Most workplaces can be quite stressful and competitive. In many cases, we even tend to forget that we actually work as a team to improve and grow our company. For that reason, corporations and HR departments came up with team-building exercises. And the best kinds include a lot of time spent in nature and engaging in outdoor activities perfect for groups of colleagues.
These games and activities often boost cooperation, communication, and mutual trust. And when you have people you can trust, it’s sure you’ll come up with amazing ideas and overcome all challenges that come your way. So if you’re planning your next team-building exercise for your colleagues, here are all the benefits of taking them outside:
Social connection
When you put your team in a completely different environment than that which they are used to, you can expect to see amazing results. This change in environment can push your coworkers to grow their social interaction and focus less on professional growth and career improvements. The constrained indoor location often causes social tension to grow higher, so providing team members with a lot of space can release some of the pressure. People often lower their guard when they are in nature, especially when they are engaged in games and exciting activities, which often additionally lower the level of formality. It’s best to choose games that demand cooperation to reach a certain goal but without too much stress (light time limits or competition is always encouraged).
Expressing talent
Outdoor team-building exercises usually provide people with a less controlled environment, allowing everyone to have enough space (literally and figuratively) to express themselves. Natural spaces might motivate people to showcase their skills and personality, allowing team members to get more familiar with each other.
No matter if you’re just a colleague or a senior manager, it’s important to keep an eye on all the skills your team can exhibit during outdoor activities. Pay special attention to communication, problem-solving, strategy, planning and leadership skills—this insight is very valuable when it comes to dividing tasks, handing out projects, identifying worker improvement and education opportunities, etc.
Friendly competition
Most outdoor team-building exercises involve some level of competition. While you don’t want to create too stressful of an environment, some competitions can be very fun and healthy. Plus, it can motivate your staff to try harder and remember to always grow and improve. For instance, a single game of golf can do a lot of good for your entire team, especially when it comes to sparking competition and team spirit.
Thanks to practical Scottsdale golf packages, it’s easier than ever to organize group golfing activities and provide your team with minimum stress and maximum fun. This way, your team can focus on competition, showcasing their skills, and having a lot of laughs in the process. Plus, golf is a mental but also very physical game that will give your team plenty of opportunity to move around, activate muscles and soak up the sun.
Boosting focus and creativity
Thanks to new research, we know that spending time outside is a great booster of focus, no matter the weather and activity. According to the University of Michigan research, even a simple walk in the park can boost workers’ memory, focus, and attention span, sometimes by as much as 20%.
Moving around in nature can also promote a much freer exchange of ideas, which can improve your team’s creativity. Being outside has the best effect on creativity and quality analogies, so your next outdoor team-building exercises can have a great effect on your entire company.
Better office relationships
People tend to approach new and unfamiliar challenges with fresh eyes and set aside previous professional issues. And what better challenge to break down clicks and groups than a change of scenery mixed in with some outdoor activity? As a result of the team’s involvement and dependence on one another, new relationships can be formed and a higher degree of respect can be built between all members of the team. This is a great way to boost morale and improve the atmosphere in the company.
Outdoor team-building exercises provide several advantages for raising employee morale at work. They offer an enjoyable and engaging setting for workers to communicate, form bonds, and collaborate on projects.
These exercises encourage effective teamwork, communication, and problem-solving techniques that can be applied in the workplace to boost performance in general. Outdoor team-building exercises can increase employee motivation and job satisfaction while offering a welcome change of pace from the typical office setting.
Journalist graduate, travel aficionado, and someone with endless curiosity. Lives in San Francisco, and enjoys reading, cooking, and comedy songs.
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