Although remote workers have proven that their productivity is no lesser than office workers, apprehensions around engagement and motivation of remote workers continue to exist. To boost employee engagement and motivation, employers have been resorting to innovative and creative ways more than ever. One of them being the rapid rise in virtual team building activities during the pandemic. With the ever-increasing popularity of these activities, vendors that offer these activities have also grown in large numbers.
For example, team building companies in Singapore have experienced a significant surge in demand during the pandemic. With most of the vendors offering similar activities, it is difficult to identify the right vendor for your activity. Identifying the right vendor is as important as organizing the activity.
Although not a comprehensive list, here are 5 factors to consider before choosing a professional team building company:
Certified or experienced facilitators
The importance of experienced facilitators is often underestimated and misunderstood while choosing a professional team building vendor. Organizations often do away with the idea of having a facilitator to cut down on the budget or they simply deem it unnecessary to have one. But having an expert facilitator lead the activity can be game changing for the participants. Facilitators bring with them a lot of experience, unbiased view of your teams, and the power to unlock the true potential of your teams.
Outside facilitators usually have a lot of experience in handling various types of team dynamics and customizing an activity accordingly. They are unbiased and ensure that everyone participates in the activity. They only intervene in the activity when extremely necessary and motivate team members to collaborate with each other to complete the activity.
On the contrary, if the activity is organized by insiders, there is a risk of being biased and leaving conflicts unresolved. Although vendors that offer expert facilitators might be expensive, they are worth the extra investment to make sure your team reaps the best results from the activity.
Proven track record
It may sound unfair to not choose a vendor for mere lack of track record or experience. As smaller and newer vendors might be able to deliver the same experience and quality for a lower price. It might also sound tempting to go for a newer vendor if there is a huge price cut being offered. This may be fine for regular or small activities. However, when organizing events for teams of large sizes and across many departments, ensuring that your vendor has a proven track record saves you time and anxiety.
An inexperienced vendor might get overwhelmed with the activity or at worse underdeliver the experience leading to a waste of resources. Therefore, ensure that your vendor has a proven track record in the type of activity you choose. It also helps if your vendor has previously worked with organizations in your industry or segment.
Out of the box thinking
Team building activities need to be fun and creative more than anything. If they are not fun to participate in, employees might pass them off as another day at work. Out of the box activities pique employee interests genuinely and get them excited about participating in the activities. These also help team members build personal bonds while enhancing their creativity and building lasting memories. Check the list of activities your vendors have on offer and ask them for customization. Options provided by companies like Escapely, for example, include escape rooms and murder mystery activities, perfect for boosting morale and driving your team’s productivity.
Synergies with your organization
This might seem trivial but is one of the factors that hold significant importance. When you are considering different vendors, see which of them share the most synergies with your organization and understand your culture to its core. Team building activities are the pillars of culture building and cannot be successfully executed if the organization’s culture is not understood. Therefore, try finding a vendor who understands your culture, has synergies with your values, and vibes with your teams.
Planning and organizational skills
Although this must have been the first thing on this list, it is easy to miss the details. The importance of planning and organizational skills of an activity organizer is underestimated. Planning skills of the organizer must be a crucial consideration before finalizing the vendor. If a vendor has ideas or options to choose from different varieties of activities but does not have the team or necessary planning skills to execute, the activity will not meet your expectations. You also run the risk of exceeding budgets and disappointing leadership with the activity.
Choose a vendor who takes enough time to plan the activity and co-ordinates with you while you walk through the journey. Organizing a successful team building activity requires both the employer and vendor to be in co-ordination. Expectations and objectives need to be communicated clearly from the employer. Vendors need to plan and tailor the activity accordingly while ensuring it does not end up being too expensive for the organization.
To conclude, choosing the perfect team building company is an indirect investment into your organization’s culture. The right vendor will not only offer the most beneficial activities for your teams but will also ensure the activity is well implemented and the objectives are achieved.
Also read: How can You Increase The Motivation of Employees Working from Home?
