Team building activities Long Beach California

Here’s something which has cropped up a lot recently, enough that I’ve decided to write a blog post about it. Somebody calls me up, seeking information about producing corporate group bonding events Long Beach or elsewhere. But before I can even get into describing our services, they tack on, “By the way, I’ve never done this before, and have no idea what’s involved.”

Is this you?

The good news is, everybody who HAS planned these types of events was once in the position you find yourself in right now. There’s absolutely zero shame in admitting it, either – come to think of it, I don’t think I myself was ever called upon to plan one of these things as an employee! So there you go.

Whether you’re the company owner/boss who has made the determination, or are simply carrying out a task that was delegated to you, planning office events is easier than you think, especially in Los Angeles County (click here for more). Now, don’t’ get me wrong – even the most turnkey options are not completely effortless, and you’ll have to apply both brains and legwork on your end. However, here are some useful tips to help guide you towards a successful event:

• Determine Your Goals – Why are you doing this in the first place? Is it because you’re integrating new staff? Need a morale boost? Are looking to improve specific workplace skills, such as communication, teamwork or collaboration? Are you trying to break down barriers across silos, or perhaps build trust and camaraderie? Or maybe you’re just doing this because you were told to? Regardless of the reason, you MUST know, clear as crystal, your goals and objectives of the event. Everything else falls into place after this critical step – but it is absolutely essential, and it must come FIRST.

• Find Out Who’s Participating – Is this for a specific team/department, or will it be company-wide? Is it for executives, front line staff, or back office personnel? Are we inviting just full-time employees, or will part-time, temporary or intern staff members be involved? Knowing who will be participating is key.

• Determine How Many People Will Be There – From both a logistical and programmatic standpoint, you need to know how many people you expect to participate. Is it going to be ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred? There’s a big difference between the types of events you can do for small groups as opposed to large. Some venues are better suited for intimate gatherings, while others have the flexibility to accommodate larger groups. Likewise, not every activity is ideal for both small and large groups. Get a realistic headcount from the get-go, even if it’s just a rough estimate.

• Know Your Corporate Culture – Not all team bonding activities are the same, just like not all groups are the same. No one knows your people as well as you do. What do they like? What do they hate? Are they competitive, reserved, work hard/play hard, introverted? When researching possible options for what to do, it is fundamentally important that you know the “type” of people who will be directly involved. You want to match the activity to the group as best as possible, in order to maximize engagement, enjoyment, and impact.

• Get Word of Mouth Referrals – Doing research on the Internet is definitely helpful, but there’s nothing like the reassurance of getting an activity or venue recommendation from a trusted source. Ask around to people who have done this, either at your company or among your friends and family. Preferably, you want recommendations from someone who has done something for a group exactly like yours, within the same industry and, if possible, cut from the same cloth as far as culture, demographics and interests. Having proven options to present to your colleagues is always less stressful than relying on what you’ve found online (even if what you find online appears highly credible and reliable – like this Website!)

• Obtain a Range of Options – Oftentimes, planning a structured team activity is done by committee, rather than by just one individual. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve been tasked with finding some options to take back to the larger group for discussion and consideration. What are some of the things the team will like to see? In my experience – especially if they’ve never done something like this before – the decision makers like to have a range of options to select from. This includes a variety of activities, locations, price points, and overall experiences which they can place side by side, in order to choose the one which fits both the group and goals best.

• Keep the Long Term In Mind – Probably the most far-reaching advice I can give you. No matter what the reason you’re doing this event (see the first point above), you must realize that no singular activity is going to solve your team’s problems overnight. It takes sustained effort and truly meaningful, impactful experiences to bring about positive change in the workplace, and for that reason you have to take the long view. Are you choosing an activity which, while fun, doesn’t really do much to address specific issued or achieve specific objectives? How about the vendor – can they provide the type of compelling repeat experiences which will keep everybody engaged? This is all important stuff to think about – especially when doing it for the first time.

I know planning activities for the office in Southern California or anywhere can be daunting, even anxiety-inducing. Every decision you make will be subject to judgment by your peers, and you want the overall outcome to be a success. If you’ve never planned something like this before, I hope this article and the points above helped take some of the mystery out of corporate event planning. In the end, so long as you select an activity which is an excellent fit for your group, is held in an appropriate venue, and which precisely addresses your specified goals, then I can guarantee you will have produced a successful event!

For a relevant Long Beach team building case study, follow this link.