Same thing happens in Canada:

“that what is seen as team building events in the UK are actually team bonding”

I agree.

“Fun team building activities, of the type seen on this blog, are (if you want to be exact) social team bonding activities. The key to their success is that they are enjoyable shared experiences, and this is important not just in work teams but in all human relationships. Enjoyable shared experiences are one of the key drivers of friendship generally.”

Recreational activities for teams are very important for team and organizational health. Many effective team building sessions do include recreational activities to break down barriers, help people feel relaxed and provide an opportunity to build stronger relationships. This is important. However, companies need to remember to call recreation for what it is “team recreation” and not team building. Also, when the pendulum swings and more money is being spend on recreational activities than true team building, something is amiss. Companies are off-track and off-purpose when they seem to be confusing their mission with that of country clubs and recreational centres. Business is just that business and that is where the bulk of the focus should be and, yes team building can be fun and still achieve business objectives.