Guest Blogger: Julia Kirk
Treasure hunts can provide companies with a great way to engage their employees in team building exercises, which often help co-workers get to know each other better and even become friends. When there is internal tension at any company, many CEOs are declaring a company treasure hunt to be the best way to fix that tension.
Promotes Cooperation
When co-workers participate in a treasure hunt together it promotes cooperation. They begin to have fun together and see the benefit of working towards a common goal that they want to see fulfilled. This translates to a better working relationship in the office. Often when people are out of a professional environment such as the office they work in they become more relaxed and friendly. The more relaxed and friendly participants are the better they will get along. Once the tension has been broken between co-workers it can make a real difference when everyone is back in the office.
Feeds A Competitive Nature
Treasure hunters often find their competitive nature coming out. Many people who work in the business world tend to be very competitive and companies can build on this by engaging their employees in treasure hunts. When co-workers compete to win one of these hunts it drives them to compete more once they have returned to the office. As long as the competitiveness remains healthy, this can be used to a company’s advantage. Team building efforts can be enhanced when a little healthy competition is enacted among co-workers.
Allows For Mental Escape
Everyone needs to take a mental vacation from the grinds of daily life. Treasure hunts can be a great way to do so. By putting their thoughts and concerns about the workplace aside, employees can focus on something that helps them relax and have a good time. The time they get to relax helps them to refresh themselves and reset their brains so that when they go back to the office they can tackle problems head on. Clear minded employees are always happier and more productive than those who are worn down by the daily grind of their job. The more clear minded a company’s employees become the more efficiently they will work together. This can lead to teams that work better together and accomplish more.
Boosts Team Morale
If the morale of a company’s team is low it will hurt both the company as a whole and the employees as individuals. Participating in a treasure hunt with co-workers can help boost the morale in the office. It is also a good way to break the ice between existing employees and any new employees a company may have recently hired. Having them work together in an environment outside the office allows them to find value in each other. A new employee may bring a new perspective to a company that the existing employees have not brought to the table. Someone who is shy and quiet in the office may open up to co-workers more during the course of the treasure hunt. This can help new employees to unleash their full potential, which can lead to a stronger team. As co-workers come to respect each other more, they will work together better in the office.
Can Be Tailored To Its Participants
A treasure hunt can be tailored to a particular group of employees. There is a lot of leeway when it comes to planning a treasure hunt. If a company’s employees have a bad habit of relying on each other to do their work a treasure hunt can force them to separate and require each person to find at least one thing on the list of things being hunted for. This teaches employees that each of them has to do their part to help contribute to the team. Once this lesson is learned outside of the office it can be implemented inside the office. Having every employee take responsibility for what they are supposed to do will lead to stronger teams.
Allows Employees To Bond Outside The Office
Some bonding away from the office can’t hurt when a company is trying to build a strong team of employees. During a treasure hunt co-workers can get a glimpse at how their peers think and the thought processes they use. It is possible for two or more co-workers to realize that they have some hobby or interest in common as a result of participating in a treasure hunt. This common ground allows them the chance to bond on a more personal level that they may not have uncovered at the office.
Each of these reasons for engaging in company treasure hunts is beneficial when it comes to building a great time that will work together to ensure the company’s success.
