NYC team building activities

I love scavenger hunts – always have. In fact, during high school and college I often took it upon myself to create large campus & city-wide scavenger hunts for my friends, simply for the joy of it.

Back in 2006, I started working as Director of Adult Programs at the 92nd Street Y. Realizing that summers were slow, I decide to find a side job – but I didn’t want to pour lattes or stock shelves. Was it possible I could find professional scavenger hunt companies in NYC? You bet!

Shortly thereafter, I started working with New York City’s best-known scavenger hunt company, both creating/producing hunts from scratch, as well as serving as a guide at events. It was an absolute blast  – we were sending corporate groups of all types and sizes out into the city for as team building events, each broken down into teams who were racing to solve clues and take photos before meeting back at a bar or restaurant, to have a recap party and awards presentation. Especially during the summer, it was busy – very busy, sometimes I was running 5 or more events a week.

I did this for two years as a side job, during which time I not only had the time of my life, but I learned so much about teambuilding in NYC. And yet, I wonder: has the time of the New York City corporate scavenger hunt team building activity past?

As much fun as scavenger hunts are, I question how effective they truly can be as a “team building” event. Yes, you can bond with co-workers while trekking around the city, and yes it’s a positive shared experience for the entire group – but how customized can it REALLY be? As someone who has written them professionally, I know the answer: not very. They’re just too large and complicated to deviate from a set formula which works, and there’s only so much you can do beyond that to create an experience uniquely tailored for a specific group, surrounding specific team building goals.

Then there’s the fact that not everyone can participate – people who are limited by age, infirmity or otherwise aren’t going to be able to run around Manhattan for 3 hours. Also, you can’t do these events in inclement  weather, or during the winter; those who have done scavenger hunts in sweltering summer weather (like me) also know it isn’t much fun.

Will there always be a place for scavenger hunts on the team building spectrum? Of course – but I think for companies truly interested in an effective, highly personalized group bonding experience which will reinforce positive workplace skills back at the office, perhaps the era of scavenger hunts is coming to an end.

I welcome your thoughts below!