Go, Team! 9 Ways to Bring Your Staff Together over the Summer

By CTA – Christ to All  

Whether your staff is large or small, every group that works together needs to get along and trust one another. You want your co-workers to function as a team, not as opponents. The summer months are a perfect time to focus on team building—in many ministries, it’s a less busy, more relaxed environment. 

Here are nine ideas to get you started. God’s richest blessings as you set out to create an environment of care, concern, and camaraderie among your employees! 

1. Host group devotions: If it is possible for your group to come together at some point each day or week, do devotions together. For variety and to reduce pressure on any one person, take turns bringing devotional material. 
2. Pray as a group: Share weekly highs and lows with one another and take time to pray for and with each other.  
3. Trade places: What happens in different parts of your organization? Give your staff a chance to discover this; you don’t really know what someone else has to deal with until you see what happens during a typical day for that person. 
4. Share ideas: Sometimes having a fresh perspective can help solve a problem. Allow your staff to share frustrations and challenges with one another. Someone else in the group may have a great idea or a possible solution. 
5. Sign up for a service project: Work together to help those around you in your community; this is a great way to bring staff together.  
6. Learn something new: Attend or create professional-development opportunities for your group. Gather afterward to share new learning, insights, and ideas for moving forward. 
7. Have fun together: Plan a game night, go on a field trip, or do a scavenger hunt. Create options for spending time together outside of work. Include competition, or not, but try to make it fun and lighthearted for everyone. 
8. Appreciate each other: Make an effort to show your employees you appreciate them! Give them opportunities to show appreciation for one another. You can make this an organized event, write a thank-you note, or be sure to thank them in person for a job well done. 
9. Debrief after a team-building event: What went well? What didn’t? What can be done better? What did you like? What would you like to see in the future? 

Building positive relationships among the members of your staff—whether with grand gestures or small tokens—is an important endeavor. When your staff is unified and working like a team, they can better lead those you serve in your ministry. One of the best ways to accomplish this, plan for the year to come, and have some fun along the way is by having a staff retreat. Don’t think you have time? CTA has already done all the planning for you! Check out CTA’s digital staff retreats. They’re all available for immediate download so you can get started right away. 

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