Top teambuilding tips from eventprofs

 

Top teambuilding tips
Top teambuilding tips

Anna Lancashire, marketing director at Team Spirit and senior event planner at Chesford Grange, Sandra Balaire, shared their top tips for planning a teambuilding event with QHotels’ Event Profs Panel.

  1. Research has shown that taking part in teambuilding exercises boosts morale, improves interpersonal relationships and has a positive impact on staff retention.  If teambuilding is something that you’d like to introduce to your company then it’s important to share the benefits that the day could bring with your manager, and suggestions on how it could be applied to your organisation.

  2. Be clear on what your objectives for the day are, for example it could be that you wish to improve productivity or leave with a more connected team. This could be measured by comparing before and after surveys from your staff or using software you already have in place, for example timesheets and project completion timings.

  3. If you’ve got a mixed group, a task with a variety of different roles works really well. It gives individuals the chance to choose a role that they’re most suited to but also pushes people out of their usual team or office role.

  4. Consider where your staff are travelling from and if they need accommodation, as well as the activities you’ll be doing and how that impacts the space you’ll need. The logistics of the event will impact the effectiveness and enjoyment of the whole day.

  5. Choose a venue with teambuilding experts who know the site inside out, and who can work with you prior to the event to suggest relevant activities for your objectives and group demographic. On the day, your activity leader will work with the mood of the group and respond appropriately to influence the progression of the day.

  6. Having your team physically in one place will help them to get the most out of teambuilding- the direct interaction tends to enhance the connections made. If you have a team that works remotely, choose something that engages staff in the long term. For example, you could provide employees with a fitness tracker so teams can compete, exchange pictures and encourage each other to take part in the challenge. Combining this activity with a reward will motivate employees to take part and connect with each other.

  7. Start with a warm-up exercise or energiser to ease people into the trip. These types of activities get people interacting easily and you’ll find that the group starts to bond after a quick and easy exercise that will break down those initial barriers.