Ready to recharge and have some fun with your coworkers? It’s time to plan a team outing! Here are some of our favorite team bonding activities (and the one thing you don’t want to forget when planning your outing)!
Why Are Team Bonding Activities So Important?
When you plan a team outing and spend some time away from the office, you help cultivate a healthy work culture, boost employee engagement, and sharpen essential professional skills. Here are a few of the benefits you can gain when you plan team bonding activities:
Improved Communication
Communication plays a huge role in a team’s success. When you plan outings with your coworkers, it can help to break down formal barriers and foster open communication. This is great for building stronger bonds within the group and can lead to better collaboration when back in the office.
Increased Innovation and Creativity
Team bonding activities can help you and your coworkers think outside the box. Psychological safety is essential for teams to feel comfortable in taking creative risks. Not to mention, fun and laughter can make people more creative and able to think more broadly. Hosting outings can help nurture this sense of safety and fun, and, in turn, you’ll notice improved innovation and creativity when back in the workplace.
Reduced Employee Stress and Burnout
According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, more than one-third of workers report chronic work stress, which can lead to job burnout. Planning fun and creative team bonding activities can provide your staff with opportunities to unwind and socialize in a low-pressure, non-work environment.
Activity Ideas
Need some activity ideas? We’ve got a few for you to consider!
Laser Tag
This is the perfect activity to let off some steam while having fun (and one where no one will likely get hurt)! On one hand, you can take out some frustrations on your coworkers in a safe environment. On the other hand, this is a great opportunity to work together in teams to complete your objective. You’ll all get the opportunity to work on communication, tune leadership roles, and exercise teamwork skills. Whether you split up your team or you square off against different branches, you can make this work for any group size.
Ropes Course
Forget trust falls – if you want to build trust, problem-solving, support, and coaching skills in your team, a ropes course is a great activity to try. Fun and a little intimidating, a ropes course is an excellent method for communicating with your colleagues and spotting your confidence in them as you traverse the course. Once everyone is done and has accomplished the course, the feeling of relief and excitement for your team will be unmatched! You might want to consider having a happy hour with your team after course completion as a reward for a job well done.
Field Day
Remember back in elementary school when you had a field day? Why not do a version with your coworkers? Get outdoors, partake in nostalgic outdoor activities, and take some memorable team photos. Include games like a three-legged race, an egg and spoon race, a hula hoop marathon, and tug-of-war. And don’t forget to get a colorful parachute! This will surely be a day that will help foster teamwork, promote friendly competition, and cultivate camaraderie.
Scavenger Hunt
A well-organized scavenger hunt encourages creative problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. It can be done within your corporate campus, at a park nearby, or around Scottsdale. While hiding things around for teams to find can be fun, consider doing something a little different (and that’s less work for you to set up).
A scavenger hike will get your team out into nature to relax. Create a list of things your team will have to take photos of, like birds, wildflowers, trail markers, trash that can be cleaned up, and a beautiful view. Or, instead, you could try going on a city chase that will get your team exploring the city and is centered around city-themed challenges.
Host a Picnic
While all these team bonding activities we’ve mentioned are high energy, exciting, and active, you might be looking for a more mellow idea. Instead of booking a restaurant or hosting a happy hour, consider being a little creative and have a picnic. It’s the perfect relaxed activity that still promotes team bonding. Unwind, engage in casual conversations, and strengthen relationships outside of the typical work setting. You can also have everyone contribute by having them bring their favorite snacks, games, and blankets, creating a collaborative and inclusive experience.
Don’t Forget Transportation
When you plan your team bonding activities, you’ll likely put a lot of effort into organizing the activities to ensure everyone has a fun time. But don’t forget about transportation! If you’re looking to have the best time with your coworkers and want to step your team outings up a notch, consider renting a party bus as your transportation of choice. They provide an elevated, comfortable, and fun way to get to your team bonding activity that will leave a lasting impression on all your coworkers. You’ll also have a professional driver to get you safely to your activity and back, without worrying about traffic or parking.
Ready to Have the Best Team Bonding Experience?
If you’re looking for a party bus for your team bonding experience, Tempe Party Bus would love to be your chauffeur. Our premium services are affordable, and we make being your designated driver for the day memorable. We have many different party buses to choose from – we look forward to helping you create a memorable experience!
