Last May, the logistics company I work for in Istanbul organised a team-building day for our department of about thirty people. It was held at an outdoor activity centre in the Belgrad Forest, just outside the city, and the human resources team arranged everything, including the coach there and back.
The day was split into three parts. In the morning we did a series of problem-solving games in small groups, for example getting the whole team across a 'river' using only three wooden planks. Then there was a barbecue lunch. In the afternoon came the main event: a treasure hunt through the forest, where each team had a map, a compass and a list of riddles. My team included our manager, two new graduates and an accountant I'd never spoken to before.
I went in quite sceptical, because I usually find these days a bit forced. But I have to admit it was more useful than I'd expected. The most valuable thing wasn't the games themselves but seeing colleagues in a different light. The accountant, Serkan, turned out to be brilliant at reading maps and very funny, and our manager, who seems quite strict in the office, was happy to let a graduate take the lead. Back at work, communication between our team and the finance team improved noticeably, simply because we now knew each other's names and personalities. That said, I don't think one day can fix deeper problems like heavy workloads. So I'd say it was useful as a start, but it needs to be followed up with real changes in how people work.