As the world of work becomes more distributed and dynamic, outdoor spaces are becoming an important tool for promoting corporate culture and team building. Although going outside the company is considered a nice object, today it is a valuable opportunity to meet colleagues in person. In fact, the number one reason to travel has doubled in popularity before the global pandemic!
Teams want and need to interact in real life. This does not mean that the 9-5 office-first model is the only solution to achieving this goal. Teams in all sectors and countries are finding new ways to connect people face-to-face, with out-of-office meetings becoming the preferred method for many.
With that in mind, what are the benefits of dating outside of the office? Why are they such powerful tools for businesses and employees? Let's find out
They help build relationships between team members
Whether your company operates on-site, remotely, or in a hybrid format, not all team members know each other as well as they'd like. External is a way for all team members to connect outside of their daily tasks. Especially for your first remote team, they're a great way to get their communication out of time and into the real world.
Things like team events allow employees to come out of their shells and develop a sense of community. Taking the team out of a professional setting, such as an organized team building event, or something as spontaneous as an after-work drink, can help them get to know each other on a personal level.
They encourage employee participation
Frankly, outsourcing is a nice perk. Whether it's a 2-day retreat at a local hotel full of workshops or a summer success party, it's important that employees look forward to the event. One of the most important performance metrics for success outside the office is whether people are actually having fun, which has a huge impact on employee engagement.
Events outside of work are a way to show employees that they are appreciated. By organizing events like seminars, you give your employees the opportunity to improve their skills, learn something new or collaborate better with other team members. Seasonal parties are a great way to celebrate not only achievements, but also each other. Annual milestones help everyone in the company understand your business goals and what they need to work on. All of this contributes to happy, engaged and motivated employees.
Your creative juices will flow
Have you ever been so overwhelmed by a project that you didn't know where to start? What did you do to get the idea engine running again? Maybe you get away from the computer, have a cup of tea, go for a walk or talk to someone about something else. Basically, you physically break away from your routine for a moment, and this change of scenery opens up a world of ideas and possibilities to tackle the task at hand.
The same goes for off-site. By removing people from their traditional work environment, you free them from preconceived working patterns. New spaces can be very conducive to creative thinking, so outdoor spaces are the perfect time to work or work on a project that requires a lot of thought and collaboration. The office environment is a productive place to work every day, but introducing a "new" element to the regular meeting room will give your team the spark of energy and creativity it needs!
If you're planning your next out-of-the-office meeting and looking for the perfect venue, check out this list of must-sees.
They are great for strategic thinking.
Like creativity, strategic thinking can benefit greatly from a change in atmosphere. For example, especially when teams need to discuss quarterly plans or strategies for the biggest project of the year, getting out of the office and into a remote conference room can be very helpful.
Think about it. You need focus and teamwork when working on key strategies. In a traditional office space, there are many distractions, from co-workers walking in, greeting you, to your next meeting of the day. If you work from home, strategic sessions on video conferencing devices can be exhausting. If they leave the team, you can give them and your team some time. No distractions. It's the perfect environment to disconnect from everything and re-engage with your project.
To be honest... they're really fun.
In addition to performance, creativity, strategy and team building... it's also a great time off the court. We spend most of the year at work, except for some weekends and holidays. We are always on the move, always looking for ways to do more, achieve more and make a difference. Sometimes it can overwhelm us, or we can feel tired, unappreciated, overworked, unmotivated and disconnected. And that is very normal.
But the company can do something! Injecting a dose of happiness once a year can reinvigorate and reward employees. To do this, it is not necessary to hold a massive company-wide event 10 times a year. Even giving the team a small quarterly budget to organize meetings every 3 months can be a much needed breath of fresh air. So why not treat the group to a karaoke bar, escape room or camping trip? They thank you.
The post Top 5 Benefits of Corporate Outreach Meetings appeared first on TravelPerk.