Everyone knows that team-building is a worthy endeavour for virtually any business – but it can be very expensive. Extravagant trips away or the like aren’t on the table for most small or growing businesses, and not everyone is fit for paintball skirmish.Finding something inclusive and budget-friendly can be a challenge.
So how can you help your staff build those ties while keeping your bottom line in mind?
Through one of the world’s oldest methods of bonding – the preparation and sharing of food.
Take advantage of people’s natural inclination towards communally partaking in meals (and the nation’s obsession with cooking shows), and you have a secret weapon to get your team bonding on a budget.
Here are some tips.
Beer and pizza fridays
Going for a beer after work is a tradition as old as time, but it can be an exclusive club. Non-drinkers may feel uncomfortable in a bar and working parents often have to rush home.
Make sure no-one misses out by introducing a once-a-month Friday early mark (how early is up to you), so staff can enjoy a beer (soft drink for the teetotallers) and a slice of supreme in the office together. It’s a great chance for people to relax and discuss the month that was and the one that lies ahead, without the pressure of watching the clock.
Come dine with me
Most people are familiar with the concept of this cooking show, where people take turns hosting dinners in their homes, and scoring the meals. There are many options to make the format suitable for the workplace (depending on the size of your team), but one suggestion is to have colleagues pair up once a fortnight or so (frequency can be determined by your staff).
The prize is entirely up to you, but a day or afternoon off is always a great place to start. If you can, pay for ingredients out of petty cash (we’re not talking lobster or foiegras here). Otherwise, make the prize enticing enough (and impose an agreed-upon budget), so employees are comfortable spending a few of their own dollars on ingredients.
Ready steady cook
Renting out a kitchen for an afternoon for a Ready Steady Cook style competition isn’t going to cost the earth and is a great opportunity for a communal laugh. Make it interesting by separating ingredients into different bags and have teams pick at random from each combination. Just be wary of sampling from the poor soul who ends up with chocolate and asparagus.
Around the world
Encourage your team to prepare a dish from their holidays, their favourite childhood dinner, or pick a cuisine at random from a hat. This is an excellent way to get people talking about their travel experiences, or what memories are brought back by the macaroni their mum or dad used to make. The more people learn about one another the closer they become.
Snacks
Consider providing a mix of naughty treats and deliciously-nutritious snacks every now and then. Better still, encourage colleagues to make the treats themselves, which builds trust and appreciation between co-workers. A weekly morning tea where everyone brings in a plate is a great opportunity for this.
Ice cream
On those really hot days it’s worth dipping into the petty cash to front some Cornettos for your sweating team members.
Unity of food
In the end, the methods and benefits of sharing the experience of food in the workplace are many. From building a more natural culture of community to boosting productivity, it is a unifier that brings people together, even in the office.
So the next time you’re in a meeting discussing team-building options, remember the above, and help your team bond on a budget.
Just don’t forget the corn chips.