Let’s be honest – the moment the corporate boss mentions the phrase ‘team building activity’ you want to make the fastest possible exit out of the nearest window. Not that the idea and indeed the sentiment as a whole isn’t there, but more often than not it’s a case of team building jaunts turning into the most boring, forced and generally cliché nightmares imaginable. And when you return, all you’ve built among the team is a deeper hatred for team building activities.
However, for those willing to invest at least a little thought and proactivity in the process, there are in fact some pretty incredible alternatives on the cards these days. It’s simply a case of stepping away from convention and coming up with something not only that they won’t expect, but that they’ll actually enjoy. Turning awful into awesome has never been easier and can be achieved by choosing any of the following over the usual uninspiring team building ideas:
1 – Zombie Experiences
So, right off the bat comes perhaps the best example of a group activity to emerge this century so far – the zombie experience. Long story short, it’s a case of you and your group being immersed in an eye-poppingly realistic scenario where you’re pitted against the ever growing zombie hoards in a desperate fight for mankind. You’re given military-level training, kitted out in all the right gear and challenged to take on and hunt zombies first-hand. Of course they’re not actually real zombies and the chance of coming to harm is zero, but the effect is quite simply incredible. If you’ve never heard of this one, check out www.zombiebootcampevents.co.uk for more information today.
2 – Blindfold Driving
Yes, this is exactly what it sounds like and yes, it’s both hilarious and terrifying. This is one of those things that’s remarkably effective as a team building activity and yet for the whole time just feels like one hell of a laugh for everyone involved. You won’t be on any public roads of course and nor will you be belting round the course at 600mph, but when you can’t see where you’re going and have to rely on the instructions of the person next to you, 20mph feels surprisingly fast.
3 – Sumo Wrestling
There are plenty of team building specialist companies on the market right now that offer a sumo wrestling experience for groups of all sizes. This can be carried out on-site or at any location chosen by those organising the jaunt, but in all cases guarantees big fun and even bigger laughs. It’s not until you’ve seen your bosses rolling around like marbles in a giant fat suit that you’ll really be able to decide whether you really respect them and to what extent. And when it comes to taking out your frustrations without actually harming anyone, there’s nothing better!
4 – Music Sessions
Another great idea that’s really been gathering momentum as of late is that of a music-related team building activity. One of the most popular examples is that of a drumming workshop or perhaps a day or two in a recording studio, where those turning up are allowed to cut loose and allow their dreams of being rock stars to come true…at least for a day. This always tends to be a hell of a lot more fun than anyone thinks it’s going to be and the resulting recordings a pure gold.
5 – Bubble Football
Even if you don’t like playing football, chances are you’ll change your mind once you’re wrapped in a bubble with only your legs sticking out of the bottom. It’s one of those delightfully silly ideas that shouldn’t be nearly as fun as it actually is, but suffice to say it’s genuinely hilarious from beginning to end.
6 – Culinary Classes
These days, there’s really nothing more fashionable or generally ‘in’ than cooking. As such, it’s really impossible to get it wrong when it comes to putting together some kind of a culinary class or even a dining experience which is 100% guaranteed to be interpreted as the treat to end all treats. From wine tasting to sushi making and right through to sessions introducing those weird, wonderful and often terrifying treats of far-off countries, you’re guaranteed an incredible response.
7 – Break a Record
Last but not least, whether you’ll actually pull it off is all by the by, but one of the most amazing things any team can have a crack at doing together is to break a world record. It can be literally anything you can dream up and doesn’t have to already exist – this could indeed be the key to making it happen. And you never know – you might just find your place in the history books as a bonus!