Every now and then we like to get together as a team and take a whole day away from the office to relax, have fun and enjoy each other’s company outside of the world of PDFs and floor plans. Whether it’s a big occasion like our Christmas party or something tiny like a lunchtime spent at the local pub, we try to make time spent socialising with our colleagues a regular occurrence.
Recently we’ve taken on a number of new staff members so, to help get the conversations flowing, we’re planning another staff day out. This inspired me to put something together for the blog all about some of the best ideas for team building days out. Luckily for us our team is relatively small, so the more extravagant outings aren’t completely off the table, but I’ve tried to keep these suggestions as realistic as possible. Somehow I can’t see a staff of 500 being taken for a day out at a Beyonce concert (although whoever the boss is who one day makes that happen is the best).
Go-Karting:
For our Christmas party two years ago everybody donned some overalls and helmets and spent the day racing around a go-kart track. Something with a little healthy competition is good and helps to give the day an aim. The track we went to even gave out trophies to team winners, making the whole day feel like a real experience as opposed to a standard day out. Get into teams to get everybody socialising, or go rogue if you’re really in it to win it.
Bounce:
Bounce is a bar in Holborn that offers its guests an array of ping pong tables to play tournaments on. Get in teams, take it in turns, have some drinks, enjoy some food and even control the music if you choose the right package. A fun, unique and social day out with a competitive edge to get everybody talking.
Up At The o2:
This year for our Christmas party we went Up At The o2 – which does exactly what it says on the tin. You’re all harnessed up and are led up and across the roof of the giant o2 arena, where you get some incredible views of the city and are free to pose for as many selfies as you like at the top, read all about it in our blog post here. It’s a one off experience that you can all feel like you’re sharing together. The day is set up as a fake “exhibition” from one side of the o2 to the other, which helps to add a theme (and also includes an awful instructional video with an embarrassing tour guide to get the laughs flowing).
The walk only takes around half an hour so you’re free to work in the morning and then post-walk take advantage of one of the dozens of restaurants, bars and pubs in the o2 itself afterwards.
Thorpe Park:
Theme parks are a risky one – people being a little jittery about rides can be funny and help to push people to be friendlier to each other, but people being genuinely terrified could lead to a lawsuit. Providing everybody on the team is up for it go along and scream in unison. Once you’ve got the giggles from hearing your boss scream like a girl on Stealth the rest of the day will be a breeze.
The Typically Tourist Experience:
I attempted to look into this idea for our last day out but frankly I was spoilt for choice and it was all a little overwhelming. In London tourist experiences are everywhere; duck tours, the eye, the shard, a cruise down the thames with some drinks, open bus tours, the dungeons, the aquarium, Madame Tussauds – do you see what I mean about it being overwhelming? The typically tourist spots are fantastic (if they weren’t they wouldn’t be so popular) but they’re the kind of thing that people who live in the city never actually get around to doing. If you don’t live in London your own city will have its equivalents so look around for the tourist hotspots that everybody can feel silly in. It might even end up feeling like a real holiday.
I hope that this gives you some ideas about what you and your colleagues can get up to next time you feel the urge to socialise/drink and be merry together. If you have any suggestions for what we should do for our next day out, leave a comment and let us know!
