Corporate team building activities are a key element in the strategic development of company life and values based culture.
Canoe Trail’s Rich and Ash are no strangers to corporate life, Rich has been a company director and leader for over 20 years and was a Top 30 Director of a FTSE 100. Ash has started and led different companies and now runs Canoe Trail as canoe commander in chief! We are keen to practice what we preach and run tool box talks, training sessions, team building challenges and social activities for our own staff development.
We use this to underpin growth in core competences, strong life skills such as communication and team work as well as technical skills in key areas. Our staff like many are kinaesthetic learners, preferring to learn by doing, so practical team building challenges embed key skills and values.
Since COVID and the ‘new normal’ staff teams have been faced with a barrage of changes, control measures and restrictions on things we used to take for granted. Teams, Zoom and online meetings have become part of the standard operating culture. Staff have been remote working and have often felt isolated from support networks resulting in a rise in anxiety and reduction in well-being and positive mental health. Now more than ever team building activities bringing people together can deliver tangible bottom line benefits for companies.
They can also help improve goal congruence matching the needs to the strategic development of the organisation. Given many companies still don’t embrace structured succession plans this can also help with staff retention. We can offer corporate team building activities in a range of different formats…each session is tailored for the company to meet their objectives and aims in terms of timing and activities.
The Informal Gathering
An informal and relaxed mix of activities at our private riverside woodland or Kempston Outdoor Centre. Graze on brilliant BBQ treats or enjoy one of our woodland stews blended over campfire embers. Relaxed and free range activities allow staff to wander between activity stations
Competitive Capers
Teams, points and prizes offer a unique way to build team spirit and camaraderie amongst workforces. Set the challenges with a series of activities and we will keep score. Making it fun and competitive is a great way to deliver a corporate team building event. Lighting a Kelly kettle in Bushcraft to racing kayaks or scoring a bullseye are great motivation for staff.
Themed based Activity Day
Provide a theme for your day such as ‘inspiration’, ‘enterprising thinking’ or ‘growth mindset ‘and we will link reflective practice to the activities to encourage staff to plan, do and review in problem solving challenges.
Fun and Games
We can deliver team building activities in a fun and games style with jokes, light hearted challenges and gamification. Watersport sessions can include SUP Jenga, head stands and tail spins or in kayaks putting your nose on the nose of the kayak. We are all between falling in so these open fun challenges make for a memorable half day or day.
Life skills Themed Development
Life skills are key competences essential in the world of business. Skills such as leadership, decision making, problem solving, team work, risk management and creative skills can be developed in a safe learning environment. Encouraging staff to lead, take different team roles and make decisions under pressure help link to core competencies. This can be useful across a team, supervisors, managers or the leadership team. Canoe Trail have run these sessions with many blue chip companies, as well as charities and professional sports teams.
Track Record
Canoe Trail have hosted a wide range of professional sporting teams including the Cambridge Boat Race Team and Championship Rugby Club Bedford Blues RUFC. Team bonding sessions and team challenges have helped the teams form closer understanding of how individuals and the wider collective gel together. Corporate clients and blue chip global brands have consistently booked with Canoe Trail for team challenges and motivational benefits. Our client list includes Uber, RSPB, Wilmott Dixon, Easyjet, Hyundai, American Express, Anglian Water to name a few. Our team building activities have also been used for charity fundraising with teams competing for bragging rights across a series of activities such as climbing, bushcraft and paddling. Teams usually pay to enter with a fundraising target alongside in many cases.