The quality of our relationships at work is a critical factor in employee engagement.

If we get along with our colleagues and enjoy working with them – we’re much happier than if we don’t. When you’re kicking off a new employee engagement initiative, onboarding new team members, or starting a new group project, it’s important to build a team atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust. The more that team members know each other as people, the more likely they are to be cooperative and work together effectively. Here are five ways to help build a cohesive team.

Get to Know Each Other

Most of us are familiar with the forced “ice breaker” activities and games like “Two Truths and A Lie” or the scavenger hunt, but games aren’t the only way that we can get to know each other. For an initial meeting, team-building could be as simple as hosting the gathering in a coffee shop or over lunch, taking time to go around the table and introduce yourselves, and reviewing any orientation materials in a more relaxed setting, where people feel comfortable to chat.

Identify Ground Rules

One of the first things a new team should do is work collaboratively to establish ground rules that everyone will follow. By setting the rules together, you’re not only practicing teamwork – but you’re also ensuring that every team member is committed and invested.

Also read: 5 Common Teamwork Challenges Every Team Encounters

Identify a Single Mission or Vision

By identifying a core vision, mission or desired outcome for the group, the team is creating a goal to rally around which will build camaraderie and act as an end-point to keep them on track. Whenever there is a decision to make, team members will be able to look back to their shared vision and select the choice that will get them there.

Create Opportunities for Downtime

When a team is overloaded with work responsibilities, they won’t have the time needed to continue to build their relationships. By ensuring that they have the appropriate resources to get the job done, teams will feel more inclined to make casual conversation and deepen their bonds.

Practice Celebrating Small Wins

We’re used to celebrating massive accomplishments, huge goals, and milestones, but celebrating the small wins is important, too! The small wins are what lead to the milestones, and eventually, the big achievements. Acknowledging the small wins also helps to build motivation and the drive to continue forward.

At the end of the day, we work best with people that we know and trust. Team building doesn’t have to feel forced and it doesn’t require a weekend’s worth of activities or exercises. We can approach team building the same way that we build any other relationship – and the rewards will be ten-fold.

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