How to pick a team building destination
When you’re trying to build a successful company or organization, you can use team building activities to help your employees work together better. There are many different options — from ropes courses and team sports to problem solving exercises and more creative, unusual choices — but they all have one thing in common: they help your team members trust each other more effectively. The best teams, after all, are made up of people who have a shared purpose and vision. They share their goals, dreams, and visions with one another in an effort to get each person to the same place. Team building is a great way to bond with your co-workers and have fun outside of the office. It's also a chance to build trust and confidence in your team, which can help you work better together on projects. The problem is team building in the office isn't fun. Just ask anyone who's had to do a trust fall or tackle an ugly sweater race. If you have it in your budget, why not treat your team to a team building destination they would pick for a holiday, if given the choice? You guess, we have opinions about that, and we are about to share them!
The first step in planning a successful team building trip is choosing the right activity for your group. The second step is picking the right destination for your event! But where do you go? What activities do you choose? How do you pick the perfect team building destination to make your team happy? Let's start at the beginning, shall we?
Team Building Goals: What Are You Trying to Accomplish?
Every company is different. There are no standard guidelines that can tell you exactly what kind of team building activity will work for your organization. The best thing to do when choosing a location and drawing up a program is to think about your specific goals for the event. For instance:
Do you want to build trust between members of the team? Perhaps something like trust falls or blindfolded games would help accomplish this goal. On the other hand, literally everyone hates trust falls. So maybe you should think out of the box and try orienteering or scavenger hunts. Points for beautiful outdoor locations!
Do you want to strengthen communication skills within the group? You might want to try an activity that requires everyone in the group to work together as a unit, such as canoeing or rafting. If you are starting to sense an outdoor theme, you are absolutely right.
Are there any personal issues between members of your team that need resolving? Team building exercises can often help people open up and talk about their feelings more easily than they would otherwise. You know what else helps people talk through their issues? Sitting together around a nice meal and a glass of wine. Guess what? Cooking classes and wine tastings are perfectly viable team building options!
Team building by the sea is a fantastic idea and you know it
There is almost no activity that you can carry out in a city that can't be enhanced by several levels of magnitude by being carried out on a beach. That's science. Ask your employees: they will confirm this for you.
Being in close proximity with the sea and surrounded by nature has been proven to be a relaxing and soothing experience. It's also fun to take part in beach games that require teamwork. Sailing trips are another major perk: sailing is the ultimate team sport; in that it requires precise tasks and roles to be assigned and it can't work unless every single individual pulls their full weight. Learning the rudiments of sailing is one of the most exciting and memorable team building activities out there.
Pick the right team building destination and the right activities will plan themselves
Salento is the perfect team building destination: it's fun, beautiful, and affordable. Are we biased? Of course, we are. But are we wrong? One glance at our gallery will answer that question.
Salento is a region in Apulia, the heel of the Italian boot. It’s famous for its beaches and cuisine, but also for being home to some of the best wineries in Italy. There’s a lot to do here, but you don’t need to spend much money to enjoy yourself – which is great news, when you are booking accommodation, meals, and activities for large groups.
Here are some ideas for activities that will make your Salento team building experience unforgettable:
Experience a wine tasting at one of the many wineries that dot the countryside here (we have plenty of excellent ones to suggest!)
Visit local markets for fresh produce and artisan goods (but don't haggle over prices)
Spend an afternoon at one of the many beaches along the coast. Check out our favourite ones!
Take a cooking class and learn how to prepare come local recipes
Final tips: pick your team building destination with care!
When choosing a team building destination it is important to look at the activities available, the site's versatility, the range of accommodation available and of course ultimately how much fun you will have there. It is also vital to choose a site which can accommodate all of your colleagues/clients with activity options to suit all abilities. In the end, building a successful team doesn't just involve sending people to a random location and hoping for the best. While this will work for some groups, it's not the best method to follow when planning a team building event. Instead, you need to plan ahead and consider what your group needs, what kind of environment they'll be most productive in, and how they can be challenged while also having fun. Once you figure that out, everything else should fall into place.