Team building exercises have a tremendous number of benefits. First, the better your staff knows and respects one another, the stronger the workplace culture and higher the productivity.
The importance of this cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to the senior care industry. Working in healthcare can be incredibly draining. Between the long hours and the physical and emotional demand, it is no wonder that burnout is such a problem, leading to high turnover rates and poor company morale.
In this article, we will go over a few creative ideas for strengthening your team. The best part? You can essentially implement any one of these ideas at any time, you do not need any special or fancy equipment, and they do not cost a single penny.
Create a “buddy system”
This is a great way for someone to get familiar with your larger team and how your facility operates. Consider pairing up new employees with a colleague who can show them the ins and outs and make them feel more comfortable. This person mustn’t be a manager, but rather someone that the trainee can be more candid with or talk about things outside of just work. When done correctly, many of these relationships last far beyond the onboarding period.
Initiate a singalong or team cheer
Okay, this one probably sounds a little silly, but trust me – it works. As you know, working with seniors (especially those who have serious health conditions) can be incredibly draining. It is important to keep energy levels high throughout the day. Consider coming up with a team motto or cheer that you can start or end meetings with. This is great for bonding and reinforces the idea that we are all in this together. It is up to you to come up with something that works for your staff and company – the important part is that it should be short and memorable. Otherwise, people are less likely to use it.
Maintain a culture of appreciation
Team building exercises do not (and honestly should not) happen at dedicated times once or twice a year. Chances are you have a team communication board, like Slack. Start an appreciation channel where anyone can give a shout-out to another team member. These can range from more serious (so-and-so had an awesome presentation) to less serious (so-and-so always makes the best cookies). The idea is to spread love and build community.