{"id":252502,"date":"2023-01-19T15:25:19","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T15:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/?p=252502"},"modified":"2023-02-13T17:06:33","modified_gmt":"2023-02-13T17:06:33","slug":"team-lunch-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/blog\/team-lunch-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Team Lunch: 4 Questions & Answers You Need to Ask For, Host, & Enjoy a Team Lunch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Communal dining, or eating with others, has been around for as long as people have been around. Restaurants, cafeterias, diners, and dinner tables create opportunities to share a meal with friends or loved ones. Society has long known the benefits and encouraged the practice of eating with friends or family, but those benefits also extend to the workplace. Having lunch with your team is a great way to get to know one another, encourage conversation, educate each other, and have fun. Read on for a comprehensive guide to planning a team lunch that benefits everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Table of Contents<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why Host A Team Lunch?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Do You Ask For A Team Lunch?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Do You Do During A Team Lunch?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideas for Engagement and Motivation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideas for Appreciation and Recognition<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideas for Learning and Development<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do You Plan A Team Lunch?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why host a team lunch?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a reason food is often involved in group activities \u2014 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 \u2014 there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are five reasons to host your next team lunch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.<\/strong> Build Strong Teams<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Strong teams don\u2019t 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<\/a> that leads to stronger, higher-performing teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2.<\/strong> Increase Collaboration<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Companies need teams that can come together to create something new. That\u2019s the art of team collaboration<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.<\/strong> Boost Team Camaraderie<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Team camaraderie<\/a> and collaboration go hand in hand \u2014 camaraderie is connected to the levels of trust required for team collaboration. Oxford Learner\u2019s Dictionary defines camaraderie<\/a> as \u201ca feeling of friendship and trust among people who work or spend a lot of time together.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.<\/strong> Boost Team Morale<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The promise of a catered meal and opportunities to learn or engage with one another can help to boost your team\u2019s 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<\/a>. 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\u2019s a step towards rebuilding your team\u2019s confidence and enthusiasm about the work and the folks on their team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5.<\/strong> Drive Team Engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Studies<\/a> show engaged employees are more productive, profitable, and less likely to leave. It matters a lot \u2014 that\u2019s why employee engagement<\/a> is a popular buzzword in corporate circles. Importantly, engaged employees view the workplace and team success as their own. That\u2019s a high bar to reach, and you don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you ask for a team lunch?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might need to make a business case if you don\u2019t already have the budget for team lunches. When asking for a team lunch, here are a few things to consider or mention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

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3.<\/strong> Team lunches can help ease burnout. <\/strong>The workforce has changed in recent years, and employees are feeling stress. CareerBuilder\u2019s survey reports that 61%<\/a> of employees are burned out on the job. Team lunches can help teams relax, reconnect, and ideate ways to combat high stress levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your team members aren\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you do during a team lunch?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019ll find some ideas about what to do during your team lunch, depending on your goal. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lunch Ideas for Team Engagement and Motivation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to encouraging team engagement and motivation, you\u2019ll get the most out of more interactive team-building experiences. You\u2019ll want to pair your lunch with activities that require folks to work or play together to reach common goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.<\/strong> Include Team Building Activities<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try an Escape Room<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Escape rooms are one of the best ways to engage teams and work up an appetite. Together, you\u2019ll race against the clock to solve puzzles, decode clues and escape a multi-room set. See if there\u2019s an escape room near you<\/a>, or try a virtual one<\/a>. That\u2019s right \u2014 escape rooms can also be done virtually for hybrid or remote teams! They work the same as in-person rooms. You\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Try Online Mystery Games<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a reason TV detectives are often pictured munching on donuts \u2014 solving crimes can work up a real appetite! These online mystery games<\/a> will do the same as your team competes to find evidence, review surveillance videos, and decode clues to bring criminals to justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan a Scavenger Hunt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your people will definitely<\/em> 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.<\/a> If your team is hybrid or remote, there are tons of virtual options<\/a> to choose from, or you can even schedule a virtual museum scavenger hunt<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Play a Few Ice Breakers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>! Getting into the swing of team lunch can take some time. But if you\u2019re armed with a few icebreakers going in, you can help ease any discomfort, so folks start bonding right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compete in an Online Game Show<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although sharing a meal can be relaxing, this online game show<\/a> is anything but. Add an exciting twist to your team lunch and get everyone engaged! You\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Play Board Games and Trivia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who doesn\u2019t <\/em>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<\/a> as a surefire way to induce a rush of dopamine in your team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Outdoors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a> will give your team some much-needed sun and serotonin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.<\/strong> Head to a Restaurant That Makes You Cook Your Own Food<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019t be cooking your food, these restaurants are a fun way to create a shared memory with your team members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3.<\/strong> Invite a Live Chef to Prepare Your Team Meal<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2014 and if you can learn something new, all the better! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.<\/strong> Mail Meal Kits and Prepare Them Together<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Virtual or hybrid teams can enjoy live cooking experiences too! Websites like TeamClass<\/a> 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\u2019ll mail kits to each team member, so no one has to go through the hassle of grabbing items from the grocery store. You\u2019ll also have a live host that guides you through every step, and you\u2019ll enjoy the same delicious dish at the end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.<\/strong> Host a Themed Lunch<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019ll help you pick a playlist to match the energy and create a more memorable experience overall. Themes don\u2019t 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\u2019t have to be educational, and themes are a fun way to get folks excited about showing up for team lunch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lunch Ideas for Appreciation and Recognition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Everyone loves recognition. Employee Appreciation Day<\/a> 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<\/a> step-by-step and includes 50 examples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.<\/strong> Host an Award Show<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For extra fun, include a few wacky awards! Here are a few ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n