Reinforcing Relationships With Corporate Team Building Events

In this fast-paced world where it seems impossible to go anywhere without seeing others talking or texting on some high-tech gadget, being so “connected” almost feels like a “disconnect” from building collaborative, authentic, real-world relationships. Here’s how corporate team building events can reinforce your relationships and make them stronger than ever:

Put the Trust Back in Your Working Relationships

Corporate team building events are a good way to shake off the rust after a long winter and help your employees focus on the importance of building relationships with their co-workers. Whether you’re zip lining through the canopies, helping each other through an obstacle course or just spending time talking about your families over a nice meal, corporate team building events help people recognize each other as individuals that are important to the success of a company.

Different Types of Team Building

There is no shortage of corporate team building events. Some, such as charity and food drives, are done in the office to benefit others while promoting a sense of teamwork. Others, such as adventure team building, are accomplished at remote sites that offer two advantages. One, by getting away from the phones you are actually able to focus on the tasks at hand. The second is that an outside event allows co-workers to see each other in a different light. Corporate team building events usually blossom when taken to a location away from the office that has structured activities designed to improve morale and leadership while accomplishing clear goals and objectives. Rather than design a team building event yourself, it’s well worth the investment to utilize a company with years of experience that provides both a safe and fun environment.

Work Together to Solve Problems

Business demands that employees cooperate to identify potentially-problematic areas of concern, conceptualize doable solutions, and consistently provide exceptional, world-class customer service. Unfortunately, the creation of personality conflicts and apathy over time can sabotage everyone’s best efforts. Get your employees out of the office for a day or two and head to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where the Refreshing Mountain adventure team has organized a number of corporate team building events that will rejuvenate and relax your entire team. Refreshing Mountain staffers have a long list of available exercises that they can tailor to your specific company needs. Your employees will renew their ability to depend on each other while developing communication skills and trust that will pay off back at work.

Make it an Annual Event or Reward

Much like a holiday party or summer picnic, corporate team building events are a fun and exciting experience that rewards employees for a job well done while building even stronger collaboration skills in the future.  Corporate team building events provide a great chance to remind employees of your business culture and affirm the importance of your company values. Scheduling an overnight retreat at Refreshing Mountain gives the benefit of structured events and some down time where workers can get to know each other better and develop friendships that foster outside the office. By committing to annual corporate team building events, you reinforce the belief that your employees are important and that you are willing to invest the finances and time to help them be successful. By showing your appreciation for each individual, you can expect an increase and dedication that will reduce turnover and create a more stable business environment. Corporate team building events can also be a fun reward for reaching a major milestone or securing a large contract. Your generosity will reap benefits in the future as your staff learns the values of communication and leadership.

Building a Team for Success

Corporate team building activities are a great way to get the team out of the office for a day to let them regroup and come back feeling stronger as a team. The morale of a team is one of the most important aspects of productivity and quality of work. If your team already works together well, enjoys the projects they are working on, and produces quality results, maybe it’s time to take them on a team building activity to further strengthen their bond – and blow off some steam.

There are tons of facilities that offer both outdoor and indoor activities to bring your team together and show them what they can accomplish as a group. Most facilities even offer you the flexibility of choosing your own agenda for the day, so you can cater specifically to your group’s needs.

 The Power of Team Building Infographic

 

Qualities Team Building Focuses On:

• Conflict Resolution

Team building activities work out conflict resolution in a healthy, intuitive way. When a disagreement occurs within an activity, the group is forced to resolve personal conflicts to successfully complete the activity. The team building exercise is a fun activity that doesn’t have added stress to it, so your team can learn effective ways to deal with these problems. Then, the team will be able to apply those skills to the work environment – should they arise.

• Communication
  

  Communication is key in the workplace. Corporate team building facilitates a strong sense of communication because the activities require clear messages to achieve the end goal. This skill lends itself to a work environment because clear communication will ensure projects are completed correctly, nothing gets lost in the shuffle, and all concerns are aired in an appropriate way.

• Leadership

Corporate team building activities are a chance for leaders to shine. You will see who your strong leaders are because they will rise to the occasion and take control of a situation. Also, how they handle a giving activity will show you their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Those activities may show you – as the employer – a few new leaders who were not standing out before.

• Problem Solving
  

  Problem solving is the most common thing to get out of corporate team building activities. All of the activities are designed to make your team think and work together towards a common goal. This shared goal lets people’s strengths shine and lend their own expertise to the situation. This translates into the workplace when your team is better equipped to resolve difficult situations on the fly.

• Trust
  

  Your team needs to trust one another in order to collectively accomplish end goals. If your team cannot trust each other, they are doomed to fall short. Team building activities reinforce and allow trust to develop. When your team has a foundation of trust, each of them knows they can count on the others to do their part – or be there when they need it.

• Patience
  

  Finally, patience through team building activities is a valuable skill. Things don’t always work the first time and having the patience to try again with a level head is pertinent to each and every work environment. Team building activities are challenging and make you think outside of the box. If you aren’t willing to be patient, you will never complete the task. This is the same in the workplace. With a little patience, great work can be accomplished on an everyday basis.

Team Building Events at Refreshing Mountain

At Refreshing Mountain Retreat and Adventure Center, we assist you in developing an excellent, productive team building event. Our activities are designed to help strengthen your team and provide a relaxing, fun environment to do so. We know the importance of a strong team and we are here to help. Our indoor and outdoor activities are all designed to be a blast all while working towards a common goal.

If you’re looking for a fun day out of the office to boost morale and have a great time doing it, visit our corporate team building page for more information.

What are the Teambuilding Challenges at Refreshing Mountain?

Ok, so you’re thinking about doing a team building event and you’ve heard about Refreshing Mountain, but you’re not sure exactly what our team building activities are all about.  What will your group be doing while they are on-site?  Will it be fun for everyone?  How long do the activities and are they safe?   What will my group get out of participating?  In this article we give you an in-depth look at our team building challenges, what they are, how they work and the benefits they provide.

 Team Building through Problem Solving

Our team building challenges are designed to encourage your group ways to work better together.  We do this presenting your group with fun, interactive problem solving challenges that can only be solved through teamwork.  Our challenges are typically scheduled for 1-2 hour time blocks and are designed to work best for 8 – 20 participants.  We also work with larger groups by breaking down into smaller teams and running them though the challenges in rotations.  Each team will work through 3 – 4 challenges in an hour, where each of challenge is designed to emphasize the application of various positive character traits such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  We have 22 different outdoor challenges over 50 indoor challenges to select from.  We will work with your prior to your event to select the right mix of activities based on your objectives for the event, past team building experiences, age and physical abilities.  On the day of your event, our experienced guides will facilitate your group through each challenge, ensuring safety and drawing out the learning through the on-the-spot observations and questions.

 

Examples of Teambuilding Challenges

Our teambuilding activities are typically scheduled is 1 to 2 hours increments and involve a selection of 3 – 4 activities each hour.  We have over 50 indoor activities and 22 outdoor elements that are part of our program.  Each challenge combines a balance of physical and mental activity, with options for all skill and age levels.  We focus on the physical interaction because it’s fun, motivating and gets the mind thinking differently.  Our experienced facilitators work with the group leader to learn about the group and select the right activities based on your objectives, past team building experience, age and physical condition.   Examples of specific team building challenges:

Toxic Waste

In this team building activity, the group must work together to move “toxic waste” from one location to another using only the equipment provided.  This problem solving exercise requires the group to learn to communicate effectively and utilize the “give and take” principle.

 

Swamp Crossing

In this team building activity, the group must cross a “swamp” without getting “wet” using two parallel rows of logs by supporting each other.  If one person falls, all must start again.  The problem solving challenge teaches participants to rely on each other and that the whole team succeeds only if they all work together and look out for each other.

 

Straight & Right

In this team building activity, the group must find their way through a maze by making only right turns and moving forward.  The problem solving exercise teaches participants to listen to each other, follow direction and also encourages team members to provide ideas in a constructive manner.

 

Raging River

In this team building activity, the entire group must cross a “raging river” using only the “stepping stones” provided while staying “well grounded” to keep from being washed away. This problem solving challenge teaches participants to consider the needs of those that they are working with in addition to their own as they cannot make it across the river on their own.

 

Noah’s Walk

In this teambuilding activity, the group works in pairs to traverse V-shaped cables get that further apart.  The activity teaches participants to learn to trust and rely on each other.

 

Gossip Table

In this team building activity, the group works together to keep a large see-saw like platform balanced as they each get on.  This challenge teaches individuals to think and work as a group and let go of their need for individual control.

 

Data Processing

In this team building challenge, carpet squares are used to represent a computer circuit.  The group must find the path through the circuit in a certain amount of time.  Groups learn how to work together better, particularly in the area of organization.

 

Alaskan Pipeline

In this team building challenge, the group must build a pipeline from pieces of PVC pipe which allows “water” to travel a certain distance and the water cannot become contaminated.  Groups learn how to plan together and communicate better.

Benefits of Team Building Activities

The Small Group Research journal paper “Does Team Building Work?” analyzed data from 103 studies conducted between 1950 and 2007 and provides strong evidence that team building can have measurable, positive effects on team performance.  Specific benefits of teambuilding activities include improved goal setting, interpersonal relations, problem solving, and role clarification.  Another study showed that certain teambuilding activities, including field trips, physical and personal development activities, contribute to employees feeling valued which is a key need for any high performing team.  

Interesting in Booking a Teambuilding Event?

You can get a quote based on of our pre-defined packages or build your own using our day events pa

 

ckage tool on our website.  You can give us a call at 1-888-353-1490 or email us at information@refreshingmountain.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Benefits of a Corporate Teambuilding Event

Every employer knows the importance of having a team that is innovative, creative, and united in their goals. To achieve the ambitions and dreams of the company, everyone in the business must have a clear understanding of the company’s vision, as well as the values that the company is built upon. It is necessary from time to time to re-focus and re-evaluate with your team and employees to ensure that all are united in their vision.

It can be difficult during the busyness of the workweek to find the time to have these essential re-evaluations. It’s easy to become distracted with the actual work of running a business and not have time to really step back and re-focus. It’s also important for your employees to once in a while be removed from their normal office surroundings to re-ignite their innovation and creativity.

This is where a corporate teambuilding event can be very beneficial for your business. A change of pace and a change of scenery can be just what is needed to keep your business moving in the right direction. Let’s explore some of the many benefits of taking a corporate retreat.

Building Relationships

While working in an office, employees rarely show their personalities in the same way they do outside the office. This can be due to the pressures of the workplace, or just their natural disposition around other people. At a corporate retreat, the atmosphere is more relaxed, allowing employees to interact more freely without the work pressure that is usually present. This can allow for building closer relationships between employees, as well as relationships between management and employees. At an offsite event, there is less of a hierarchical structure, allowing everyone to feel important and valued, as well as making them feel more free to express their opinions.

Increasing Creativity

Being in the same location day after day can sometimes lend itself to a stagnation in creativity. Just as thinking outside of the box is necessary for creativity, so too being physically outside of your normal “box” is necessary to get the creative juices flowing. The fresh air of the outdoors, the beauty of nature all around you, and the meeting spaces outside of your usual conference areas all lend themselves to a creative environment that is necessary in today’s business world.

Learning to Work Together

Teambuilding Challenge – Gossip Table

Obviously, working together is one of the most essential aspects of a successful team. Learning how to work with different personalities while overcoming obstacles is essential for a team to run smoothly and efficiently. There are many team-building exercises that you can do on your corporate event that will help the various teams in your business to function more cohesively.

Teambuilding Challenge – Great Wall

At Refreshing Mountain, we have a variety of teambuilding activities that you can incorporate into your corporate retreat, including team-building challenges that require your team to work together to solve specific challenges; a physical challenge course that combines physical activity with a scavenger hunt; and customized team building events that allow you to specifically design exercises for your teams. Working together to solve problems in a fun, relaxed environment will lead to a more cohesive, focused team at the workplace.

Education

In addition to all of the team building activities, a corporate retreat can also be a great place for providing your employees with additional job training. After all, you want as much as possible to take advantage of the opportunity of having your employees all together in a fun, relaxed environment. In the same way that a change of scenery can help to increase creativity, so too can a change in scenery help to present useful information without your employees becoming bored or feel as if their time is being wasted. Refreshing Mountain offers ample meeting facilities with audio/visual equipment to help meet your meeting needs.  We also have a full commercial kitchen and provide catering service to larger groups.

Corporate Team Building

Employee Rewards

A corporate teambuilding event is also a great way of rewarding your employees for the great work they’ve done throughout the year. You may consider inviting your employees’ families to the retreat, to break up the work routine even more and to give the retreat more of a “vacation” feel, rather than just another work-related activity.

Here at Refreshing Mountain, we are dedicated to making your next corporate event as rewarding as possible. Our helpful staff will work with you in planning the logistics so that you can focus on making your event as beneficial as possible to your employees and company as a whole.