Tag: team building

From Arts To War Games, It is Time to Get Excited About Team Building!

What’s missing from team building today? Imagination! Don’t book your local sports hall and hire a load of gym mats or make chairs out of newspapers, do something exciting! Bring some thrill to your workplace and get the office enthusiasm kicked up a notch.

creative team building
photo credit: tim caynes via photopin cc

Adrenaline Pumping Extreme Sports

Give your team something to plan for and look forward to with a foray into extreme living. A sponsored event is a great way to get everyone in the office involved and invested and it’s a great way to raise money. Get a few enthusiastic go-getters together and send them off on a hike up a mountain or running a marathon, it’ll bring them together and anyone who doesn’t want to be involved can fundraise and sponsor. Give your staff an incentive: sponsor the athletes and all funds go towards that stylish new coffee machine in the staff room or a posh meal out for the whole team; alternatively, for the philanthropists among you, get everyone to vote for their favourite charities and send the money raised to a worthy cause.

Release Frustrations With War Games

Now we’re talking, they’ll be no groans in the office on team building Saturday if you’re taking them out for an afternoon of paintball! Pick their teams at random and get people mixing, the atmosphere gets very real very fast so they’ll have to start trusting each other and working as a unit to ‘survive’. Paintballing has always been popular and your team can let their individual skills shine, you’ll have strategists, defenders and people with a soldier’s spirit who will take the lead and bring their side to victory! At the end of the day get everyone together down at the pub for a wind down and a relax after a hard day in the trenches.

Having Fun And Keeping Costs Low

We all know it’s a recession but team building doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, gather everyone together in the boardroom and get them laughing and talking.

Little white lies: this is a great way to get everyone to know each other a little bit better. Have everyone in the office write down 2 interesting facts or stories about themselves and 1 lie, go around the room and have everyone read out their list of statements while the rest of the team votes on which one is the lie, the person who’s lie gets the fewest votes wins! Everyone learns a bit more about each other but do try to keep the statements office appropriate!

Minefield: give your team some time away from their desks for free. Place random objects around a field or car park, use: furniture, bags of rubbish, office plants, other employees, anything you can think of. The objects act as mines and your staff are put in pairs, put one in a blindfold and get their partner to direct them across the minefield without being blown up (it’s harder than it sounds).

Get Arty In The Office

For a unique team building experience that will stand the test of time have your team channel their inner Picasso. Get your team to express themselves by having them paint a group mural, you can split them into groups and have them each design a section or do it all together and once it’s done why not hang it in reception? Let your team de-stress and get messy! You can really find your own style, if you run a library why not paint Dickens? Or if you work in a city then get into some graffiti. Whatever your inspiration art is a great way to bring people together, whatever our differences we all appreciate the process of creating something. The beauty of it is everyone can get involved; whatever your age or ability no one is hindered and what you can do with art is limitless so you can really let your team run wild, you’ll learn more about each other, have fun together and create something you can enjoy every single day.

Team building should be something we look forward to, it should be like office Christmas, not something we dread. Do something special on your next team building excursion and do more than boost morale, make memories.

About the Author: This post was written by Emma Smith on behalf of Graffiti Pro’s, Graffiti artisis who want to bring some excitment back to team building!

Is a Company Softball Team A Good Idea?

CGA-BC Softball Team 2011

If most of us are honest with ourselves, we’d much rather be out with our friends having fun than at work. Even when we like our coworkers, it’s preferable to meet outside of the confines of work. While it’s true that coworkers sometimes find time to hang out away from the office, it’s hard to get everyone together at once. Many companies, however, have solved this issue by starting company softball teams. Workers all over the country get a kick out of participating in these “leagues,” but it’s important to remember that, with everything in life, a little bad always comes with the good.

Benefits of Company Softball Leagues

1) Morale  Some benefits of hosting or being involved in a company softball league are rather obvious. Most people would automatically, and correctly, assume that this practice can increase worker morale. Additionally, a great deal of good publicity can come when the surrounding public recognizes that the company is engaged in enjoyable events. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to frequent an organization that takes the time in life to have fun?

2) Networking  There are, however, a few lesser known benefits that those involved in a softball league can gain. For instance, these gatherings are a great way for employees to meet others to whom they’ve yet to be introduced. Knowing more people in the company is a quick way to get called on for special projects and even potential promotions.

3) Teamwork  Additionally, the company will also benefit because the games will strengthen the relationships between workers and increase their ability to work together. This is really a priceless benefit when it comes to team and worker productivity. Some of the benefits for the employees, however, are even more important than they could imagine.

4) Performer Rewards  Employees who choose to participate will also see benefits if the company ever falls onto difficult times. If employers have to choose a few specific people to let go, they’re much less likely to lay off those who actively made an effort to be part of the company’s social network.

Disadvantages of Company Softball Leagues

1) Behavior Issues  Sadly, there are going to be some disadvantages related to company softball leagues, but most of these issues are related to mistakes and outright misbehavior by those in attendance. Bad sportsmanship, for instance, can ruin the entire atmosphere of the day and turn a fun event into a serious issue. Even worse, if the general public sees an employee act out of line, it will reflect badly on the entire company.

2) Injuries  It’s also a problem when employees become injured during these games. A bit of unfair play or a simple misstep on the field can lead to a serious injury. This is bad for the employee, but it can also be detrimental for the company. Asking a Calabasas or a Charlotte personal injury attorney, you’ll find that laws governing work-related injuries not really “work-related” are complex, and this can lead to serious legal issues for the employer and their injured worker.

3) Compensation Disputes The bigger problem for an employee will arise after they’re injured at the game. They are often entitled to one form of compensation or another, but considering the fact that the injury didn’t actually happen during the course of one’s work duties, it’s likely that an employer will want to avoid paying extensive benefits. This makes it likely that an injured worker will want to get an injury attorney.

It’s a great thing for coworkers to come together and enjoy each other through a bit of outside-of-work competition. Even with the potential hazards of hosting a company softball team, the act itself carries numerous benefits which usually outweigh the potential risks. It’s simply important to have a few ground rules laid out, including sportsmanship and safety issues, to ensure that a company softball game is an enjoyable success.

A recreational athlete, Ann Bailey posts these notes to encourage company team sports, for benefit to both the business and the employee. Working to protect the rights of clients in injury cases, the Charlotte personal injury attorney group, Auger & Auger Attorneys at Law, advises both business owners and workers in all aspects of resolving compensation issues in company sports incidents.

Team Building Motorcycle Trips: How to Plan Ahead

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There are multiple team building exercises that a small business staff can utilize to become a tighter unit, but going on a motorcycle trip is one of the most effective. After all, most people love going on an adventure, and the positive feelings that they develop while they are riding a bike will become associated with all of their co-workers. Additionally, this is a great way to get everyone out of the office so that they can get away from the stress and begin looking at each other as unique individuals.

What is the Best Way to Plan the Trip?

It is easy to plan a group outing by utilizing one of the many online motorcycle trip planners. These comprehensive websites enable you to select the state of your choice so that you can see all of the best options in your targeted area. For example, if you want to take a motorcycle trip in Florida, you will find 33 different routes throughout the state. However, before you begin looking through routes, you should determine how long you want the trip to be. Florida’s routes range from just a couple of miles to loops that will take several days, so it should be easy to find exactly what you are looking for.

How can We Keep Everyone Safe?

Business owners often worry about liability issues, and this might make the idea of going on a motorcycle trip seem intimidating. Instead of letting this get in the way, you should simply take steps to protect the company and each employee. The first step would be to get everyone to sign an agreement that they cannot sue the company if something happens to them during the trip. You can discuss your state’s local laws with a motorcycle accident attorney West Palm Beach to Fort Walton Beach based to ensure that everyone remains compliant. Aside from that, you should make it mandatory for everyone to wear a helmet.

What Should We do if an Accident Happens?

If one or more of the motorcycle riders are involved in an accident, it is important for the entire group to pull over in a safe location. However, if you are on the freeway, it is not a good idea for everyone to stop on the side of the road. Therefore, you should agree in advance that everyone will get off at the next exit and pull into a parking lot until the situation has been resolved. Meanwhile, the supervisor of the group should contact the police immediately, and it is important to write notes about the accident in case someone ends up in court.

Should We Call an Attorney?

If anyone is injured as a result of the accident, it is definitely a good idea to contact a motorcycle injury attorney. This is especially important if the responsible party is not a member of your group. After all, it can be very expensive to pay for the necessary medical assistance, and the injured person’s insurance may not cover everything.

Going on a motorcycle trip with your small business team is a good way to encourage teamwork because it will give everyone a chance to get to know each other outside of the office. As long as you take the proper precautions to keep everyone safe, your group should return from the outing refreshed and with a stronger bond.

As an event planner for a small non-profit business, Ann Bailey offers these tips for a unique road trip and business team building experience. Keeping riders safe, and defending their rights if injured, the Steinger, Iscoe & Green motorcycle accident attorney West Palm Beach based group represents all manner of injury claims for motorcycle enthusiasts in Florida.