How inspiring a space is your office? Chances are … unless you are a trendy start-up with ping-pong tables, a living wall and a giant exotic fish tank … not particularly.
And on those rare occasions when you have time to step back from the routines to come up with new, creative ideas to drive the business forward … the office may not be the most inspiring place in which to do it.
So, with the rolling landscapes and sandy beaches of Ayrshire on the doorstep, the best plan may be to get everyone out into spaces that can refresh, inspire and rejuvenate.
Anything from a simple change-of-scene board meeting in relaxing surroundings, to a full-on creative and team-building weekend will have a positive effect on staff creativity and productivity.
The benefits can begin straight away - even the act of putting the date in the diary could give morale an up-tick as water-cooler chat focuses on what lies ahead.
Dunure beach
According to Chris Saunders, CEO of Adventure Centre for Education, based in Girvan, the positive effects of a day outdoors are immediate - those bright ideas will start flowing as soon as people experience the fresh air.
“There are physical and psychological benefits,” he explains. “When we are outside natural light reacts with the brain; colour, sounds and smell all affect our psychology. So we immediately feel more motivated and happy. ”
During a day of activity, new connections will form across teams, new talents and leaders will emerge and innovative ideas will form. Activities might include something fun, such as kayaking, or something more challenging such as a raft-building contest.
“It’s an opportunity to see people in a different light and different strengths come through,” says Chris.
“People can really shine through on a task and their colleagues go ‘Ooh I didn’t know you could do that’.”
This is a view shared by Ross Gardiner at Turnberry Adventures, which provides a range of corporate days in its stunning 800-acre estate near Maidens.
“When you see your colleagues at work in the same setting day after day you make assumptions about what they are capable of,” he says.
“Our challenge days are designed to expose the fundamentals of effective teamwork, forcing people to discuss, agree and implement a plan that will ultimately provide a solution to the problem.
“These kinds of activities reveal hidden talents that help teams to form a closer a bond that is transmitted back into the work setting afterwards.”
Turnberry Adventures can offer everything from a fun-filled day of It’s A Knockout, which sees teams battle over inflatables, to the high-octane Survivor, in which teams have to locate vital supplies and escape a remote drop-point. There is also the unique Turnberry Challenge, which combines a GPS treasure hunt with a series of problem-solving tasks to strengthen team co-operation.
“At this time of year when bosses may be starting to think about paying for a Christmas treat, this kind of adventure day kills two birds with one stone - giving something back to the business too,” says Ross.
To start planning your next out-of-office adventure, check www.turnberryadventures.co.uk or adventurecarrick.com
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