Sometimes, even the thought of an away day
is enough to make employees groan. Not only is it a day when emails are going
to pile up (because we all know that they don’t stop when you’re out of the
office) but you’re most likely going to have to do some excruciating team
building exercises with your colleagues.
Why Away Days are So Important
Away days are useful for a reason however,
which is why they continue to be so popular. When done right, they strengthen
the team bond. You can even come away with a lot of new ideas to improve the
office, and employees can share the problems that they are having, and how to
solve them.
Communication
When organised properly, away days
encourage communication between team members, particularly those that maybe
don’t have a lot of opportunity to talk to each other in the office. They allow
the employees to relax, see their boss relaxed and have a carefree day away
from the stresses of corporate life.
Fun
It’s not all about fun of course, although
it is a good chance to extend the away day into an evening meal and drinks for
attendees to really let their hair down (best have it on a Friday if this is
the case!) Sometimes, it’s good to take a step away from the corporate
lifestyle and forget about work for the day. Particularly if your business is
very busy, your team will want a more relaxed away day, instead of a formal
one.
Meeting Objectives
Ultimately however, an away day can be used
to brainstorm ideas for the company. It’s a good idea to have some solid
objectives for the event, although don’t share what these are with the team
beforehand, otherwise it might start to sound more like a conference than
teambuilding. Do let everyone know the general purpose however, and what to
expect when they arrive.
How to Ensure Success
To make your corporate away day a success,
you need to pick something that suits your team. Both for the industry that they’re
involved in and the personalities of the group. While it’s good to get a
consensus from the team on your plans, sometimes this simply isn’t possible. If
you know that the room is going to be divided on the type of event you hold,
ask for anonymous ideas to be sent to you, make an executive decision on it,
and let them know once plans are set.
Remember it’s a Team Day
Making certain members of the team take on
similar roles as they do day to day, or putting one person above the other
during team-building is a big no-no. The emphasis should be on the team, and
not the individuals, so activities should focus on this. If you are looking to
go down a more ‘fun’ route, something like an escape room challenge can really
show everyone how the team works or doesn’t work well together. Trying
something creative is also an alternative. Not only is it relaxing, it is a
great bonding experience as well. If your day is slightly more formal,
exercises should still be done as a group, not as individuals.
Try Something Creative
Trying something creative is also an alternative. Not only is it relaxing, but it is also a great bonding experience, especially when held at a suitable event venue. Whether you're in North London or South London or West London, there are plenty of venues that offer spacious areas for corporate team day activities. For example, hosting your event in a park or a club can provide the ideal space for group workshops. Even if your day is slightly more formal, these activities should still be done as a group, not as individuals, to maximise the bonding and collaborative experience.
Get Rid of Formalities
Has your business had better than usual
success this year? Has your team managed and completed a difficult project?
Sometimes, an away day can be about celebrating, rather than a focus on corporate
objectives. If everyone has been working hard, they deserve to be shown that
they are appreciated, so a chance to let their hair down without having to
complete exercises will be welcomed by everyone involved.
Venue
The chosen venue will make a massive difference to any type of corporate event, and even more so when it comes to staff away day venues in London. Due to the sheer range available, and the popularity of some, it’s best to get on the ball early with booking, so that your vision can come to life. You’ll also need to consider how accessible it is to the rest of your team. If it is a bit further away, are you going to organise transportation from the office? You might consider areas around the St Paul Cathedral, Canary Wharf, the Thames, Old Street, and South Kensington, as all offer great transport options.
Consider Outside Help
Hiring a facilitator to lead some exercises
or even a guest speaker is a great way to liven up any corporate event. Not
only will they be aware of what you are looking to achieve from the away day,
they’ll also be able to read the room and react accordingly. These types of
speakers are generally very charismatic and used to being thrown in at the deep
end. Pretty soon they’ll have your team’s full attention, and the day is sure
to be both enjoyable and rewarding. Of course, this isn’t within every
companies’ budget, but it is something worth considering.
Get Feedback
Feedback is one of the most important items
you will come away with from a team building event. Get participants to keep
any notes that they have taken, and exercises they have completed, and ask them
to complete a feedback form and return it to you. This can either be done on
the day or sent around the team once they are back in the office. Ensure that
it’s not too long but do make the questions detailed so you know if your
objectives have been met, and what everyone’s take-way was.
Make Sure It's Enjoyable
A corporate away day is going to be unique to every company, so don’t force you employees into something that you know isn’t going to work. It should be enjoyable, even if you do have objectives that you want to meet, and employees should gain something from the experience. There is no one perfect away day, so learn from what has and hasn’t worked in previous years, and your team will be thanking you (and I'm sure they'd thank you even more if you hosted an event with a brewery or courtyard to celebrate the wins).
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