Corporate Team Outings Beyond Resorts: 5 Team-building Activities to Do Instead

According to researchers at MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory, conversations outside of formal meetings are the most important factor that contributes to team success.

In today’s corporate world, detachment among team members is taking a toll on employees’ physical and mental health. No wonder a whopping 84% of employees insist upon a comprehensive mental benefit plan.

Including out-of-the-box team-building activities can help corporate teams bond more effectively than via conventional means, such as meetings. These activities promote team members getting to know each other better along with healthy competition. Hence, corporate team-building activities are now the new norm!

 Corporate team outings can infuse new zest among employees and give them a break from endless job commitments. That is why countless organizations take varied measures to bring teams together and build team culture. This includes team-building activities that play a significant part in that process.

 

Top Benefits of Team Building Activities

Monetary incentives and rewards are no longer the only motivation for the employees. Today, Human Resources aims to take employees out of the office’s four walls and help build new experiences and a positive company culture.

Team-building activities are the ultimate way to straighten drooping shoulders and boost morale while breaking down barriers between employees. Here are the top benefits of team-building activities outside the office

       Maintains work-life balance

       Encourages creativity

       Increases employee collaboration

       Boosts employee motivation and

       Identifies hidden talents

 

 

Top 5 Team-Building Activities to Enjoy Outside Office Walls

Being huddled in a cubicle can indeed have a detrimental impact on an employee’s mental state and work ethic. Ditching the desk for a few days can do a world of good to employees. However, it is essential not to bring them from one enclosed place to yet another one, i.e., resorts.

The thrill of getting out of the office for a fun-filled, unique experience will work wonders for the employees. Relaxing in a resort room and meeting for regular activities hardly serves the real purpose of bringing employees outside- to align with nature and bust stress in a creative, fun, and productive way. Here are a few team-building ideas away from the constrained office or resort room atmosphere that can break the ice among teammates.

Poetry in stone tour
Poetry in Stone tour
  1. Interesting Walking Tours

The best way to learn about a place is through walking tours. Visiting a new city can include exploring its lanes and bylanes beyond the run-of-the-mill touristy spots. And a walking tour becomes more fun and exciting when you do it with your colleagues.

 

Hidden Gems Tours offers fascinating city tours in and around Bangalore. You get to know the real city, its history, culture, and architectural marvels. Imagine exploring food joints, famous shops in quaint lanes, temples, and more with your office colleagues.

Explore Mysore Somnathpur & Srirangapatna with Hidden Gems Tours and enjoy wonderful sites such as the stately Mysore Palace, the expansive Bandipur National Park, thriving marketplaces, and historic temples.

 From the Poetry in stone tour for the aesthetes to the British heritage tour for the history buffs, Hidden Gems Tours provides an immersive and authentic experience through interesting itineraries. The tours cover not only famous landmarks but also explore off-the-beaten-path destinations to discover what makes the region truly unique.

Nandi Hills Tour
  1. Fun Weekend Trips

Weekend trips offer fantastic team-building opportunities for organizations. Instead of planning something big, which may push budgetary constraints out of whack or take days to plan, a weekend trip can work as a great substitute! While devising an impromptu plan for an office full of people seems tedious, Hidden Gem Tours can plan an excellent itinerary for you.

The idea is to let team members not only enjoy views from their resort rooms but also go out there to immerse themselves in nature. Teams can participate in wilderness treks and go on hiking trails.

Hidden Gems offers an exciting two-day trip to Hampi, the UNESCO World Heritage Site with close to 1600 monuments. If you choose to take a tour on just one day of the weekend, consider indulging in team-building activities among panoramic countryside views with the Lepakshi and Nandi Hills tour. It is sure to be the ultimate antidote to stress.

Hidden Gems Tours
  1. Fitness-based Run Tours

Group fitness activities such as run tours are a great way to unite both fitness enthusiasts and non-fitness enthusiasts to share a common ground. The workforce can drop a sweat while lacing up their shoes to enjoy a run around the famous spots of the city they are visiting.

A group fitness activity like a running tour emphasizes health and wellness. Employees can do very well with a burst of endorphins to help them enjoy the niceties of the city and return to their cubicles refreshed.

 Feel the pulsating energy of a city like Bangalore as you run through the bustling neighborhoods and historic sites and get insights into the fascinating city. One such running tour includes the Bangalore rocks & parks running tour, which explores the oldest rock formation of the Vindhyas. Another option is the two-hour cantonment running tour that explores the garrison town. Like running tours, companies can also arrange for cycling tours, yoga tours, etc.

Run the City, Discover the Beat!
  1. Break Boundaries with Camping

Camping is another fun outdoor group activity for adults working in the corporate sector. Of course, camp activities need a certain amount of planning and collaboration. Campers can share bonhomie by preparing food, having great conversations, singing sessions over the campfire, and narrating stories or playing fun games.

The company can also go up a notch with glamping, a more upscale version of regular camping, where the workforce may enjoy more amenities! Even pitching tents together can turn out to be a great team-building exercise! It will help every employee come back to work brimming with enthusiasm.

Camping near Nandi Hills
  1. Build Team Spirit with Rafting

Rafting is a fantastic team-building exercise! Here, the team can bond by working together, along with the addition of a generous dose of fun.

A team paddling through a tricky stretch of water on a sultry day through the many thrilling rapids makes a rewarding experience. Peals of laughter, piercing screams, and the magical sound of the water will be music to the ears of desk-bound city slickers. White water rafting is a riveting team-building exercise to build camaraderie and team spirit.

 

Pursue New Possibilities with Trips for Team-building

Team-building is an investment that keeps the happiness quotient high among employees and increases employee retention. Hidden Gems Tours can create unforgettable moments for every employee at the corporate outing. We provide authentic experiences with curated itineraries and discover off-the-beaten-path destinations that help people feel the veritable essence of the place they visit.

 Hidden Gem Tours curates a journey beyond sightseeing, embraces the quintessence of travel, and creates memories of a lifetime. Book a tour today!

References-

  1. https://blog.vantagecircle.com/team-building-activities-for-work/
  2. https://teambuilding.com/blog/outdoor-team-building
  3. https://www.surfoffice.com/blog/teambuilding-activities-work
Duration
8 hours
Group Size
Up to 8

BANGALORE THROUGH THE AGES: BEST OF THE CITY IN A DAY

Bangalore gives you the impression of a modern new city, yet if you scratch the surface, you will uncover a storied past dating back over 1000 years.

In this tightly paced tour, we will visit interesting sites of different eras – Historical Temples, Palaces, Heritage Buildings, Markets, Statues, a Fort, a Museum, a lush Park, and more and learn about their significance and contribution to the making of Bangalore.

It’s a tour of the story of Bangalore – from its modest origin in pre-medieval times; to the era when it was just another place compared to its more illustrious peers, now long faded into oblivion, to the fascinating times when the city was traded, and gifted like a commodity; then fought over and retained like a shining possession; right down to the times when it reached an inflexion point and came into its own as a modern mega city.

This is by no means an ordinary sightseeing trip, but a true journey of exploration with engaging commentary sprinkled with interesting facts and anecdotes. A tour is sure to stimulate your mind and invigorate your senses.

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₹10,000
Duration
12 hours
Group Size
Up to 8

THE BEST OF MYSORE/MYSURU, SOMNATHPUR & SRIRANGAPATNA IN A DAY

An action-packed day tour where the journey is as exciting as the destinations.

Typical itinerary:

Stop At: Ramanagara

We believe food is an integral part of an Indian cultural experience; hence we start our tour early and detour from the highway to visit a traditional eatery serving authentic local breakfast. Here our accompanying guide will take you through a sumptuous culinary experience.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Silk Cocoon Market

We visit India's largest silk cocoon market - a sight to behold. From our accompanying expert guide, learn the history of the famed Mysore silk and the complex stages of creating a silk garment from scratch.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Keshava Temple, Somnathpur

We get off the highway for an extended detour through lush countryside to reach this stunning Hindu temple( a ruin) from 1268 AD. It is nominated as a UNESCO heritage site and awaiting accreditation. Some of humankind's most exquisite stone carvings and sculptures are here. Our accompanying expert guide will introduce its history, Hinduism, its pantheon of gods, and the context of each beautiful carving.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Mysuru/Mysore Palace

We explore this bejeweled palace, among the most visited sites in India and the home of one of the wealthiest individuals in the world in its heyday – the Maharaja of Mysore. From our accompanying expert guide, learn about the Wodeyar rulers and their incredible contributions to putting this region on the global map as we leisurely survey and explore the interiors & exteriors of this dazzling palace.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Devaraja Market, Mysore

Our accompanying expert guide will take you through a stroll inside an 1880s market stuck in a time warp. As you take a walk back in time, marvel at the sights, smells and sounds of the shops & people in the bazaar selling the choicest fruits, flowers, vegetables, bangles and local produce such as Jaggery, Attar, Masalas etc.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Srirangapatna

From Mysore, we drive to the historic river island of Srirangapatna. Here we break for a relaxed and sumptuous lunch at a picturesque setting by the gurgling waters of the River Cauvery.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Dariya Daulat Palace - Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, Srirangapatna

Our final stop is the exquisite 1780s wooden palace of Tipu Sultan, where every inch of its interiors has delicate frescoes and murals of evocative battle scenes, floral and geometric patterns and portraits. Our accompanying expert guide will provide context to each hand painted artwork and regale you with stories of the valiant efforts of this ruler, the Tiger of Mysore, against the colonial powers of the time.

Duration: 45 minutes

52 Reviews verify
from
₹15,000
Duration
12 hours
Group Size
Up to 8

POETRY IN STONE TOUR

In this awe-inspiring journey, you will discover that stone was clay in the hands of a breed of legendary sculptors, the likes of which are no longer around.

We will visit one of the ancient world's tallest free-standing sculptures created over a millennia ago, then gaze at idyllic countryside scenes that will invoke the meaning of life and such thoughts.

We will move on to marvel at the best collection of stone works not seen anywhere else in the world.

At an ancient temple that doubled up as a dance platform with exquisite statues of voluptuous maidens, surely inspired by the dancers themselves.

And at a 12th-century temple whose walls are covered with hundreds and thousands of exquisite carvings of gods, animals, flowers, mythical beasts, and patterns, sure to leave you speechless

14 Reviews verify
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₹16,000
Duration
12 hours
Group Size
Up to 8

THE BEST OF LEPAKSHI & NANDI HILLS IN A DAY

A fascinating day trip exploring an array of cultural, historical, and natural wonders of India

Our first stop is for a sumptuous South Indian breakfast. We then quickly make our way to a quaint town to explore an amazing medieval temple having India’s biggest Nandi bull; Snake sculpture and the largest hand-painted fresco. It is the home of a few mysterious hanging pillars too

We then move on to watch skillful workers create silk thread out of silk cocoons at a cottage sericulture workshop. Get to know the various stages in the creation of fine silk cloth that this region is historically famous for. The next stop is a pottery workshop where you can try your hand at making a custom urn or a pot of clay. A visit to a quaint century-year-old train station stuck in a time warp, follows.

We then move on to explore a remarkable 9th-century Hindu temple frozen in time. It is the oldest one in the Bangalore region. Learn about the fabled empires of South India that have left their marks within its boundaries.

The region is home to one of India’s handful of Biodiversity Heritage sites. We explore his remarkable 800-year-old Tamarind trees grove. The gnarled tree trunks and extraordinary root suckers propping the old trees are a botanical marvel.

Our final stop is a visit to the ramparts of a couple of forts from the 16th and 18th centuries. Get to know about the valiant 18th-century warrior and statesman, Tipu Sultan and his indelible impact and contributions.

We are back in Bangalore by about 6 pm.

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₹14,000
Duration
4 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
Up to 8

BANGALORE THROUGH THE AGES – HALF DAY TOUR

Bangalore gives you the impression of a modern new city, yet if you scratch the surface, you will uncover a storied past dating back over 1000 years.

In this tightly paced tour, we will visit interesting sites of different eras – A lush park, A historic temple, the oldest Market of the city, and the centre of state government to learn about their significance and contribution to the making of Bangalore.

It’s a tour of the story of Bangalore – from its modest origin in pre-medieval times; to the era when it was just another place compared to its more illustrious peers, now long faded into oblivion, to the fascinating times when the city was traded, and gifted like a commodity; then fought over and retained like a shining possession; right down to the times when it reached an inflexion point and came into its own as a modern mega city.

This is by no means an ordinary sightseeing trip, but a true journey of exploration with engaging commentary sprinkled with interesting facts and anecdotes. A tour is sure to stimulate your mind and invigorate your senses.

from
₹7,000
Duration
5 hours
Group Size
2 to 8

BRITISH HERITAGE TOUR

The legacy of over 150 years of British presence in Bangalore is hard to miss if you are in the city. For example, The broad roads laid out over 200 years ago for horse carriages, bullock carts, and horsemen do a fine job of carrying the chaotic traffic of this day.

The British brought to Bangalore promenades, parks, churches, schools, hospitals, pubs, clubs, shopping centers, dance halls, race courses, golf ranges, cricket, etc where there was none before.

In this specially curated tour, we will explore in detail many of the fascinating landmarks of that era as well as sneak a peek at a few more that have left an indelible mark on the cityscape of Bangalore

You will also learn how events of that era have shaped a modest town to become one of the largest cities in India in a few generations; how the capital of an unknown state has become the outsourcing capital of the world.

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₹7,000