In today’s highly complex team-based and competitive workplace, managing relationships with colleagues and rewarding employees is essential. Alongside recognizing the performance of employees and recognizing achievements, experiential learning programs have been proved to increase retention of employees, increase productivity and boost morale and increase profits. Certain companies are giving companies the chance to take advantage of this chance by taking employees away from their usual environment and into the outdoors to experience some excitement and adventure as well as building a team.
With companies small and large, they offer creative outdoor events to just reward employees or to dig more deeply and, through an experienced team of facilitators, find solutions, solve conflicts or concentrate on other concerns.
“Historically, corporate team building programs were about bringing facilitators into the boardroom, or going to specific destinations with facilities that accommodate team building programs. What we have created are some truly unique programs that can be brought anywhere, be it an office, city centre, or resort,” says James Corbett, owner of Canadian Outback Adventures. “More and more companies are realizing the return on investment and are embracing the importance of experiential learning through team building adventures.”
A few of Canadian Outback Adventures’ ( www.canadianoutback.com [http://www.canadianoutback.com%C2%A0]) most popular programs include the following:
Survivor
While the corporate boardroom can appear intimidating, The “Survivor” event is definitely not! The groups are divided into distinct tribes that have their own local First Nations tribal names. Each tribe’s aim is to conquer the different challenges as efficiently as is possible. Challenges like Blind Leading the Blind, Triage, Squamish Scramble, and Buried Treasure tests the effectiveness of communication, strategy as well as other important aspects of the business. No specific skills or athletic ability, or prior knowledge is required!
Amazing Race
Amazing Race is a team-building event that requires communication as well as planning, strategy as well as teamwork. It is also an endurance race. Teams are divided into mini-teams and teams whose objective is to cooperate to finish the race as quickly and in the least amount of time as they can. Participants are set on a course that is dotted with fun route markers that offer more information about the route and roadblocks that define a straightforward task that a member on each team is required to be able to complete prior to moving on, as well as Detours throughout the course. Amazing Race is the perfect option for the adventurous. This resort in Whistler BC is one of the most sought-after places to participate in this Amazing Race, and many Whistler hotels offer it as a sport that smaller groups or individuals can enjoy while in Whistler.
CSI:
Due to the increasing popularity of crime-related stories, CSI has grown to become one of the most-watched series in North America. Canadian Outback Adventures has adapted the theme of orienteering as well as The CSI into a format for groups that allows teams to participate in an exciting and educational task. With every participant adept in specific skills of navigation or crime-solving, teams are required to collaborate to find through a variety of crimes scene. Each time they visit a crime scene, teams have to look for clues with care and gather evidence in order to solve the investigation. After completing their investigations, teams must submit their evidence and receive laboratory results. The final challenge will be to solve the mystery: who has committed/masterminded the crimes!
Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge is targeted at corporate teams looking for the best performance results. This unique team-building activity is designed to recreate themes such as problem-solving, creative thinking, teams, team interaction, the building of trust and confidence, and all within an inspiring outdoor environment. Eco-Challenge starts and ends with the Adventure Base located in the Squamish Valley, just one hour from Vancouver and Whistler. Teams travel across the Squamish Valley to experience various elements of a challenge that are designed to help teams cooperate, both physically as well as mentally, and also to showcase team and individual strengths. It includes mountain biking on backcountry trails and roads, as well as mountain climbing and kayaking on rivers at Alice Lake and river rafting on the Cheakamus River.
RiverQuest
The group can take to the water in a fun RiverQuest activity. RiverQuest offers a full day on the water with a variety of problem-solving and teambuilding activities that promote creativity, communication, and teamwork. RiverQuest starts in Squamish’s Adventure Base in Squamish, where participants are informed of the goals of the day and equipped with all the equipment needed to ensure a safe trip. The adventure begins along with one of the banks of Cheakamus River, a delightful river that features gentle rapids set in a beautiful setting. After arriving on the river, the teams will receive instructions in both writings and verbally to collect various items from checkpoints that are located within and around the banks of the river. Between checkpoints, teams will face various challenges where they’ll be able to compete as a team and compete against other teams on rafts.
Imaginative experiences like these improve the experience and let employees discover themselves and colleagues in a new and exciting way.
