5 team outing ideas to de-stress your employees
Taking your team out every once in a while is a way of appreciating all the hard work they’ve done for you. It helps them unwind, build trust and friendships – things they rarely find time for during working hours. Team outings are usually organised to boost productivity, which eventually helps your company. But let’s put those agendas aside and do something for your employees, just because. Here are some ideas.
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Sports activities and games
The sports events don’t have to be anywhere near the Olympic style. The point is to bring about friendly and healthy competition that can also be a lot of fun. It’s also a chance at physical activity for your employees since most might not find the time for it in their daily schedules. Sports and games encourage both individual and team efforts that essentially bring out the best in them. Although physical activity is a great way to de-stress, many may not have athletic abilities. So including games that don’t require these will ensure that everyone is involved. Go Karting, laser tagging, and paintballing are other team building activities that are also super fun.
Karaoke night
What better way is there to unwind than with music? An evening of Karaoke dissolves the formality that exists among employees and gives them the space to get to know each other better. The introverts in your team may not be very willing initially but the very point of this activity is to let go of inhibitions. Watching their peers’ immodest performances will encourage the shier ones to open up, relax, and have a good time.
Social volunteer work
Working more than eight hours a day for five days a week tends to make people self-centred as they prefer to use whatever free time they get, for themselves. Social volunteer work will awaken your employees’ empathetic traits and will, in the simplest terms, make them better people. Helping people is also a way of helping oneself, and although this should not be the only reason to for social work, it is definitely an added bonus. Volunteer work like distributing food, a visit to the old age homes or blind schools, and a clean drive for the neighbourhood are some ways of giving back to the society.
Nature walks
Surrounding oneself with nature is a scientifically proven way to de-stress. When your employees spend every day within closed walls, open space and fresh air can be a refreshing change. Not only does nature de-stress, it revitalises the brain, thereby boosting productivity. The sounds and sights of nature have been found to have significant effects on the mind. Experiments have shown that a mere stroll through the park increases one’s ability to focus when returned to a task. Attention and memory also significantly improved when people regularly spent time outdoors.
Anything can happen Thursday
Inspired by Sheldon Cooper of Big Bang Theory fame, ‘Anything can happen Thursday’ is a way to bring in the excitement of the unexpected. If this can’t be organised every week, a monthly activity can suffice. The point is to spend a day doing things that are different from the usual. It could be concerts, stand-up comedy, treasure hunts, or even going to the cinema to mock a bad movie. “Anything” can happen, remember? So get creative!
While organising these activities, it is important to keep all your employees in the loop in order to include the interests of everyone. Happy employees will contribute more to your company, but they will also be happier and better people. So it becomes your responsibility to keep them that way. If you’re an employee reading this, then get this message across to your boss!