Building a strong and effective team is one of the most important tasks of a team leader. Relations between employees and the level of cooperation directly affect the motivation and efficiency of the entire group, and then the company. Employee relations with employers also have a significant impact on shaping the atmosphere at work. Can the integration test help us with proper integration?
Integration test in the form of outdoor and indoor
The integration test can be carried out both in the open air and in a specially prepared conference room. The choice of place depends on the employee's needs, which indicate what we should focus on during games and activities and what goal we want to achieve.
The classroom integration test focuses on the educational value. Thanks to this form, we integrate the group and develop specialist skills of employees, such as: communication, project or change management. Examples of games that can be carried out in the room:
- Joint solution of a complex problem in a situation where each participant has a different piece of information needed.
- Modified forms of team sports: five people tied by their legs with one rope playing ball.
- A group of employees builds from the material provided to them structures specified by the trainer or they have to get from one end of the room to the other, overcoming certain obstacles that are possible to overcome only when the group cooperates with each other.
An outdoor integration test includes rope and climbing exercises, for example. Compared to games in the hall, they bring much more adrenaline and excitement. They also bring educational value, but mainly focuses on cooperation, compromise and most importantly: integration. Common tasks are:
- bridges and rope rides,
- crossings over precipices,
- exercises in caves,
- walking up to straight rocks.
What will you gain by organizing an integration test?
By organizing the above examples of fun and games, you can gain a lot and achieve specific goals. But first you need to know when to use an integration test at all? It is especially worth organizing this type of integration when we want to improve cooperation between employees. Sometimes there are conflicts between team members - forced to take a test, they will have to overcome mutual prejudices and try to reach a common compromise. Use the integration test when you want to improve communication between individual departments.
Sometimes it happens that the sales department does not know anyone from the marketing department, etc. And good cooperation and communication between teams is the key to success. Mix the participants into subgroups and combine the marketer, HR manager or salesperson. What else will you gain by organizing an integration test? Increase in energy and motivation throughout the company. By conducting a test on integration trip for employees you will significantly raise the morale of the staff: people have a chance to observe that they can cope with challenges, that they work with interesting colleagues, that the company cares about its people and invests in them.
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When to organize an integration test?
The company may be going through a difficult period, sales are falling, and there is a lack of motivation in groups. The integration test will focus on changes, build people's morale and help the crew go through a bad time in the company. It will be similar in the case of a merger or acquisition of a company. The benefits of a test conducted on members of the two sales teams who previously competed fiercely now need to overcome their prejudices and work together seamlessly will be of great benefit. The integration test is worth using in the case of internal promotion of the organizational culture, mission and vision of the company, which we want to convey to employees so that they are aware of what behavior the company promotes.
How to organize and run the test?
You should start your integration test by answering the following three questions:
- What activities do we need to focus on in order to properly implement it?
- What are the main risks of performing the test?
- What should it lead to?
Thanks to this stage, you are able to adjust the appropriate form of play, which will allow you to discover both the strengths and weaknesses of each unit.
Then you should conduct an integration test. Begin by explaining the rules of the game, motivate participants to take part in the activity (e.g. make employees aware of the values of the integration game). It is important to show the participants a few examples of appropriate and inappropriate actions when explaining the rules of the game. People remember the content given in the form of specific examples better. Let us ask the participants of the game some questions. The integration test should be clear and understandable.