Sport is known for its team spirit and solidarity. In team sports such as football or rowing, you work together tactically and can rely on your shared strength. In risky sports such as climbing, you literally put your life in the hands of another person. Even activities that you could do alone, such as running or yoga, are a much more enjoyable experience in a group. The qualities that are important here, such as cooperation and trust, are also needed in the professional environment. In this blog article, we show you how sport in the company creates a stronger team and give you tips for integrating exercise into your everyday work routine.
How sport in companies strengthens team spirit
Anyone who has ever won a game or achieved a sporting goal in a group knows the feeling of happiness that comes from doing so. There are many different components to this that can also be used for team building in a company.
Sport promotes cooperation
The larger a company's team is, the less people know each other. A joint sporting competition helps to uncover potentially unsuspected skills in colleagues and helps to encourage a relaxed exchange of experiences. Who would have thought that the always strict financial manager not only controls all budgets, but is also an ace in goal and keeps all the balls? It is precisely these newly acquired skills that can help in everyday work to redistribute responsibilities or increase willingness to help. If you have worked together successfully in a relaxed sporting environment, you are more likely to trust that this cooperation will also work on the next project.
Sport brings recognition
Success is relative - but one thing is certain: in sport, like nowhere else, you receive direct recognition for your achievements. This has an immediate positive effect on your self-esteem and team spirit. For example, compliments from superiors with whom you would otherwise hardly speak due to shyness. The positive feeling you get is not only associated with your personal achievements, but also with your work environment. If you have already received recognition for a sporting achievement, the same could happen when you put forward your next idea.
Sport makes you happy
Motivation comes from both social recognition and the increased happiness that comes from exercising regularly. When you are physically active over a longer period of time, your body releases dopamine, serotonin and endorphins - commonly known as happiness hormones. Wouldn't it be wonderful to start the working day with an increased feeling of happiness? This way, smaller hurdles or annoyances can be overcome more easily.
Sport keeps you healthy
Physical activity is healthy in several ways: repetitive exercise trains the muscles, strengthens the cardiovascular system and also benefits the immune system. This also means a potential reduction in sick leave, which is good news for employers and employees alike.
Tips for integrating exercise into your daily work routine
As it turns out, there are many reasons to encourage sports in the company. At the same time, it is not always easy to motivate employees to do physical exercise during their working hours (or free time). We have therefore put together a few ideas that can reduce the hurdles and increase motivation for joint company sports.
Use sporting events
Running events in which you can participate as a company team take place almost all year round. Some events, such as the Vienna Business Run, are even aimed directly at companies and take place outside of working hours. Here, everything is already organized and as an employer you only have to pay the necessary entry fee. Even training together before the event helps to strengthen the bond between the participants. The gift bags or team shirts often used here can further increase motivation. If you want to try something more unusual, you can also take part in a business triathlon or ski race, for example.
Make offers and offer mediation
Another option is to provide your own offers yourself. For example, you can book a yoga teacher who will conduct a session in the office with anyone interested before work starts. A bulletin board can bring sports enthusiasts together, perhaps creating an after-work running group or finding new training partners. Existing infrastructure that encourages sport and exercise in the company is of course an advantage here. Can shower rooms be installed or renovated? Are there changing rooms and lockers for clothes and sports equipment? Such a corporate culture can also motivate one or the other to leave their car in the garage and cycle to the office.
Sporting team events
While the above-mentioned offers are optionally available to all employees, official team events often have a more binding effect - and also reach "sports haters". However, it is all the more important to design the events in such a way that the chosen challenge is attractive to all participants and can also be mastered. Low-threshold options, such as a wine hike, a bike trip or a day at the spa, are a good option. A survey can be used to find out in advance which sports are currently popular or which new trends, from bubble soccer to Quidditch tournaments, the employees would like to try out.
Regardless of which option you choose to integrate sport into your company, your team will thank you for it. However, anyone who does a lot of exercise should always make sure they have sufficient, balanced and nutrient-rich nutrient intake. If you would like to know what you should pay particular attention to and how our healthy organic Puroras can revitalize you and your team after exercising in the office, contact us here .
