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Corporate team-building for businesses: why and how to innovate?

It is a fact that the collective is stronger than the individual; a principle illustrated by the saying ‘unity is strength’. Within a company, bringing a group (a team, department, subsidiary or the entire organisation) together through a business team-building activity helps to foster a positive working atmosphere and, at times, to resolve internal conflicts.

Often, a team-building programme is designed to achieve objectives such as strengthening team cohesion or facilitating the integration of new members, so that they can quickly adapt to their environment. Today, as trends evolve, new approaches are emerging to bring teams together. How can they be adopted? Are they beneficial for my company? These are all questions that deserve answers.

Lobby of the hotel Le Galice in Aix en Provence

— Comex objectives and challenges

What are the benefits of a corporate team-building event?

Our team-building formats can be tailored to your business objectives

01

Changing your surroundings to boost creativity

Due to budget constraints, some companies choose to stay on the premises for training or team-building activities. However, team-building events held off-site offer greater benefits.
A new environment encourages people to think differently and think outside the box. This fosters innovation, as ideas are less influenced by constraints and established working habits. A change of scenery boosts the group’s energy and improves collaboration.

02

Inspiring venues ideal for corporate events

Whilst there are many places in France where corporate events can be held, Provence and the Côte d’Azur stand out for their exceptional natural settings. These regions are renowned for their picturesque landscapes, relaxed atmosphere and modern facilities tailored to the needs of businesses. Employees will be able to enjoy the beauty of the surroundings, unwind and boost their creativity.

03

Team-building for large organisations (more than 50 people)

As large organisations have numerous departments and teams, they may encounter problems such as a lack of cross-departmental coordination or an imbalance in communication.
Team-building activities in this context must therefore be designed to foster cross-departmental relationships, encourage collaboration between departments and strengthen everyone’s commitment.

— Choosing activities

How do I choose a team-building activity that’s suitable for the size of my team?

01

Team-building activities for small teams (fewer than 20 people)

Amongst the members of a small team, activities should encourage close interaction and a sense of camaraderie. Here are a few ideas:

  • Escape rooms: immersive activities that test the team’s ability to solve puzzles together under pressure and within a set time limit.
  • Strategy games: board games or business simulations where each member has a key role to play.
  • Immersive workshops: activities such as creative workshops that encourage team-building and open communication in a more intimate setting.

02

Team-building activities for medium-sized teams (20 to 50 people)

For medium-sized teams (comprising between 20 and 50 people), business team-building must strike a balance between dynamism, engagement and effectiveness. These groups, which are often large enough to include sub-groups but small enough to ensure good interaction, benefit from formats that encourage collaboration.

Two main categories of activities are particularly well-suited to this type of team: collaborative workshops and friendly competitions.

02

Team-building activities for large organisations (more than 50 people)

As large organisations have numerous departments and teams, they may encounter problems such as a lack of cross-departmental connection or an imbalance in communication.
Team-building activities in this context must therefore be designed to foster inter-group relationships, encourage collaboration between departments and strengthen everyone’s commitment.

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— FAQs

Frequently asked questions about organising a business team-building event

Business team building is much more than just a series of fun activities: it is a strategic tool which, when properly integrated, can transform a team and make a significant contribution to achieving a company’s objectives.

A well-designed business team-building programme produces measurable effects on two key indicators. In terms of productivity, teams show a significant improvement, rising from 65 per cent before the activity to 90 per cent afterwards – a gain of 25 percentage points. Staff morale follows a similar trend, rising from 60 per cent to 85 per cent – also an increase of 25 percentage points. These results illustrate the tangible impact of team-building on collective performance and staff engagement.

Within a company, key concepts such as communication, collaboration and innovation are crucial to its sustainability and future. However, every element that makes up the organisation must work together in a harmonious environment. Employees must therefore understand one another so that they can work together.

The traditional objectives of corporate team building therefore include:

  • Strengthening communication: by improving exchanges between team members to avoid misunderstandings and increase efficiency.
  • Strengthening social bonds: by creating an atmosphere of trust and camaraderie, which is essential for cohesion.
  • Developing collective skills: by encouraging collective intelligence to solve problems more creatively and effectively.

Faced with contemporary challenges such as remote working, a lack of team engagement and staff turnover, organisations must rethink their approaches to strengthen internal cohesion and boost productivity. corporate team building offers a range of solutions to address these challenges.

But which formats are most effective at making a tangible impact on team dynamics? This chapter explores three essential formats: team-building with business games, business plan team-building and team-building icebreakers, each of which plays a key role in improving collaboration and engagement.

Instead of offering traditional training courses or coaching sessions, there are more original ways to train and motivate employees.

The rise of remote working and hybrid working

Since the emergence of new ways of working, such as remote working, businesses have faced new challenges. Remote working prevents team members from meeting in person, despite the availability of modern communication tools such as email, instant messaging and video conferencing. Other issues also arise as a result.

The rise of remote working and hybrid working has transformed the professional landscape. Whilst it offers greater flexibility, it exposes companies to new challenges. So, although work-life balance is well managed, remote working complicates the management of team cohesion and internal communication. Companies must now find solutions to maintain employee engagement, ensure effective collaboration and preserve a strong corporate culture, despite physical distance.

Lack of team engagement, increased staff turnover and the need for retention

When employees do not feel sufficiently engaged, their motivation declines, which directly impacts their productivity and loyalty. High staff turnover leads to significant costs associated with recruitment and training, and disrupts team dynamics. Faced with these issues, companies must invest in retention strategies or offer development opportunities to strengthen engagement and reduce staff turnover.

Cross-departmental communication and internal conflict management

Communication between departments is often a source of friction, particularly in large organisations. Poor information flow can lead to errors, misunderstandings and a drop in productivity. Internal conflicts must therefore be managed differently in order to maintain a harmonious working environment.

Young people and their scepticism towards team-building activities

According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, many young professionals are becoming increasingly sceptical about team-building activities, viewing them as superficial and having no real impact on team spirit. This lack of buy-in could call into question the effectiveness of certain traditional team-building practices in a modern professional context.

To ensure that team-building is not seen as a one-off activity with no lasting impact, it is crucial to integrate it into the corporate culture and embed it within a long-term vision.
Annual planning: incorporate a variety of events throughout the year (icebreakers, creative workshops, cross-departmental challenges).
Role of leaders: encourage managers to participate actively and to embody the values promoted during the activities.
Recognition and promotion: highlight high-performing teams and best practices arising from team-building in internal communications.
Tip: Create a ‘cohesion charter’ or set up an internal committee to regularly propose ideas for engaging activities.

Many companies have reported the positive effects of team-building on their performance. For example, a study carried out by Deloitte revealed that 79 per cent of companies that invest in team-building programmes report a significant improvement in their teams’ morale and productivity. Another study by PwC showed that companies with a structured team-building programme experience a 15 per cent reduction in staff turnover.
The benefits are not limited to productivity alone. According to a survey by MindTools, 62 per cent of employees say that effective team-building contributes to their mental wellbeing and reduces work-related stress.

Organising a team-building event should not be driven simply by the fact that competitors are doing it. The choice of activity must be based on several factors, such as the number of participants and the objectives set by the company.
It is then essential to measure and optimise the impact of the session in order to derive lasting benefits. What if you were to integrate it permanently into your company’s development programme? In that case, follow-up is essential to assess each participant’s progress.
Here are a few methods for assessing the effectiveness of a corporate team-building session:
Satisfaction surveys: distribute anonymous questionnaires before and after the event to gauge employees’ perceptions of team cohesion, communication and motivation.
Internal case studies: analyse teams that have taken part in the team-building activity and compare their results (productivity, staff turnover, working atmosphere) with those of other teams.
Performance indicators: track KPIs such as reduced staff turnover, increased productivity or the number of cross-departmental collaborations following the event.
Tip: For a more detailed analysis, combine this quantitative data with qualitative interviews to gain an understanding of the participants’ deeper feelings.

Effective follow-up is essential to ensure the benefits of team-building are sustained in the long term.
Refresher workshops: organise short sessions (30–45 minutes) a few weeks after the event to review the key lessons and share success stories.
Collaborative projects: set up cross-departmental projects to build on the team spirit fostered during the team-building event.
Ongoing feedback: encourage staff to share their ideas and suggestions for improving future sessions.
Tip: Launch a quarterly mini-survey to assess changes in team cohesion and adjust future activities accordingly.

Business simulations: crisis management, commercial negotiations

Business simulations are immersive exercises in which participants are confronted with real-life crisis management or commercial negotiation scenarios. These activities enable participants to test their decision-making skills, responsiveness and ability to collaborate under pressure.

The setting for the simulation will be chosen according to the participants’ expectations. This could be a themed room where they must solve puzzles related to business management or crisis situations; a virtual reality scenario, for example, testing business strategies in 3D; or an outdoor role-play exercise.

Serious games to develop creativity and decision-making

Serious games are designed to train participants to think creatively and make strategic decisions. These games use gamification to stimulate innovation, problem-solving and collaboration. Participants are therefore expected to receive immediate feedback on their actions.

The themes are varied and the games can be tailored to suit the players. They may take the form of a 60-minute mission to solve a puzzle, a hands-on workshop (e.g. dismantling a vintage car) or even designing a board game following an expert’s instructions.

The team-building business plan is a format that encourages teams to work together to design and structure a genuinely professional project. This strengthens project management skills and fosters collaborative thinking with a view to achieving a shared objective.

Creating a fictional business project as a team

Team-building icebreakers are activities designed to help new members settle in, create a relaxed atmosphere and break the monotony. Ideally, they should be as much fun as possible. There are several games that can be used to ‘break the ice’: for example, the ‘two truths and a lie’ game, or the ‘big debate’ game.

Introductory activities to stimulate creativity and engage participants

Introductory activities are designed to help participants get to know one another and become actively involved right from the start. These games may include creative introduction exercises or light-hearted challenges that encourage collaboration and collective thinking. Here are a few examples of such activities:

  • Collaborative challenges: challenges where participants must work together to solve problems or achieve common goals within a time limit. Examples include the engineering challenge or the bridge challenge.
  • Interactive quizzes: light-hearted quizzes that encourage friendly competition whilst promoting learning and collective thinking. These might consist of a series of questions about the company, its products or its services.
  • Role-play: Role-play has the added benefit of allowing everyone to step into the shoes of a character. The aim is to better understand others’ perspectives and to strengthen communication.

In collaborative workshops, participants are required to interact and work together to come up with solutions or new ideas. These might include a design thinking workshop, a conflict resolution workshop, or a workshop focused on creating a product or prototype using simple materials.
Friendly competitions are ideal for fostering a spirit of competition and team spirit. They combine fun with performance. Each participant is committed to giving their very best in order to succeed or win. Examples include business games in small groups, sporting challenges such as Olympic-style events, football or obstacle courses.

— Références clients

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