Team Building Activities That Don’t Suck!

Contrary to popular belief, fun and work are not mutually exclusive. We have all taken part in ‘’Ice Breaking’’ and ‘’Team building activities’’, whether at school, college or at work. But do they really work? Experience tells me that there have been times, when I have felt only embarrassment and have wanted it to be over as soon as possible, and then at other times I have come away with something deep and meaningful. However, research suggests, happier people - work harder, are more successful and more effective. Team building activities, help draw out hidden talent and skills within a team, relieve stress, increase motivation, and help improve relationships among coworkers. Leading to increased productivity and not to mention are more fun to work with! What are ‘’Team building activities”?

Depending on who you ask ‘’Team Building activities’’ will mean a host of different things, to different people, but in general there needs to be a large element of fun, and for the event to be memorable. A truly great team building day or corporate event should make every employee or person taking part, feel like a superhero, whether mastering new skills, conquering a challenge or facing their fears!

There are many good corporate team building companies whose aim is to create positive interaction among a team. But mention team building at work, to your employees and you will be met with mixed reactions, especially when typical team building activities tend to induce more eye rolls and tuts among teammates than high-fives.

Organizing your own corporate events can be a nightmare, picking the right team building activity where people of all types, and levels can get involved, and feel they have benefited from taking part, working with others in the team as an equal, is impossible. Should we choose an outdoor event, an indoor event, an activity day, a fun day, a themed day and on top of this we have to consider the budget! For this reason I have put together this list of fun ‘’Team building activities that don’t suck!’’ for your employees to enjoy. Learning how to face challenges and bond together as a team, sharing their ideas, knowledge and skills and to laugh and connect with each other. 1. Escape Game Events: Escape Game Events specialises in team building activities .Each event is completely bespoke and tailored to your individual company needs and objectives. The games are played within a structure/room which is in itself portable and can come to you, or the activities can be designed to be played in your own venue. Each activity will require leadership skills, teamwork, logic, and patience. The teams will need to be able to interact and communicate clearly with each other as they battle to solve the clues in a race against time. Do you and your team have what it takes? One thing's for sure: with a race against the clock, your team work and talents be tested to the limit if you want to escape the room!

2. Bush craft survival: Bush craft survival requires serious mental strength, the use of communication, collaboration, and resourcefulness. When you're soaked to the skin, the wind's howling and darkness descends, mental toughness is a must! Your team will be given the information needed on the priorities of survival. The aim of this event is to successfully set up your base camp using natural resources, lighting a fire and cooking for your team.

3. Bake Of : Inspired by BBC2's Great British Bake Off, this team building activity is about more than simply whipping up cakes, pies and scones. Teams face the challenge of creating a scrumptious afternoon tea .For this they will need to use their skills of communication, interaction, collaboration, creative thinking and resourcefulness. Each team will be given a list of items to cook but can only use utensils and ingredients supplied, on the day.

4 Themed Event : E.g. 70s & 80s Night Return to the decades that taste forgot! Enjoy a 70s and 80s themed party with all the trimmings. Dig out your flares or dust down those drainpipe jeans, it's time to jump on board the retro bus.The destination, a venue that's proud to be stuck in a time warp!

5. Team Building Activity Days: Try classic country pursuits such as Clay Pigeon Shooting and Archery, they're challenging, rewarding and will bond teams through a new, shared experience. When it comes to team building, getting out of the office is the way forward. Multi activity corporate events give delegates the opportunity to learn new skills in a fresh environment. They're ideal for managing resistance to change, boosting confidence and sparking the competitive spirit. Try classic country pursuits such as Clay Pigeon Shooting and Archery, they're challenging, rewarding and will bond teams through a new, shared experience.

6. Join the mindfulness revolution!

Mindfulness is being adopted by everyone from athletes to big corporations and universities, but what is it? Put simply, it's about being aware of the feelings and actions of yourself and others, focusing on the present moment, and connecting with the world around you in a more positive, productive way. Choose from a whole range of mindfulness and wellbeing activities and events designed to increase awareness, combat stress, improve your work-life balance, and inspire you to think positively.

7. Ice breakers Fast and Fun Activities

Give your event some oomph with high-energy conference ice breakers. These fast and fun activities get people off their seats, switching off smartphones and talking to each other. These can be anything from games and quizzes to team challenges. Get a group of delegates acquainted or a team of colleagues pepped up and raring to go.

8. Apprenticeship Challenge Find out who has what it takes to secure a high-flying job in The City with this fun and imaginative team building challenge! A version of the hit business reality show The Apprentice is a brilliant way to develop team work principles, leadership, negotiation and delegation skills. Think you could do a better job than Lord Sugar’s hopefuls? There’s a top City job up for grabs but to get it teams must find all the items on our shopping list without blowing the budget. Who will shine as team leader? Which team will make it back to the office first? Whose negotiation skills will save the day?

9. Amazing Animation

Can you create the next Wallace and Gromit? This creative team building challenge sees groups make stop-motion animation movies with advice from professionals. Each team comes up with an original idea for a film and molds Plasticine characters to star in it. Can you make stop-motion magic? Teams must agree individual roles, storyboard their big idea and work together to film it. Each team member must create a Plasticine character to star in the movie.

10. Can You Rock ? Can You Rock is a musical team building challenge that takes talent, timing, careful planning and record breaking communication skills. Can you beat the deadline to record a show-stopping performance of a classic rock track? Each team must work together quickly and efficiently to get all the elements of their performance pitch perfect. Pick a producer with a flair for pulling everyone together, a choreographer with the communication skills to get the talent moving to the beat, and a frontman or woman who's got the charisma to own the stage.

This is a team building activity with a tight deadline. You don't have long to get your performance designed, practiced and recorded. Confusing? Let me just summarise for you ‘’Team building ‘’ can apply to new teams or existing teams. Existing teams will go through a continual building process through which they get to know each other progressively more. When objectives change or when a team member leaves and is replaced , this can change the dynamics of the team. Team building is an intervention into the natural process to improve the outcome.

‘’Team Bonding’’ is an ongoing process and involves the team building on trust and to ease communication. Bonding involves everyone playing a part and being valued for their part in the team, increasing loyalty to each other and the team. Times have changed, there are a wide variety of pursuits available, for everyone, whatever your gender, your position within a team, whether you are the adventurous type, the deep thinker, the leader, or the follower. Some of the options I have outlined above are very effective and don't cost a lot of money.

Why not just try them out and see what works for your company!

www.escapegameevents.co.uk

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# Team Building

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