Sometimes you don’t know where to begin. You could go hiking or axe throwing. You could host a trivia competition or go to a pottery class. What about a virtual cookie decorating class? Your team might enjoy any of these activities, but how do you choose the right one for your team? Here are a few tips to help you select the right activity for your team building event.
Before diving into planning, asking the right questions can help determine the best team-building activity. You might’ve just finished a strenuous work project that exhausted your team. So, how can you translate your teams’ exhaustion into motivation, so they feel inspired to take on the next big project? Consider asking yourself:
Team building is one of the most fundamental ways to enhance workplace culture. It can solve problems, tackle challenges, build connections and trust and strengthen bonds and collaboration. Team building can also motivate your team and foster an environment where individuals feel inspired to work together. If all goes well, the results are endless and can lead to increased workplace productivity.
So you have a better scope of what you’re looking to achieve. But what are your teams’ preferences? And what feedback do you have from the last team bonding event? Create a survey that allows your team to voice their interests, needs, and preferences. Be sure to include a section where they can provide feedback on what they enjoyed from the last event and what could be better moving forward.
Your initial questions and team survey will help you gain insight into your team’s needs and what to implement next. For example, your team-building goals and survey may show that your team-building activity should be centered around strengthening communication, building trust, or allowing your team to relax for their mental health.
Once you’ve gauged your teams’ interests, consider the work environment. Hiking may be an excellent in-person team-building activity, but it might not work well in a remote work environment. However, a cooking class may be perfect for an in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace.
Like its name, an in-person work environment requires employees to show up in person and get the job done, while a remote work environment offers flexibility. Employees can work virtually from their home office, a coffee shop, or a non-traditional work location.
Although in-person team-building activities may come with an easier selection process, remote team-building activities require a little more work to spike engagement, team connection, and inclusivity.
Tailor your team-building activity to the work environment to offer your team the best experience.
Now that you’ve considered your teams’ preferences and work location, it’s time to zero in on the finer details. Think about the time of year you’re planning the event, the size of your team, the date of the event, and how much lead time you have.
Your lead time will be the bread and butter of your logistics and can translate into the results you achieve. For instance, more lead time may contribute to a well-executed event that yields better results than throwing an event together on short notice.
What type of budget will you need to plan your team bonding event effectively? This is where your event logistics list comes into play. Your list will help you itemize expenses and determine the resources necessary for your team-building activity. An itemized list can also help in the budget approval process.
Bringing people together through food is always a great idea. What better way to do that than with a meal easy on the tastebuds? Whether you’re in person or remote, food can be the gateway for your team to celebrate work wins, talk about their hobbies, latest passions, and more.
If your team is remote, opt for an interactive food experience delivered right to your door. You can find a wide range of offerings on Adà Experiences, a marketplace dedicated to celebrating the diversity of Black food culture.
Your initial questions and team survey will help you gain insight into your team’s needs and what to implement next. For example, your team-building goals and survey may show that your team-building activity should be centered around strengthening communication, building trust, or allowing your team to relax for their mental health.
Just hearing the words “game night” may be stress relieving. But if not the sound of the name, the activity itself may do the trick. Virtual game nights may also cost less since your team can connect online. Whether you bring your team together through online board or card games, game nights can promote camaraderie, alleviate stress, enhance cognitive function, and more.
While there are many games to choose from in the virtual universe, try starting with familial games that your team can relate to. Games like Uno, Trivia, Monopoly, or Pictionary are good starters; from there, you can include new things that will keep your team excited.
Team volunteering is a thoughtful way to give back to the community. Select non-profit organizations your team is passionate about. This is a great way to promote inclusivity and inspire your team. For instance, Why Hunger is an organization dedicated to reducing food scarcity. You can allot time for team members to update their database of community food pantries.
Remembering your team members’ birthdays can build trust and connection. So, why not make it an event? You can bring fun activities to your teams’ virtual space, like online games and storytelling. You can even highlight your team member by having them send a memorable birthday picture beforehand and, on the day of the event, surprise them with an e-card with their photo and thoughtful messages from your team.
You can also send their favorite dessert to arrive at their home or a birthday gift from the team; Later, your team members can cheers with their drink of choice to kick off the birthday festivities.
Social clubs are another way for your team members to connect. While everyone’s interests are different, allow your team to form their clubs, whether it be the book club about mystery novels, the movie club about the latest rom-com, or the hottest finance podcast on the block. Social clubs allow team members to explore and find people with shared interests.
Think of social clubs as virtual after-hours, like a happy hour with your co-worker after work. It’s supposed to feel light and not like a job responsibility. Give your team members the freedom to engage on their own time.
It might challenge, motivate, or reignite your team’s passion for their work. Or, like a community service initiative, it might take them out of the work bubble. Whatever you choose, remember to trust your gut and lead with your company’s values. You’ll be selecting suitable team-building activities in no time.
Explore our virtual and in-person cooking classes, mixology experiences and more — all hosted by Black chefs and culinary creators.
