It is recognised in all areas of business that a happy workforce communicates more effectively and is more productive. As such, every employer should do what they can to boost morale.

So if there are so many advantages, why doesn't every employer send their staff to occasional team building events? Perhaps it is because team building is often used as a comical foil on TV, as an indirect punishment to staff.

However, indoor team building games can be of great benefit, both to individuals and the business as a whole, unless the manager sees David Brent from The Office as a figure of inspiration, rather than a figure of fun.

And it is unlikely the manager would see Brent as a business guru. Remember this is the character who summarises his thinking about working in a team by saying: "There may be no 'I' in team, but there's a 'ME' if you look hard enough".

Despite Brent's 'thoughts', The Office did focus team building. In one episode a team development expert visited the Wernham Hogg offices. Within moments, Brent had taken over, changing what was supposed to be a open staff meeting into a celebration of himself. A rendition of his 1980s pop ballad "Free Love on the Freelove Freeway" was one of Brent's tricks.

Fortunately, real-life team building events are not the soul-destroying, cringeworthy and only-funny-if you-are-watching-them nightmares that The Office depicted.

Nowadays, there are many different companies across the country that will offer your business the opportunity to take your staff out of the normal working environment so they learn to work together effectively. If you would prefer, an expert could come to the office to take you through team building.

By taking part in team building, staff will be able to develop the necessary skills that will bring the workplace forward, encourage growth and make sure that any improvements are permanent.

Many businesses may have been hit badly by the recession, but that does not mean they should cut down on the amount of money invested in training, development and team building. Indeed, there has never been a more important time to promote development.

Team building can make sure you are in a position to take advantage of new opportunities when the economy recovers. You will definitely want your business to be able to do this.

Indoor team building events are specifically designed to to test your team's physical and mental attributes, as well as how well they work together and communicate. They can help break down the barriers between team members and promote interaction - helping your team succeed.

Such events will get your team working together to achieve the common aims of the business. This will help ensure that your company continues to grow. What's more, team building events also help to raise levels of morale and staff satisfaction.

By choosing the right company to work with, you can help your staff and your business as a whole succeed through indoor team building. All you need to do is ensure that you choose a different team building company from the one chosen by Wernham Hogg.

However, there is no way anyone would take hiring advice from David Brent. His main recruitment policy was: "Avoid employing unlucky people - throw half of the pile of CVs in the bin without reading them".