If you missed our most recent webinar, you can check out the recording above! Josh Steinhouse shares some great thoughts and tips on working with a multigenerational team, and how to best increase engagement.

The post Webinar Recap – Engaging A Multigenerational Team appeared first on Team Building Hub.

When planning your leadership retreat you don’t want to waste anyone’s time. Having an executive leadership retreat agenda to stick to is an incredibly useful tool for ensuring that you plan an insightful, engaging, and fun leadership retreat for groups of any size! 

Why are leadership retreat agendas important?

Leadership retreats are fantastic team building activities as they take your team away from their typical office setting and encourage them to take part in activities that are specifically designed to build trust, improve communication and build relationships. As with most things in life, perfect planning prevents poor performance, and a leadership retreat is no different! Here are the top three reasons why a leadership retreat agenda is so important: 

1. Provides an objective

Planning an agenda for your leadership retreat helps you to outline what you want to achieve. There is nothing worse than wasting your own time, let alone someone else’s (and especially the most executive leaders in your company). When you sit down to plan your leadership agenda, be sure that it aligns with the objective and the ‘why’ for holding the leadership retreat in the first place. When planning your activities, consider whether the sole purpose of the retreat is to take your leaders away from the office so that they can learn specific new skills, or is the purpose of this retreat to focus on bonding exercises for all your executive team members? 

2. Helps with the engagement of the retreat

Shipping the most senior members of your team off for a few nights away together is all well and good, but to get the most out of your leadership retreat, and make it worth the money, you need your leaders to be engaged with the retreat. Planning and sticking to an executive leadership retreat agenda ensures that you take some time to plan the activities that you think will engage your whole team. Having the agenda to closely follow also ensures that you don’t forget any of these carefully planned activities on the big day(s)! 

3. Allows for better budget planning

As with almost everything in business, budget planning is absolutely crucial when throwing events. It’s essential to first decide on a budget and then stick to that budget and plan activities accordingly. Having a water-tight leadership retreat agenda allows you to plan activities that suit your budget so that you don’t overspend. As a result, you’ll save money and ensure that the most important activities are included, meaning you can host an event for any budget!  

What should every leadership retreat agenda include?

It’s important that your corporate retreat is not just about work. Otherwise, you may as well do it all in the meeting room of your office! A corporate retreat needs to focus on skill development and future planning, but you also must include ways to relax, unwind and allow your team to leave feeling better connected. 

1. Include icebreaker activities at the start

Icebreakers are a short and simple way to give each of your leaders a little bit of insight into each other. When played at the start of your leadership retreat, they provide the perfect way to break the ice and create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. 

2. Wellness activities to help unwind 

Whether you decide to include a yoga class, a massage, a healthy cooking class, or a high intensity workout, adding a wellness activity to your leadership retreat agenda will help your leaders unwind and clear their heads. 

3. Time alone to recharge

Going on a leadership retreat can be a socially draining experience. To stop your leaders from feeling overwhelmed, give them some alone time as part of your agenda. This is best at the end of the day so that they can use this time to reflect on the content covered. 

4. Leadership skill development 

Even though it’s important that your leadership retreat doesn’t focus exclusively on work-related tasks, you must not forget the reason why you held the retreat in the first place! Including specific leadership development tasks will ensure your leaders leave the retreat with more knowledge and skill than when they joined! 

5. Future planning talks 

Planning for the future creates a 30% greater chance of growth. Seize the rare opportunity of having all your top leaders together and spend some time putting plans in place for the future of the business. 

6. Activities to push your team outside their comfort zone

Nothing blows away the cobwebs and bonds or connects a team more than being pushed outside their comfort zone! Whether you decide to go water skiing, sky diving, white water rafting, or go-karting, including a heart-raising and sometimes competitive activity for your leaders is a must. 

7. Activities to play in the evening

If you’re hosting an overnight retreat then it’s critical that you make sure you have entertainment for the evening. Pick from our list of corporate event retreat activities and watch as your leadership team continues to connect and form bonds while singing a karaoke song together! 

8. Arts and crafts activities for creativity  

As a recent study has found that providing art and arranging cultural activities makes for a happier and more productive workforce, this is not an activity to be missed from your leadership team building agenda. Either host an art class yourself or invest some money and time in getting a company to pop in for an hour or two and do it. 

9. Plan to eat meals together

Food is a great way to connect. Sharing a delicious meal can reduce anxiety, encourage conversations, and, as a result, form lasting connections. These strong connections will form a stronger and more productive leadership team. 

Leadership Retreat Agenda Sample

Below is an example of a two-day leadership retreat agenda. This leadership retreat template is suitable for a small to medium sized group of leaders. 

Before the retreat 

• Pick an event location and date
• Send out invites to your leaders. Stuck on what to include? Check out how to write a team building event invitation.

Retreat day 1: 

9:00 pm – 10:00 pm 

• Leaders arrive and are shown to their rooms to unpack and get settled
• Introductions, if needed
• Icebreaker games to create a welcoming atmosphere 

10:00 am – 11:00 am 

• Welcome presentation
• Outline the goals and the agenda of the retreat 

11:00 -12:00 pm 

• Arts and crafts activities to promote creative thinking and help relax 

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm 

• Catered lunch 

1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

• Guided leadership development activities 
• Leadership skills session 

3:30 pm – 4:15 pm

• Debrief of the day
• Remind leaders of the plans for the evening 

4:15 pm – 5:00 pm

• Wellness activities, such as yoga, pilates, or meditation 

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

• Chill out/alone time in rooms 

6:00 pm – 9:00 pm 

• Dinner
• Evening activities, such as karaoke and a mystery game

Retreat day 2: 

8:00 am – 9:00 am 

• Buffet breakfast
• Recap on retreat day 1
• brief for the retreat day 2 

9:00 am – 11:00 am

• Adventure activities, such as waterskiing or go karting

11:00 am – 12:30 pm

• Future planning  sessions 

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

• Catered lunch

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm

• Guides leadership skills sessions 
• Review and discuss company goals and mission statement 

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

• Debrief on the day and how skills and knowledge apply to the office 
• Goodbyes  

Final Thoughts

Hosting a leadership retreat is an incredibly useful tool for ensuring that the most senior members of your team get to know each other better whilst becoming better and more experienced leaders. Having an agenda is the only way to ensure these events are engaging, match your company’s goals, and don’t blow the budget. 

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See exactly how our games work, ask questions about logistics and add some energy to your work day. Demos are 30 minutes long and take place on Zoom. There may even be a DoorDash giveaway!

The post Your Guide to Crafting the Perfect Leadership Retreat Agenda appeared first on Team Building Hub.

With so many non-profit organizations looking for help, you should have no trouble finding an opportunity that your team will enjoy and also find meaningful. Below are 18 charity team building activities that can be done on-site, off-site, and virtually.

Why do charity team building?

Boosts morale

According to a comprehensive 2017 Deloitte survey on corporate volunteerism, 70% of respondents felt that volunteer activities are more likely to boost morale than happy hours. A 2022 PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of 10,000 members of the general population based in the US, China, Germany, India, and the UK, found that companies that sponsor volunteer programs see higher levels of morale. 

Higher retention rates

In its review of corporate volunteerism research, the Harvard Business Review concluded that volunteering at work improves employee satisfaction and increases retention. 93% percent of employees reported being happy with their employer. 

Further, the Deloitte survey referred to above found that millennials, in particular, who participate in a volunteer program at work are more likely to be “loyal and satisfied” employees than those who do not volunteer. 

Builds camaraderie 

Camaraderie in the workplace is defined as the feelings of trust and friendship between employees. Volunteering together allows employees to get to know each other better in a meaningful environment. One study reported that 80% of employees who volunteer at work believe that volunteering with their colleagues strengthens their relationships. 

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See exactly how our games work, ask questions about logistics and add some energy to your work day. Demos are 30 minutes long and take place on Zoom. There may even be a DoorDash giveaway!

Improves employee well-being

Volunteering improves both an individual’s mental and physical wellness. A Salesforce study revealed that 76% of employees feel healthier after volunteering at work and 94% experienced a better mood. Moreover, the Mayo Clinic has found that volunteering reduces stress and the possibility of burnout at work.

7 On-Site Charity Team Building Activities 

1. Work with a local food bank

Hunger is one of the biggest concerns facing America and surely one that your employees know about. Every community in the country has an organization that runs a food bank or pantry. There is always a need for volunteers to sort food donations and package meals, and many organizations can accommodate large groups. Working together to minimize the impact of hunger in your local community is something your team will feel very good about. Contact Feeding America to find an organization near you.

2. Pick up litter in a park

This volunteer activity lets your employees spend some refreshing time outside doing work that benefits the greater community. Some of your employees may visit the local park you choose, meaning they will directly benefit from this volunteer work. It’s a win-win situation! Contact your city’s Parks Department to find out where they need assistance.

3. Help build a home with Habitat for Humanity

“Group builds” with Habitat for Humanity are a unique volunteer experience. Your employees will contribute to building a home for those families in need. In some cases, volunteers may hear directly from the people whose homes they are building. Habitat for Humanity is very experienced in working with companies to create corporate volunteer opportunities making this a good choice if you prefer someone else to lead the experience.

4. Perform for an audience

If you have team members who love to perform, be it singing, telling jokes, or doing magic tricks, you can volunteer to perform for those who do not have access to entertainment. Reach out to local hospitals, senior communities, rehabilitation centers, and homeless shelters – the possibilities are endless. Your team will be making others laugh while having a fun time themselves.

5. Give blood

If you are seeking a way to volunteer that is easy and doesn’t need a lot of planning, arrange a group visit to a blood bank. Contact the American Red Cross. They can help you locate nearby blood drives. Just one donation of blood can help two or more patients in need. Multiply that by the number of employees who donate and that’s a lot of people being helped by your team. 

When you are done at the blood bank, go for a group lunch for your team to spend some non-work time together while replenishing nutrients.

6. Tutor students

Education and literacy in America is an area that needs more resources. Volunteer tutoring is extremely rewarding and can make a real impact on a child’s life, as well as in the community. If you have a small team, you can pair up with a local school and see if they would like to have some after-school tutors. Since students need support in varying subjects, your team members can use their areas of expertise to work with students who struggle in that area.

7. Help staff charity events

You may know of local charities that hold fundraising events during the year such as 5K races, fundraising phone banks, or benefit concerts. These large events need volunteer staff to help with setting up for the event, assisting throughout, and cleaning up afterward. Contact a charity well in advance of the event to make sure they can accommodate your whole team. 

6 Off-Site Charity Team Building Activities 

8. Hold a food drive

An extremely important type of volunteer work that is very easy to organize is holding a food drive. First, reach out to a local food bank or homeless shelter, and ask if they will accept the food you collect. They will generally ask for non-perishables such as canned goods or some boxed goods. Then decide who you will reach out to for food donations. If you are a very large company, you can ask for donations from employees. Place a large box in a common area for people to drop off food. 

Even if you have remote employees located far away, they can have goods delivered or donate money to pay for food donated by your local staff. You can also reach out to the building your office is located in. Get permission from the building manager and then create flyers to place around the building. Once your food drive is over, drop off the goods to the organization that agreed to accept your donations.

9. Assemble gift kits for foster children

This volunteer activity is easy to organize and can be done right in your office. Together We Rise is an organization that focuses on providing foster children with gift packages that will put a smile on their faces. You purchase the kits and then assemble them. Just a few of the gifts you can assemble are Superhero Boxes, Birthday Boxes, and STEM boxes. You can also build skateboards or bikes! 

10. Teach Vocational Skills

Vocational skills are skills needed to find employment in a particular job function or trade. For members of your community seeking to advance their employability or enhance their resume, having vocational skills can be a game-changer. But many people are unable to afford vocational training. This is where your team comes in. Teaching vocational skills for free is one of the most powerful volunteer work your company can perform but it does require a bit more organizing.

Start by asking your team members what skills they would like to teach. Some examples of helpful vocational skills could be coding and basic web design, administrative skills, or even skills not typically found in an office environment, such as arts and crafts skills.

Once you know what skills your team members would like to teach, begin planning for the training sessions. You can use your office if you have enough space or you can rent a local off-site space. Contact a local school to see if you can use their classrooms free of charge. Ask some team members to work on publicizing these sessions through community groups, social media, and even through local government agencies like the employment department.

The training sessions themselves can be taught by individual team members on the same date and time. For a collaborative spirit encourage team members to pair up and teach a skill together. After the training session event or on the following day have a group lunch where everyone can share their experiences and how rewarding this volunteer work felt.

11. Donate supplies to a local school

A quick but crucial volunteer job is to donate school supplies to schools that have limited resources. Many underfunded public schools desperately need supplies for their students. Anything you can donate can make a difference in a student’s education. Writing equipment, pens, pencils, chalk, crayons white board markers, and art supplies are inexpensive but greatly needed. 

Reams of paper, notebooks and notepads, and other types of paper goods will be welcomed. Also, collect scissors, calculators, protractors, and other tools needed for certain subjects. If your company and team can go a bit farther, donate whiteboards, corkboards, and even used computer equipment. If possible, see if the school you have donated to will arrange a time for your team to go by to meet the students. 

12. Put together care packages for the needy

Low-income families and individuals often go without items that we take for granted, such as hygiene products, clothing, coats, and household goods like bedding, lamps, kitchen utensils, etc. Providing these things to those living in poverty is a wonderful way to connect your team to the community.

13. Offer pro bono help to a nonprofit 

Unlike nationwide charitable organizations, local nonprofits usually have limited resources and need all the help they can get. Your team members have valuable skills that can be put to work for these organizations in many ways. For example, assistance is usually needed with website content creation and grant writing, legal advice, business planning, web design, and much more. The Taproot Foundation can connect you with noon-profits who need pro bono assistance.

5 Virtual Charity Team Building Activities

14. Online tutoring

If your team cannot do in-person volunteering, they can still provide much-needed academic support to students in underserved school districts. It’s relatively easy to set up this volunteer work through UpChieve which pairs students with online tutors.

15. Mentoring veterans

Hire Heroes USA offers online mentors to veterans and military spouses who need assistance in specific areas related to their job search. Your team members can participate in one-time conversations with job seekers discussing relevant topics and fields of employment.

16. Help “ tech-for-good” projects

DemocracyLab connects volunteers who have tech skills to organizations that seek to serve the greater good. You can search their database to find projects that require the skills your team members possess. Though many projects seek tech help, some projects need other kinds of assistance in areas such as business operations, marketing, accounting, legal, and sales.

17. Support those who serve 

Another virtual volunteer opportunity that benefits those who serve our country is to work with Soldiers’ Angels to show support to servicemen and women and their families. Your team can throw virtual birthday parties for service people, military spouses, and their children. Other activities are letter-writing, making no-sew blankets, and creating candy bags.

18. Other virtual charity team building activities

Numerous organizations and search engines can help you find a virtual charity team building activity that suits your team’s interests, skills, and schedule. Here are just a few: 

GiveBackTime, Points of Light, Catchafire, Idealist, and VolunteerMatch.

Final Thoughts

Companies that develop a culture of volunteerism will see positive returns. Employees feel more satisfied in their work and are less likely to leave their jobs. Charitable team building activities boost morale, camaraderie, and even employees’ well-being. Corporate team volunteering benefits your company, your employees, and those in your community who need your support.

The post 18 Charity Team Building Activities & Ideas for On-Site, Off-Site, & Virtual Teams appeared first on Team Building Hub.

Why celebrate work anniversaries?

Work anniversaries, especially ones that don’t end in a “0,” are an often overlooked point of someone’s career. But celebrating someone’s work anniversary is an important way to build up your team’s spirits and remind them of how important they are to your company.

Some reasons that you should celebrate work anniversaries include: 

• It increases employee engagement. Celebrating work anniversaries is another way that you can boost employee engagement. By showing your employees that you remember their work anniversary, you remind them that you care for them! They’ll get a morale boost and realize that they are important to you and your organization.

• You can strengthen employee retention. Congratulating an employee on their accomplishments on an annual basis shows them that they are appreciated and seen. When anyone feels like they and the work they do are appreciated, they’re more likely to stay at their company. 

• You strengthen employee loyalty. Although they’re fairly similar, loyalty is different than retention! Retention means that employees will stay with your organization; loyalty means that they will champion your organization even when they’re not at the office.  

• It’s a time of positivity and reflection. As you celebrate your employees’ work anniversaries, you have an opportunity to look back on the impact that they’ve made. You can reflect on how your team has benefited from each person’s contribution. This is even a chance to reflect on major projects that you’ve accomplished together!

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See exactly how our games work, ask questions about logistics and add some energy to your work day. Demos are 30 minutes long and take place on Zoom. There may even be a DoorDash giveaway!

What do you say on a work anniversary? 

Grabbing a card is a great first step to celebrating one of your employees, but if you tend to get stuck while writing a message, we can help you! Don’t worry about what to write in a work anniversary card with our list of 21 wishes to work anniversary wishes. Add your own unique flair by including their name and mentioning something memorable they did over the last year! 

Happy Work Anniversary Wishes

1. Happy work anniversary! Here’s to many more to come!
2. Best wishes as you continue to build your career with our team! Happy work anniversary!
3. We’re better together. Thank you for all you do! Happy work anniversary!
4. Congratulations on another year of great work!
5. Our team is “our team” because of you. We’re grateful for you! Happy work anniversary!

Work Anniversary Jokes

6. Thanks for still showing up! Happy work anniversary!
7. Glad we didn’t run you off yet! Happy work anniversary!
8. Another year and you’re still here? Wow, we must work well together! Happy work anniversary!
9. Congratulations on another year working with the best team ever!
10. Sometimes a remarkable employee with unmeasurable gifts comes along. While we wait for that person to get here, thanks for showing up and putting in some effort. Happy work anniversary!
11. We can’t believe you haven’t worked yourself out of a job yet! Thanks for still being here. Happy work anniversary!

Appreciative Work Anniversary Messages

12. We wouldn’t be where we are without you! Happy work anniversary! 
13. We’re grateful for all you’ve done for our company. Happy work anniversary!
14. Thank you for your dedication to our company. You have made a difference!
15. We’re so thankful for the talent, positivity, and ambition that you bring to our team. Thank you for working hard for another year!
16. I’m proud of the work that you’ve put in, and you’ve made an impact in this last year of work. Happy work anniversary!

Virtual Work Anniversary Messages

17. Thank you for all the work you put in, even when the camera is off! Happy work anniversary!
18. You may be remote, but you make a big difference on our team. Congrats on another great year!
19. You’re our unseen superhero! Thanks for doing great work. Happy work anniversary!
20. We can always count on you to be reliable, even away from the office. Happy work anniversary!
21. You’ve set the standard for remote employees everywhere! Happy work anniversary! 

We have the work anniversary card message . . . now what? 

Now that you know what to say for a work anniversary, add a little gesture to show your appreciation! Here are some ways to level up your anniversary card message. 

Send a Work Anniversary Meme

A happy work anniversary meme is a great way to put a smile on your employee’s face! You may think of memes (and gifs) as limited to social media, but they can be an easy and casual way to let your employee know that you’re grateful for them.

Sometimes people actually forget that they’re approaching a work anniversary. Send your employee a meme with a happy work anniversary greeting to remind them of their special day and to give them something to show off to their coworkers. 

Think about Work Anniversary Gift Ideas

Work anniversaries are milestones that show how dedicated an employee is to your company. Like any anniversary, a gift is a great option to commemorate what they’ve brought to the table and the effort they’ve put into their work. 

When it comes to work anniversary gifts, something simple can go a long way. Of course, the longer that someone has been working, the more you might want to put into the gift you choose. You can customize or personalize your gift, ask coworkers what that person enjoys doing, or even present them with some kind of award or superlative that would be unique to them. Whatever gift you end up choosing, make sure that you give it at a special moment, such as a work anniversary party.

Consider a Party to Celebrate

No one can skip out on a good party! For an important work anniversary like 10 or 20 years, a party is the best way that you can celebrate your employee and allow others to join in. 

Take some time to figure out a program with some games to play, food to eat, and a moment to say thank you. Even if you host a virtual party, there are still ways to make it engaging and to honor your employee. If you have several employees who are hitting a work anniversary milestone, you can celebrate all of them together. Your event can also serve a double purpose! You can use this opportunity to encourage team members who have been there for a shorter amount of time by celebrating well and having a good time with your team.

Go celebrate those work anniversaries!

Now that you’ve got some ideas on how to celebrate your employees’ work anniversaries, carve out the time to celebrate them well! Your team as a whole will benefit when you thank one team member for working hard for another year. 

The post 21 Work Anniversary Wishes & Card Messages appeared first on Team Building Hub.

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1. “Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman

2. “You have power over your mind―not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius

3. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing, that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

4. “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve

5. “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.” – Robert Tew

6. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

7. “The great secret of getting what you want from life is knowing what you want and believing you can have it.” – Epictetus

8. “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Christopher Robin to Pooh

9. “Nobody looks good in their darkest hour. But it’s those hours that make us what we are.” – Karen Marie Moning

10. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison

11. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” – Harriet Tubman

12. “Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” – Wayne Dyer

13. “Behind every successful man, there’s a lot of unsuccessful years.” – Bob Brown

14. “The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.” – Denis Waitley

15. “You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.” – George Lucas

16. “Courage is not having the strength to go on, it is going on when you don’t have the strength.”  – Theodore Roosevelt

17. “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”  – Napoleon Hill

18. “Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later.”  – Bob Goff

19. “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You gotta keep going.” – Chantal Sutherland

20. “Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.” – Michael J. Fox

21. “In the darkness, you only need to see just as far as your headlights extend. As long as you keep going, it is enough.” – Alexandra Bracken

22. “Sometimes the strength within you is not a fiery flame that all can see, it is just a tiny spark that whispers softly, “You got this”, “Keep going”.” – Anonymous

23. “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” – John Wooden

24. “You got to go down a lot of wrong roads to find the right one.” – Bob Parsons

25. “There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.” ― Søren Kierkegaard

26. “Work like there is someone working twenty-four hours a day to take it away from you.” – Mark Cuban

27. “The most inspiring piece of advice I’ve gotten is simply to persevere. My mom taught me to always keep going no matter what from an early age. When it feels too difficult to push forward, I always remind myself, ‘This too shall pass,’ and then I redouble my efforts.” – Liya Kebede

28. “Not getting what you want either means you don’t want it enough, or you have been dealing too long with the price you have to pay.” – Rudyard Kipling

29. “Believe in your own magic. You already have what it takes. Dream big. Be bold. Have faith. Inhale positivity. Exhale self-doubt. You’ve got this.” – The Random Vibez

30. “If we have the attitude that it’s going to be a great day, it usually is.” – Catherine Pulsifer

31. “You are a work in progress. Give yourself the space and grace for improvements.” – Germany Kent

32. “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching, love like you’ll never be hurt, sing like there’s nobody listening, and live like it’s heaven on earth.” – William W. Purkey

33. “Life is very interesting… in the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths.” – Drew Barrymore

34. “Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.” – Cheryl Strayed

35. “As long as you keep going, you’ll keep getting better. And as you get better, you gain more confidence. That alone is success.” – Tamara Taylor

36. “If you want to be the best, you can’t take the path of least resistance. Every morning you wake up, and your mind tells you it’s too early, and your body tells you you’re a little too sore, but you’ve got to look deep within yourself and know what you want and what you’re striving for.” – Antonio Brown

37. “If you have a great idea, let nothing stop you from bringing it to life.” – Pooja Agnihotri

38. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius

39. “There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” – Ray Goforth

40. “The only thing I know is this: I am full of wounds and still standing on my feet.” – Nikos Kazantzakis

41. “I’ve found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.” – Brian Tracy

42. “No matter what, people grow. If you choose not to grow, you’re staying in a small box with a small mindset. People who win go outside of that box. It’s very simple when you look at it.” – Kevin Hart

43. “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” ― Neil Gaiman

44. “Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.” – Jules Renard

45. “The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.” – Thomas Paine.

46. “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” – Bob Marley

47. “You’ve got to be one that, wherever you are, like a flower, you’ve got to blossom where you’re planted. You cannot eliminate darkness. You cannot banish it by cursing darkness. The only way to get rid of darkness is light and to be the light yourself.” – Cory Booker

48. “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” – Dale Carnegie

49. “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” – Michael John Bobak

50. “Success is about dedication. You may not be where you want to be or do what you want to do when you’re on the journey. But you’ve got to be willing to have vision and foresight that leads you to an incredible end.” – Usher

51. “We become what we think about most of the time, and that’s the strangest secret.” – Earl Nightingale

52. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Horace Lorimer

53. “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.”  – Richard Bach

54. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

55. “There is a direct correlation between an increased sphere of comfort and getting what you want.” – Tim Ferriss

56. “You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.” – Diana Ross

57. “One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.” – Linda Poindexter

58. “You must tell yourself, ‘no matter how hard it is, or how hard it gets, I’m going to make it.” – Les Brown

59. “To have faith doesn’t mean you get any less frustrated when you don’t do your best, but you know that it’s not life and death. Take what you’re given, and when you continue to work hard, you will see results. That will give you the confidence you need to keep going.” – Tom Lehman

60. “If something is important enough, even if the odds are stacked against you, you should still do it.” – Elon Musk

61. “If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn

62. “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” – Albert Camus

63. “When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.” – Lolly Daskal

64. “Note to self: You gotta do this for you. This is for you. This isn’t about anybody. Live for you. Honor you. Never lose sight of that.” – The Random Vibez

65. “If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents – start charging for it.” – Kim Garst

66. “When you achieve one dream, dream another. Getting what you want is only a problem if you have nowhere to go next. Dreaming is a lifetime occupation.” – Rudy Ruettiger

67. “People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” – Tony Robbins

68. “It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.” – Zig Ziglar

69. “When you achieve one dream, dream another. Getting what you want is only a problem if you have nowhere to go next. Dreaming is a lifetime occupation.” – Rudy Ruettiger

At those moments when your team needs encouragement to stay motivated, share these quotes that tell them “you got this!” With this kind of support, your team can reach new heights!

The post 69 of the Best You Got This Quotes to Motivate Yourself & Your Team appeared first on Team Building Hub.

Given the morale-boosting, fun, and team bonding that Spirit Week offers students, why not have a Spirit Week at work? Here are 21 of the best Spirit Week ideas for work that your team will love!

Why have a Spirit Week at work? 

Motivates Employees

Your employees work hard throughout the year, sometimes under great pressure or on monotonous projects. These circumstances can lead to diminished motivation. Celebrating Spirit Week with fun group activities can re-energize your team and jumpstart motivation for the weeks of work ahead.

Cultivates Camaraderie

One element of camaraderie is the existence of friendship between people who spend a lot of time together. Spirit Week gives your employees the chance to interact with each other beyond the work routine. Sharing fun times can encourage positive work relationships to form that will last well beyond Spirit Week.

Fuels Company Growth

Many Spirit Week activities call for your employees to use their imagination and think outside of the box. Exercising their creativity can carry over into work projects. Creative employees are more likely to be innovative and try out new solutions to problems. They will take the kind of calculated risks that drive company growth. 

Spirit Week Ideas

1. Pajama Day

Start with a Spirit Week classic! Who doesn’t love the idea of staying in pajamas all day? Encourage your team to wear fun pajamas that provide some insight into their personalities. You may see some plaid flannel, some Tweety Bird PJs, and sports team bedtime outfits. Set some guidelines and ask people not to wear revealing pajamas or anything that might be considered risque. 

2. Escape Day

Help your employees escape the daily routine by breaking out of the office to play an escape room. Escape rooms are an engaging activity that challenges your team to solve puzzles, crack codes and decipher riddles to find the way out of several uniquely-themed rooms. Your team will tap into their creative sides, strengthen their problem-solving skills and unite like never before. For remote or hybrid teams you can play a live-hosted virtual escape room that will bring your remote and hybrid teams together as if they are in the same room!

Join Us For A FREE Demo!

See exactly how our games work, ask questions about logistics and add some energy to your work day. Demos are 30 minutes long and take place on Zoom. There may even be a DoorDash giveaway!

3. Wellness Day

A wellness day is a good way to help start your employees down a pathway to healthier lifestyles. Spend the day engaging in healthy activities like going for a walk. Bring in an instructor to teach yoga or meditation techniques. Have healthy food on hand and a blender and fresh fruit to make smoothies. 

4. Superhero Day

Ask your employees to dress up as their favorite superheroes. They can opt for buying premade costumes, but encourage them to make their own so they can show off their creativity. Revealing their favorite superhero to each other can help colleagues get to know a bit more about each other.

5. Supervillain Day 

Some people prefer the dark side. Dressing up for Supervillian Day can encourage people to think outside of the box as there are fewer well-known villains than superheroes. Hold a contest for the most obscure Supervillain. 

6. Team Volunteer Day

Volunteering together allows coworkers to bond while performing meaningful work. Giving back to others releases endorphins that produce a “happy high”. Your team will feel good by doing good! Use your Spirit Week Volunteer Day to introduce team volunteer work throughout the year.

7. Decade Day

Throw an office party with an era theme. Choose a decade that had the most recognizable fashions like the 1920s, 1950s, or 1960s. Play music from that era, deck out the office with appropriate decor, and have classic refreshments that were popular in that decade.

8. Holiday Day

Tell employees to dress up for their favorite holiday. Christmas fans will show up in ugly sweaters and Halloween lovers will be their spookiest selves. You may see a lot of pink for Valentine’s Day or red, white, and blue for Independence Day. Schedule a potluck for everyone to bring in a dish associated with their holiday. 

9. Board Game Day

Board games are a favorite pastime. Modern board games have become more engaging and exciting to play than Monopoly or Scrabble. Bring in an array of board games and set them up at different tables for small groups to play. Make the day more fun by inviting employees to come dressed as a character from the game.

10. Talent Show Day

Everyone has some kind of talent from singing to ear-wiggling. Expect magicians, jugglers, and stand-up comics. Tell your team that no talent is too small to increase inclusivity. Set up an area with a stage-like space where people will perform. Decorate the area and bring a microphone and speakers. Talent Show Day is perfect for remote employees to join in on the fun.

11. Mythology Day

Ask your team to pick a character from Greek and Roman mythology and then dress up accordingly (though set boundaries — no revealing togas or nudity!). Some popular figures are Apollo, Achilles, Poseidon, Aphrodite, and Cupid. People can dress up individually or team up to represent characters that are related in some way, like Zeus and Hera.

12. Famous Duo Day

Speaking of pairs, Famous Duo Day is a good time for team members to practice collaboration. Have team members pair up and come to work dressed as famous pairs like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise, Batman and Robin, etc.

13. Company Swag Day

What better way to get your employees to feel connected to the company than to hand out swag and ask everyone to don company t-shirts, sweatshirts, and baseball hats? Leave company coffee mugs in the office kitchen, and set up a table with all the company swag so employees can grab some throughout the day.

14. High School Stereotype Day 

Have employees dress up in outfits representing stereotypical high school personalities like jocks, punk rockers, cheerleaders, and nerds. For a fun twist on authority figures, encourage some employees to dress as school principals and tell managers and executive staff that they have to dress as students! Set up a projector in your conference room and play teen movies all day like “The Breakfast Club”.

15. Bring The Kids And Pets To The Office Day

During the year, it can be hard to find a day that you can put work on hold for kids and pets to come into the office. Spirit Week is the perfect time to invite little ones and furry ones and let them loose in the office! Organize fun games for kids and parents. Throw a pet costume contest. Meeting the important people or pets in each other’s lives can build coworker friendships.

16. Mix and Don’t Match Day 

This is one of the wildest Spirit Week days you can have. Tell people to dress up in outrageously mismatched clothing. Picture paisley and plaid. Polka dots and pinstripes. Have a contest for the worst outfit!

17. Detective Day

Beckon the inner detectives at your company dress up as their favorite sleuths. You’ll see Sherlock Holmes, Hercules Poirot, Nancy Drew, Monk, Veronica Mars, Kojak and so many more. For added fun, play mystery board games or an online mystery game.

18. Crazy Hair-Do Day

This is a simple, low-cost theme. Let people know that they should feel free to go as wacky as they want – no judgments! Most people have some hair products in the house, like gels for spiky hair, hairspray for poofy hair, and hairbands or ribbons. Some employees will likely go wild with curly rainbow wigs or long blond shaggy wigs. Have your phone cameras ready for this day!

19. Tourist Day

Break out the binoculars, old-school cameras, and fanny packs for Tourist Day. Let your employees use their imagination to be as tacky as they want! Ask them to bring along postcards or pictures of their dream destinations. Make the day extra special by taking a virtual tour of another country.

20. Foodie Day

Organize a potluck for everyone to bring in their favorite dishes. You can also have lunch brought in or a catered lunch in the office. Foodie Day is especially good for virtual teams because employees can take an online cooking class together from their own kitchen.

21. Virtual Party Day

While most of the Spirit Week days can include remote workers, you may want to plan themed days tailored to your remote team. A Virtual Party Day is one of the best virtual spirit week ideas to connect remote or hybrid employees.

Final thoughts

Spirit Week brings playfulness and togetherness into the workplace. It allows for new work friendships to form and increases camaraderie. Spirit Week can help your employees rediscover enthusiasm for the company and boost morale. Imagine reaping these benefits with so little effort! Plan your Spirit Week now!

The post 21 of the Best Spirit Week Ideas for Work to Get Your Team Excited appeared first on Team Building Hub.

This article compiles some of the funniest teamwork memes across the internet. So, the next time you draft a team-building invitation, send a Slack, or draft a team email, include one of these 25 memes!

Table of Contents

Funny Memes

The Office Memes

High Five Memes

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Memes

Friday Teamwork Memes

Monday Teamwork Memes

Funny Teamwork Memes

 The Office Teamwork Memes

Teamwork High Five Memes

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Memes

Friday Teamwork Memes

Monday Teamwork Memes

Conclusion

Memes make everything better! If you’re looking for more fun ways to communicate with your team, you can also spice up your messages with a few retirement memes or employee appreciation quotes.

The post 25 Teamwork Memes to Share with Your Team appeared first on Team Building Hub.

This article compiles some of the funniest teamwork memes across the internet. So, the next time you draft a team-building invitation, send a Slack, or draft a team email, include one of these 25 memes!

Table of Contents

Funny Memes

The Office Memes

High Five Memes

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Memes

Friday Teamwork Memes

Monday Teamwork Memes

Funny Teamwork Memes

 The Office Teamwork Memes

Teamwork High Five Memes

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Memes

Friday Teamwork Memes

Monday Teamwork Memes

Conclusion

Memes make everything better! If you’re looking for more fun ways to communicate with your team, you can also spice up your messages with a few retirement memes or employee appreciation quotes.

The post 25 Teamwork Memes to Share with Your Team appeared first on Team Building Hub.

In this article, we will explore how you can set good intentions right from the get-go with the best welcome to our team message ideas. Whether you’re going to use a welcome to our team card, or a welcome to our team email, follow the steps below for guaranteed success. 

Why welcome new team members? 

The key to optimal team success and employee engagement starts at the very beginning when you first recruit a new team member. If you spend time welcoming your new recruits at the beginning, you will experience many benefits that cannot be as easily reached once your recruits are seasoned team members! 

Top three reasons for welcoming new team members: 

Connection

According to a study by Achievers, 46% of the employed adults surveyed felt less connected and engaged with their company than before the pandemic. Not only this, but the same study found that 52% of these employees felt like leaving their jobs because of their lack of connection to their company. It is evident that now, more so than ever, the connection between a company and its team members is lacking, and something desperately needs to be done about it. To give your employees the best opportunities of feeling connected to their team, start at the very beginning when they come on board and you welcome them to our team! 

More engaged with the company 

Engaged employees are committed to their organization and to their role within it. They are the type of people who genuinely care about the success of their team and give 100% effort to reach goals. It is a no-brainer that these types of employees are the type  that leads a business to become successful and productive. Making an effort to welcome your new team member demonstrates the type of company you are to your new recruits, and it shows that you are dedicated to them. As a result, they feel engaged and like they can share the same values as your company.

Improves employee retention

A study by Glassdoor found that effective onboarding processes, such as creating a ‘welcome to our team’ banner or writing a ‘welcome to our team’ message, improved new hire retention by up to 82%. Having a fantastic employee retention rate saves businesses thousands of dollars each year, as well as helps to keep teams engaged and team members feeling connected and valued. 

How to Welcome New Team Members

Now you know why welcoming new team members is so important for team success and team camaraderie, let’s explore the best ways in which you can do this! 

Write a Welcome to Our Team Message

Perhaps one of the simplest ways to welcome any new recruits is to write them a thoughtful welcome to our team message. This message doesn’t need to be long, but it should be well thought out and personal to each of your new recruits! 

If you’re stuck on what to include in this personal and special message, check out our top 7 ideas: 

How do you write a welcome to our team message? 7 things to include

1. Reaffirm your enthusiasm for your hiring decision
2. Include a welcome to our team image, which can be a picture of your team or the whole company
3. Include your company’s core values so that your new recruit is reminded of them 
4. Let them know that you’re here for them and where they can find support
5. Set expectations for the work environment and describe your team’s culture 
6. Mention the specific skills and/or experience they have that you are looking forward to adding to your team 
7. Include any important onboarding information, such as how to get access to the building, where to go on their first day, and any first-day meetings that they need to attend 

Send a Welcome to Our Team Meme

Taking on a new role in an unfamiliar workplace can be incredibly daunting. One way to break the ice and make your employees feel at ease is to send some welcome to our team funny memes. This is especially useful when conducting virtual onboarding, as it’s often harder to connect and engage these team members.

 Below are our top 7 welcome to our team gifs and memes! 

7 of the Best Welcome to Our Team Memes

1. A new member you have become, a warm welcome you shall have

2. Welcome to the dream team, can’t wait to start this journey with you! 

3. Welcome to the group, newbies! 

4. Cheers, to the nwest memoer of this team! 

5. You have been chosen, welcome to the team! 

6. Another gem added to our team!

7. The organization has hit a jackpot, welcome to the team! 

Schedule a Team-Building Activity for New Hires

Team building activities help a company to drastically improve its culture and the way that its team members interact with each other. For new recruits, they create a warm and welcoming environment and provide them with a way to start conversations. 

Ideas for New Hire Team Building Activities

1. Icebreaker questions. Icebreaker questions are a completely free way to say “welcome to our team”. With your new recruits, ask them any of the quick-fire questions from this icebreaker list, which are guaranteed to spark some interesting conversations. 
2. Virtual Escape room. For as little as $30 a player, your team can immerse themselves in a challenging and exciting virtual escape game. Whether they decide to break out of prison, stop a museum heist or explore the depths of the ocean, escape games are great ways to get everyone connected and newbies feeling at one with the team. 
3. Office scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts are great ways to get your team moving around, putting their problem-solving skills to the test, and getting involved in some friendly competition to help newcomers feel at ease. You can carry out a scavenger hunt completely for free, you just need a list of items around the office for your team to collect!  
4. Online games show. Suitable for both virtual and in-person teams, online game shows are exciting ways to say welcome to our team! Wrapped up in friendly competition, your team will fly through 5 rounds of fast-paced fun and will leave feeling connected, engaged, and welcomed. 

Send a Welcome to Our Team Email Teamwide

Making a teamwide announcement that you have an exciting new team member(s) coming on board will go a long way in helping newbies feel appreciated and welcomed as part of the team. Sending a welcome to our team email also helps your current staff members to know all about their newest colleagues. 

Things to Include in a Welcome to Our Team Email

• Their name
• Their role
• Their team/department
• Their start date
• Their background, both professional (e.g., previous roles and companies) and personal (e.g., their interests and hobbies)
• Interesting talking points for when they meet new colleagues, such as an interesting fact about themselves 
• Prompt current team members to pop to their desk or drop them a message on Slack to welcome them onboard! 
• Top tip: you can even include some inspirational welcome to our team quotes to really get everyone excited to be part of the team! 

Host a New Hire Lunch for Team to Meet

Hosting a lunch for new hires helps make a great first impression. It says that you take your team seriously, but also that you’re fun and interested in investing in your employees. If you recruit a lot of new hires, you can take them all out to lunch together. Or, if you do far less recruitment, you can take your newbie out for lunch with the rest of your team! 

It can be a little daunting knowing how to plan a new hire lunch, so follow our foolproof steps below! 

How to Plan a New Hire Lunch

1. Pick a date, time, and place… and book a table for everyone! 
2. Invite everyone to the lunch, whether it’s exclusively for newbies or for the whole team, they all need to know 
3. Have a list of things to talk about whilst at lunch: their hobbies, their family, where they live, how they like to learn, what they value most from an employer, their previous work experiences, do they have any pets, and so on!  

Have People Sign a Welcome to Our Team Card

Writing a welcome to our team letter or card is one of the easiest ways in which you can make new team members feel welcomed and at ease. It pays to invest some time in getting all current members to write in a simple welcome card, as 58% of employees who receive a strong and compelling greeting message are more likely to remain for 3 or more years! 

We’ve included some inspiration for your team as to what to write. 

Short & Simple Welcome to Our Team Messages for a Card

1. We just heard that an awesome new person has become a part of our team! 
2. We are so delighted to welcome you on board. 
3. Huge congratulations on the new role, we welcome you with open arms. 
4. Your energy, experience, and intelligence are going to be a huge part of our team.
5. We wish our ways never part and that our partnership grows into the future! 

Craft a Welcome to Our Team Banner

A great way to get your whole team excited about welcoming a newbie is to get them involved in an arts and crafts activity to welcome their new recruit! As a whole team, you can spend an hour or so crafting a welcome to our team banner to display to your newest team member on their first day and really show them how much they mean to you! 

To get started with your creative team banner, follow our shopping list on what to buy: 

What to Buy for a Welcome Banner

• Paper or cardboard 
• Colourful pens 
• Things to decorate with such as sequins, stickers, string, ribbon, glitter
• Sellotape 
• Staples and stapler 
• Pritstick 

Final Thoughts 

Investing time, money and thought into welcoming new team members offer many benefits, including encouraging employees to be more engaged and connected, which in return leads to a higher employee retention rate and better team productivity. 
If you want to take your team to new levels or strength, we encourage trying any one of the above welcomes to our team tactics, along with kicking things off with an exciting game that will introduce your new team member whilst developing a sense of camaraderie.

Join Us For A FREE Demo!

See exactly how our games work, ask questions about logistics and add some energy to your work day. Demos are 30 minutes long and take place on Zoom. There may even be a DoorDash giveaway!

The post Welcome to Our Team Messages, Memes, and Ideas for Your New Hire appeared first on Team Building Hub.

Table of Contents

Why Host A Team Lunch?

How To Do You Ask For A Team Lunch?

What Do You Do During A Team Lunch?

Ideas for Engagement and Motivation

Ideas for Appreciation and Recognition

Ideas for Learning and Development

How Do You Plan A Team Lunch?

Why host a team lunch?

There’s a reason food is often involved in group activities — people love it! A team lunch is a fantastic way to reap the benefits of spending time together. Whether your team is in person, virtual, or hybrid — there’s a way to plan a delicious lunch that all can enjoy. Team lunches can be used to educate, inspire, train, team build, or just have fun! From lunch and learns to cooking competitions, food is an excellent way to bring everyone together to boost engagement, camaraderie, collaboration, and morale.

Here are five reasons to host your next team lunch:

1. Build Strong Teams

Strong teams don’t happen by accident. Gathering to share a meal creates an opportunity for teams to converse and learn more about one another, which can lead to better working relationships. It takes intentional effort to form cohesive teams that understand how to work together to solve problems, innovate, and advance the company in new and exciting ways. Sharing lunch is an excellent example of intentional team building that leads to stronger, higher-performing teams.

2. Increase Collaboration

Companies need teams that can come together to create something new. That’s the art of team collaboration. But as most companies learn over time, getting people to collaborate is not easy. Getting folks to work at the same pace, trust each other, or communicate effectively is challenging. Team lunches create space for teams to discuss individual working styles, learn more about each other, and communicate better. But collaboration begins with trusting your teammate to do their part. A shared meal can help your teammates see one another as trusted partners in the joint effort to create something new.

3. Boost Team Camaraderie

Team camaraderie and collaboration go hand in hand — camaraderie is connected to the levels of trust required for team collaboration. Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines camaraderie as “a feeling of friendship and trust among people who work or spend a lot of time together.” Your teams need time to step back from tackling critical business issues to spend time together to develop trust levels that enable them to solve problems and drive the business forward more effectively. Team lunches are the perfect way to gather, laugh, and discuss while enjoying a delicious meal.

4. Boost Team Morale

The promise of a catered meal and opportunities to learn or engage with one another can help to boost your team’s morale. Have your folks been quieter lately? Have you noticed an increase in the lack of enthusiasm or initiative within your teams? You might be seeing signs of low team morale. Team morale refers to your team’s confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline. When this takes a dip, a host of other problems follow. Team building activities like hosting a lunch are a great way to show your team that you care. It’s a step towards rebuilding your team’s confidence and enthusiasm about the work and the folks on their team.

5. Drive Team Engagement

Studies show engaged employees are more productive, profitable, and less likely to leave. It matters a lot — that’s why employee engagement is a popular buzzword in corporate circles. Importantly, engaged employees view the workplace and team success as their own. That’s a high bar to reach, and you don’t get there by staying heads down on workplace problems all the time. Team lunches offer folks a chance to spend quality time together in a different setting, doing various activities that help them better get to know one another.

How do you ask for a team lunch?

You might need to make a business case if you don’t already have the budget for team lunches. When asking for a team lunch, here are a few things to consider or mention.

1. Team lunches can help bolster the bottom line. Team building activities like a group lunch can help employees feel more engaged. And highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability.

2. Team lunches are a small price to pay compared to the cost of disengaged employees. The Engagement Institute reports that disengaged employees cost U.S. companies up to $550 billion a year.

3. Team lunches can help ease burnout. The workforce has changed in recent years, and employees are feeling stress. CareerBuilder’s survey reports that 61% of employees are burned out on the job. Team lunches can help teams relax, reconnect, and ideate ways to combat high stress levels.

If your team members aren’t used to having team lunches, involve them in the planning process. They can vote on the place to eat and portions of the agenda, so they feel more involved and take ownership of the event.

What do you do during a team lunch?

What you do during your team lunch depends on what you want to accomplish. Team lunches can be focused on outcomes like learning and development, engagement and motivation, or appreciation and recognition. Below you’ll find some ideas about what to do during your team lunch, depending on your goal. 

Lunch Ideas for Team Engagement and Motivation

When it comes to encouraging team engagement and motivation, you’ll get the most out of more interactive team-building experiences. You’ll want to pair your lunch with activities that require folks to work or play together to reach common goals.

1. Include Team Building Activities

The best way to engage and motivate your people during a team lunch is to plan for some awesome team-building activities. Team building activities are your secret weapon to building stronger teams without making it feel like work.

Try an Escape Room

Escape rooms are one of the best ways to engage teams and work up an appetite. Together, you’ll race against the clock to solve puzzles, decode clues and escape a multi-room set. See if there’s an escape room near you, or try a virtual one. That’s right — escape rooms can also be done virtually for hybrid or remote teams! They work the same as in-person rooms. You’ll problem-solve, search for answers and work together as a team to explore undersea research labs, escape prison, search for hidden treasure, or track down a notorious art thief. The choice is yours! There are options for every team dynamic.

Join Us For A FREE Demo!

See exactly how our games work, ask questions about logistics and add some energy to your work day. Demos are 30 minutes long and take place on Zoom. There may even be a DoorDash giveaway!

Try Online Mystery Games

There’s a reason TV detectives are often pictured munching on donuts — solving crimes can work up a real appetite! These online mystery games will do the same as your team competes to find evidence, review surveillance videos, and decode clues to bring criminals to justice.

Plan a Scavenger Hunt

Your people will definitely earn a team lunch after finishing a scavenger hunt! Scavenger hunts task team members with completing several activities or locating items on a checklist before time runs out. Before your next team lunch, consider planning one and reaping the benefits. If your team is hybrid or remote, there are tons of virtual options to choose from, or you can even schedule a virtual museum scavenger hunt.

Play a Few Ice Breakers

Water cooler conversations are declining with the rise in remote and hybrid work. Icebreakers are a fun way to start the conversation at your team lunch. Ice breakers can be done in person, or you can try fun ice breakers for meeting platforms like Zoom! Getting into the swing of team lunch can take some time. But if you’re armed with a few icebreakers going in, you can help ease any discomfort, so folks start bonding right away.

Compete in an Online Game Show

Although sharing a meal can be relaxing, this online game show is anything but. Add an exciting twist to your team lunch and get everyone engaged! You’ll race to rack up points, earn badges, and battle it out for the top spot on the ever-shifting leaderboard. Word puzzles, mind-boggling codes, and surprise speed rounds abound in this fast-paced competitive game.

Play Board Games and Trivia

Who doesn’t love games? Plan a few games for your next team lunch to inspire a bit of camaraderie and competition. Board games like Jenga, Pictionary, and Scattergories are always crowd-pleasers. You can also plan a few virtual trivia games as a surefire way to induce a rush of dopamine in your team members.

Go Outdoors

Heading for a team hike or a walk after a meal is good for the body and team. Playing a few outdoor team-building games before lunch is also a great way to bond before diving into a meal. These outdoor team-building activities will give your team some much-needed sun and serotonin.

2. Head to a Restaurant That Makes You Cook Your Own Food

From Korean BBQ to fondue to hot pots, cook-it-yourself restaurants are gaining popularity. What better way to turn your team lunch into an engaging, interactive experience than cooking a meal together? You can also head to a hibachi-style restaurant for an exciting lunchtime experience. While you won’t be cooking your food, these restaurants are a fun way to create a shared memory with your team members. 

3. Invite a Live Chef to Prepare Your Team Meal

In and around every major city, personal and private chefs curate custom experiences for companies that want a more intimate dining event. You can invite a chef to prepare a meal for your team while teaching them how the dish comes together. Team building and engaging your team is about spending time together — and if you can learn something new, all the better! 

4. Mail Meal Kits and Prepare Them Together

Virtual or hybrid teams can enjoy live cooking experiences too! Websites like TeamClass offer hundreds of virtual experiences for groups of all shapes and sizes. You can book events to make cavatelli pasta, homemade pizza, tacos, and pickles! The best part? They’ll mail kits to each team member, so no one has to go through the hassle of grabbing items from the grocery store. You’ll also have a live host that guides you through every step, and you’ll enjoy the same delicious dish at the end. 

5. Host a Themed Lunch

If you want your team to be more engaged, give them a fun theme to get excited about! Themes invite folks to get dressed up or bring fun props that match the vibe. It’ll help you pick a playlist to match the energy and create a more memorable experience overall. Themes don’t have to be complicated. You can keep it simple and choose a theme like everyone wearing pink, funky sunglasses, the 90s, or famous movie characters. Every team lunch doesn’t have to be educational, and themes are a fun way to get folks excited about showing up for team lunch. 

Lunch Ideas for Appreciation and Recognition

Everyone loves recognition. Employee Appreciation Day is once a year, but you can (and should) recognize your team a lot more often than that. Use your next team lunch to celebrate your folks’ hard work or hard-earned milestones. Be sure to include a nice appreciation message too! If you need some help, this article will show how to write an employee appreciation message step-by-step and includes 50 examples. 

1. Host an Award Show

Host an award show for your teams as often as once per quarter and definitely at least once a year. They can be as grand as an in-person event or as simple as a well-designed PowerPoint highlighting nominees, honorable mentions, and winners. Spotlight the teams that have done outstanding work recently. Make sure to encourage teams to explain the problem or challenge they overcame.

For extra fun, include a few wacky awards! Here are a few ideas:

• Early Bird Award: For the team member most likely to be in the office or online before anyone else.
• Night Owl Award: For the team member that’s most likely to stay late
• Needs Coffee Award: For the team’s coffee enthusiast
• Stand-Up Comedian Award: For the team member that can make anyone laugh — even in stressful situations 

2. Give Prizes for Recent Wins and Successes

Surprise and delight team members by handing out prizes for recent team wins and successes. When it comes to recognition, team members don’t always need extravagant gifts. Public recognition and acknowledgment are critical to helping team members feel engaged and valued. A free meal, prizes, and recognition for wins make a potent combination.

Here are some prize ideas:

• DoorDash or UberEats gift card
• A self-heating mug like the Ember Mug
• A Sugarwish gift card so employees can pick their treats

Looking for more ideas? Here are 36 ideas for employee appreciation. 

3. Honor Retiring Employees

Are any employees about to retire on your team? Turn your team lunch into a celebration for their time at your company! There are tons of ways to celebrate a retiring employee. At your lunchtime retirement celebration, you can try the following:

• Asking team members to share a favorite memory with the retiring employee
• Showing photos of the retiree throughout their years at the company
• Playing a trivia game based on fun facts about the retiree

Celebrating retirement is a great way to demonstrate that you value the years your people spend as part of the team. Plus, it gives everyone something to look forward to! Be sure to include some fun retirement memes in your invitation!

4. Celebrate Team Birthdays and Work Anniversaries

Team member birthdays and work anniversaries are another fun reason to get everyone together for a shared meal. If your teams are large, consider hosting one team lunch a month to celebrate all the birthdays. Honor work anniversaries with a gift — the longer they’ve been with you, the bigger and more grand the gift should be!

Lunch Ideas for Team Learning and Development

Learning and development are crucial parts of the employee lifecycle. Companies that invest in training their teams see higher retention rates and improve their bottom line. Hiring new team members is both expensive and time-consuming. That’s why it’s in your best interest to focus on leveling up your current team members’ hard and soft skills. Team lunches won’t replace the need for a robust employee training program, but it’s a great way to get everyone together for an educational opportunity. 

1. Invite a Guest Lecturer or Speaker

Host a lunch and learn and mix things up by inviting a guest lecturer or speaker to teach your team! Having an industry expert lead your team through an activity or training is a great way to expose the group to new ways of thinking. 

2. Share Team Wins

Fellow team members and colleagues are experts too! At your next team lunch, consider inviting team members or groups within your team to share about a recent win and the factors that led to their success. Many companies have issues with silos. Organizational silos occur when a company has departments or teams that focus on only their own success rather than sharing learnings and information more broadly. Team lunches are a great (and delicious) way to encourage teams across the department or company to share their expertise with others! 

3. Share Team Failures and Key Learnings

Truly successful people and teams know that you can often learn more from failures than successes. Moreover, if you can learn from the failures and mistakes of others — that’s even better. Knowing what not to do is just as important as learning what to do. Use your team lunch to remove the stigma around failing. Instead of being punished for failures, you’ll encourage teams to share what they learned with the broader group so that everyone benefits and does better the next time. 

4. Show Training Videos

Although training can be a drag, you’ll make the learning and training experience ten times better by offering food while folks learn. Plus, the community aspect of learning and training together will foster productive discussions. And when folks ask questions during the team lunch and training session, everyone will benefit from hearing the answers. 

How do you plan a team lunch?

Planning a team lunch doesn’t have to be cumbersome. Here are the crucial steps in your team lunch planning process. 

1. Choose an Event Method

First and foremost, decide whether your team lunch will be in person, virtual, or a mix of both. This choice will impact the rest of your planning experience, so it’s best to decide on this first. 

2. Determine the Event Focus

As discussed above, you can host team lunches for various reasons! Decide if this lunch is designed to engage, educate, or celebrate employees. You’ll want to know your focus before you pick the place because your lunch options and locations might shift depending on your selection.  

3. Choose the date, time, and location (or platform)

Once you know why you’re having a team lunch and if you’re hosting the lunch in person, virtually, or as a mix, you can work out the details. Check calendars and pick a date and time. You can use a tool like Doodle to make things easier if you have many calendars to juggle. Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet are great for virtual or hybrid teams hosting a virtual lunch. If you’re picking a place in person, consider doing a quick poll to see which place folks want to dine. 

4. Plan the Meal 

In-Person Team Lunches

If your event is in person and off-site, consider choosing a place that lets team members cook the food themselves! You can also consider having a private chef host the event. If there’s a local restaurant everyone loves, ask them to cater! Potlucks are also a fun way to get everyone involved.

Virtual Team Lunches

Virtual team lunches are possible. Send everyone a DoorDash or UberEats gift card and have them coordinate meal delivery with the event time. If you’re doing a live cook-along style event, be sure you’ve ordered meal kits ahead of time so that employees have them ready to go on the day of.

Hybrid Team Lunches

If your team has in-person and remote workers, consider getting food catered in the office instead of going out together. You can easily use a virtual event platform like Zoom to involve remote workers. Be sure to send them an UberEats or DoorDash gift card. They can time the delivery and enjoy their meals at the same time as everyone who’s meeting in person. 

5. Invite Your Team

Your final step is making sure people show up! Have some fun with your invitations and use tools like Canva to make it easy to create professional-looking invitations.

Conclusion

Food is a necessary (and wonderful) part of human existence. So use it to benefit your team! Companies of all shapes and sizes can use food to get folks together. You can plan virtual team lunches or in-person get-togethers. Whichever you choose, getting your team together for some bonding and team building over a meal will boost engagement, morale, and team spirit! Use the tips and ideas above to plan a team lunch that leaves your people asking for more. Bon appétit! 

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