Why team social events matter in the workplace

Whether it's a Christmas party, summer social, team away day or even a Friday afternoon quiz, bringing colleagues together outside their usual routines can have benefits that go beyond simply having fun.

Whether you spend an hour on a Friday afternoon having a quiz where employees pit their wits against each other or it's a full night's entertainment complete with dinner and karaoke, it's an escape from the routine and a chance for people to look up from their keyboards.

Give everyone the opportunity to get involved, and suddenly some new forces come into play. Workplace social events can help organisations create a collaborative culture; a place where everyone can learn each other's names (not just their email addresses), understand each other's roles and start to become invested in the direction of the business.

An organisation that can boast a culture where the workforce sings off the same song sheet and shares its values is more likely to have an engaged workforce. To get to a place where employees can share those values, there are two essential ingredients: two-way relationships, and an environment for dialogue. Knowing the names of your fellow employees is a good place to start.

With many organisations embracing hybrid and remote working, opportunities to bring colleagues together can be especially valuable. While flexible ways of working offer many benefits, they can also make it harder for people to build relationships with colleagues they don't see every day.

Here is where workplace social events can play their part. It's a chance to invite everyone to come together, reconnect and, suddenly, it is a whole lot easier to put a name to a face.

Building a relationship, and creating an environment where active listening is encouraged, does not happen because the management says it must. For employees to feel valued and be confident, organisations need to create safety and trust. If this culture of learning and trust is to be created, it needs to flow up as well as down. Leaders can learn from their teams as much as employees can learn from them.

Strong communication and positive working relationships can also play an important role in employee engagement and retention. A well-designed social event can certainly help leaders become more approachable, improve the flow of communication and develop stronger relationships.

When all is said and done, a successful organisation needs a happy, engaged workforce. Not only are employees more likely to stay working for you, but they will also communicate better, work more collaboratively and achieve more. They will be your ambassadors, saying great things about their place of work and, as we know, word of mouth is one of the best ways to attract new staff.

Employees are the biggest asset for any company, so perhaps it is worth considering pulling out all the stops for a really special workplace social event. It's the perfect way to let your employees know you really appreciate them and their contribution, but it can also pay dividends going forward. When employees come together and combine their knowledge and expertise, big things can happen.