4 team building events that keep environmental impact in mind

Team building events are one of the best ways to connect colleagues and promote a more positive and connected work culture. As a result, such events have become a priority for many businesses. From day trips to the zoo or a theme park to activities held at the office, there are plenty of ways to establish connections within your team. 

However, it is not uncommon for team building activities to have a significant impact on the environment. From unnecessary travel to food packaging that ends up in the bin, these events can increase the carbon footprint of your company and leave a negative impression on your employees. 

If you want to take advantage of the full host of benefits team building events can provide, it’s important to keep the environmental impact in mind. To help make things easier, below we have listed our favourite team building events that will connect your employees and strengthen your teams while also being mindful of the environment. 

1. Launch Quarterly Fundraisers 

A great way to keep the environmental impact in mind while also prioritising team connections is to get your team working on something they’re passionate about. Launching quarterly fundraisers is a good way to raise money for other organisations and charities. For example, many companies run bake sales to raise money for charity or sponsor skydives or marathon runners. All these things help raise money for good causes and are a great way to have a positive environmental impact. 

Fundraising in the workplace is not only a great team building exercise – it’s a great way to raise awareness of different issues and charities that need support. You could start by assigning a different team to each quarter so that you have a good rotation of staff helping support various initiatives. This also encourages team members who wouldn’t usually work together to do so. 

2. Interactive Treasure Hunt 

There are so many team building activities you can choose from that establish connections with your colleagues while also being mindful of the environment. And one such activity is an interactive treasure hunt in London!

These fantastic team building events are becoming increasingly popular as people enjoy exploring London on foot in a fully immersive day out. And the great thing is, all you need to complete the interactive treasure hunt is your mobile phone. Simply choose your location, gather your team, and follow the instructions on your phone for an interactive treasure hunt experience that has everyone solving puzzles and exploring the city. This activity is low on environmental impact and big on fun! 

3. Litter Picking or Beach Cleaning 

While you may not get an overly positive response (at least initially) to the suggestion of a team day out to clear your local area or beach of litter, this can turn into a great opportunity for team building. What’s more, it has a positive impact on the environment which is a huge selling point for many people – particularly those among your staff who are passionate about taking care of the planet! 

According to The Wildlife Trust, “any litter removed from a natural ecosystem helps wildlife and creates a better space for humans too!” Taking your team out litter picking in your local area provides a space for colleagues to talk, enjoy the outdoors, and connect over an activity. What’s more, at the end of the day everyone can go home having made a difference! 

4. The Mission Statement Challenge 

Every business should have a mission statement. According to Scorpion, “a mission statement should define your company’s core values, ethics, culture, and fundamental goals. It serves a dual purpose. While it is meant to motivate your employees and help them remain focused and productive, it also reassures your investors of the company’s future.”  

The Mission Statement Challenge is a great team building exercise that helps refamiliarise employees with the core values and goals of your company. It also provides them with the opportunity to speak into what they’d like to see more of. 

A great way to carry out the Mission Statement Challenge is to divide people into groups and then have them read your existing mission statement before coming up with their own authentic mission statement as a team. This provides a great opportunity to familiarise your team with your company values while acting as an opportunity to make any changes for the betterment of your company and the environment. 

The 3 Benefits of Team Building 

Team building activities have many benefits on both your employees and your business. Taking the time to prioritise staff connections helps cultivate a healthier, happier work culture which in turn increases staff morale and retention. Now that you have a few suggestions for team building activities, let’s take a look at some of the benefits. 

1. Builds Trust Between Leadership and Employees 

Developing positive relationships with your staff can be challenging when you manage a team or oversee a whole department. Team building is a great way to build trust by connecting managers with their staff in a fun environment. 

2. Speeds Up Onboarding 

One of the biggest time constraints on businesses is the onboarding process. It takes a long time to familiarise new staff with your business processes, ways of working, and members of staff. So, to help speed up the process, team building activities can really help. They give new employees to chance to meet their colleagues and connect in a fun and pressure-free environment so that when it comes time to get to work, everyone feels like part of the team. 

3. Shows How Much You Care 

Another benefit of team building is that it shows your team how much you care. Taking the time out of your busy schedule to organise fun activities for your staff is a great way to show how you prioritise connections and get to know your staff. This helps foster trust, builds loyalty, and allows you to connect with each member of your team on a more personal level. 

Final Words 

As you can see, there are numerous ways you can carry out team building events while keeping environmental impact in mind. We hope this article has provided you with some inspiration! If you find yourself stuck for more ideas, why not ask your team? They might have some helpful suggestions that will support the environment and foster a more connected work culture.