What’s next? The new trends in Team Building

Team Building has experienced a lot of changes throughout the years. In the past, most people thought of it just as an annual company get together, another end of year event pinned in the calendar. But it soon became crystal clear that there was a lot more than that. So later on many new activities were developed, aiming to consolidate the human links within working groups and to increase employee engagement.

The universe of companies and working groups is huge and extremely diverse, from really young and dynamic start ups to big and traditional companies. Many smaller companies have younger employees, and a more flexible way of doing things, so this impacts the working routine and the team dynamics. But besides all these differences, everybody has the same core objective when it comes to team building: to reconnect.

So the new trends in team building aim to tackle this basic need that is shared by all. But what is changing is the way to achieve it. 

The new generations are more demanding and expect things to make sense, be meaningful, and have a good time. So in order to meet these new demands, the latest trends in team building point at reconnection while thinking ahead. Finding new significant ways to plan and carry out the activities include leaving behind unnecessary paraphernalia and going back to the basics: value and boost human links.

Top 5 recent trends in Team Building 

1. Go back to the basics

We know the way we do things has an impact on our surroundings, so we strongly believe that valuing the simple and the essential is the way to go. Not only to reduce our impact, but also to achieve a more meaningful connection with others.

That’s why at Tero we are rethinking the way we organize the team building activities we offer, trying to optimize our resources and going back to what’s real. Aligned to this, we now use local providers for catering, we no longer organize motorsports activities, and only offer trips abroad to destinations that can be reached by train.

And it’s great to see that these initiatives are met with great enthusiasm! For example, some years ago it was hard to imagine an experienced company manager sleeping in a tent, but we now receive more and more requests for our team building Glamping Experience. And we can assure you that the bonds created after sharing this kind of experience are way more lasting!

2. Positive Impact Activities

This trend is about combining team building with activities that have a positive impact on the environment and the community. Also related to the concept of valuing the basics, it aims at understanding our daily impact, and learning how to live in a more sustainable way.

Some examples of Positive Impact Activities are the River cleanup in Namur and the Beach cleanup in Knokke. It’s not only about the cleaning in itself but also being trained and getting back to work and daily life with learnings that can be applied. That’s why the activity also includes a clinic and a workshop given by experts.

And when such a meaningful experience is shared as a team, it also contributes to consolidating the links among colleagues.

3. Focus on active and outdoor activities

One of the main aspects of Team Building is the fact that it breaks the daily working routine in order to connect people. And what better way to achieve this than getting out of the office and enjoying nature? Nothing like a change of scenery to unlock the inspiration and set the mood for a team building activity.

The healthy and active lifestyle is a growing trend that we see everywhere, and is also reflected in the demand for active team building activities. Some examples are the Beach and Water Olympics, the Ride Discovery and the Adventure Trail. 

Sharing an intense moment in nature also creates lasting memories that help consolidate teams. This is even stronger when the activity involves adrenaline and going out of the comfort zone, such as Rock Climbing and the multi-activity Step Out of your Comfort Zone. 

4. Hybrid Activities

The biggest revolution in the past year has been online team building, after most companies shifted to remote work due to the pandemic. But this tendency is already winding down, as more and more people are going back to their workplace.

But what is already emerging and might stay for the future is a hybrid format, combining in-person and virtual elements. There are activities in which some people are there and some people participate remotely, or activities that are part virtual and part on site. Another type of hybrid are what we call virtual outdoor activities, which are outdoor/physical activities with a digital support such as apps or GPS in a phone or tablet. Roadmap Trophy and Virtual Trophy are examples of this.

So all the tools that were developed or consolidated during the pandemic will be useful to expand the reach of traditional team building activities.

5. New frequency: More events, but smaller

Most companies still organize just one, or at most two team building events per year. These are usually big events, one during the summer and another towards the end of the year.

But there’s a growing trend that points out to organizing smaller events, more frequently. The purpose is to do focused activities, aimed to tackle specific team objectives, and aligned with the trend of choosing simple but meaningful team building activities.

The question that we usually get when someone approaches us looking for a team building activity is: ‘We need to reconnect, what can we do?’. So we realize that the essence remains the same, and in the end it’s all about finding ways to achieve a genuine connection between the members of a team. But what is changing is the way to get that connection.

That’s why at Tero we are always rethinking the way we do things, looking for new angles for the  activities we offer and planning new ones. Keeping an eye and being aligned with these new trends helps us to be focused, simple, and efficient to help our clients achieve their team building objectives.

So don’t hesitate to reach out to us, tell us what you are looking for, and we will be happy to organize together the best team building activity tailored to fit your company needs, and the new trends in the market!