If the idea of company team building events makes you shudder, you’re not alone. Most of us have had a cringe-worthy experience over the years, including one member of the Octopus Events team who had to write and perform a song about a company product to the tune of a well-known Christmas song. Toe curling doesn’t even cover it!
It’s time to rebrand team building as an opportunity to build relationships, improve communication and boost morale without the need for staff to feel embarrassed or exposed. Good team building events bring employees together to share an enjoyable experience and get to know each other better in a relaxed environment, away from the distractions of the office.
Team building is usually either incorporated into a larger conference or run as a stand-alone event. If it’s a bolt-on to a bigger event, scheduling is vital so that staff don’t opt out. Putting team building in the middle of your sales conference is usually a better idea than at the end when delegates are itching to get away. Make sure the activity you plan complements the venue and location of the wider event.
Stand-alone teambuilding events should be carefully planned, taking into account busy times of year, and any flexible working arrangements. In a hybrid working landscape, the benefits of bringing the team together can be huge. Done well, team building improves performance, encourages collaboration between different departments and improves retention rates by keeping staff engaged and interested. It can also help to identify strengths and weaknesses within a team.
Making your event inclusive is key. Make sure you invite any homeworkers and those on maternity or paternity leave. Create a buzz around the event by promoting it internally and gather feedback and suggestions afterwards via a survey so that employees can have their say and help to shape future events. Marketing the event as ‘cringe free’ can help to reassure attendees that it doesn’t involve any awkward elements of performance!
At Octopus Events, we’ve got lots of ideas up our sleeves for team building. Here’s a flavour of the types of activities we can organise for your organisation.
Luxury Team Building Events
Luxury activities are ideal for smaller groups and senior leadership teams, just make sure they’re tailored to the interests and profile of the audience.
Something slightly unusual like an artisan perfume workshop gives guests the chance to try something new. Zoe Brown Perfume in Buckinghamshire offers half day experiences where you create your own bespoke scent and Jo Malone offers bespoke events virtually and in-store. You could also consider a jewellery making workshop with a silversmith or a high-end wine tasting evening with a sommelier. At Octopus Events, we once organised a millinery workshop for a small group prior to Ascot races where guests created their own fascinators while chatting over a glass of champagne.
For something a bit more action packed, small car big city team building experiences might see you taking on an ‘Italian Job’ themed treasure hunt around London. Or try a different type of horse power, and opt for horse whispering with Impact Coaching where your team can hone their non-verbal communication skills.
Traditional Outdoor Team Building Events
In spring and summer, outdoor team building events are a great way to let off steam in the fresh air away from the stuffy confines of a meeting room. We’ve organised several of these events for clients and some of our favourites include an ‘It’s A Knockout’-style inflatable assault course, Dragon Boat racing, raft building and a rib boat treasure hunt. We enjoyed arranging two Mini Highland Games in Scotland, once at the Fairmont St Andrews and once at a Scottish castle just outside Edinburgh.
For an unforgettable experience, take a look at corporate yacht charters in the Solent and South Coast where you can learn to sail as a team. The Salamander Sailing Adventure based in Lymington offers team building experiences on a 58-foot luxury yacht.
Food and Drink Events
Food (and good wine!) brings people together so basing your team building event around the taste buds is a popular choice – just make sure you’re aware of any dietary requirements in advance and avoid alcohol-based activities if you have a lot of non-drinkers. The key with all good team building events is to cater to the needs and preferences of your specific guests so they feel at ease.
A corporate ‘bake off’ can spark some sugar-fuelled competitiveness between groups and many chefs like Gordon Ramsey offer team workshops and cook offs. Hotel Chocolat runs cacao experiences in their cocoa vaults in Covent Garden, or – if the budget stretches – on their cocoa estate in St Lucia! Closer to home, Rosie’s Chocolate Factory in Wargrave Berkshire runs chocolate-making workshops.
For gin tasting, try Sky Wave Gin in Bicester or a tour of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Hampshire. If the team are partial to a glass of wine, look at one of the many vineyards in Sussex and Kent for a tour and tasting experience – many like Rathfinny Estate – also have overnight accommodation.
Craft and Creativity
Get the creative juices flowing, and uncover hidden talents in your team, with a teambuilding event inspired by the arts. One of our favourites was a drumming workshop that we ran for 750 people in Amsterdam. It was the perfect energising event for a global group (not all of whom spoke English) who needed an indoor activity in January. A group painting experience (sometimes known as a brush party) on a huge canvas would be similarly effective.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to creative events. Your team could make candles at Candle by Events in Marlow, do an arts and crafts workshop at Jessie’s Art Shed in Oxfordshire or learn calligraphy at Mint Lettering. By tailoring your event to the time of year, you can acknowledge people’s lives beyond the office. A Christmas wreath making or Christmas cracker making workshop in early December is not only a fun team building event, it allows your team to tick one decoration off their list at a busy time of year.
Charity-focused events
A great way to build rapport and collaboration is through an event that provides a shared sense of purpose for attendees. Team building events in aid of good cause might include digging out a pond, landscaping a children’s play area or painting a community centre. Make sure that the charity you choose aligns with the values of your business.
Get in touch for help organising your next team building event. Our years of experience and bursting little black book of contacts is at your disposal.
hello@octopusevents.com 07860 145950
