What are some team building activities that promote inclusivity and respect?

2 Know your team

Another important factor to consider is the composition and preferences of your team. What are their backgrounds, experiences, values, and personalities? What are their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and motivations? How do they like to learn, work, and have fun? You can use surveys, interviews, or assessments to gather this information and use it to tailor your team building activities to suit your team's needs and expectations. For example, you can avoid activities that may trigger trauma, anxiety, or discomfort for some team members, or that may exclude or marginalize others based on their identity, culture, or ability.

3 Mix it up

One way to promote inclusivity and respect in your team building activities is to vary the format, content, and duration of the activities. You can use different types of activities, such as icebreakers, games, simulations, discussions, or projects, to appeal to different learning styles, skills, and goals. You can also use different themes, topics, and scenarios, such as current events, industry trends, personal stories, or hypothetical situations, to spark curiosity, engagement, and diversity of perspectives. Additionally, you can use different time frames, such as short breaks, half-day sessions, or full-day retreats, to balance the intensity, frequency, and impact of the activities.

4 Facilitate feedback

Feedback is essential for learning, improvement, and recognition in any team building activity. However, feedback should be constructive, respectful, and meaningful, not critical, rude, or superficial. You can facilitate feedback in your team building activities by setting clear and specific expectations, criteria, and guidelines for giving and receiving feedback. You can also use different methods and tools, such as verbal, written, or visual feedback, or online platforms, apps, or surveys, to collect and share feedback. Moreover, you can encourage feedback that is positive, supportive, and appreciative, as well as feedback that is honest, helpful, and actionable.

5 Follow up

The last tip for creating and facilitating team building activities that promote inclusivity and respect is to follow up with your team after the activities. You can use follow-up sessions, emails, or messages to summarize the key takeaways, outcomes, and action steps from the activities. You can also use follow-up questions, quizzes, or polls to measure the effectiveness, satisfaction, and retention of the activities. Furthermore, you can use follow-up actions, rewards, or recognition to reinforce the behaviors, skills, and values that the activities aimed to develop or enhance.