A great way to ensure a happy and healthy workplace is to ensure a happy and healthy workplace culture. Team-building activities are great ways to enhance employee morale. The holiday season is an ideal time to strengthen the bond of your team members.

Here are some tips that may help your team get to know one another, and can lead to an increase in workplace happiness and ultimately strengthen your team.

Celebrate individual uniqueness and culture. In today’s work environments we are exposed to different cultures and traditions. What better way to learn about other cultures and traditions than from those you work alongside each and every day. Host a holiday luncheon and encourage everyone to bring along a traditional dish. Invite staff to decorate a holiday tree with ornaments that represent their individual backgrounds. This will encourage sharing among your team and encourage a supportive environment.

Reflect and resolve together. Reflecting on the past year is a great activity that will remind your team of their individual contributions to the company’s goals and successes. Discuss the successes and what was learned from the failures; from this, your team will discover the learning experiences that can be used in the upcoming New Year. Planning the year to come is an essential team building activity. Part of your planning can include resolutions based on those learning experiences from the past year. Reflecting as a team will help each member to be accountable for your company’s goals moving forward.

Incorporate a holiday tradition. As the holiday season approaches a fun tradition is to incorporate a gift exchange. Have fun with it by hiding gifts as a Secret Santa, integrate a theme, recycle gifts or invite an elf on the shelf.  Team members will have fun with this activity while getting to know one another and strengthening the team bond.

Team building is essential for a happy work environment. Teams that have a strong bond are proven to be more successful. Utilize the uplifting spirit of the holiday season to bring team building into your workplace and keep the momentum going through to the New Year!

Happy Holidays!