Think team-building opportunities must take place within the confines of your workplace or a stuffy, corporate conference hall? Think again. Come rain or shine, there’s plenty of opportunities to bond with your team away from the formal structure of the office. Corporate events don’t just benefit employees – they can help to build a great culture within your company and boost motivation too. Here are some team building opportunities out of the office ;
1.Organise a sports day
Inspired by Team GB’s Olympic success? Inspire your team and get them motivated by organising a sports day. You might be able to book a sports pitch for free; if not, an outdoor team-building exercise needn’t break the bank. Invest in some basic equipment (footballs, tennis racquets etc), pick a sunny day and enjoy an activity day together as a team. This event should help break down barriers between team members and encourage them to have fun and win together.
2.White water rafting
What better way to escape from the stresses and strains of the office than a day out white water rafting. After London 2012, rafting has become more popular in the UK and it’s a great choice for a corporate away day. As well as a day of fun-packed water thrills, combine the day with breakfast and a BBQ lunch as well as some motivational speeches.
There are a number of places you can go rafting in the UK, most notably the Lea Valley White Water Centre. There’s also the National White Water Rafting Centre and Whitewater Active.
3.Volunteering
Want to have fun and do some good at the same time? Then give volunteering a try. It not only benefits the community, it benefits your business too, it helps you develop a strong, inspired and committed team.
Whether you and your team volunteer at a homeless shelter, deliver gifts to a hospital, help with a local event or something else entirely, giving your time to support a cause is a great way for you all to bond. Try Employee Volunteering and Time Bank for ways into corporate volunteering opportunities.
4.Learn a new skill
Whether it’s cocktail making, scavenging, cooking, DIY or something completely different, heading out with your team to learn a new skill and bond is a great idea. You could even make it work-based – if you’re an IT firm, why not run an afternoon course in coding? That way, you’ll all be having fun whilst learning something new and applicable too. Find courses here.
5.Have a karaoke night
Hey, why not? Even the most reticent of team members might drop their guards for this one! There are karaoke bars all over, but if you can’t find one, simply buy a cheap microphone and stick Spotify on. Sometimes, when it comes to team-building, it’s the simplest ideas that are the best. Heading to a karaoke bar for a few drinks and prizes could be the best way for your team to truly get on.
6.Treasure hunt
Split your employees up into teams, give them an envelope with clues in it and off they go! Companies like Wildgoose and Chillisauce offer treasure hunt activities for corporate events, or you could organise one yourself pretty easily.
7.A spot of trampolining
If someone tells you they don’t like trampolining, they’re probably lying. Well, maybe. Encourage your team to embrace their inner child with a day out jumping up and down on bouncy things. It’s great fun and a good team-building exercise too!
There are more team building activities, that can build your team strong, but these are just a few to mention, why not try one out ?
