10 team building activities in Belfast
Teambuilding has become a modern corporate buzzword in the last decade. Some may roll their eyes at the thought of sitting in a circle, wearing nametags and sharing three interesting facts about themselves. But new and inventive teambuilding activities are helping defeat this old stereotype.
The benefits of teambuilding are numerous and can help improve communication, confidence, leadership skills and trust in employees. Here are 10 of the best teambuilding activities on offer in and around Belfast.
1. Belfast Treasure Hunt
Doing exactly what it says on the tin, participants are charged with completing a treasure hunt of Belfast landmarks. This isn’t done on foot but instead from the comfort and ease of an open topped double decker bus. The tour offers three districts of the city to choose from, The Titanic Quarter, Stormont or The Cathedral Quarter.
2. Vikings, knights and thrones
Northern Ireland has benefitted immensely from the tourism generated by fans of TV shows like Vikings and Game of Thrones. Some companies offer teambuilding courses with activities based on medieval and fantasy themes. These activities can range from Viking style dragon boat races, Roman chariots and even storming the castle walls!
3. Adventure getaway
Teambuilding exercises can last longer than a day or a few hours. Some of the more adventurous employees may benefit from an overnight break with the day before or after packed with different things to do. Todd’s Leap outdoor activity centre is just an hour from Belfast city. They provide an overnight package with a choice of 10 different activities along with one night’s B&B accommodation.
4. Dance class
Everyone has a little bit of rhythm in them and physical activity is the best way to jumpstart the mind into gear. A private dance studio can be hired along with a fully qualified dance teacher. Small bites and a glass or two of bubbly can be offered to get this going before participants strut their stuff to the hits of Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and top 40 hits.
5. Digi-active
The age-old pub quiz gets a high energy, digital upgrade. The ice on top of the cake for this activity is really the “bonus table top challenge”. Along with general knowledge questions and on screen leader board, contestants can take part in bonus rounds that can range from paper plane challenges to whiskey or wine tasting. For that little something extra, questions in the different rounds can be tailor made to suit your company. These can vary from product knowledge, to sales targets, to mission statements.
6. I’m on a team-building day… GET ME OUT OF HERE!
This parody of the reality TV show, “I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here”, pits two teams against each other in a series of challenges to win gold stars. The challenges take inspiration from the show as well with blindfolded obstacles and “bush tucker” type trials. To claim victory the team’s problem solving skills and trust in each other will be pushed to their limits. The event is the most popular on offer by Peak Discovery Corporate.
7. Murder mystery night
Not all of the events need to be outdoors or done in metal suits. A murder mystery can be staged by a group of professional actors during a dinner for your company. The organisers can choose different murder plots and those attending are broken up into teams. During the dinner the teams are tasked with finding out whodunnit and solving the case before the night ends.
8. Skytrek
Skytrek is a climbing ropes adventure centre situated 20 minutes from Belfast in the Colin Glen Forest Park. Employees can be safely harnessed to guide wires while they clamber through the trees up to 16 meters off the ground. For those a little shyer of heights there’s other activities a bit closer to the terra firma.
9. Riverdance
Peak Discovery Corporate also offer a performance of the worldwide Irish sensation Riverdance. The performance can be held before or after a laid on dinner. But there’s one unique edge to this jig. Audience participation is entirely optional but highly encouraged. Part of the event is to help employees get along through watching and the rest is seeing people step out of their comfort zones or show off some hidden talents.
10. Chocolate masterclass
The sweetest things in life are rarely free but this baking master class will teach your employees how to develop and harness new skills while keeping the sweet tooth among them happy! Learn a host of recipes from a professional chocolatier including brownies, cakes, hot chocolate and even chocolate fountains.
Belfast is a city bursting with corporate investment potential. The amenities in the area will cater to your business and help your team grow and develop together both in and out of the office.