Over the course of a week, we spend around 40% of our available time in the office. On the basis of a 35-hour week, that's a total of 48,000 hours over a working lifetime.
So who came up with the idea of creating corporate events to spend even more time with colleagues?
Where does Team Building come from?
Team building was originally developed in the USA in the early 1980s. The overall objective is to improve corporate performance. This involves strengthening cohesion between team members and creating a favorable working environment.
Certain events or corporate contexts lend themselves particularly well to this:
- The arrival of new employees
- Managing a crisis situation or global stress
- Merger of two companies or operational restructuring
- Generally speaking, the need to strengthen group cohesion and develop team spirit and collective intelligence.
Team Building to improve overall performance
Today, the activities on offer are many and varied. They can be grouped into three main categories:
- Sports challenges (orienteering, charity races, various games)
- Creative activities (comics, music, short films, cooking classes)
- Intellectual activities (management games, escape games, etc.)
This represents a significant financial and time investment (as employees are not dedicated to their main tasks).
So are they really effective and do they bring additional team cohesion? In short, are they good for business or a waste of time and money?
Studies and research conducted by AGEFI have demonstrated an average +30% increase in business efficiency. This increase affects many aspects: quality of work, speed of tasks performed, employee flexibility and responsiveness, and general employee satisfaction. The impact can be measured in terms of increased sales, higher employee productivity and lower absenteeism.
But corporate seminars can be a real bore. A meeting that's too long, a sporting challenge that makes everyone uncomfortable, an atmosphere that's too strict...
That's why it's important to prepare your corporate event properly. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your event:
How to prepare your Team Building?
Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your corporate event.
1) Start early
If you want to organize your corporate event successfully, the first piece of advice is to start early.
Even though concepts for corporate events are flourishing, we advise you to plan well in advance. On the one hand, this allows you to clearly define your project, and on the other, it ensures that you have sufficient availability to propose to all the service providers. Finally, it's always complicated to get a large number of people together. So the earlier you set the date, the easier it will be for your staff to get organized.
2) Prepare in advance
To ensure the success of your corporate event, here are two essential questions to ask yourself:
- What are the team's requests?
- What is the objective for the company?
There's no need to organize a sports challenge if none of your employees have any affinity with sport. This may seem obvious, but it often happens that certain people have no desire to take part in the proposed activity.
It's a good idea to keep it as a surprise, but at the very least you should sound out your employees to find out what their affinity is.
Next, it's important to understand what the company's objective is. Is it to improve communication? Develop your employees' creativity? Relieve stress?
3) Set a budget
Services vary widely. Count on around twenty euros for an axe-throwing session versus several hundred euros for seminars lasting several days in châteaux relais.
3) Taking stock with teams
Once the event is over, it's important to take stock with the teams:
- By discussion/exchange (discussion, satisfaction form, etc.)
- By implementing precise indicators (absenteeism rate and employee satisfaction rate)
Looking for an original Team Building experience?
Come and discover with your company the trendiest activity for corporate events, axe throwing. Our professional instructors are on a mission to give your team one of the most fun times of the year. Your employees will have the opportunity to learn new skills, relieve stress and develop self-control, all while forging strong bonds.
Promote the image of the best company in your sector on social networks.
The benefits of team building at Les Cognées
- Axe-throwing breaks down hierarchical barriers
Axe throwing is a widespread activity in Canada, but is still little known in France. Very few people have ever tried axe throwing. This puts everyone on an equal footing. With its "back to basics" aspect, everyone finds a certain humility in taking the axe in hand, impressive but not cutting, as if facing nature.
During an axe-throwing session, hierarchical barriers are gradually broken down. This frees up communication between employees.
The fear of hierarchy is broken down, the ice is broken and communication is freed up. This helps to break down the walls that have been built up by the difficulties encountered in the workplace.
Living an innovative experience together makes the group more united and supportive.
2. The activity brings real satisfaction and everyone can succeed in planting an axe.
"It's not a question of strength, but of concentration and release," says Pierre Cazoulat, French, European and World axe-throwing champion (see interview). The activity is completely accessible to women.
3. Axe throwing is a really fun activity
The first pitches regularly provide plenty of laughs. It breaks the ice right from the start. Nor are there any hidden or forced pleasures, or awkward waiting times.
It also allows you to see your colleagues and bosses differently, in a more human way, and to perceive everyone's qualities.
4. Organizing an axe-throwing tournament promotes emulation within the company.
The tournament boosts motivation by creating a challenge. Teams can be put together at random by our instructors. Employees working in different geographical areas or business units can get to know each other.
5. Axe throwing to relieve stress
There's nothing like a good axe-throwing session to unwind. It also requires relaxation and concentration. Taking part in a session is a great way to discover yourself and build your self-confidence.
How Team Budiling works at Les Cognées
Les Cognées had the opportunity to welcome all types of companies (institutions, start-ups, consultancies, SMEs, associations, etc.).
How does an axe-throwing event at Les Cognées work?
First, instructors train participants in safety rules. This very important step has enabled us to have zero incidents on several hundred events.
Instructors then explain how to throw axes (see article) with one or two hands.
Time for training. The best can strike the axe on the first try. An average of 5-6 throws is required for success. Under the watchful eyes of the instructors, participants make progress.
The instructors then form teams for the tournament. The aim is to get employees from different departments to meet and compete against each other.
Finally, we introduce the team to other types of axes, for even more fun.
It all ends with a great team photo!
If you would like to organize an original team building event at Les Cognées, please contact us by email or via the form below.
