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Corporate Event Planning: Top Questions to Consider
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Corporate Event Planning: Top Questions to Consider

an employee of a company that is holding corporate events speaking with his coworkerHosting corporate events is a great way to stay competitive and relevant in an overcrowded industry. Corporate events bring employees, current and prospective clients, and business partners together to discuss new ideas and how to grow the company. To ensure that you are on the right track during the event planning process, there are a number of questions you should ask. With more information at your disposal, you can reduce the odds of errors and delays and maximize your chances of a successful corporate event.

Questions to Ask When Corporate Event Planning

1. How Many People Will Be Attending?

It is important to get an estimate for the number of attendees you will have at your corporate event. If you estimate too many people, you could end up losing money that could be better spent elsewhere. Guess too few and some guests may miss out on good food and activities. If you prefer traditional methods, consider sending out RSVP cards to your guests. You can also use technology such as social media to get an estimate. You can also calculate based on who you could realistically expect to come.

2. How Will I Inform Employees of the Event?

As you want as many employees as possible to attend your corporate event, it is important to plan far in advance. You should ideally let your staff know several weeks before the event date, or if possible, a couple of months. There are numerous ways that you can inform employees of the event, such as through standard mail, email, or newsletters sent out at work. To ensure that the event is not forgotten, send follow up emails a couple weeks before the event, a couple days before the event, and again the day before the event.

3. What Kind of Event Will Be Most Successful?

Corporate events can range from incentive trips and trade shows to board meetings and seminars. However, one of the most popular types of corporate events includes team building activities. Whether on-site or off-site, team building exercises are one of the best ways to identify leadership skills and develop critical thinking in your organization. In addition, corporate events involving team bonding exercises can be a fun way for your team to get together and have fun. There is no better way to build better teamwork and stronger communication within the workplace.

4. What Will the Company Gain from the Event?

a corporate event held by a large company through a team building companyCorporate events can provide a wide range of benefits to both employees and management. As more and more companies push to digitalize business operations, the need for face-to-face communications continue to grow. A corporate event allows businesses to meet prospects, build relationships, and sell more products and services. Corporate events also allow employees to get to know one another better. Through various exercises and events, employees can learn each other’s skillsets, knowledge base, and leadership abilities. This can come in handy later on when working together on projects in the workplace.

5. How Will the Company Receive Feedback from the Employees?

Feedback from employees is crucial following a corporate event. When employees provide feedback to management, higher ups are able to make any necessary changes that help make staff happy and to create a more pleasant work environment. There are many ways for companies to receive feedback, such as through email or special web pages that allow for private commenting. For a more personal approach, employees should also be able to talk face-to-face with management about their ideas and concerns without fear of judgment or retaliation.

6. Can I Schedule this Event Again for Future Corporate Events?

If you find that the event is successful, there is a likelihood that you will want to schedule another one in the future. Unfortunately, not all types of events can be easily replicated. Certain types of corporate events, such as team building exercises, can be sought again and again. There is also room for flexibility as team building activities can be scheduled on-site or off-site depending on the unique needs of the company. The ability to reschedule events is highly important as you may want to use team building exercises to welcome new employees to the team later on.

Schedule a Corporate Team Building Event

Team building activities have been found to deliver countless benefits to staff in the workplace, such as improved productivity, improved communication, increased motivation, and positive reinforcement among workers and management. These exercises can also act as a fun bonding event that promotes trust, confidence, and responsibility. Businesses as a whole can greatly benefit from corporate events consisting of team building exercises as these activities can be useful for targeting staff with impressive leadership skills. Learn more about team building activities or schedule your corporate event today by contacting Bond’s Team Building.

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The Corporate Event Planning Checklist

a company event that was set up through corporate event planningCorporate events are a fun and effective way to engage employees, clients, business partners, and industry professionals all in one convenient location. To ensure that the event goes off without a hitch, it is important to properly organize each aspect in a detailed plan. From the event location to the type of food you will serve, each component is as important as the next. If you are planning an upcoming business function, follow this corporate event planning checklist to ensure you are on the right track.

1. Select a Date

One of the first things you will need to do when planning a corporate event is to select a date. Make sure that the date and time you choose does not interfere with any other business obligation currently on the calendar and that everyone who needs to attend is available on that date and time to attend.

  • Ideally, you should have a backup date and time in case the first must be cancelled due to bad weather or some other reason.
  • Most businesses choose to hold corporate events on the weekend which allows for a higher number of attendees.

2. Book a Venue

As one of your biggest expenses, the venue you choose for the corporate event is highly important. The rental should be large enough to accommodate the projected attendance list and available on your chosen date and time. You also want the venue to have a professional ambiance that is reflective of your business and its mission.

  • Does the venue have multiple rooms for different activities?
  • Are local vendors available to provide services?
  • Does the venue offer tables, chairs, and audio and visual equipment?
  • Is there adequate parking space?
  • Will there be janitorial staff onsite during the event to maintain the premises?

3. Set Business Goals and Objectives

business goals and objectives for a corporate eventHaving set business goals and objectives from the get-go can help reaching them more realistic. Have a general idea of how many people you want to attend the event and find ways to reach this number. Do you want your conference to turn a profit? If so, consider how much you want to make in total.

  • Set ticket prices to help accommodate your goal and find ways to keep other costs low.
  • Jot down a rough budget that includes estimated costs to determine if turning a profit is possible.

4. Establish Activities

When creating a corporate event plan, consider what activities will fill up the course of the event. It can be a good idea to start with an icebreaker to get your guests comfortable. Then you can add in workshops, product launch presentations, guest speakers, and tradeshow expos. Leave time open in the schedule for breaks and lunch.

  • Leave extra time in the schedule to allow for delays and technical problems.
  • Consider hosting an after-party that is more laidback.
  • Schedule team-building activities designed to bring your staff together. This can be a great addition to your corporate event as it fosters creativity, positivity, and collaboration among employees.

5. Look for Sponsors

Businesses of all sizes are often happy to sponsor events that are relevant to their industry or beliefs. Start your search by thinking of businesses that you would consider to be good sponsors. While these businesses may not want to sponsor you, writing down ideas can help get the thought process going.

  • Look at similar events to yours to see who sponsored them.
  • Have a great sponsor proposal ready for when you need it.
  • Be clear about your platform and demographic.
  • Know exactly what you can offer your sponsors in return for their support.

6. Choose Speakers

a woman who is speaking at a corporate eventChoosing professionals to speak at your event can be challenging. Not everyone who claims to be a “public speaker” has the background and communication skills needed to really move an audience. The content and the delivery of the speech need to be authentic if you want the speaker to connect to the audience and form a line of trust.

  • Compile a list of possible speakers.
  • See what speakers have performed at events similar to yours.
  • Determine what value the speakers you choose will provide.
  • Contact the speakers and invite them to your event.

7. Finalize Your Event

After drafting a schedule and finalizing details for the chosen venue, take a few moments to plan the smaller components of your corporate event. On-site advertising should be included to tell your guests exactly who the event is for. Consider having posters and banners printed or hand our flyers or brochures to guests.

  • Consider who will cater your event and what will be served.
  • Plan to have security personnel at specific points throughout the venue.
  • If the event is in a different city, determine if transportation or lodging will be needed for guests.
  • Send reminders to guests through mail, social media, and/or email.

Schedule Your Corporate Event Today

Corporate event planning can be a long and tedious process. However, an organized corporate event can also be highly successful. When creating your checklist, be sure to schedule your team building activities ahead of time. Contact Bond’s Team Building for more information or to reserve your date.

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Benefits of Team Building Activities

a group of employees enjoying the benefits of team buildingTeam building has the power to bring people of different backgrounds and skills together by encouraging teamwork and collaboration. It can also be a great way for business owners to build a healthy and cohesive work environment. If you are the owner of a business, you may be considering the use of team building activities that your employees can do together.

Benefits of Team Building in Northern Virginia

Learn more about the benefits of team building and what types of Northern Virginia team building activities are available for your group.

Promote Better Communication

Maintaining open communication in the workplace is key for successful relationships and smooth-running projects. Team building activities are designed to foster better communication by allowing employees the opportunity to get to know one another on a deeper level outside the office. As your employees start to learn more about each other’s skills and talents, they will know who they can go to when they are experiencing an obstacle. By promoting communication, there will also be fewer conflicts and misunderstandings. When employees are better able to communicate with one another, as well as with their superiors, the workplace will be a better place for everyone.

Foster Team Spirit

Building a cohesive team is important for productivity and employee retention. One of the biggest benefits of team building is the ability to develop trust among co-workers. When employees are asked to work on a project together outside of the office and out of the scope of normal work duties, they are able to relax and engage with one another. When forced to work as part of a team, employees learn how to converse and share ideas to solve problems. This can result in greater trust among co-workers while also fostering team spirit.

Boost Productivity

happy employees after doing team building eventsAny successful business understands the importance of maintaining and increasing productivity in the workplace. In a financial aspect, productive employees are more likely to translate to higher profits. A high rate of productivity among employees is also good for group morale. If a low productivity employee sees his co-worker being highly productive, he will likely put forth extra effort to boost his own productivity. In addition, productive workers are more likely to meet deadlines and reach customer expectations. This can put your business in a good light as your employees are able to provide professional services that satisfy clients.

Identify Leadership Qualities Among Employees

It can be challenging to determine what qualities your employees possess until you really get to know them. While some employees prefer to stay in the background and tend not to engage in activity unless nudged, others have the personality needed to be leaders among teams. Team building activities are an excellent way to determine which of your employees have natural leadership abilities and know how to take charge and lead a group. Leadership qualities may be evident by an employee’s ability to coach or be an authority when faced with a problem. This can be useful information when giving out job duties in the future.

Develop Problem-Solving Skills

Do you think that your employees have the skills needed to solve difficult problems in a swift and precise manner? If not, you may want to consider team building activities. These professional activities generally involve a simulated scenario that must be solved in a certain way. When faced with a problem, employees must develop their problem-solving skills to reach a goal. This may mean having to work past a variety of difficult hurdles. Employees who develop good problem-solving skills are better able to work through obstacles in the workplace without extensive delays.

Improve Company Morale

Work can become stressful and sometimes even boring when employees are forced to perform the same tasks, day-in and day-out. Team building activities help provide employees with a break from the daily grind, while still benefiting the company as a whole. Team building exercises can be fun, challenging, and an effective way to enhance team bonding in a professional manner. Although the activities are designed to be difficult, they also encourage laughter and the ability to come up with unorthodox ideas. This allows employees to better connect with each other, leading to improved company morale.

Schedule a Team Building Event

a handshake between a business owner and the owner of a team building company as they meet to discuss team building ideasYou spend a lot of time and money hiring the right people for your team. As a major investment, it is important to take care of your workers to ensure that they have the right knowledge, skills, and qualities to succeed in their job positions. One way to invest in your employees is by introducing Northern Virginia team building activities, such as escape rooms. There are countless benefits of team building, from building trust and increasing engagement to strengthening morale and establishing leadership. In short, team building can help your employees unite as one and conquer. For more information about the benefits of team building or to schedule a team building event, contact Bond’s Team Building today.

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Top Team Building Ideas for Corporate Events

a work cookout which is one of the best team building ideas for corporate eventsIf you have been tasked with planning your company’s next corporate event, consider a team building activity. Team building exercises are an excellent way to facilitate better communication, increase productivity, boost employee morale, and develop problem-solving skills. They are also a great way for business owners to evaluate their employees’ strengths and weaknesses in a subtle way. There are plenty of team building ideas for corporate events, so you should consider them for your next event.

Top Ideas For Corporate Events

There are many ideas for corporate events that are designed to bring co-workers and management together in a fun and laid back manner. Check out these top team building ideas for corporate events.

Company Picnics/Cookouts

There is no better way to bring people together than with good food. Consider a company picnic or cookout as a team building activity for your next corporate event. Fresh air and sunshine tend to put people in a good mood, creating the perfect atmosphere for communication and collaboration. There are many ways to make a company picnic an even more cohesive experience. Consider hosting a burger grilling contest or chili cook-off that forces teams to go against each other to win. This is a great way to promote friendly competition and encourage problem-solving skills.

Baseball Games

Baseball is not only America’s favorite pastime, but also an effective way to develop team building during corporate events. Baseball is a team sport that forces co-workers to work together to achieve a common goal. If your team is not the athletic type, you may also consider purchasing tickets that allow your employees to attend a baseball game together. Attending a sports event as a team is a fun way for co-workers to get to know one another better outside of the workplace. Employees are also more likely to attend a corporate event when the activity is something they enjoy.

Winery/Brewery Tours

a brewery that is open to tours for Northern Virginia corporate eventsTeam building activities are designed to help your team become better acquainted by spending time together outside the office. One idea for a corporate event that fosters fun and cohesiveness is a tour of a winery or brewery. Learning how wine and beer are made encourages conversation between co-workers, while sampling the goods is a great way for employees to let loose and show their true personalities. Winery or brewery tours are a suitable option for groups of all sizes and can be a highly rewarding experience for all involved.

Boat Cruise

Are you in search of more ideas for corporate events? Consider setting sail with your team out on the open water. A boat cruise is a relaxing way to foster camaraderie and open communication. To achieve a successful sail, your team will need to engage in an efficient manner and put their trust in the captain and in each other. Boat cruises can also promote healthy competition among colleagues. By participating in friendly sailing contests or racing obstacles, teams can develop problem-solving skills in a healthy way. Sailing also requires teamwork. Each member of the team plays an important role to ensure that the trip goes smoothly.

Onsite Team Building Activities

You do not have to leave the office for your team to enjoy a corporate event. There are countless team building exercises that can be done on-site. Not only is this a great way to save money on corporate events, it also allows team members the opportunity to strengthen their relationships in a familiar environment. During on-site team building events, employees must complete puzzles and develop strategies to find solutions to common problems. This can be highly beneficial for employees, as well as business owners who are better able to identify their workers’ strengths and weaknesses.

Team building activities as corporate events provide staff with realistic experiences designed to empower employees to contribute their knowledge and skills to reach a goal. The overall successful of a team building exercise will majorly depend on how much effort team members put forth. When employees are encouraged to engage in the experience, team building activities can provide numerous benefits, such as improved productivity and motivation. Whether you choose to remain on-site or prefer to take your group out of the workplace, you will quickly see the benefits that team building offers.

Schedule Your Next Corporate Event

an employee of a team building company planning a corporate eventPlanning corporate events for your company is not always easy. While there are endless possibilities for team building events, not all offer the same level of effectiveness. By choosing the right team bonding experience for your employees, you can encourage teamwork and collaboration in a fun and stress-free way. Of course, the main purpose of team building exercises is to get results. By implementing a series of planning team building activities, your team will have the resources needed to grow their communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills. For more ideas for corporate events or to schedule a team building activity, contact Bond’s Team Building today.

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Activities to Improve Communication Skills Within a Team

a small business participating in team building activities to improve communication skillsYour employees may be excellent at their jobs, with the analytical skills and technical knowledge they need to succeed. Without good communication, though, that work may all be for nothing. Strong communication skills allow teams to remain organized, get work done faster, and plan ahead more effectively. Without it, important information that allows projects to move forward may be delayed, costing your business in terms of both finances and employee morale.

Activities That Improve Team Communication Skills

There are several activities to improve communication skills that you can implement in your office, from simple open door policies to enjoying Northern Virginia team building activities. Consider using one of the following ways to build better communication within your office.

Open Door Policies

Your office doors don’t literally need to be open at all times to institute an open door policy. In practice, it simply means that employees are encouraged to stop by at any time to ask questions, address problems, or discuss work projects. An open door policy helps everyone have faster access to information about the business, which can in turn help solve problems more quickly. When it’s easier to access information at a moment’s notice, instead of constantly working to schedule meetings in advance, your entire staff will feel more engaged with their projects. Knowing that help is always available encourages employees to give and receive it more openly, which, in turn, facilitates communication and helps keep everyone informed of the latest office news.

Project Management Software

When you’re busy with several multi-step projects and need a progress report on each one, emails containing important information can easily get lost in the flurry of updates. Instead of having constant meetings or endless email chains, consider using a project management software to communicate the status of each project. In this way, your employees can update their progress on the platform and show everyone else on the team what’s happening, without risking the information getting overlooked. Provide training to your employees to ensure that they understand how to properly use the software, and ask them to consult the program on a regular basis to receive and give updates in a timely manner, as failing to do so could delay projects.

Identifying Group Leaders

a company appointing new leaders after Northern Virginia team building activitiesAnother way to ensure that important information is properly distributed is to assign group leaders for each team or project. This person can act as your point of contact, allowing you to give and receive updates with one person, who can then communicate that information to their group, instead of managing multiple email chains and ongoing discussions. Streamlining your communication process makes that communication faster and more effective while keeping it focused on the topic at hand. Be sure to choose leaders who demonstrate the ability to stay organized, adhere to deadlines, and communicate clearly.

Conducting Surveys

Whether they’re trying to address a problem or simply make a suggestion for process improvement, employees often find it difficult to bring up their concerns in the workplace. Conducting regular surveys can help ease this tension. Quarterly surveys asking employees to anonymously provide feedback can encourage them to openly discuss their needs without feeling that they will be negatively impacted by speaking up. This allows your company to address these needs with minimal disruption to employees’ peace of mind at work and provides them with an opportunity to safely address areas that make their workday more difficult. Remind employees to respond to the survey, but let them know that they’re always welcome to bring up their concerns at any point throughout the year if they need to be attended to more quickly.

Engaging In Team Building Activities

Getting out of the office to enjoy a team building activity together can jumpstart communication skills. The new environment will keep employees engaged while they work together throughout the day. Escape rooms are a popular new team building activity because they require cooperation, communication, and critical thinking to solve puzzles and escape. Participants only have one hour to find the solutions to these puzzles, and learning how to share information and make decisions while under pressure is essential. Your employees will be able to take the skills they learned while solving puzzles back to the office for improved team communication long after the experience.

Speak With Bond’s Team Building For More Information

a Northern Virginia team building company meeting with a business owner to discuss activities to improve communicationSpeak to Bond’s Team Building for more information about activities to improve communication skills, increase innovation & creativity and to schedule your team building event. Bond’s Team Building offers corporate onsite and offsite team building activities, as well as corporate retreats to allow your employees to strengthen their skills and develop new ones. Our Northern Virginia team building activities also promote a healthy working environment, fostering new and improved relationships among employees. To schedule a team building activity, contact Bond’s Team Building or call us at (703) 372-9920 today.

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The Benefits of Offsite Training for Your Team

offsite training for a small Northern Virginia companyThere are plenty of options to consider for your next Northern Virginia team training event. Before you schedule a day off for office activities, though, you might want to consider an offsite training. Getting your team out and in unfamiliar surroundings may be just the thing you need to make your training more effective than ever. Offsite training can increase engagement, help your team focus, and ensure that the valuable lessons they learn can really sink in.

Top Offsite Team Training Benefits

Here are some of the benefits your business might see from conducting an offsite training event.

Better Focus

Removing your staff from their traditional work environment can be an easy way to improve focus right away. Employees will be less likely to check emails, answer their phone, or even sneak away to finish other tasks during the training. With a new environment to explore, they can focus solely on the tasks at hand, instead of getting distracted by the usual workday demands. Similar to the way that working from home instead of the office can boost productivity due to the change of scenery, an offsite training can signal that it is time to learn something new and pay attention.

More Engagement

As much as your employees may enjoy their jobs, they are still going to work and doing a job. The office, then, can contain all of the everyday stresses that can come with that role. Moving your training to a new location that does not carry the same connections and feelings can instantly improve your experience. Employees are more likely to remain engaged in the activities, become active participants, and retain what they have learned if they are able to work in a new environment for the day. Your training can be more effective and have longer lasting effects simply by moving it out of the office.

Increased Networking

employees getting to know each other during offsite trainingRemoving employees from the office also removes them from their comfort zones. As a result, they may be more likely to interact with coworkers with whom they do not typically get to spend much time. They may carpool to the offsite location with a new group of colleagues or be placed into teams with them. A new environment signals a change in the typical way of doing things, and employees may therefore feel more comfortable with breaking their own patterns to reach out to someone different. This can result in meaningful connections and improved teamwork in the office.

Time and Location Flexibility

Your office environment might not be quite right for the type of training you would like to conduct. A boardroom with a long table and chairs is likely not conducive to small group discussions, and a conference room with scattered chairs throughout can make it difficult to focus on a presentation. Conducting your training at an offsite location means that you can take the time to scout out the perfect spot. In addition, it saves you the stress of having to compete with other departments’ scheduling needs. Rather than wait for a day during which the room you would like to use is available within your own office, you can select an offsite training to perfectly meet your team’s schedules.

Outside Specialists

Many offsite training options, such as escape rooms and ropes courses, offer your group the services of a specialist trained in how to use that activity for your team building needs. Other locations may be able to offer technical support, catering partners, and other information that can improve your offsite training experience. Facilities that frequently provide training and team building programs will typically have excellent support and service options to streamline your booking and training process.

Increased Relaxation

While having a relaxing day is not the goal of an offsite training exercise, it is a welcome side effect. Getting out of the office can be a refreshing experience and offer employees a good excuse for disconnecting from their emails, phones, and other responsibilities for a short time. Spending time in a new location during the workday can also break up the monotony of a usual week. Your employees may return with a new sense of invigoration and energy, allowing them to tackle their work with a more positive outlook.

Schedule Offsite Team Training at Bond’s Team Building

a Northern Virginia Team Training company speaking to a business owner about offsite trainingSpeak to Bond’s Team Building for more information about scheduling an offsite team training event at the company’s escape room venue. Each escape room has a unique theme, including cartoons, horror movies, and the wild west. Theater grade props and special effects help make participants feel like they are in the middle of their own movie. When booking a private event, you will also receive the use of Bond’s VIP Room. This space can be used to discuss your goals before your event or debrief afterwards about how to bring your newfound skills back to the office. Contact Bond’s Team Building today in order to get started with your offsite training event.

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How Interactive Puzzles Can Help Grow Your Business

a business man solving interactive puzzles with his coworkersAs a business owner, it is your responsibility to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your employees and establish roles within a team. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. It can be challenging to narrow down each staff member’s strengths and weaknesses without undergoing lengthy evaluations.

To simplify the process, many business owners rely on team building activities. Whether onsite, offsite, or while on a corporate retreat, team building activities can be an effective way to strengthen the work relationships and unique skills of your team members while giving you better insight on where their expertise in certain areas may be strong and where it may be limited.

The Value of Interactive Puzzles in Team Building Activities

More companies are moving away from competition in the workplace to a more collaborative environment. When employees are able to work together as a team, productivity skyrockets and long-term goals can be reached more swiftly. Team building activities are an effective way to give employees a ‘break’ from the daily grind while helping business owners identify which team members are best suited for which roles.

Interactive puzzles can be especially useful for team building. During team building activities, employees must remain focused, communicate effectively, and use their own unique skill sets to solve interactive puzzles. While working on these challenging puzzles, an industrial organizational psychologist monitors the team to identify each member’s unique strengths and weaknesses. This information can then be shared with the employer who can then hand out proper roles for each team member in the organization. This feedback can be invaluable for business owners and can significantly help a team grow together and enhance their ability to work side by side in the office.

Improving Productivity

Interactive puzzles and other types of team building activities can provide organizations with a number of other benefits too. Improving productivity in the workplace is a common goal of team building activities. By encouraging employees to work together to solve a common problem, they are better able to lean on each other’s unique skill set and work more efficiently as a team. Team building activities can also boost motivation among staff members for a more nurturing team environment. When team members are able to work together and successfully complete a team building activity, it increases their confidence and their trust in each other’s abilities.

Enhancing Team Collaboration

a group of employees participating in interactive puzzles and other team building activitiesCollaboration between team members is a critical component of any successful business. If your team does not collaborate well, it can take significantly longer to complete tasks and there are likely to be more delays and conflicts along the way. Team building activities support group collaboration by building relationships and a network of different skills that each member can utilize when needed. These activities also encourage creativity among teams by forcing employees to brainstorm ideas and to use their imagination to develop creative solutions to problems. As team members bounce ideas off of one another, they can come up with solutions together as a team.

Good communication does not always come naturally in the workplace. While it is common for some team members to be more outspoken than others, it is important for all employees to know that their voice is heard and that their thoughts and ideas are welcome. Team building activities like interactive puzzles are a fun way for employees to relax and learn how to communicate more effectively among themselves. These activities act as a type of ice breaker, allowing employees to learn what they have in common with one another so that trust can be formed.

Identifying Employees Roles

Defining roles and responsibilities for team members is no easy task. It takes time to fully understand how each employee can optimally contribute to the team and what each team member needs to be truly successful in his or her position. If you are struggling to identify roles within a team, know that interactive puzzles and other team building activities can help. It is common for some employees to feel that the company they work for are not using their strengths effectively. This can lead to boredom among employees and a loss of motivation and morale. Team building activities are designed to address these concerns.

Schedule Your Team Building Event With Bond’s Team Building

When business owners know where the strengths of their employees lie, they are able to effectively assign tasks based on these skills. When employees’ strengths are put to good use, it is easier to run a business and organizations are often more successful in reaching their goals. Team building activities can also show business owners’ possible weaknesses in some areas. When you know these weaknesses exist, you can implement training to fill the knowledge gap. For more information about the benefits of interactive puzzles or to schedule a team building event, contact Bond’s Team Building.

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Psychologist Team Evaluations: Why You Should Get One

Employees are the heart of an organization. As so, you want to ensure that you are utilizing their unique knowledge base and skill set. It is not always easy to identify employees strengths and weaknesses without undergoing extensive team evaluations, which can take a significant amount of time to accomplish. Employers who wish to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each staff member, often rely on the services of an industrial-organizational (I/O) psychologist. Learn more about the role of an I/O psychologist, and how one can help you enhance your team and grow your business.

I/O Psychology & Psychologists

An IO psychologist conducting comprehensive team evaluations

Industrial and organizational psychology, also referred to as occupational psychology, is the scientific study of human behavior in the workplace and within organizations. I/O psychologists must have specialized knowledge and training in the science of workplace behavior, as well as an in-depth knowledge of career development, employee attitudes, consumer behavior, decision theory, job and task analysis, human performance, and individual assessment. They must also know the proper procedures for addressing training and developmental needs among employees, as well as developing criteria to evaluate performance.

Benefits of Team Evaluations By An I/O Psychologist

Maintaining a smooth and efficient work environment is vital if you want to keep your employees happy and your business thriving. When an organization’s infrastructure is strong, business operations run efficiently and conflicts are dealt with swiftly with fair resolutions. Below are the top benefits of having a team evaluation conducted by an I/O Psychologist.

Increased Team Productivity

An industrial-organizational psychologist can help enhance operations using various research methods and psychological principles. While working with an organization, an I/O psychologist will study a workplace and analyze productivity and management styles. With the information they find, they can help employers train and motivate their workforce, improve organizational structure, and assess job performance.

Better Hiring Processes

Having the right people on your team can be critical to your long-term success. I/O psychologists often work with human resources departments to identify job candidates who are best suited to take on certain roles within an organization. They can also work with management to determine which roles existing employees should fill for optimal productivity. By getting to know each employee better through team evaluations, I/O psychologists can identify key skills and special knowledge that team members may possess. These team members can then be placed in positions that make better use of their unique skill set and present an exciting new challenge.

Identifying Employee Strengths & Weaknesses

a psychologist considering the strengths and weaknesses of each team member

Knowing the specific strengths and weaknesses of your employees may be more important than you realize. By understanding what qualities each staff member has to offer, you can develop a more productive team and set realistic long-term goals. For example, if your business would like to develop an online store front, you must know if your technology department has the skillset needed to not only build, but also manage an e-commerce shop and credit card processing software. If you find that you do not have people with the right skills, you can then choose to hire new professionals to fill in the skill gap.

Performing team evaluations can also benefit your budget. When you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your employees, you can better determine what tasks can be successfully completed in-house, and which you will need to outsource to other professionals. Some of the tasks that you may be currently outsourcing could potentially be completed in-house by your own staff. However, you might not have realized that your current employees possess the knowledge and skills to complete the jobs sufficiently. When certain tasks can be completed in-house, you can use the extra money in your budget to put towards other important projects.

Better Training For Employees

When you understand where your employees are lacking, you can also implement training programs to help grow your staff as a team. It is important for business owners to invest in their employees if they wish to retain them for the long-term. Even the most talented employees could benefit from training to further enhance their skills and learn new industry practices. Sending your employees to professional workshops and seminars, or hiring an industry professional to come on-site to teach, can be highly beneficial for your team as a whole.

a diverse group of coworkers holding hands after a successful team building exercise

Contact Bond’s Team Building For More Information

Team building activities are an excellent way to develop and strengthen relationships among employees and create a strong team dynamic. Bond’s Team Building offers onsite and offsite team building activities and corporate retreats, as well as team evaluations performed by an experienced I/O psychologist.

These services can be highly beneficial to business owners who wish to develop team relationships and identify each team member’s strengths and weaknesses. The results from the evaluation can also be used to devise a strategy to improve team performance. For more information about the benefits of psychologist team evaluations or to schedule team building activities for your workplace, contact Bond’s Team Building today.

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The Importance Of Quarterly Corporate Events

Employees participating in corporate eventsNo matter the size of your office, creating a cohesive, productive team is important. Small offices may frequently need all hands on deck for projects, while larger ones risk lacking a sense of rootedness among employees. Team building events can help employees at companies of all sizes to bond with each other and instill a feeling of responsibility for each other while promoting a fun, welcoming work environment. Your corporate events can take many forms, from escape room adventures to outdoor activities, and can benefit your company long after the day is over.

Benefits Of Corporate Events With Team Building Activities

Team building activities connect your employees in new ways. People often see work as simply work and choose to not interact with their coworkers in more meaningful ways. This can prevent them from reaching out to request or offer support and from feeling fulfilled in their roles. Team building events can help improve bonding within your team. They allow employees to meet new people on their team and get to know them in a more casual setting, encouraging them to continue interacting on a daily basis in the office. Rather than putting in the effort to meet people in the lunchroom, they’ll have the opportunity to accomplish a goal within the context of a structured event, taking a weight off their shoulders and facilitating better connections.

Enhance Creativity Among Team Members

Enhanced creativity among team members in meetingCorporate events can also encourage creativity. Many team building activities, such as scavenger hunts or escape rooms, ask participants to think outside the box to solve problems and win the challenge. What’s all fun and games during the event can translate into more innovative ideas at the office and a higher tolerance for unusual ideas from fellow coworkers. In this way, team building events help create a supportive environment in which non-traditional thinking is rewarded. Once employees know that their unique contributions will be valued, they are more likely to suggest innovative ideas in the workplace.

Boosting Morale & Employee Engagement

A fun team building event that takes employees out of the office for the day can boost morale and create a stronger sense of company engagement. Employees who do not feel connected to their workplaces are not likely to enjoy their day to day work and are therefore more susceptible to slow or inaccurate work.. When employees are treated to an enjoyable outing instead of listening to a presentation about teamwork, they are more inclined to see their companies as forward-thinking organizations that truly prioritize their employees. This can help you retain and attract talented employees who impact your company’s future.

Increased Productivity & Time Management Skills

Increased time management skills after participating in corporate eventsHow does your company benefit from team building activities? First, your company may see increased productivity from employees. Higher morale and a greater sense of teamwork and responsibility may help employees work together more efficiently to get projects done. As a result of their experience, they may be more inclined to propose creative ideas that help your company initiate new projects that differentiate it from the competition.

Timed activities can teach time management and prioritization skills, while group activities may be a way for natural leaders to further develop their skills and become important assets to the company. Spending an afternoon outside of the office re-energizes your employees and asks them to view their work from a different perspective, providing your company with an injection of energy that could propel its growth.

Scheduling Your Corporate Event With Bond’s Team Building

Bond’s Team Building offers private corporate events that can be used as team building activities to improve communication, bonding, and morale. Businesses booking a private event will also receive the use of Bond’s VIP Room before or after their event, giving them the opportunity to discuss goals for the event or debrief afterwards to discuss lessons learned.

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Top 6 Ways to Increase Employee Productivity

a small company in Northern Virginia that is looking to increase employee productivity by participating in team building activitiesLagging employee productivity is one of the many issues that businesses face. Whether the dreary winter weather has your team down or the prospect of summer vacations are just too much, decreases in productivity can cost you more than just money. It may damage the company’s reputation if deadlines are not met and create a stressful working environment.

Six Ways To Increase Employee Productivity

Employee productivity can be boosted in several ways, many of which may provide a much-needed dose of fun and community building. Here are six engaging ways to increase employee productivity with rewards, team building activities, and more.

Reward Programs

Rewarding employees for good work provides motivation for them to do their best work. Not only will they be able to easily identify what qualifies as top notch work, they will also have goals that they can work towards daily. These rewards can take many forms. Your company may be able to offer bonuses or yearly raises to employees who produce a certain amount of high-quality work, or offer educational reimbursement for employees who would like to take additional classes. If larger financial incentives are not an option for your business, you can consider rewards programs offering catered lunches and gift cards to local shops or restaurants.

Friendly Competition

Competition in the workplace can be an excellent way to improve employee productivity, if done correctly. Ask employees to compete against themselves and beat a personal benchmark for a reward, or divide into teams and collaborate to reach certain goals before the others. It’s important to set reasonable goals within the competition and ensure that the rules are fair for everyone participating. This type of competition remains civil while also promoting productivity and pushing employees to do their best work.

Team Building Activities

a company doing team building activities to increase employee productivityIt sounds counterintuitive, but getting out of the office for an afternoon of escape rooms, ropes courses, or go-kart racing gives teams a productivity boost. Many corporate events like these are designed to place your employees in a competitive setting that asks them to use their teamwork, creativity, and communication skills to successfully complete the activity. By connecting these skills to the workplace, you may be be able to increase employee productivity as employees learn to use their new interpersonal skills at the office.

The Right Tools

Investing in the right software tools can help your employees manage their time and priorities better. Consider introducing time tracking apps, collaboration tools like Google Drive or Basecamp, communication software like Slack, and other digital tools to keep communication clear and projects on track. Provide your employees with the training they need to use these tools effectively, and help them understand how each one should be used to their fullest advantage. These tools can give employees streamlined and centralized ways to manage their time, priorities, and communication, making it easier to get things done on time and helping them spend less time searching for information about their projects.

Flexible Scheduling

Employees’ lives outside of work are busy and unpredictable. Flexible scheduling allows them to work from home in the event of an appointment, childcare emergency, or other unexpected event. Many companies also offer work from home days once per week or whenever possible, as well. Employees who work from home are sometimes more productive than those working in an office, and the flexibility to choose their workspace can help some employees turn in high quality work more quickly. If your company is unable to offer work from home days, consider allowing employees to begin and end their workdays earlier, or come in and stay a bit later, depending on their needs.

Avoid Micromanaging

a small business holding a meeting to look for new ways to increase employee productivityIt may be helpful to examine your own managing habits in order to increase employee productivity. It can be easy to accidentally micromanage your employees, or be too involved in their projects despite good intentions. However, micromanaging can cause employees to feel that their managers do not trust them. This can impact morale, creativity, and employees’ drive to succeed, in addition to productivity. Encourage managers to take a step back, allow employees to work in their own way, and schedule regular check-in meetings instead of constant supervision.

Increase Employee Productivity With Team Building Activities at Bond’s

Speak to Bond’s Team Building for more information about scheduling a team building event. The Bond’s franchise operates the largest escape room venue on the east coast, with 13 themed rooms available for your private event. Teams will have just one hour to escape each room by using their teamwork, communication, and creative thinking skills to solve puzzles and find the key. Each room is designed with theater-grade special effects and props for a truly immersive experience. They can even be customized with your company’s logo or other details for a personal touch. Bond’s offers the use of its VIP Room to all private groups, allowing organizers to discuss goals or debrief after the event with their teams.

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Recent Posts

  • Corporate Event Planning: Top Questions to Consider
  • The Corporate Event Planning Checklist
  • Benefits of Team Building Activities
  • Top Team Building Ideas for Corporate Events
  • Activities to Improve Communication Skills Within a Team

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