Team-Building Event Tips & Tricks!

Tip #1: Hold Your Team-Building Event in Summer

The first step in hosting a successful team-building event is choosing a time of year that’s feasible for everyone in your business. Summer is the obvious choice. Here are a few reasons why: Productivity plummets during the summer. Studies show that productivity can drop as much as 20 percent during summer, so holding a summertime team-building event is the perfect opportunity to reinvigorate employees and get them excited about the rest of the year. Summer is historically a slower month. This has implications productivity wise, as mentioned, but it also means people’s calendars are typically freer. In order for an employee to enjoy a team-building event and take away as much valuable information as possible, it needs to happen during a time of year that isn’t overly stressful. You’re not competing with major holidays or Q4 goals. No need to worry about Christmas schedules or that end-of-the-year push to finish things on a high note. Summer provides a nice lull perfect to incorporate a team-building event. You can incorporate a “summer fun” theme. When you think “summer,” visions of barbecues and pool parties might come to mind. Use this to your advantage for your team-building event! Perhaps it’s a field day with group games, or maybe you plan a “grill & chill” event full of savory BBQ and sweet snowballs.

Tip #2: Choose a One-of-a-Kind Location

A first impression has a big impact, whether you’re meeting a prospective client or sizing up a new employee. The same is true of a venue for your team-building activity. Ideally, you’ll want a place that makes a positive first impression, setting the tone for your entire event. A prime location sets the scene for a great experience, so it’s in your best interest to choose wisely. Take River City Venues, for example: our venues features indoor and outdoor settings plus spaces to accommodate intimate groups and large crowds alike. Moreover, it’s a unique location destined to stick in people’s minds. We like to think of our venue as a conversation starter in and of itself (where else can you get up close and personal with Mardi Gras floats?) – in past experiences, we’ve found even our decorations can serve as a kickoff point for great conversation during a team-building event.

Tip #3: Feed a Crowd

You know that saying about the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? Well, it holds true for men and women alike during a team-building event. Remember, these events can be mentally draining (or even physically draining depending on your schedule). Keep your guests alert and at-ease with a full spread of catered treats throughout the day. This includes drink options like water bottles and coffee, plus healthy items like fresh fruit and protein-packed nuts and cheeses. Depending on the time frame of your event, plan to include breakfast, lunch, or dinner as needed. A good venue should be able to assist in your catered needs – here at River City Venues, for example, we have all the accouterments necessary to accommodate anything from a light mid-morning snack to a multi-course evening meal.

Remember to be mindful of any potential food allergies as you plan your team-building event. The last thing you want is for an employee to feel left out because he or she can’t enjoy the provided food. Ask your team members in advance about allergies or food preferences like vegetarianism or veganism.

Tip #4: Incorporate Play with a Purpose

Although your team-building event should include downtime for employees to socialize, be sure to include a fun activity that has a deeper meaning. Team-building activities are widely regarded for their ability to improve morale and leadership skills, but they also boast many other benefits:

Assist in pinpointing barriers to creativity
Amplify a team’s ability to problem-solve together
Help clearly define objectives and goals
Foster organizational productivity
Identify staff-wide strengths and weaknesses
Enhance everyday processes and procedures

MGW.GroupCraftingPride-45 Team-building events also teach time-management and strengthen individual relationships and trust. In short, be sure to include a team-building activity! Even activities that seem overtly recreational can have a larger purpose. Take our mask-making activity at River City Venues, for example. From the outset, this is simply a fun task with a take-home component. However, perhaps you have each department work together to create a mask that includes certain features or details. Or, maybe you split up everyone into teams of 3 in groups that don’t typically work with one another. A leisurely task suddenly turns into an opportunity for creative growth and trust among employees. A team-building activity is a fun and effective addition to your event. At River City Venues, we offer one-of-a-kind activities like float building and mask making.

Tip #5: Think Beyond the Event

Imagine how proud you’d feel if your employees couldn’t get enough of one another after a team-building event and decide to go out for dinner or a collaborative cocktail. But – wait a second – you’ve chosen a venue with no nearby options. Everyone decides they better just go home. Bummer! This is yet another reason why venue is so crucial to the success of your team-building event. Team-building effects can start immediately if you’ve chosen a central location wherein employees can have dinner together or bond over a glass of wine following your event. We know the power of a good location: we’re within walking distance to New Orleans’ Warehouse District, Central Business District, and famed French Quarter, all of which are chockful of opportunities for post-event socializing (especially in summer, when wrought-iron balconies beckon). If you select a location that’s centrally located, you can watch your team-building event take flight – even after it’s over.

Tip #6: Don’t Go it Alone!

We already know there’s no “I” in teamwork — and the same is true for planning a team-building event.
Don’t feel like you have to plan and accomplish every last detail on your own: enlist help where you can, whether
it’s a coworker who can assist in brainstorming team-building activities, or a venue with proven experience to help
ensure your team-building event goes smoothly. You can also feel free to contact us at River City Venues. We’re
event-planning experts, whether your team is a group of 10 or 10,000.
We hope that after reading this you feel better equipped to plan an incredible summertime team-building event.
Summer’s the perfect time to reinvigorate employees and finish the year with newfound excitement. With these six
steps, you’re in prime shape for a team-building experience they won’t soon forget… but if you need more help,
we’re here for you!