How to plan a successful team building activity
Let’s break it down… team building is about making your team work better together.
When they have a strong bond and are aligned focusing on the same common goal, they work cohesively and well together - because of this, they’re a strong team and they get the job done.
The bonds created during team building activities are incredibly beneficial to the individual and the company. Regular sessions like this help foster genuine connections and deeper discussions, leading to a better work environment, high productivity levels and employees feeling motivated and respected. Sounds great, right?
Now we know first hand how big a job it is to organise away days of team sessions that go down well, so today we thought we’d share a few insider snippets on how to plan team building activities that will suit the company, the employees and that will overall be enjoyed!
Let’s get to work…
Firstly, who’s on board to help you?
If you’re responsible for organising team building events or away days, no matter how big or small your company is, a little helping hand is always welcome. Put the feelers out via email to see who can help with what part of the process. Once a handful of people have been selected then sit down together and get mind mapping - here you can gather opinions and ideas and then delegate out the tasks.
Budget
OK, you might not have done your guestlist yet but you roughly know the crack when it comes to attendees. So what's the dollar bill spend? When you know how much you have to work with that will then determine the whole planning process.
What’s the aim of the game?
So ultimately you want the attendees of your epic team building event to have fun, but you also want them to take-away valuable snippets and for the whole day to have been effective.
Have you already been told what the goals of the team building day are? If not, go with the old classic of who, what, where, why and when! Sit down with your newly appointed team and get cracking on answering the below...
Who: How many people??
What: A fun activity?
Where: Somewhere cool in the city?
Why: Getting people better acquainted? A reward for a successful year?
When: What date and what time!
Things should begin to slot into place a little bit easier once this is all figured out.
The venue choice needs to be strong!
It’s worth double checking that the venue is good enough. Firstly, it’s vital that it’s somewhere easy for everyone to get to and home from. It’s worth stepping away from the office for these types of events, so don’t go holding them in the staff room!
Building a rapport and gaining trust (V important elements to a successful team building day!) is best done away from the usual office environment so make sure the venue is one where your employees feel comfortable. Of course, if you need help finding a venue for your event we can help so don't hesitate to get in touch!
Get the logistics sorted
OK team, it’s time to get a checklist in order. Things you need to think about…
Food and drink - does anyone have allergies or food preferences?
Is accommodation needed?
No overnight? Will you sort transport home? Taxis etc?
Are employees with disabilities covered? Wheelchair access needed?
Have you made sure that everyone knows what to bring?
Now it’s invite time!
Who is on the guest list? Are you counting everyone in? Even remote workers? Is this a mandatory event? Some important questions but once you have got the head count sorted, it’s time to send out the invites! Don’t forget to include the agenda of the day too!
Save paper with a beautifully-designed email and hit send with a clear RSVP date that gives you plenty of time to sort the logistics with your suppliers.
Are you staying virtual?
Although the world is pretty much back to normal, we can’t deny the rise in virtual events and predict that Zoom fun will be here to stay for some companies. If that’s you then we can still offer a helping hand when it comes to smashing a top virtual team building session.
Whilst the effort in planning is a little less hectic, logistics still need to be thoroughly thought out. Does your team have the right software, good wi-fi for the session and the correct video conferencing tools installed? It’s best to send them the video invite way ahead of the day with all the instructions of how to join listed out. You can make it super fun by sending a kit out in the post - maybe you’ll provide some snacks or a fun hat to wear?
Even though there’s a lot less hassle, you still need to motivate your employees to want to join in the virtual fun. We’re pretty proud of our virtual event offering and have seen many success stories when it comes to getting global teams to have fun and be social online!
What will make your team building activity fun?
Now that the plan is in place, you’ll find yourself on a roll. The next VERY important part is to make sure the attendees have fun! Research from the University of Warwick in England discovered that happy employees are 20% more productive than unhappy employees.
Here are a few ideas to make it a laugh…
Make it during work hours
Provide really good food that can act as a conversation point
Make it inclusive, sometimes physical activities aren’t suitable for everyone.
Show employees appreciation - Plan some rewards! Gifts, vouchers, a day off?
This has to be collaborative, make sure it’s not a whole day that’s focusing on winning.
Because team building days are more effective when done more than once, ask for feedback so you know next time round it will be even better!
Discuss company culture so everyone is aware of the goal of the company.
OK, we know we have just dived deep into sharing our planning tactics and if you’ve just read all of that and thought absolutely no way, then don’t panic, we’ve got your back!
If you need ANY help organising something, then get in touch with us here at The Big Smoke Events and we’ll alleviate all that stress and make sure your team building day is a total success!