All too often team building activities get a bad rep; employers worry activities will be a waste of time.
In our experience, the only time team building days don’t work, is when the wrong activity is chosen. In order to select the right activity, the purpose of the event needs to be decided before embarking on team building.
Step 1: The Purpose
Take time to consider what you are aiming to achieve. For example, are you looking to:
- Integrate a new team
- Treat your team to an office day out
- Improve relations between departments
- See how your team works with one another
- Discover how your team works under pressure
- Celebrate alongside your team
- Teach everyone a new skill
- Watch your team take on new roles by putting those who are more inclined to be followers in to leadership positions.
Step 2: Made to Measure
Once the purpose of your team building activity has been decided and you have a clear idea of your aims, the next step is to find a company who can create an event to match your goals.
Here at MyChocolate, we firmly believe one size doesn’t fit all! The majority of our clients have tailor made workshops. Sometimes this is as simple as creating an activity to meet a specific time and budget. On other occasions we build full day events so managers can see how their employees work in different team configurations.
Case Study
Client: A City Law Firm
The Background: The firm recently went through a merger.
The Purpose: To build relations between colleagues and teach everyone a new skill.
The Team Activity: We offered a creative approach, focusing on a fun activity which would enable everyone to relax and enjoy one another’s company.
Guests learnt how to be chocolate connoisseurs, tasting chocolate from around the world and identifying different levels of cocoa. Everyone also learnt how to make and decorate their own handmade chocolates and flavoured chocolate slabs.
The Outcome: The event was memorable, fun (who doesn’t love chocolate!) and the new chocolate skills will certainly be discussed in the office.
During the workshop, employees took part in different activities; they worked in pairs, in small groups and with everyone at their table. This ensured interactions with different colleagues and there was plenty of time to get to know one another.
Feedback:
“It was very informative, well-structured but done in a way that was really relaxing and fun”
“It was a great day out and everyone was able to take part and enjoy it”
“Greg [the Chocolatier] made me feel welcome and comfortable right from the outset. I had not met most of the team before and Greg made sure we had an opportunity to meet everybody. He was very confident with what he was doing and talking about and in turn that made me feel confident and comfortable”
To discuss your unique team building activity, Contact Holly on 0207 269 5760 or holly@mychocolate.co.uk.
[Image provided by Gail grated chocolate]
