The (Slightly) Serious Benefits of Company Sports Teams
Do you have a ‘close friend’ at the office?
If you’re thinking, “Why would I want to voluntarily spend more time with my coworkers outside of work?” you’ll definitely want to read on…
Work-besties offer major pros to employee wellness and help to create a company culture that gives your team even more reasons to love where they work.
Signing up a company sports team for a summer softball league or beach volleyball tourney is a great way to nurture those benefits for your people, and your company!
5 Benefits of Company Sports Teams:
1. The Ultimate Stress Reliever:
Work can be stressful. Deadlines, meetings, and spreadsheets can take a toll. And playing together offers the ultimate stress relief! Hurling a dodgeball at other adults (in a non-litigious way) can be quite cathartic. It’s like therapy with a uniform!
2. Teammate Turned Friend:
Cheering for a common cause brings people together, helping us form genuine connections. You might discover that the quiet guy from IT has a mean jump shot, or that the boss you were scared of truly values teamwork. These newfound friendships are guaranteed to extend beyond the playing field, making your time at work a lot more fun.
3. The Great Equalizer:
In the realm of sports, office titles hold no power. Your boss is the leader at the office, but on the court, they’re just another player. Engaging in friendly competition with your coworkers helps level the playing field (literally) and fosters a sense of camaraderie that transcends hierarchy. Anyone from intern to C-suite might score the winning goal for your team!
4. Colleagues United:
Remote work has huge benefits for our lifestyles, but not regularly seeing our colleagues in person has some downsides. If you are one of the fortunate ones whose company is allowing remote work flexibility, then a company sports team is a great way to foster friendships with a regular in-person connection. Signing up a sports team for an evening of beach volleyball or kickball with your workmates promotes in-person connection while protecting the flexibility we have all grown to love.
5. Burning Calories:
Picture this – you’re out on the field, chasing after a frisbee like a caffeinated poodle, and you realize spending most of our waking hours parked at our desks isn’t doing wonders for our waistlines. Joining a company sports team provides a built-in commitment in our calendars to engage in some much-needed physical activity. And the best part? We can reward ourselves with some guilt-free nachos or beer afterward, we earned it!
BONUS! Brand Bonanza:
Let your head of marketing and HR know, in addition to being a great opportunity for community building, a company sports team also happens to be a great way to build brand awareness. When the company picks up the tab for your team registration, they will also likely fund fancy team jerseys ensuring the company logo is front and center. Everybody wins!
So, grab a ball, lace up those running shoes, and get ready to unleash your inner athlete.
You don’t need to be a superstar, as it is play and laughter that are the name of the game.
Keep playing!
PS. Looking for other ways to integrate PLAY and fun into your workplace culture?
Check out one of JAM’s recreational sports leagues in your city and my book, It Pays to Play – How Play Improves Business Culture is a rich resource filled with ideas to help organizations playfully connect with their teams, and improve engagement, retention, and overall workplace culture.