have reduced material costs as a ratio to sales by 6 percentage points over the last 2 years.

c) Sundaram Bearings has exported 50 million radiator caps, and not a single defective piece was shipped!

The above examples, or rather figures, speak for themselves about teamwork. Business runs on revenue and not just on happiness, and we cannot stop at that.

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

As a strong proponent of a team-based culture, I would say that the basic purpose of team-building exercises is to foster comfort and trust within the team. It encourages an environment where employees are willing to put in a collective effort to achieve a certain task.

It helps employees to shed their inhibitions and come out in the open with confidence. It also cultivates a culture of strength where tasks are allocated based on individual strengths to achieve a high quality of work.

Regards,
Mudita

Team Building training is actually a very interesting subject. I think we should always take the reactive evaluation with a pinch of salt. Research has suggested that the reactive questionnaire will generally have a higher score.

The learning part is very difficult to evaluate, and the motivated employees will perform for a few days and then go back to the old ways. I have been experimenting with a training program for team building. Unfortunately, I do not have the evaluation results as yet. But the concept is based on using the Six Sigma Methodology for making a training program and implementing it.

Yes, it works but only for the trainers. Only they can measure, deduce, and analyze. For the rest of us mere mortals who pay the bill for the trainers and hope that those souls have picked up something, we can only console ourselves with the fact that maybe the cost of mistakes done before the training will reduce and make it less painful.

Rest all is debatable, just like why you need great places of worship and days when God is available everywhere and free of cost.

Regards,
Shridhar

Thank you to all those who have shared their experiences and views on this topic. It will really prove to be very helpful.

I need one more help... I'm an MBA HR student in my Sem IV. Now, as a part of the semester, we need to submit a project. I chose training and development, but I'm confused regarding the area of T&D which I should choose for my project. Please suggest some topics which would be suitable for the current corporate scenario.

With regards,
Soni

Dear Soni,

Veterans here would not be surprised at Mr. Dinesh Divekar being able to add value where others fail to. A few additions that buttress his inputs more than anything else:

1) The army has programmed its "DNA" that way BY HARPING ON A HANDFUL OF TYPICAL "army values" (or sentiments). Once you make a group FEEL these, the group automatically becomes a team!

A>> "If I do not do my bit, my brother/buddy/mate/... dies ...AND VICE-VERSA.
B>> Sheer pride! COLLECTIVE pride! (entailing an emotional commitment to staying worthy of that pride).

NOW, HOW YOU CAN INSTILL THESE IN THE DNA OF CORPORATE TEAMS AND HOW OUR TRAINING MAY HELP DO THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE! HINT: Mr. Divekar has already opened that tangentially -- "provided the participants are trained on interpersonal skills, conflict handling skills, negotiation skills, organizational communication, and so on. Sans these, the training on team building is bound to fail."

2) An outbound trainer who is an ex-naval officer SHARED HOW HE DOES IT IN HIS OUTDOOR PGMs: It is not the games per se that differentiate him from other outbound trainers. It is STUFF LIKE HIS RULES, PRE AND DEBRIEFS AND GUIDED DISCUSSIONS! For example, at the start of day-1 of camp, opinions are elicited on what the rules should be. THEN HE ASKS-- What should be done if they are broken. This leads to a list of punishments. NOW HE ASKS WHETHER ONLY THE OFFENDER/THE WHOLE TEAM SHOULD TAKE THOSE PUNISHMENTS -- which, by the way, is exactly what ALL armies do!

3) Have we wondered how, in the army (to use Mr. Divekar's words), "Leadership infuses the teamwork in the DNA of the organization and thus it becomes a part of the culture"? Lessons might be lying -- waiting to be learned!

4) Teamworking is not a GAME -- even though I have nothing on principle against using games in training (I do so all the time). Care to follow this link? Team Building soft skills soft skill

Warm Regards, PS --- Thank you, Mr. Divekar.

Hi Dinesh,

Thank you for adding your point-to-point comments. I appreciate your efforts!

I am happy to know your perspective on the topic.

As an external trainer, I can only suggest to a client my working methodology. In NCR, 95% of the clients just need a 'one-day training'... that's it. I have to really push for effectiveness measures. Please let me know your viewpoint on this issue. In this scenario, suggesting them to go in for statistical measures and control seems like a big challenge to me, as I always have a tough time even getting reports from supervisors for Impact-Check.

Keeping this in mind, I am very satisfied with the work I did. I wish I had the opportunity to implement whatever you have said for Level-IV. In case I am the deciding authority, I shall definitely go in for ROI and statistical measures.

So, quoting a line from Kirkpatrick's book on ROI: "Be satisfied with evidence if proof is not possible," is the guideline I go with in such cases.

Lastly, your statement "The result of the training on team building either inbound or outbound lasts for a couple of days/weeks. Thereafter, it withers away" is something you can say for yourself and not make a universal declaration.

Just to let you know that the mentioned program was conducted for 15 such teams, and the company came in 'Great Place to Work 2008,' which itself is a big ROI.

Probably I am taking it a little personally as the tone you have used does not look encouraging or appreciating to me... I request you to please give some positive strokes too while commenting on anyone's work...

I believe you are my senior and would always guide me for my best. I shall connect with you offline. :)

Thank you to all those who have shared their experiences and views on this topic. It will prove to be very helpful.

I need one more help... I'm an MBA HR student in my Sem IV. Now, as a part of the semester, we need to submit a project. I chose training and development, but I'm confused regarding the area of T&D I should choose for my project. Please suggest some topics that would be relevant for the current corporate scenario.

With regards,
Soni

Dear Soni,

One of my trainees conducted a project on 'Employee Satisfaction'. The stages would be:

1. Conducting a Satisfaction Survey for a sample
2. Classifying and prioritizing their needs
3. Speaking to the HR and making a plan for meeting those needs
4. Checking the results in 21 days or so, depending upon the length of the project.

Hope this helps.... :)

Hi all,

Interesting discussion...

If we were to view everything from a technical point of view, then you could say that a mother or a maid brings up the child in exactly the same manner; after all, a maid also performs the same 'measurable' activities of feeding, playing, and nappy changing.

The point is that when we deal with human issues, everything can't be measured with a scale. Sometimes we need to believe in the process even if we can't see concrete measurable results.

I am not saying that we can do away with technical issues, but we need to combine human issues as well to reach any conclusions.

Coming to the issue of ARMY teambuilding - Being an ex-Army officer, let me say that teambuilding is an inherent part of our training - living - fighting - dying.

When we operate in places like Siachen Glacier, we as officers sleep in the same hutment as our jawans who are the juniormost in the services. Can you imagine in the corporate world a manager and a worker sleeping in the same hut after they finish the office?

Teambuilding has to be an ongoing activity through a positive environment created by the management as well as through teambuilding activities, games, interventions by internal/external consultants. All of it helps - drop by drop.