Corporate team building – it conjures up images of the Dunder Mifflin company picnic, matching tee-shirts and words like “synergy” – the whole idea can seem a bit silly. But honestly, that’s the whole point. Let’s get silly, and look at some ways team building activities are valuable for companies:
Mingling – form an unlikely team!
If you have a large and streamlined workplace, chances are you have multiple departments, possibly spread across multiple floors or even multiple buildings. Employees might know each other on a professional level, or a casual personal level – but unless you have a chance to work with someone, it’s hard to know who they are or what their strengths are. In our team building events, we create multiple teams to compete against each other, and we strive to make sure that these teams are a mix of people who don’t often work together. Joining a team of coworkers from different departments or offices and navigating around the city in our Great Race challenge is a great way to discover people’s leadership styles and see skills they don’t normally exercise in the office. Plus you’re guaranteed to get to know someone better. Imagine being led around blindfolded by someone you’ve only ever spoken to over email!
Play – loosen your tie!
Researchers of both human and animal psychology understand that play is an important part of how we learn – as children, it teaches us teamwork and rules and motor skills – but what about as adults? Adults often feel set on who they are, and what activities they like or don’t like. But playing releases endorphins, makes us feel energized, and challenges our brains to think outside the box. In our team building activities, it’s easy to correlate skills like teamwork and communication and leadership back to the workplace – but what about silliness? Our team building games are not only designed to test collaboration, but also to be pure and simple fun. Try running across a raft of floating kayaks in our kayak teambuilding, or get imaginative in our sand sculpture competition. In the go-go-go world of work, we all need the occasional break to laugh and splash around.
Emotional Intelligence – be smarter with feelings
One of the keys to team success, personal success, and overall happiness is knowing how to use your emotions intelligently. Being able to recognize when you’re stressed, angry, embarrassed, frazzled, etc- and then navigating away from that emotion, is not always easy to do. Team building games and activities are often designed with this very subject in mind. Try a high ropes course to practice supporting and encouraging one another. Think about how a timed scavenger hunt relies on prioritizing and adaptability. Or discover how something as simple as not being able to talk during a team challenge can help you focus on being empathetic.
Give team building a try!
We all get into routines at work – repeating the same tasks, in the same location, with the same people. No matter whether you want to boost creativity, trust or empathy, or whether you just want to get everyone loose and happy, a team building event with Santa Barbara Adventure Company can break your team out of those routines, and is guaranteed to get everyone smiling and laughing together.
Just wanted to thank you again for a great event last Friday. Our office staff really enjoyed the team building trip at El Capitan. Matthew was an exceptional leader and engaged us easily all day. The whole team will be talking about this event for a long time – we really enjoyed ourselves.
Anissa Irwin, Amgen
We will look forward to working with you again in the future.
