info@teamchallenge-company.co.uk
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Working with a wide range of venues of all styles across the UK and Ireland, our team have had the pleasure of working at some truly stunning locations, including several five-star luxury hotels.
Here are four of the top class hotels that offer a unique setting for your event.
Fairmont St Andrews Hotel Golf Resort & Spa sits on the eastern cliffs of Scotland, commanding spectacular sea views.
Framed by the striking St Andrews skyline and shrouded in the history of the Home of Golf, the extensive facilities include: 209 deluxe guest rooms, five restaurants each with their own individual character and style, 36 holes of great golf, a reviving spa offering a wide range of luxurious treatments and an 18 metre indoor pool with sauna, steam-room and Jacuzzi, plus a large dedicated area for outdoor team building activities and corporate entertainment games.
Designed with comfort and luxury in mind, the resort's 209 guestrooms possess an almost uncanny ability to lift the spirits and soothe away fatigue.
The hotel commands breath-taking panoramic views over the North Sea and the medieval skyline of St Andrews. Whether you're planning a board meeting, a team building event, a sales conference or a corporate entertainment event, the venue offers everything you could possibly need for your event to run smoothly.
With state-of-the-art conference facilities and an unwavering commitment to detail, there's no better place than Fairmont St Andrews.
Sofitel London St James offers five-star accommodation in the heart of London's West End and provides the perfect venue for your next away day. Experience this landmark hotel - consistently rated as one of the best in London - which combines traditional
British design with a contemporary style that is unmistakably French. You are sure to create the perfect atmosphere for your indoor or evening event with the seven stylish London meeting rooms - each with a private entrance - which can accommodate up to 180 guests and all of your indoor entertainment needs.
Our London conference rooms offer state-of-the-art technology, or you can opt for our self-contained boardroom, with an exclusive reception area and private dining room - ideal for the most discreet gathering.Located in a grade II listed building, the hotel features a restaurant, the Rose Lounge, the St James Bar, a large choice of conference suites and an award-winning spa affording you plenty of relaxation following your indoor team building event or experiential learning workshop.
This stunning hotel is within walking distance of Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus so will provide the ideal setting for your Team Challenge Company experience.
Standing on the wooded slopes overlooking Belfast Lough and the County Antrim coastline, is the magnificent Culloden Estate & Spa; Northern Ireland's most prestigious five-star hotel.
The Culloden Estate and Spa presents seven beautifully appointed event spaces for meetings and conferences, making it a fantastic choice for various indoor team building events, whether it be a Race Night or an Ice Breaker!
Situated only five miles from Belfast City Centre, the hotel is a member of the exclusive Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Originally built as an official palace for the Bishops of Down, the Culloden stands in 12 acres of beautiful secluded gardens and woodland that lends itself perfectly to team building and corporate entertainment activities.
Palatial surroundings, fine antiques and the highest levels of personal service combine to give the Culloden a unique air of elegance. The exclusive spa offers a full range of health and leisure facilities, and golfing enthusiasts can enjoy privileged tee-off times at Royal Belfast Golf Club.
Enjoy fine dining in the AA rosette winning Mitre Restaurant, or for a more informal meal, try the Cultra Inn on the estate.
Voted Top UK Conference Hotel for the fifth consecutive year in the Hot List for Conference & Incentive Travel magazine, The Celtic Manor Resort is sure to be the perfect venue for your next team building away day or conference.
The Convention Centre is purpose built for events and can host all styles, from board meetings to conferences and AGMs. At the heart of the centre is the 1500 delegate Caernarfon Suite, with adjoining pre-function areas and world-class technical facilities, offering you all the space you need for your next indoor team building session or team development workshop.In addition to the Convention Centre suites, The Lodge has a wide range of function rooms, including the Augusta Suite (400 theatre style) and the Via Julia Suite (150). The Manor Suite (120) is another option and is located at the Resort's 19th century Manor House.
All of these spaces offer a fantastic setting for your choice of evening entertainment events, from a Corporate Quiz Night right through to a Murder Mystery Dinner. At the Celtic Manor Resort, the choice really is yours.
Each of these incredible venues offers something unique, whilst delivering the utmost in luxury and excellence for you and your team.
Working in a team can be difficult at times. Whether it is conflict or a lack of communication that is the problem, it is important to tackle these challenges head-on. In saying this, prevention is always better than a cure, so if you think problems will soon arise, put your best foot forward and resolve them before they worsen with a little help from Team Challenge Company
A few common tell-tale signs that there may be a problem in your team include continuous conflict between two or more workers and a serious lack of motivation on behalf of several team members. If you are struggling to identify the cause of issues within the team, it may simply be a lack of understanding. Recognising everyone's roles within the team is so important to the success of your business, as is respect for the work carried out by your employees.
A lack of understanding can lead to confusion and frustration, therefore resulting in conflict further down the line.If you, as a manager, don't quite understand how employees work on a day-to-day basis, or if you are struggling to recognise individual roles in the team, don't fret.
Belbin's team roles are ideal for helping managers to see how their employees work best, and what they contribute to the team.Are you a manager struggling to get the respect of your team? Then why not fly over to these guys and up your managment game today!
In this blog post, we will look at just one of Belbin's team roles; The Plant.
Though not always practical in the way they think and the ideas they share, they could be described as the ‘life of the team'. They always have something to contribute, and clever yet wacky concepts are their specialty, even when it comes to corporate entertainment ideas. However, it is important to remember that too many Plants can stunt growth, as well as cause conflict. If you have too many ideas flying around the table from too many Plants, it can be difficult to make an impartial decision.
Creative and an ‘out of the box' thinker, the Plant specialises in idea generation and inspiration. Not only are they quite a dominant member of the team, but they tend to push the boat out when it comes to thinking of imaginative ways to improve a campaign or strategy.
Plants will often focus on the ‘bigger picture' instead of finalising the little details. This can be both a weakness and strength as it allows them to create a vision. However, overlooking details, no matter how minor, can put the team at a disadvantage.
If you have a couple of Plants in your team, remember to encourage them to take a project step-by-step; you should help them to see the minor yet practical details, so as not to rush ahead. This is just a short analysis of Belbin's Plant team role.If you are struggling to identify these roles in an office environment, why not study behaviour, strengths and weaknesses elsewhere? Here at Team Challenge Company, we have a wide selection of team building days on offer, all of which can offer a greater insight into your team. For more information, get in touch today.
Whatever research you come across, it is the consensus view that human beings are social creatures. From an early age, right through to adulthood, our dependency on our friends and community is evident.
Even in the workplace, we crave and cultivate social interaction through various team building activities and social gatherings.
In fact, interaction with others is such a significant part of human life that the physically isolated act of computing has become social-centric, with a number of social media networks sitting at the centre of modern culture and psyches.
Are we really as social as we think though? And if so, how did we get that way?
Well, according to various sources, evolution plays a big part.
As ancient primates, we roamed the planet solo, in pairs, or - at the most - in small clusters. Small groups that were originally created for survival turned into families, and families eventually turned into communities, which expanded into societies.
Partly, this banding together occurred out of necessity, to protect the human race from predators and to share the skills and wealth accumulated by individuals. This is just an anthropological glimpse at how humans were destined to be social though; our biology also seems to have played its part.
With a larger and better-developed brain than other primates, we were practically built to be social. Our evolved brains mean we can reason, speak, problem-solve, learn and interact socially.
It is this ability to learn, communicate and evolve that has contributed to our survival as a dominant species and allowed us to prosper as a civilization. Sociality is just as important to modern human life though, as psychologist Adam Waytz explains:
"sociality is a dominant force that shapes thought, behaviour, physiology, and neural activity" (source).
What does that mean in the workplace? It means you need to foster relations and nurture communication, within teams and departments.
It is true that for the most part, work requires a degree of solitude. Collaboration may be required for certain tasks, like meetings and brainstorms, but for the majority of companies, everyday tasks require individuals to work alone in order to stay focused and productive.
That said, when you work in a social environment like an office, you need to ensure teams communicate, collaborate and generally work well together. It is detrimental to encourage too much social interaction throughout the day, so you need to designate time for team building activities and events like those offered by Team Challenge Company.
We have years of experience in the corporate events industry, and we have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to teams and associated topics. We will help you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of both teams and individuals, whilst providing a productive session where everyone learns something new or develops an existing skill.
So help your team embrace all that being a social creature involves and get in touch to book your team event today. We look forward to hearing from you.
There is no denying the importance of strong, capable and motivated teams when it comes to work and productivity.
However, a few wrong moves and you can cause some serious hiccups within your team; these issues can often upset the team dynamic and will require you to address the situation.
So to give you an idea of what to watch out for, here are three common things from Team Challenge Company that cause team hiccups and ideas on how to address them.
This one goes all the way back to school days; inclusion is a big deal because people are social animals, meaning we want to be included and involved.
Now, in the workplace things get slightly more complicated than when you chose teams for Bulldog.
Nevertheless, making sure the whole team feels they are aware, involved and making a valuable contribution is the best way to keep everyone happy.
People can become discontent and even disruptive if they feel left out, which can lead to unnecessary rivalries and friction within a team.
So whether it is designating specific tasks or calling a whole-team brainstorm, make sure everyone is involved at some stage, whatever the project.
Similarly, be sure to encourage everyone to participate in group conversations as this will help the team to bond and strengthen communication.
Good communication is essential at any level of a business or organization.
Communication with third parties, between departments and within teams all helps to keep the cogs of a company moving smoothly.
Unfortunately, poor communication - be it written or spoken - is something that can cause teams to crumble.
Poorly communicated or misunderstood messages cannot only affect the work, but also the individuals doing the work. There can be an element of mistrust between senders and receivers, and those who get it wrong can suffer from doubt or frustration.
Such emotions can lead to further bad feeling and even fracturing within a team.
Combat the snowballing of poor communication by double-checking that everyone understands the message, as the sender intended. Also, encourage open verbal communication within teams, departments and the company as a whole.
Additionally, consider developing your team's communication and listening skills with a key skill focused workshop. You can make the experience enjoyable with one of our many corporate and indoor team building activities.
It is important to remember the personal aspect of working with people. Too often, companies get so distracted by fiscal growth and so preoccupied with the necessary figures, they forget to pay attention to the teams and individuals doing the work.
Putting all the emphasis on service levels, targets and figures can lead to pockets of ill feeling on the ‘shop floor' as it were. People will quickly feel underappreciated, overlooked and as though they are treated as a number if they are ignored in favour of figures, percentages and charts.
Such tunnelled concentration on figures can also cause unfair and unmanageable workloads to be assigned, albeit unintentional. This can harm the wellbeing and the morale of staff, as well as cause a level of conflict that will usually go unresolved until it becomes detrimental to the team dynamic.
To avoid the problems associated with favouring figures over team members, be sure to check in with your team on a regular basis. Ask for their feedback, get them involved with scheduling and make a conscious effort to thank them for their efforts.
Now, these are just three of the hiccups that can occur when you don't pay your team due care and attention. So start afresh by showing your team how much you value and appreciate them with one of Team Challenge Company superb corporate entertainment ideas.
For many small businesses - and a few of the bigger ones - the people they employ are part of a close-knit team much like a family; successes are celebrated and mistakes are learnt from together as a team.
Invite your employees and their family to a corporate fun day and cement your workplace family relationships in the process.
Not only will you see a whole new side to your employees watching them interact with their loved ones and children, but it will also enable you to get a deeper sense of who they are outside of the office.
Corporate fun days are all about team building, but by extending the invitation out to partners, spouses, and children it becomes a day of bonding and connecting on a personal level, as well as professional. Your business becomes family-friendly and a workplace that your employees want to remain a part of.
Here at Team Challenge Company, we cater to your every team building and development need. With a range of activities that are interactive, fun and exciting, and suitable for children, teens and adults alike, your corporate family fun day will be remembered for all the right reasons. Check out our portfolio for more information.
Think you're ready to take on a fun team building day? Choose your range of event activities for a bespoke, tailored experience based on your requirements. Not only can we organise the event from inception, but you'll get a dedicated event manager on the day to ensure the day goes as planned.
Your event will be fully supervised, with first aid staff and health and safety officers on-site at all times. We can run competitions and award prizes throughout the day, leaving you free to mingle and enjoy the day. We'll even provide you with a downloadable photo album and blog about the experience.
If your employees are like an extended family, then treat them to a corporate family fun day. The benefits of engaging your staff with their families around are numerous: they will feel renewed energy in the workplace, they will be motivated and productive, and, most importantly, they will feel a deeper connection or bond with your business.
For more information, please browse our website or contact us today on 03300 04 09 03.
The art of small talk is one that comes naturally to some, whilst others struggle to make what is supposed to be an insignificant conversation with those around them. Some people recoil in horror at the prospect of having to make idle chit-chat while others are pro-active and ready to engage with the people around them.
In the workplace, knowing how to make small talk and knowing how to take something positive from it, is an important aspect of being part of a team. It is a wonderful way of building and maintaining relationships with those around us, which is crucial if you are looking to build team spirit. Alongside this, it helps create a friendly and easy-going atmosphere in the office, and it can reduce any stress or anxiety you may be feeling, too.
Why do people hate small talk?
Intended as a means of starting a conversation, covering generic topics that everyone can engage in; these often one-time encounters can feel awkward and shallow. It can also feel forced and a little mundane when those you are interacting with don't give you anything back.
However, if you are more open to the idea of genuine interactions with those around you, there is a lot to be taken from small talk. If you pose your questions differently (open ended without a yes or no answer) and prompt responses where necessary, you will find these conversations can be more of a team building exercise than a mundane passing of the day.
The Lift Conundrum
It is said that the awkward silence that fills the 20 seconds of a lift ride are some of the most uncomfortable moments of our lives, even if it is people we spend most of our time with in the workplace. Everyone is waiting for somebody else to speak first, but they never do - and the increasingly loud silence wins out.
Engage in Small Talk
If you're looking to build team spirit in your office, it is easily achieved. We have put together our top 5 reasons to go for it to help you on your way:
The power of small talk in the workplace can be powerful when utilised in the right way. Combine with projects that require open communication and problem solving and a sense of morale on a team building day to see your team really working together.
If you're looking for activities that will challenge and nurture your team at the same time, please contact our team - we've got just the event for you!
Each and every business aspires to have the perfect team in each department; finding the best possible mix of skills, ambition, experience and personality to drive each team forward is, of course, the ultimate aim. A team that doesn't need to be micromanaged or continually monitored is a team that will not only succeed but will do so with gusto.
It goes without saying that while our dreams and aspirations for the perfect team are clear and certainly achievable, it is also necessary to choose the right person for the job, and this isn't always the extrovert. Introverted individuals are just as successful and popular in the workplace. However, they are less likely to want to be involved in team building events with the rest of your office.
While the extrovert is full of energy and maintains an outgoing personality at all times - especially for team building events, the introvert is much more likely to consider their responses and actions before committing. Both introverts and extroverts are able to achieve success; although often in different fields. Introverts are often in analytical, leadership roles while extroverts tend to work better in roles with high levels of communication, and are often customer facing.
When planning team building events for your staff, it is important to consider how you will incorporate both types of person in the office, and make your event enjoyable for all.
When it comes to bespoke team building events that are catered to your needs, you don't need to look any further than Team Challenge Company. We have a range of activities that are suitable for both introverts and extroverts.
Our Crystal Challenge event is based on tests of mental and physical strength, as well as skill in areas that demand a logical mind and quick reaction. Setting each team member a pivotal role and assigning responsibilities means that each plays to their own strengths.
When it comes to profiling your staff to better evaluate their role, ensure they have the right training and support in place and identify areas for improvement; you can't do better than our Psychometric Profiling team development activities. Allow your team to play to their strengths and get to understand their needs more efficiently with Team Challenge Company.
With a broad range of challenges and games in this interactive quiz, there are plenty of elements to suit introverts and extroverts, alike. Watch in wonder as your team work together, playing to their strengths and skills, in order to win the coveted trophy.
All of the above team building events allow introverts time to recoup while giving the extroverts a way to burn off their excess energy.
For all your team building event needs, please contact us for more information, or give us a call on 03300 04 09 03.
For many businesses, and indeed here at Team Challenge Company, it is important to allow your employees to focus on their own personal development as well as learning how to be a contributing member of the team. Knowing how to apply knowledge acquired from team building events can be a challenge, but if you get the balance right and reinforce team building ideology, then you will end up with a much happier team on your hands.
For your team, as well as yourself on a managerial level, it is important to remember that nobody is going to hand you success on a silver platter. It is earned and achieved through careful personal development, personal strategy and a lot of hard work!
We have compiled some top tips for ensuring your workforce can embrace personal development following a successful team building event.
While you can encourage your workforce to follow these steps and build on their personal development, it is also imperative that you provide them with team building events that they can thrive and flourish in; for you to be able to see them achieve their full potential.
For all of your team building and staff development needs, please do have a look at our range of events and structured activities built specifically to cater to your requirements as a business. Furthermore, please contact us with any queries you may have and we’ll endeavour to help your team achieve the very best results possible.
