Planning a team building event or activity can be daunting - especially if this is your first time doing it. The good news is, there are some simple steps you can take to make the process easier and ensure you plan a fun and memorable corporate event. So let's get started!
Step 1 - Select a planning team
Planning an event alone can be overwhelming and take away some of the enjoyment for that person. In many cases, it may even be impossible for someone to plan the event on their own, with all of the different moving parts within an organization. Instead, try to set up a team to plan the event and take on share responsibilities. This will help spread out the tasks and bring in different perspectives that can lead to a more thought out experience.
Step 2 - Set your objectives
Having clearly defined objectives can help ensure your entire team is aiming for the same outcome. It will also help you plan an event that is both fun and achieves your company's aims.
If you haven’t been provided with a main objective by those who asked you to plan the event, just remember the 5 Ws – Who, What, Where, When and Why. This will help you come up with specific, measurable and attainable goals to center your team building event around.
Step 3 - Have a timeline
The more time you have to plan and prepare, the easier it will be to organize a great team building event. If you are planning an event for a group of 100 or less, you ideally give yourself one to two months. For a larger group, you will want even more time.
No matter what your timeline is, once you have it, create a schedule of when you want to have each task completed. This will help you stay on track.
Step 4 - Create a budget
Before you get too far into your planning process, be sure to set up a budget. Call around to vendors and get quotes so you have a better understanding of where money will need to be spent and where you have more flexibility. And don’t forget – always leave some wiggle room. While you want to optimize the budget, it’s better to have some left over than to overspend. And you can always pick up last minute prizes or treats if you do come in under budget.
Key items to budget for when planning a team building event generally include:
- Transportation
- Venue
- Activities
- Permits
- Food
- Beverage
- Insurance
Step 5 - Choose your activities
The activity you choose for your team building event should help you meet your objectives.
If you want to work on communication and collaboration, organizing a trip to the movies where everyone spends the next two hours in silence may not be the best choice. Instead, you want to find an activity where team members have to work together such as a building competition or an escape room.
At Teambonders we have a wide choice of group activities that will fit the bill. From classic game shows that everyone knows and loves - to fully customized challenges designed for your company.
Step 6 - Select a date, time and location
Once you know your budget and what you will be doing, you can decide where and when to host your event.
For the when, be sure to choose a time convenient to your team. Decide whether it will be during work hours, after work or on the weekend. You also need to consider how much time you need to complete your activities. If you need people to stay at the office while others participate in the event, consider having two time slots so that everyone can participate.
When it comes to the location, you want to pick somewhere that is suitable for the activity you will be doing. Ensure there is enough space for all of your employees to move around and perform team building activities.
Teambonders activities can be held at your work location or at an off-site venue like a theme park or hotel conference center. We're here to help you make the best choice!
Step 7 - Make a checklist
As you decide on different aspects of the event, be sure to make a list of actionable items and assign planning members to each task. To make sure everyone is on the same page, keep updating a single checklist and make sure everyone has access to it.
Are you interested in hosting a team building event but don’t have the time, resources or know-how to organize and run the event? Or are you a seasoned event planner and need to select a high quality professionally run activity vendor? Get in touch with Teambonders today. Our team of team building event creators and facilitators would love to help.
