By Craig Pannozzo
At the heart of every business is its employees. Developing a strong team of people who work well together is key to any growth strategy, no matter how big or small the company. However, camaraderie doesn’t just happen; it’s built up over time through engaging activities and projects inside and outside of the office. The summer is a perfect time to step up your company’s team-building efforts, with plenty of opportunities to improve office relationships in the sun. Here are some work outings that you should consider this summer to boost morale.
Host a Company BBQ
What better way to boost morale at the office than by having a barbecue? Cooking food on the grill can be a fun, alternative work event for you and your team, providing the relaxed atmosphere needed to help colleagues get to know each other better. With both meat-lovers and vegetarians able to join in, it’s a work event that’s both inclusive and social, which is perfect for building a sense of workplace solidarity.
Why not make the most of it and make it a fundraising event? You could help support a charity that is close to a colleague’s heart by organizing some live music and suggesting everyone contribute a little to organizing the day. This could form part of your overall corporate social responsibility strategy, and helping charity has a feel-good factor, too.
Make sure to arrange a venue in advance and plan accordingly; without thorough organization a potentially fantastic event could fall short. This could mean arranging to host it at a colleague’s house or at a larger venue. In any case, it’s a good idea to rent some equipment, like tables, chairs and extra fridge space. Renting a gazebo might also be a great idea, giving your guests some much-needed shade from the sun or cover from the rain, depending on the weather.
Plan an Outdoor Film Night
Another fantastic way to build camaraderie in the workplace is to organize outdoor film screenings. With so many streaming services available nowadays, it’s easier than ever to choose a film that everyone will love or love to hate. Either way, you’ll be making memories and giving your colleagues some much needed relaxation. To make the most of the nice weather, you should look into renting a projector and a screen, which have become an extremely affordable way to watch movies outside.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to save time and money then there are many outdoor film screenings happening around the country this summer, often in very beautiful surroundings. These events may offer less choice in terms of movies, but you could get your team involved by voting on which event they want to attend.
Go to a Sporting Event
Summer is the perfect time to attend or watch sporting events. This year, the obvious example is the FIFA World Cup, which has sent millions of people football-crazy for several weeks. To make the most of this football-fever, companies could look to organize a friendly match between different departments within the company or with a rival business, giving their employees the chance to show off their individual skills whilst also working as a team.
Sporting events can also be extra enjoyable when it’s all for a good cause. Working together to raise money for a local charity can also be a fantastic moral booster. Why not screen matches at the office by charging an entry fee, or holding a fundraising quiz to see who’s sporting knowledge is in a league of its own?
For the many people who aren’t into football, no need to worry; there are many other sporting events on the horizon. Wimbledon, the Tour de France and the Ryder Cup. All of these events are great opportunities for colleagues to get together after work and celebrate their achievements this year thus far.
Create a Scavenger Hunt
Every company should have a yearly scavenger hunt, and what better time to do it than in the summer? Searching for clues and working together to solve puzzles is perfect for workplace bonding, and even better if you put people together who wouldn’t normally, on a day-to-day basis. It’s also extremely affordable, as all you need is a couple of creative people to organize and a spare few hours to see who is the best problem solver!
You could also make the most of the nice weather by incorporating activities outside of the office. Challenge your colleagues to take a photo of a statue in your local park, or find a particular item in a supermarket (to use a very boring example). Regardless, it’s a fantastic way to encourage the effective communication and lateral thinking skills needed to build great teams.
Your employees work hard, so they deserve to play hard, too. Organizing a summer work event gives them this chance to have fun, while also promoting communication, cooperation, competition and critical thinking skills. By fostering positive morale and teamwork, your business will become more able than ever to effectively tackle any and all challenges that present themselves.
Photo credit: Summer barbeque from Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
