Almost a third of workers have never experienced any kind of team-building, despite the average UK worker being part of four separate teams.

According to a study, by workplace psychologists OPP, more than 30% of workers felt team-building would be useful for them in their jobs.

With businesses increasingly relying on teams to ‘do more with less' - especially when hiring freezes are in place - neglecting to recognise what makes a successful team could adversely affect employee productivity and engagement.

The study, conducted among more than 1,000 UK workers, also revealed 14.5% of workers feel team-building activities are good in theory but often run badly, while a further 18% feel team-building is often poorly followed up.

Katy Lyne, principal consultant at OPP, said: "Working in a team is becoming an inherent part of life for many people, but that does not mean it will be an automatic success - creating and being part of a successful team requires planning, management and commitment from the team and wider company. Team-building, when handled correctly, is a very effective part of this process.

"Therefore it is reassuring that there is a hunger for team-building. In fact, our research shows that only 11% of people would rather have a day off work than engage in a team- building exercise."

"Team-working has significant benefits, but to get the best out of a team it is important to understand the different personalities and strengths of the various team members, as well as any possible conflicts or challenges.

"Team-building can be an excellent way of unlocking the potential of a team; but it needs to be appropriately tailored, planned and followed up to be of genuine benefit."