Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” – That’s a quote by the late Robin Williams and he may have been onto something. From 9AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday, we are tied to our keyboard and mouse submerging ourselves in the humble workaday world of answering emails and printing papers. Whatever your routine may be, it becomes solely a mindset of work work work. But we know what they say about all work and no play….
With Spring in full force, now is an incredible time to break this routine, just a little, and revisit the great outdoors. Planning a company outing with your team will give them the perfect opportunity to reconnect with their colleagues and create a more positive work environment. Don’t allow your team to watch the season pass them by through an office window. Plan time outside to boost company moral with these simple suggestions.
Get Outdoors
Plan a Company Hike
As I mention in several of my blogs (see: Self-Care Tips For The Dedicated Customer Care Agent) exercising is a stellar way to improve concentration, reduce stress and altogether boost productivity. One of the best ways to stay fit and care-free while outdoors is by going on a pleasant hike.
Taking an exploration through hills and trees will allow your team to enjoy the beautiful fresh spring air while also building stronger camaraderies. Choose a trail that fits your team and remember to check the weather so you are properly prepared. You should also check the website to learn more about the trail and scenery you wouldn’t want to miss. It’ll only take an hour out of the work day and can easily be done during lunch!
For Jon Ferrara’s birthday, we enjoyed the great outdoors by taking a hike through Inspiration Point at Will Roger State Park. Throughout the hike, the Nimble team was able to enjoy all the beautiful scenery, swap stories, and when we reached the top, we basked in the glory of our success and enjoyed the impeccable LA landscape. Afterwards, we had a picnic in the park with Bay Cities sandwiches.
Spend A Day At The Park
You’re never too old for a picnic in the park so when spring rolls around, dust off the old picnic blanket and head over to the nearby recreation area. Plan out what type of lunch your team should have. You can have them pack a lunch from home or you may consider ordering in or visiting a neighboring cafe. Whatever the case may be, allow your team to enjoy their feast on a grassy park plain among poppies and dandelions.
Sappy? I know. But enjoying a healthy meal under the sun will put your team at ease and will create a delightful atmosphere where colleagues feel comfortable exchanging words. It will also recharge their batteries and they’ll feel refreshed after returning from lunch.
You may even consider making a whole day of this. One that involves work in the morning, then lunch and activities in the afternoon. Bring games to play such as frisbee, kites, soccer or baseball, etc. If there’s a pond close by, make sure to pack extra bread to feed the ducks!
Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is the perfect time to consider the environment and have your team turn off and unplug their cell phones and computer chargers. Spend your company outing in nature and determine different ways your team can help the environment on this glorious day.
A popular Earth Day activity is planting trees. Not only do trees provide us with shade and oxygen, they reduce air pollution, cheapen air-conditioning cost, and provide shelter and food for wildlife. It is also becoming more and more known that trees can lower anxiety and enhance concentration.
Find out where you can plant trees in your community and take advantage of doing so. You may even consider starting a garden for the office if space allows.
Other ways to have your team spend earth day, is by volunteering at a homeless shelter, picking up trash in the community, wearing brown and green to raise awareness, and so on.
Helping the environment will support healthy team bonding! To find out more ways to help your team celebrate Earth Day, check out the following article: How to Celebrate Earth Day
Bring Spring Indoors
Here at nimble, we understand that not every city can be as sunny and blossoming as Santa Monica. In some places, Spring is just another cold winter. This shouldn’t stop you from celebrating the season with your team by bringing it indoors.
Decorate The Office
Bring inspiration to your office by decorating in Spring decor. Cherry blossom, African daisy, succulents flowers in neon color vases are a fun way to spruce up the conference room and individual desks.
Bring floral throw pillows for the couch, a thematic tablecloth and grass candles for your desk. Adding a bit of spring cheer around the office will create a warm, comfortable environment that will remind your team of home.
Throw A Potluck
One of the ways we celebrate holidays here at Nimble is by throwing a celebration Potluck! For Halloween, we threw a potluck where everyone brought in their favorite themed dishes and dressed up in scary costumes.
Celebrating holidays and seasons with a potluck is a great way to get to know your coworkers on a more personal level.
Encourage your team to join in on a potluck by bringing their favorite Spring dish. Make sure the food is light so their fellow colleagues do not fall into a food coma after the feast has ended. Your potluck could include roasted asparagus, pasta salad, avocado dip, fruit salad, blueberry layer cake… just to name a few plates.
Take the opportunity to encourage your team to join the great outdoors. By bonding together on out of the office activities such as a hike, dining in the park and celebrating Earth Day, you’ll see a visible change in the mood of those around you.
Your team will establish meaningful relationships that will encourage progress, ease stress and improve productiveness. Remember, happy people are productive people and since Spring is upon us, let’s party! 🙂
