Team building events are a fantastic way to keep staff engaged at work or address issues within your company. An engaged staff member is 87% less likely to quit than a non-engaged staff member. Investing in a team building activity is investing in your staff and investing in your company.
The term “team building” doesn’t have the best reputation, but your event doesn’t have to look like boring disasters from The Office. Invite your staff to an event that teaches them valuable skills while engaging in an exciting and memorable activity. Active learning isn’t just more fun – it’s crucial to building skills and knowledge. Studies show that passive involvement in learning only helps us retain 50% of what we see and hear after two weeks. When we take an active role in learning, we retain 90% of what we see and hear.
Give staff something to remember and retain with a fun learning and morale-boosting afternoon, day, or night out.
Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Pick Your Event
Before you pick an activity and a venue, think about the logistics of the day and what is available to your staff. Discuss the following questions with your event-planning staff.
What is The Budget?
The actual costs of the activity or tour are just one part of the overall budget required for your team building event. Consider the other costs when building your budget and choosing your activity:
- What transportation are you taking to the event? (Consider possible costs and time it will take to get to the event?)
- How long will the team need to take off of work?
- How many people will be attending?
- Will the staff need food or drinks?
- How often will you be holding team building events in the future?
Renting out a big event space or buying a tour for a large team can quickly get pricey, but consider the potential benefits for your staff. Team building events are an investment in your company. A good day or night out with staff can get good ideas flowing and morale boosting for weeks to come.
What Are the Goals of the Event?
Did you know that only 40% of employees know their company’s goals? Team building events are a great time to communicate these goals and educate your employees about your company, but they can also accomplish a lot more. Common team building goals include: boosting morale, addressing current conflicts, showing gratitude for the great work done this quarter, etc. Some events may be more productive than others, but you can maximize productivity by having a clear goal in mind. Write down this goal and keep it with you as you plan the event and conduct the day’s activities.
How Well Does Your Staff Know Each Other?
If the goal of the team building event is to introduce your staff to each other, diving right in to a more deep and personal activity may make people uncomfortable. Save meditation retreats or soul-searching events for staff that already know each other on a personal level. Instead, opt for an “escape room” or a distillery tour will keep things lighter and more fun.
How Open Are Your Staff?
The current relationship of your staff may have an effect on what activities they are open to. On one hand, new staff may be reluctant to participate in a strange activity. On the other hand, staff that is too friendly may team up to complain about unfavorable activities. If one member of staff complains, others might follow.
What Type of Event Space Do You Need?
If you already have some team building ideas in mind, it’s time to find a space that will accommodate your staff for the length of the event. Look for local venues that allow your staff to engage in an activity and have time to mingle amongst themselves. An Escape Room might be nice for the first part of the day, but if you want to have a meeting afterward to discuss company policies, you will need to find a different space. Call a few venues in advance to see how many staff they can hold and what spaces they have available for team building activities.
Looking for an event space in San Antonio? Look no further than Maverick Whiskey.
Ask For Feedback
If you are not sure which activities your staff will respond to, hold a meeting to discuss possible team building activities. Have a list of questions ready to keep the discussion focused on the event. Staff local to the area may have additional ideas that you can’t get from a quick Google search, or may be able to swing a discount on an activity. Keep the meeting productive and open and the team building can begin before you even get to the event! If your team can come up with an event together, they may be more willing to participate.
Remember to ask for feedback after the team building event to plan an improved event in the future. Create and email a survey to staff that asks about the event, the activity, and the venue. Keep the feedback handy for future planning. If previous leaders have held team building events in the past, get their feedback and suggestions based on their experiences.
Delegate Plans to Staff
If you need additional assistance planning the event, delegate tasks to staff. Give larger tasks to a staff member who has experience and talent for encouraging staff. Smaller tasks can be delegated to a staff member who you want to introduce to the rest of the team; you can put the team member in the spotlight without putting too much responsibility on them to plan a good day for the team.
Get Your Staff Excited!
Once everything is planned, it’s time to build excitement! Let staff know the details of the event in a group meeting. Collect inspiring quotes or photos that relate to your upcoming event and send them out sporadically through staff emails. If you have surprises for the staff, let them know they are coming!
Enjoy your team building activity!
