Your company culture begins with your staff.  Having a strong team mentality ensures that objectives are completed and that the image of your brand is communicated properly.  In order for outsiders to buy into your culture, you first need the buy-in from your employees.  Team building exercises encourage teamwork and camaraderie.  They can also breed creativity and give your staff the feeling that they are a part of something great.  Here we present ten suggestions to help strengthen your small business team.

Family Days

Try having a barbecue at the workplace where you invite employees’ families to join in the fun.  Your employee's families are their support team, building a relationship with them can help to motivate your team members and also provide the family with a new respect for what their loved one does for a living.  You’ll want to take the opportunity to actually show off the inner workings of your business aside from just having fun.

Company Outings

Take your employees on an outing to a zoo, park or even out to a restaurant.  This not only gives your workers a break, it can also help with team building and spark creative ideas.  This is good for business all around.  Your workers will feel refreshed and appreciated, and they just may come up with a brilliant idea on how to improve your business.

Ice Cream Socials

There’s nothing better on a hot day than ice cream.  Even if your employees are sitting in an air-conditioned office, it’s always a welcome treat.  Allow your workers a chance to get away from behind their counter or desks and socialize with each other.  This will create a fun atmosphere and maybe even help to develop a closer relationship between your managers and other staff members.

Fun Videos

Putting together a fun video that features members of your team is always good for a laugh.  Take cuts from everyday activities and splice them into a hilarious collage or story line.  This is especially helpful in showing the human side of your management team.  Being able to see their bosses like regular people on occasion creates a feeling of comfort in the workplace.

Dress Up Days

Wacky T-shirt days and funny hat days are a great way to encourage employee participation in your team building exercises.  Pick one day each week and develop a theme for your dress up day.  You can go as far as voting on the best one each week with the prize of lunch on the boss or leaving an hour early on a Friday afternoon.

Employee Appreciation Day

Consider taking one day each month to hand out some company swag to show your employees appreciation for their hard work.  Company branded water bottles or even flash drives go a long way towards motivating your workers.  It also serves as a way to advertise your business.

Charity Events

Organizing your employees to attend a charity event or hold one at your office can help to develop a bond between coworkers and also help out a worthy cause.  Food drives and school fund raisers are easy ways to give back to the community.  You could even hold a car wash or bake sale with the proceeds going to charity.

Contests

Try holding a drawing each week where employees are rewarded by allowing them to leave an hour early on the day of their choice.  Hold these drawings until each person has had a chance to knock off early.

Company Garden

If you’ve got the space, a company garden is a great way to promote team work and provide employees with healthy snacks.  Nurturing living things and watching them grow also serves as a metaphor for the direction you’d like for your business.

Casual Dress Code

Allowing your employees to have a casual day each Friday is a great perk, especially in the summertime.  During warmer weather, having the ability to wear shorts and a T-shirt is sure to be appreciated.