Planning an awesome team event is a great way to create and enhance team spirit and boost morale. An awesome team event is an opportunity for people to spend time together outside of the normal confines of work and get to know each other better. It is also an opportunity to unwind, strengthen relationships, which will have a positive effect on the team and their work when back in the workplace.
In order for a team event to stand out, you’ll need to take several things to make that happen — pillars, if you will. Here are the 10 pillars of an awesome team event
1. Plan
Decide on the goal of the event, how many people will be attending and what your budget restrictions are. You may want to ask for opinions about what event to hold, depending on the size of your company. What time of year will you hold the event? Knowing this will allow you to decide on suitable venues and activities. If the event includes getting muddy or sweaty, make sure you have places arranged for people to change or shower so that they feel comfortable later on (or when they travel home).
2. Include People
Put some thought into what kind of event you want to hold and how to include everyone as much as possible. For example, if the event includes lots of physical activity, is that going to exclude anyone? Make sure that you plan the event so that as many people can attend as possible (and don’t plan it just before an important deadline!). If you are arranging refreshments, ensure there are different choices of food and drink available. It is not always possible to include everyone, but showing that you have put some thought into accommodating as many people as possible will make a difference. You can show this in your choice of activity, when you hold the event and how you accommodate different people at the event.
3. Delegate
An awesome team event will take work and planning. Don’t try and do it all alone. Create a team to help you. Let your colleagues know that you are planning a team event and give them the chance to offer their assistance. People have different skills. Capitalize on your team’s skills and delegate accordingly.
4. Provide Leadership
Provide leadership to the organizing team and give them clear goals to achieve. You could create a timeline to track what needs to be done at each stage of the planning process so that everyone is clear about their roles and tasks. A good leader helps others to shine. It is also important to acknowledge people’s contributions and hard work so that they feel appreciated and motivated.
5. Get Organized
Making sure your event is well organized will help everyone to enjoy the planning process. They’ll be able to relax and enjoy the event when the day arrives. Meet with your organizing team regularly to track everyone’s progress, iron out any issues, and acknowledge achievements. On the day of the team event, make sure everyone on the organizing team is clear about their roles and how the day will run.
6. Communicate
Good communication leading up to and on the day of the event is essential. Let people know what you are planning and give them plenty of notice before the event. You could ask people to save the date and even give them a draft schedule of the activities in the event. This helps to build enthusiasm for the event in advance. On the day of the event, make sure people are clear about what is happening and what is expected of them.
7. Ditch Titles
The best team events give people the chance to get to know each other outside of the workplace. For example, if a superior finds it hard to connect with their staff (or vice versa), a good team event can give them the chance to see another side of each other. Name badges can be useful, but ditch titles for the day. It will help to break down boundaries and create new relationships beyond the everyday work environment.
8. Unplug
If members of the team have mobile phones or laptops it is a good idea to ask them to turn them off at the beginning of the event. Nothing will change the atmosphere of an event as much as people being distracted or wrapped up in their work. You could ask people to do this in advance or at the beginning of the day to set the tone for the day. You could even go so far as to institute a “valet service” for all electronic devices, kind of like a “coat check” of sorts. That not only shows that you’re serious about it, but it means no one will have theses distractions at their disposal throughout the event.
9. Seating Arrangements
If the event involves a meal or seating plan, put some thought into how you want to arrange this. It is often a good idea to arrange for people who don’t talk as often to sit next to each other in order to facilitate new conversations — and maybe even create new relationships.
10. Celebrate Team Achievements
An awesome team event is an opportunity to look at the positive achievements made by the team and acknowledge their progress. This can be done verbally — and it is worth setting some time aside especially for this. Thank everyone for their contribution to the team and make meaningful and thoughtful comments about the team’s work. People love to feel appreciated and there’s no time like a massive team event to make this happen.
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