Australia has successfully ‘flattened the curve’ of new coronavirus cases and there is cautious optimism that the economy is returning to some form of normality.
Outdoor team building activities offer an alternative to Virtual Programs. These provide a safe face-to-face environment in which to reconnect team members who have been working in isolation over the past few months.
Al fresco team building – a COVIDSafe approach
We know that team building plays a key role in establishing a healthy culture in the workplace. A positive team building programme is designed to improve teamwork, communication, morale, trust and respect among colleagues.
Ensuring employee safety in conjunction with team building is critical.
The Department of Health recommends that “everyone should continue keeping their distance from other people whenever possible”. This is easier to achieve with Outdoor team building.
5 benefits of Outdoor team building
The coronavirus pandemic remains a concern with rules and regulations for businesses changing frequently. The focus now must be improving team performance in a safe and responsible environment.
Outdoor team building activities provide a safe environment for reconnecting team members, as well as many other benefits.
- Boosting the immune system
This is especially topical with the concerns around coronavirus. Research from the University of Illinois shows that spending time outdoors provides protections against a huge range of illnesses, including respiratory diseases such as Covid-19.
- Increasing energy
“Nature is fuel for the soul,” said Richard Ryan, lead author of the 2010 Journal of Environmental Psychology. The study reveals that being outside increases energy levels and makes people feel alive. - Enhancing creativity
Neuroscientist David Strayer’s 2012 research shows that the constant demands of emails, notifications, and general busy-ness affects our ability to focus. Strayer finds that spending time outside give our brains a chance to rest. This boosts our cognitive functioning and creativity.
- Improving focus and memory
As well as creativity, spending time outdoors also has a positive benefit on our memory and ability to focus. A 2008 study conducted at the University of Michiganfound that short spells of outdoor activity help to improve memory and attention scores by 20 percent.
- Reducing stress
No surprises here. It is a well-known fact that our moods take a positive shift when we spend time outside. Getting active causes our body to produce endorphins, which helps us to relax and reduce stress.
Host your next team building activity outdoors
There you have it. When it comes to reconnecting team members in the post-pandemic world, Outdoor team building is a great choice. Not only does it allow for maximum distance between employees – as recommended by the Department of Health – but it also provides several mental and physical health benefits.
As well as Outdoor team building, Be Challenged offers several COVIDSafe Programs and Virtual Programs that can be run safely, without compromising on the delivery of much-needed outcomes that many businesses desperately need after months in isolation.
Top 5 Be Challenged Outdoor Programs:
The vast majority of Be Challenged indoor Programs can be adapted to be run in an outdoor space.