There are so many different categories of extreme sports that we are spoilt for choice. We have already covered white water rafting in the Scottish mountains and the thrills and spills associated with that sport. We moved from water sport, sort of speak to aerial or sky sport in the piece on parachute jumping and the adrenaline rush associated with that. Now we go to terra firma and explore the thrills and adrenaline levels by having a go at buggy racing.

So we have air, water and mucky terrain as the first three on our to do list for team building and in those three we are examining three elements that get the juices of excitement going and at the same time contribute to our team building exercise.

There is no doubt that Buggy racing will tick all the boxes. We have yet to meet someone that doesn’t want to get behind the wheel of any vehicle and give it welly.

It’s amazing to think the motor manufacturing conglomerates are concentrating so much money and technology on building driverless cars! Especially when all the world and it’s mother just wants to get behind the wheel of a vehicle and test their driving skills. Mind you, the roads are so congested with traffic these days that any type of driving can be either boring, painful or both for that matter. So let’s get off road and experience the absolute thrill of bombing a rough terrain buggy around some serious undulating country side. This is team building as it should be. Team leaders can select the drivers that will give them the best advantage over the rival team.

The first of the three adrenaline “hits” comes early.

First is the kit out and buggy allocation. It will bring back memories of the bumpers at the local funfair when the now adults and team leaders were children on holidays from school. The buggies are powered by 650 cc engines, have robust suspensions and sequential gear shifts built for mayhem. They are fitted with a safety harness and anti roll cage bars to ensure safety. As you await instructions from the course marshal and encouragement from the team leader, the excitement builds. This is what time out from the office should be all about. First a leisurely lap of the track to get familiarised with the course and then back to the starting pit, line up and off.

Number two : the actual drive.

It doesn’t take long for the competitive streak to kick in with the teams. Speeding on the flat surfaces where the opportunity exists to overtake and get your team in the lead is followed by some tricky maneuvers over rocky terrain. Drivers will master driving sideways, oversteer and understeer techniques. The teams will learn how to tackle extreme terrains, bumps, twists, jumps and turns. And, learn how to overtake your team opponent particularly on the flat fast section. For team building, this has it all. Team work, team leadership and team enjoyment;

Number three on the adrenaline scale is the race to the finish. That means challenging the opposing team at every opportunity even more so when it would normally be deemed as risky. That is when the thrill hits the top note. It is great fun, highly entertaining and extreme. Don’t underestimate the power of these awesome buggies; a breathtaking experience.

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Well, how long is a piece of string?

If you need to build sandcastles you go to a beach, if you need to go sailing you go to sea, and if your team decides that mountain climbing is the perfect event for them then it’s off into the country and find a mountain range.

Horses for courses: So then why would we think it strange that the team would select Dublin as a destination for team building? It is the capital city of the country and has the greatest and most diverse range of activities than anywhere else in the country! When it comes to team building and group bonding that we are all on different pages at the beginning. It takes time, effort, leadership and coaxing to sometimes get a consensus. Nothing wrong with that really and it does show democracy at work. Someone always needs to put their hand up and take the initiative. It’s what happens. Others prefer to be led than and that’s fine too. The whole point about leadership get-a ways and team building events is it opens up opportunities for those who neither are, nor regarded as natural leaders.

It also brings out qualities that may not be apparent in an office environment. It gives all participants a chance to see what other members can bring to the party. Just because a team member it red hot at computing doesn’t mean that they are dumb when it comes to outdoor pursuits or outdoor team leadership. There’s many a gem hidden under a corporate rock and a spell away from the work environment can often help to unearth such gems. So let’s bring it on.

Back to Dublin and the reasons for selecting it as a corporate event outing destination for the team.

The variety of activities, places of interest, art galleries, hotels, pubs, restaurants are as long as they are interesting.

Whatever we find in other places in Ireland, we can find the whole bundle of them in Dublin. Dublin is not just the capital of Ireland now, it’s a vibrant European city and pretty much like New York, it’s a city that never sleeps. The only drawback is probably the extent of the activities. There will surely be some disagreement within the group as to what is a priority. This takes the team back to the reality of democracy and consensus. THE main attractions are the art galleries and the museums, the range of bridges spanning the river liffey. The enormity of the phoenix park, which houses the Zoo and the Aras, home of the President of Ireland is not fully appreciated.

It totals over 1700 acres and is bigger than Central park in New York and Hyde Park in London. There are lots of other main stream activities to keep the team happy.

Another reason for selecting Dublin as a destination for the team is its access.

The main railway hub in Ireland is at Heuston Station and it services the south, the south east and the west of Ireland. A second station at Connolly serves the north east and Belfast. Dublin airport is now one of the busiest in Europe and has connections to multiple destinations in not just Europe but worldwide. Ferries sail in and out of Dublin Port every day to the UK and continental Europe. So it your group or team are planning a spell in Dublin and moving on as a part of that team building exercise all travelling options are open. Finally, Dublin as we have stated is not just the capital of Ireland, a European city, but is a multicultural location that can compete with the best in the world at anytime.

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Bigpotatoes continuously looks at alternatives for team building exercises. Many people just don’t know to start looking. Our expertise and knowledge is crucial in this regard. Bigpotatoes examines the range of activities and challenges that are available and matches them with your team building requirements. Some are high octane events. Others are physical and adrenaline pumping. More are “living on the edge” stuff. We do team building for those that want to go on tours. For teams that like marine activities. For teams that prefer quiet sedentary events. Other teams like to be chaperoned and touring is into their oil can. As we at bigpotatoes say, “its horses for courses”.

One that never fails to excite is a trip to Dublin City for the team. The range of interesting events, historical buildings and cultural occasions is huge. Train services to Dublin are from all corners of the country. So getting your team to the capital is not going to take a huge amount of effort and the team won’t spend days planning the travelling arrangements.

Again as we at bigpotatoes repeatedly say, plan, plan, plan.

Get the whole team involved in making the choices. Team leaders will ultimately make the final decision but get in with your tuppence worth, while you have a chance.

The First Reason :

The first reason that Dublin is perfect for team building is the diversity and ease of access. Take the train and arrive in Heuston station. From there take the luas to the city centre. Let the team walk over to O’Connell Street. Admire the spire; Visit the historic GPO where the Easter uprising began in 1916. The bullet marks are still visible in the outer walls. Take the team for a coffee or a light breakfast in any of the restaurants on O’Connell Street.

When the troops, meaning the team, are fed and watered take a bus out to Kilmainham Gaol. This is when the day really kicks off for the team.

The Second Reason :

The second and main reason the team has selected Dublin is the visit to Kilmainham Gaol.

The team will discover the fascinating history of the Gaol and the role it played in rallying the Irish people in the pursuit of independence. The highlights for the team are, seeing the execution site of the leaders of the 1916 Uprising. What else? A visit by the team to the Irish National War Memorial Gardens.

The team will also experience what life was like during the many Irish Uprisings. Therefore, they will hear about the historical events that changed the course of Irish History. And, everyone will first be taken on a guided walk through the famous Kilmainham Gaol! This means that they will discover the fascinating history and the role it played in rallying the Irish people to pursue independence from England and the English parliament.

Once inside the Gaol the team will hear of its dark history while walking in the footsteps of many of its inmates.  The team can learn about the Irish and English politics while the guide will tell the team more about some of its notorious prisoners including the leaders of the 1916 rising.

Many women were also incarcerated in Kilmainham

This is including Countess Markievicz, an Irish Politician and Nationalist who was awaiting execution for the part that she played in the Rising. The team will get a chance to visit the cells of some of the more infamous inmates as well as some of its youngest. The building itself has been fully restored and is a joy to visit.

The third reason is the conclusion of the team’s tour and dinner in Dublin!

Your team will be inspired and full of ideas after this trip. What better way to polish the day off with an amazing dinner in one of Dublin’s many celebrated restaurants.

Want to go further afield?! Check out our top three locations for Team Bonding in Europe!

The post Three reasons why a trip to Dublin and a tour of Kilmainham Gaol-war and revolution tour is perfect for team building appeared first on BigPotatoes.

We all go to work, do our jobs, and go home. Regardless of how fulfilling our jobs are, it’s nice to have a little surprise here and there. Little surprises from the boss help people feel connected to their work environment and make it that much more enjoyable. Have a read of our 10 Ways To Surprise Your Team. The idea is to increase engagement and productivity.

Food Time

For no reason just bring in some food to share. Some Bagels, fruit baskets, cookies, or even pizza. These are always a big hit!

Home Time Surprise

Why not tell everyone they can leave 30 minutes early for the day as a random surprise. Surprisingly, most people will not actually leave because they have work they don’t want to leave behind. But it’s still a really nice gesture that they will appreciate!

Personal Touch

We all love the personal touch. This little surprise is something you can do in personally without involving the rest of the team. Every once in a while, come in a little early to leave a personal note, complimenting the work done or thanking them if an extra special effort was made on a recent project. They will love that you took time to leave this personal compliment.

Work Somewhere Else

Work somewhere else for the day! Remember that time your teacher took you outside to have class? It’s the same feeling! We strongly recommend having regular team idea sessions in a different environment than the office. If you have a team meeting coming up that’s normally in a boring conference room, then why not head to a local park and sit at a picnic table? Or head to a local coffee shop or hotel lobby.

Funny Board

Get a little bulletin board in the office and every morning allow an employee to put up a funny picture, cheeky tweet, or quote. Even put this on a rota system so people know when they have to put up a funny piece.

Branded Gear

Show employees you appreciate them with cool gear. Organise t-shirts, stickers, coffee mugs or water bottles with business logo stamped on. Use them as little thank you gifts for the staff… And if they use them outside the office you now have some free advertising!

Walk Time

Take everyone out for a walk. Grab your team and just walk around the block or the park. This gets everyone chatting and really relaxes people. Such a nice surprise also to just randomly take 30 minutes out of the day for a little team bonding.

Music

Is your office usually pretty quiet? Mix it up a little, bring in a speaker, turn on the radio and have some tunes on!

Team Lunch

Team lunches are a great way to create a different kind of conversation that wouldn’t happen in the office. Organise a team lunch and to get to know your employees on a different level and in a different setting. This team bonding lunch allows your team to connect more.

Visit From The Family

Do you know the spouses or any family members of your team? Why not invite them to stop by? In the office we talk about our family, kids and pets every day and even see the pictures. But has your spouse ever actually seen where you work or what you do? Take a minute and say hi to them in person. It’s always a nice break in the day when your spouse or co-worker’s spouse stops by with the kids. It really lifts the mood in the office.

We all know their are benefits to team building. We really encourage you to brighten your teams day by trying one of our 10 Ways To Surprise Your Team or all if you feel like it! 

As a manager it is vital to know little tricks that motivate your staff, raise moral, make work enjoyable, and all resulting in increased productivity.

These are just a few ideas, and we’re sure you can come up with more. Don’t hesitate to experiment and we would love to know how they work with your team.

If you like the idea of organising some team building for your group. Then contact us today and let our expert team look after you.

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BigPotatoes Bites – Pac Man is in your Head

We all grew up with arguably one of the greatest video arcade video games of all time, Pac-Man. And, if you didn’t go online right now and start playing it. But, in this edition of BigPotatoes Bites – Pac Man is in your Head!

Now, if your looking for a little icebreaker at the start of a meeting or looking for a little team building exercise that is quick, fun and a little silly then this is for you.

So, prepare to be amazed firstly, and start by putting your finger in your ear. Then tell everyone to start scratching. It sounds just like Pac-Man! Also, you’ve just got everyone to stick their finger in their ear.

This is a funny little exercise at the start of any meeting or team building event just to break up the norm and allow people to relax with a bit of a chuckle.

So, will you be getting your team to try this little trick at your next meeting, team building event or work night out?

Finally, for more details on our fantastic team building packages. Drop us a line on info@bigpotatoes.ie! 

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Team Building For The Haters

There’s no getting away from it folks. We’ve all worked with or come across someone that absolutely hates team building events. As soon as they hear there is a team building event, work night out or summer BBQ coming up. They’ll start piping up about how boring they are blah, blah, blah. The reality is that they’ve been on god awful team building events before and have a negative experience because of that. They simply need a BigPotatoes.ie team building event. Here’s Team Building For The Haters!

As I mentioned earlier you’ll hear the haters pipe up in the run up to the event with a few classic nuggets. We’ll go through them now.

A Team Building Event is a Waste of Time

Unless they’re a complete workaholic, which they probably are not, most people enjoy a break from their work to refresh their mind. That’s why a lot of us live for the weekend right. If they say it’s a waste of time it’s simply down to their dislike of team building events or they’re simply blind to their benefits.

Take them aside, explain the company’s short and long term goals and the team performance on every level is going to drive this. Then explain that you are not all going to be sitting in a room talking it all out. You’ll be out enjoying activities like paintball, surfing or even paint a nude. Then detail each of their benefits to the team like communication, interpretation and developing a deeper trust. Also, they might change their tune if it’s during work hours.

Team Building Activities Are Stupid

Again, this comes from a previous negative experience on a team building event that required them to impersonate an animal or had to do a scavenger hunt that they had no interest in doing. But, we guarantee when they hear they’re going for a Spa Day, Cocktail Making Class, Zorbing or even driving Dirt Buggies. They won’t think team building activities are stupid!

I Get Tired From High Energy Team Building Activities

Fair point, some people don’t fancy working up a sweat in a variety of high octane outdoor activities. They may also not be the most physically fit either. So, to avoid this let them know that as your team building event or work night out, you’re just enjoying a Gin Tea Party, A Cruise on a River or just indulge in a little BBQ. It’s all about getting to know your work colleagues better and creating long lasting relationships.

It’s Awkward And It’s Just Forcing People to do Things Together

Depending on the size of your team, most people within the team know each other. It’s not like you’re asking them to have a team building activity with a complete stranger. You can always select team building activities to suit their comfort level. Something like a trip to an Adventure Centre is a great option as there is normally a wide variety of activities to choose from that are both individual and team based.

Again reinforce the benefits of the team building activity, the reasons you’re doing these activities and that it all helps to your long term goal.

I Hate To Lose

By there very nature team building activities such as karting or paintball are competitive. If the person in question is overly competitive it’s always a good idea to speak about the process rather than the outcome. Set up your activities as a cumulative event that everyone feeds into the overall result.

So, there have it folks, just a few tips for Team Building For The Haters.

Finally, for more details on booking your next team building event. Drop us a line on info@bigpotatoes.ie now.

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8 Team Bonding Ideas

Creating meaningful bonds among team members is something every team strives for. A team with strong bonds will work harder for each other regardless if it’s a sports team, work team or even social group. Now we love a good team building event and activity. But, if you’re looking for a few quick team bonding games that can be played almost anywhere then read on. Here are 8 Team Bonding Ideas!

1. Possibilities

First on our list of team bonding ideas is to play Possibilities. It only takes about 5-6 mins, it can have as many participants as possible and the tools you’ll need are any random object that’s to hand.

The object of this 5 minute team building game is to give each person the object. They must stand up and demonstrate a use for that object. The person demonstrating cannot speak and no demonstration can be the same. Let’s just say the wackier the better in our opinion. This team building exercise definitely allows people to express their creative and innovative side to say the least.

2. The Egg Drop

This team bonding idea will engage your team, improve team work and encourage problem solving among team members. You’ll need at least 2 small groups but you can have more and make sure the groups have even numbers. You’ll need a few raw eggs and this team bonding idea can take part in the office.

Each group must build a contraption from office supplies available to them that will keep the egg from breaking. They can use tap, paper, cardboard, pens etc. Set a time limit somewhere between 15-20 mins. Once the time has run out. Each group must place their egg in the contraption and drop it from the second floor of the building. Then you just have to see which egg survives the drop.

Just a note, this can get a little messy so have the mop ready.

3. Purpose Mingling

If you’re looking for a great little team bonding exercise right at the start of any meeting. Then give purpose mingling a go. So, at the start of the meeting get everyone to walk around and share what they want to contribute in the meeting to as many people as possible. This sort of team bonding exercise is fantastic at improving meeting productivity, will get people thinking more about the meeting and not just solely on what they want to get out of the meeting.

4. Blind Drawing

If communication in your team is something you’re looking to improve. Then try the Blind Drawing game. It’s a quick a easy team bonding idea that requires only 2 people, a picture and a pen & paper. You can have larger groups depending on the size of your team.

Individuals sit back to back. One has their eyes closed and has the pen and paper in their hands. The other has their eyes wide open and has the picture. The person with the picture must describe what they see in the picture without directly saying it. So, if the picture is a flower in a pot, you can’t say “draw a flower in a pot”.

The other person then draws on the paper what they think the picture is from what the other is saying. This team bonding game should last maybe 5 mins. It’s a great way to improve communication and interpretation among a team. And, what they actually draw will be very interesting of all these 8 Team Bonding Ideas.

5. Would I Lie to You?

This team bonding game is loosely based on the TV show ‘Would I Lie to You?’. You’ll need about 5 or more people to play. Each person must come up with 3 true facts about themselves and one lie. Keep the lie somewhat realistic as otherwise the other members of the team will know straight away. Go around the room and everyone takes turns to tell there 3 true facts and the lie. The others must guess which is the lie.

This is a great game to use as an ice breaker for any new team members, allows someone who is a little more introvert to share and it can also be used just to shake up the hum drum of meetings.

6. Navigate a Mine Field

For this one you’ll need between 4 and 10 people. The numbers have to be even. You’ll also need a variety of handheld objects and some blindfolds. This team bonding game can be played anywhere. In the office, the car park or any open area. We do think the office is funnier and trickier.

The objects are placed sporadically across an area. In teams of 2, one person wears the blindfold and cannot speak. The other person must lead the other team member through the obstacles without stepping on them to the finish line with only verbal instructions.

This game is a fantastic team building idea & activity as it builds trust, effective listening and communication.

7. Scavenger Hunt

A good Scavenger Hunt is only as good as the time you put into it. Don’t get me wrong a scavenger hunt that gets everyone up and out of the office on a hunt around the city is always good fun. But it’s often not that practical.

So, twist it to suit your environment. People have to hunt for objects in the building, online, take photos and create mini videos in certain areas of the building according to the puzzles on the scavenger hunt. It will take a little planning but it can all be done from the office and all you have to do is make sure the teams are even or a mix from each department.

This will be sure to improve team work, communication, creativity and task completion.

8. Winner or Loser

You’ll need at least 2 people for this team building exercise. You’ll need no other tools. One person shares a something negative that happened in their life be it personal or work related that is true, to the other person or group. That person re tells the experience but only focuses on the positive aspects of the story. The other person or group helps explore the positive parts or the silver lining of what was a bad experience. Then the roles are switched.

This is a fantastic way to train yourself to re work negative experiences into a learning experience as team or group. Learning from mistakes will allow the team grow and take those learnings with them.

All these team bonding games and exercises are always a fantastic way to fire up a team in a meeting, before a meeting or during the working week to ultimately help productivity.

So, which one of these 8 Team Bonding Ideas will you be trying at your next team building event?

Finally, to organise your next team building event. Drop us a line on info@bigpotatoes.ie for more details!

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Work Night Out Ideas

Regardless of how many years you’ve been working for, a work night out is always something everyone looks forward to. A night where everyone lets their hair down and enjoys each others company over a few drinks. A work night out is more than just a drink. It’s a fantastic team building event and there are plenty of ways to maximize its benefits. So, here are a few of our favourite Work Night Out Ideas!

Here at BigPotatoes.ie we’ve split our Work Night Out Ideas into 3 categories. Activities, Games and Out There Ideas!

Activities

Firstly, the key to a good work night out is choosing an activity that everyone will enjoy, get involved in, take something away from and hopefully not have done before.

Weather permitting there are fantastic outdoor activities available all across Ireland. You can fuel your teams need for speed and competitive side with some Karting. Get into the trenches with some Paintball and who knows settle some scores. Try a whole host of activities from abseiling to kayaking in an Adventure Centre. And, if you fancy getting your feet wet before a few drinks, give Surfing a go or even be a big kid on an Inflatable Water Park

If your team is looking for a more relaxing affair. You can always indulge them with a Spa Day. Who doesn’t love a  relaxing massage?

Finally, if you’re just looking to get the night and party started early. You can’t go wrong with a Cocktail Making Class, a BBQ, a spot of Karaoke or even a Gin Tea Party. Start as you mean to go they say!

Games

On a work night out we always recommend having a few games organised. They don’t have to be anything crazy but just a few to help the party get started.

A great work night out game is the table quiz. Our advice, keep it short and sweet but make sure the questions are tricky and that there is no googling answers.

One of our favourite things to do on a work night out here in BigPotatoes HQ is to break out a few old board games from our childhood. Hungry, hungry hippo is always sure to get everyone fired up. Buckaroo will get the heart racing and nerves heightened. And who can forget Jenga. A game that always captivates people!

Other great work night out games are doing your own scavenger hunt. You can make it very simple an include things that you can collect by taking pics on your phone. ‘What’s My Name’ is a classic and all you’ll need is to raid the stationary cupboard for a pen and some post-it’s. A personal favourite of my mine is catchphrase. You can download a free app to help.

Out There Ideas!

Here at BigPotatoes.ie we organise incredible work nights out that include an activity, food and drinks all over Ireland. But, if you’re still looking for work night out ideas that are just out there and are going to be a first for people.

Then, let us suggest activities like Axe Throwing, Renting Sumo Suits, Zorbing, Dirt Buggies, Escape Rooms or even Paint a Nude. Think you’ll be able to keep a straight face during that last activity?

So there you have it. Just a few work night out ideas for your to mull over.

Finally, before you book anything. Drop us a line on info@bigpotatoes.ie for more details on what we can offer your next work night out! 

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It’s not an easy job being the boss or team leader. This sometimes takes you away from direct work with your group. It’s important to create a powerful team that will still work effectively when you are not available. We have put together our 5 Tips To Build An Effective Team

As a team leader you need to realise that every member in that group plays a vital role to the structure of the organisation. For productivity, it’s key that your team works together effectively.

Build trust

When there is a sense of trust built around a team it can be hugely beneficial towards cooperation from the group and increases productivity. A manager must earn trust from their team. It’s proven that people follow integrity and trust. Giving them tasks that are enjoyable to perform apart their day to day work, ask for opinions on certain topics and compliment on work completed when due.

For example, if you can’t make it to the office, you must rely on your team to carry on their duties and not slack off.

Make hiring a team effort

Need to add someone new to the team? Then why not get the team involved and call a meeting to discuss the missing space that needs to be filled. If you make your team feel like they are involved with the decision making of the business, then this is a great boost of confidence in the management of the organisation. Showing your team they are valued and trusted is a big moral boost.

Why not even go as far to make one round of the interview process a time for the candidate to have a coffee with their team members and see if the group bond. They are going to be spending a lot of time together each week. It’s important for your team to gel together.

True to your word

This is simple. Be as good as your word! If you promise to do something or make any promise to your team, be sure to follow through. It’s very important to fulfill any promise that you have made.

When team members notice you are reliable and true to your word, this will lead them to emulate your behavior.

Take advantage of conflict

Not everyone likes conflict, but sometimes it can be used as a positive to help a team progress while put new procedures in place.

Confrontations are not the most ideal at times but if there is an issue with employees then step in and try sort it. Make sure to listen to both sides carefully and even talk to other team members who might have noticed a quarrel.

Host a brainstorming session to figure out solutions beneficial to both sides. Some of these ideas might not even have crossed the minds of employees until a get together session was organised. More points of views from more minds, means more possibilities!

Organize team bonding for all employees

We left the best for last! If you want to improve team work then you need to help your team get to know each other better. Why not organise an annual outing? Christmas party? or random team bonding sessions throughout the year.

It’s crucial to do this at least once a year or even more than once if possible. Weekly meetings are great for the team, but informal sessions can relax people. Informal get together can build new relationships and overall build trust and moral within a team.

Need some inspiration on what team building activities you could organise? We have plenty of activities for you and your team to choose from!

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More than likely you’ve endured an horrendous team building exercise at some point. Or even a morning energizer to get everyone buzzed before a super productive day at work. While you go through the motions, you really just want that morning coffee. So, if you’re really trying to improve team morale, energy and productivity. Then do something different and try some of these Wacky Team Building Ideas!

Egg Smashing

Egg Smashing is a brilliantly simple team building idea that is sure to have every team members full attention. There’s a little bit of prep involved but essentially it’s egg roulette. Out of 6 eggs, 5 are hard boiled and one that’s not. The person in the hot seat chooses an egg, without touching it of course. It’s smashed on the top of their heads. If they’re lucky it’s one of the hard boiled egg and there’s no mess to clean up.

If they choose wrong, well they’re literally left with egg on their face. It may be a bit messy but it’s such a fun team building idea in an office, sports club or whatever team you are involved in.  (If you’re feeling nice, all the eggs can be hard boiled. Just don’t tell anyone).

Cheesy Ice Breakers

It’s possible your team knows each other at this stage. But you can still have some fun with a few cheesy ice breakers. Everyone has to share their cheesiest ice breaker with the group. The team then votes for the funniest, best or strangest for the title of the Cheesiest Ice Breaker.

“2 Fat Penguins….well that broke the ice”….I’ll get my coat.

Board Games

A great team building idea is to bring in some childhood board games. Everyone finishes for lunch early and take part in some connect four, mouse trap or Jenga for example. No monopoly, you still want a team after lunch.

Dance Off

We all suffer in varying degrees with a midday slump in an office. Or even in a sports team where training might just be getting a little tedious. Well then turn strictly come dancing into a team building exercise and have a dance off. You’ll have a judging panel who will decide the winner. In our opinion the cringy moves, questionable shapes and flair should get extra points.

Improv and Stand Up

Everyone enjoys a good laugh. A good laugh releases endorphins and reduces stress hormones too. So, round up the team and get everyone to tell a few jokes. The more the better in our opinion.

You can take it a little further and get everyone to prepare a little stand up routine or if they feel up to it an improv session with topics coming from other team members. So, what’s your best joke?

Speed Meetings

Another great team building idea is to have speed meetings. It’s essentially speed dating but instead of trying to get someone’s number, you’re trying to get the concise stats on the last report. It does sound a little strange but in a large group meeting, having a bit of fun with it will heighten the energy in the room.

You can also use it for some speed brain storming where everyone has 30 seconds to come up with an idea for your next team project.

Hop On One Foot

As Wacky Team Building Ideas go this may just take the top spot. It’s such a simple team building exercise to help build team morale and commradiery. It’s also certain to break the mould. The game is simple. Everyone on the team hops on one foot for as long as possible. The last one standing or hopping on one foot wins. Oh and it has to be the same foot.

You’ll be laughing from start to finish and especially as it comes down to the final competitors. This is where the team morale and encouragement comes in.

So, there you have it guys! Just a few Wacky Team Building Ideas to energize, enjoy a laugh, boost team morale and ultimately build & improve working relationships.

Want to plan a Wacky Team Building day for your team? Contact us today!

The post Wacky Team Building Ideas appeared first on BigPotatoes.

A work annual outing is always a brilliant occasion. The buzz and excitement around the work place lifts everyone. Everyone is in a happier mood in anticipation of what will be a great day and team building event. A happy team is a hard working team is what they say. There are a few things to bear in mind when organising an annual outing. So, here’s our 5 Tips When Planning An Annual Outing!

Pick A Day That Suits Everyone

This seems pretty straight forward I know. But you’d be surprised how often people don’t stop to think what day would suit your team. You want your team to get the most out of the day, experience and outing. If they’re distracted or thinking of an unfinished project or even if it’s coming up to a big deadline. They won’t enjoy it.

Your annual outing should be an enjoyable time away from the office. And not seen as a hindrance to your team completing their work. Some teams prefer to have an outing at the start of the week as come Friday they may be under pressure. Whereas other team may like to have it towards the end of the week to kick off their weekend. You know your team better than we do so, you’ll know what time will suit them better. And do get their input.

Dress Appropriately

Depending on what team building activity you choose, it’s a wise move to let your team know what type of clothing they’ll need. For an indoor activity it might be light, breathable clothing for an active afternoon before the night ahead.

Alternatively, if it’s an outdoor activity, check the weather forecast and suggest that the team bring a light jacket, hoodie and if our unpredictable Irish weather is anything to go by maybe some sunscreen too. Also, if you’re going straight from the activity to dinner on the annual outing. Make sure to remind the team to bring a change of clothes and a towel for a shower etc.

Team Bonding Meal

On an annual outing with BigPotatoes.ie we always make a point of suggesting going for a meal to allow your team to bond even further. The dinner is also seen more as a treat. Not every team member will be keen to be dragged away from their work to go on the annual outing but a meal is sure to sweeten the deal.

Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail

This is a pretty obvious tip and a smart one too. Preparing for the Annual Outing can be a little tedious and boring at times. But, if you share the workload across the team and turn this preparation into a type of scavenger hunt. It will make the process a bit more fun.

You may want to pick up little takeaways on the day, a few bottles of bubbly maybe, beers, nibbles, a first aid kit, water, and disposable bags to mention a few. You may even decide to have a mini awards day after the activity.

Keep It Going

Over the course of your annual outing your team will get the chance to make memories, bond as a team and improve working relationships. As with any good relationship, it takes work. So, plan ahead and ensure that you keep that team building ethos up. Reinforce where ever possible the team building skills you learnt on the annual outing and transfer that positive energy from the outing into their work.

So, there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Our Top 5 Tips When Planning An Annual Outing. Hopefully these quick little tips will help to improve your overall experience on an annual outing both before and after the event.

Remember on an Annual Outing, don’t go big, go BigPotatoes!

The post 5 Tips When Planning An Annual Outing appeared first on BigPotatoes.

First off, ‘You Should Be Working’ but the phrase “When the cat’s away, the mice will play” comes to mind. So, what’s happening on Facebook & Instagram at the moment? If we’re all being honest, we’ve all procrastinated in work on occasion. Allowing our minds and focus to drift away to faraway lands or Friday evening when the weekend starts. When the Boss is around though we aren’t checking our social media or filling our shopping baskets online with items we’ll never buy. You’re the super focused ultra employee.

So, if you’re going to doss off at work you might as well have some fun with it. Maximise your procrastination with these 6 Stupid Office Games to Play When The Boss Isn’t Around. Hopefully my boss doesn’t read this but when the Main Spud isn’t around these are the games we play in Big Potatoes HQ.

The Invisible Wire Game

This office game is so easy. Pick two points in the office and draw and invisible wire between the 2 points. Our advice, choose an area with high traffic during the day. The aim of the game then is not to touch the invisible wire. So, it’s up to you, or any other co-workers you rope into the game to avoid the line by walking around, ducking under it and even jump over it.

Should you break the invisible wire, you must let out a painful scream in the office. Honestly lads it’s brilliant craic.

Blu-Tack Films

There’s not an office in the country that doesn’t have a bit of blu-tack stuck to the wall. So, pull it down and let’s get creative. Basically, you design an object, character or something that represents your chosen movie. Your co-workers then must guess the movie. Extra points for artistic skills of course.

Photoshop Wimbledon

Now you’ll have to rope a few co-workers into your procrastination web for this office game. One person starts by drawing a picture with photoshop or whatever image editing software you’d like. Each player afterwards must add to it. The more players the better.

It must do 3 rounds and finish with the first person. We guarantee that the picture will come back in a hilarious state. You’ll be trying to figure out who has done what.

It does however encourage creativity and working together in your work group. That right there is team building and the boss might like that. We say print it off and put it on the fridge in the staff kitchen.

The Floor Is Lava

This game has taken the world by storm in the last few months. The office is a brilliant environment to play this office game especially when the boss isn’t around. The only way you can make it around the office is either by your office chair or walking on desks (which we don’t recommend). Lunch doesn’t count of course.

Obviously, you must come up with some forfeits for those caught putting their feet on the ground.

Office Basketball

A classic office game to kill time. All you’ll need is a bin and a few sheets of paper. Set the bin up at the other end of the office, scrunch up the paper in to balls and well, make it rain 3 pointers! It won’t be long until everyone is involved.

Office Penalty Shootout

Staying with the sports theme. Use those rolled up paper balls as mini footballs and use the door into the office as the goal. And, boom its penalty shootout time. Think you have the skills to win?

So, next time the boss steps out of the office you know the 6 Stupid Office Games to Play When The Boss Isn’t Around!

Finally, contact us today to get the ball rolling on planning your next team event!

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