Does art help with teamwork?
Does art help with teamwork?
The modern expert approach to teamwork confirms that art and creativity can not only have a positive impact on the efficiency of employees, but also on the relationships between them. Arts and crafts very often go underappreciated. Though we live in a fast-paced world, where it may be challenging to spare the time for art, it is proven that performing artistic and ‘crafty’ activities can both help with teamwork and positively impact our lives in a variety of ways.
Creativity and work
Research conducted by experts unequivocally confirms that creativity is not just an unnecessary add-on for organisations. It turns out that, regardless of occupation or place of work, a creative approach to various activities may significantly impact the efficiency of employees. Aside from efficiency, creativity also has an important impact on the relationships and bonds formed between employees. Spending time with co-workers on arts and crafts, not only on every-day work duties, may help them get to know each other from a different side, and build more personal and lasting relationships. Positive cooperation between individual employees, including those from different departments, can make it possible to get to know each other’s way of thinking, look at problems from a different perspective and come to various solutions – both in an art class and back at the office.
So why introduce creativity and art into employees’ daily working lives?
Various benefits for employees
The main reason for introducing team building events into the workspace is to allow employees to relax, clear their mind and help them to maintain or even increase their efficiency. Among the most frequently recommended creative workshops are drawing, painting, craft courses or gardening workshops – these are not only relaxing activities but, above all, rewarding, and can all be done as team-building events. Though, at the first thought, they may seem like just another compulsory activity for employees, including that element of creativity may actually prove them to be exciting and to become something employees look forward to.
Art facilitates teamwork and helps build interpersonal relationships
Art-themed team-building events are a platform where employees can develop both their relationships and cooperation skills. In contrast to their interactions at their workplace, art or craft workshops are a place free of any kind of competition, which can allow them to get to know a new side of their co-workers in a far more stress-free environment. In addition, experts show that creative workshops can positively affect dopamine levels in the body, positively affecting one’s mood and wellbeing. Dopamine is known as the motivational molecule, as it boosts creative thinking, concentration and motivation.
A creative approach makes it easier to solve problems
As we have previously mentioned, art facilitates creative thinking which helps us find unusual solutions and think ‘outside the box’. There are many reasons and ways in which arts and crafts have this effect on people. Painting or sculpting, for instance, requires us to focus on details. As performing arts is not an exact science, it requires coming up with new ideas, very often abstract ones, as opposed to repetitively following a set of well-defined tasks at work.
Creativity stimulates the mind, but also relaxes the body
Creativity also shows a variety of beneficial effects on both the mind and the body. It may help us calm down and relax. In many workplaces, the multitude of responsibilities and stressful situations put such a strain on employees that fatigue hinders their performance and ability to think clearly or creatively. It is, therefore, worth incorporating so-called small moments of mindfulness into the daily routine. These can be the already mentioned artistic activities, reading books or playing board games. In this way, for a few moments, employees can take their minds out of work mode and relax, which may help them return to their duties with a cleared mind.
In conclusion – does art help with teamwork?
Yes! The Journal of Business Research published a study in April 2018 that confirmed that people, who performed arts and crafts, stood out for being more inspired, motivated and, consequently, were better at solving problems. These skills are highly valued in the workplace. As for teamwork – art classes may provide employees with a new, far more relaxed and neutral, platform where they may find new ways to cooperate. Together, they may not only work on their creativity and problem solving, but also on their out-of-work relationships. Such team-building activities may allow them to get to know each other better, practice their cooperation skills and build more lasting and trusting relationships.