We see our colleagues five days a week. Besides our friends and family, these are the people we spend the most time with! Team building or bonding is what takes individual employees and makes them into a cohesive team. And when we bond outside of the office, this kicks things up a whole new level. Heading out on a team-building activity is mutually beneficial for both employees and business because happy employees are productive ones. Ditch the company picnic and check out the following reasons why rafting is a great option for your next corporate team-building outing.
Work on Your Workplace Culture
Don’t underestimate the importance of workplace culture. A day of rafting provides employees with the opportunity to literally get out of the office, spend a day in nature, and try something new (or if you have any existing rafting fans on your team, share their knowledge and experience). Happy employees are motivated ones. Additionally, employee satisfaction contributes to a positive external culture where you can show off just how great it is to work at your business. In other words, team building is a great self-promotion. You’ll rack up additional cool points for being that company that took their employees for a day of fun and adventure whitewater rafting.
Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork
A successful business requires seamless teamwork. It’s important that employees trust each other. This could be in terms of getting second opinions, quality of work, and passing off tasks. In a high-intensity situation like rafting, teamwork is essential. A successful raft trip is a team adventure, just like a successful project it requires collaboration. And if I can trust you to help me paddle and get down this river safely, I can definitely trust you to review my spreadsheet.
Improve Confidence, Communication, and Showcase New Skills
Maybe someone who has been more reserved within the office has just been waiting for their moment to shine. Team building changes up the dynamics and provides employees the opportunity to take turns trying out leadership roles. We can’t all be the captain (or assistant captain —after one of our guides of course!). So rafting is a great chance to shake up your team’s usual structure. Providing an opportunity to test out leadership skills outside of the office environment, which is low-risk, decreases the fear of failure in case it doesn’t work out as planned. You’ll also help employees build up more confidence. Additionally, by switching things up you may be surprised by certain employees and their skills that you may not have seen in the office.
Create Meaningful Connections
By promoting team building you allow employees to get to know each other in a completely new environment outside of the office. As Brian Scudam founder and CEO of O2E Brands puts it, “The most successful, memorable team-building events are ones that don’t feel like a day at the office.” Give people a break and the opportunity to interact with each other in a totally new way. Getting to know someone on a more personal level will transfer back into the workplace. Shared experiences matter. Telling someone about something that happened to you is totally different than them understanding the situation first hand. As Dr. Rachel Hershenberg, licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University explains, “It can maximize how much you enjoy the event while strengthening the bond you feel for one another because you participated in it together.” Remember that time when Karen from finance fell out of the raft and we all worked together to help pull her back in—of course you do because you were there too!
With half-day, full-day and special group options, there is something available for any skill-level or group size. Get in touch with us today and plan your next team-building adventure with your colleagues!