When it comes to planning work events and team-building days, autumn and winter aren’t the obvious choice. The cold, wet weather and shorter days, plus the hectic pace of Q4 and the Christmas season, means team building often gets shelved for another time.
Yet these “tail end” months can actually be the perfect time to bring your team together. So, in this article we’ll explore the benefits of team building in the autumn-winter period and introduce some of our most-requested activities for these months.
Why Have Team Building Activities in Autumn and Winter?
During the darker months, it’s common for employees to experience a dip in mood and energy. Team-building activities, especially those focussed on wellness and mindfulness, can help combat this seasonal slump. These activities boost morale, and help reduce absenteeism and sick leave by promoting mental well-being. As an added benefit, bringing your staff together for engaging and enjoyable activities, helps re-establish connections and support networks.
Additionally, autumn is conference season for many industries. That makes it the perfect time to break up the intensity of long meetings and networking sessions with short energiser events. Energisers help to revive and revitalise your team, so they return to meetings or conferences feeling more alert, receptive, and motivated.
4 Team Activity Ideas for Autumn and Winter
Outdoor Challenges
It might be cold outside, but on crisp, dry days nothing refreshes a team like getting outdoors and into nature. Our Lakeland Challenge days offer a range of traditional country activities including canoeing, clay pigeon shooting, archery, bushcraft, and falconry. For those seeking something more creative or relaxing, we also offer culinary challenges, treasure hunts and local beer tasting!
Problem-Solving Exercises
Problem-solving exercises are a great way to bring your team together while tackling challenges in a fun, dynamic environment. One of our most popular challenges is the “Get Knocked Out” game show. This fast-paced, interactive game tests your team’s knowledge and skills in a series of humorous and exciting challenges. More than just a bonding experience, it also allows team members to learn more about each other and build stronger relationships. With a variety of rounds to choose from, there’s something for everyone, making it an enjoyable and inclusive event.
Wellbeing Activities
Workplace stress can erode productivity and affect team harmony, and the darker months are a high-risk time for stress and depression. Our wellbeing workshops introduce mindfulness, stress management, and the benefits of wellbeing, with practical elements like outdoor mindfulness exercises, forest bathing, and mindful walking. These activities help foster a workplace culture of openness and care, demonstrating that small changes can have a big impact on overall well-being.
Entertainment events
Themed entertainment events capture the light-hearted mood leading up to the festive season. They’re not a Christmas party (yes, we said the C-word), but they definitely capture the fun and excitement of the holiday season! One of our most popular options is our cocktail-making experiences, which champion local Lake District produce. Themed around local liqueurs and spirits, these hands-on experiences teach participants how to craft delicious cocktails. You’ll leave with the know-how to impress with your cocktail-making skills!
A final thought…The autumn and winter months offer unique opportunities to refresh, motivate, and energise your team. Whether it’s outdoor challenges, problem-solving exercises, wellbeing workshops, or themed entertainment events, these colder months can be the perfect time to bring your staff together. So, embrace the season and get planning!
Find more autumn and winter team building ideas on our website
See Events is a professional event planning company based in the heart of the Lake District. We know that every team is different. Our events and workshops can be tailored to your individual requirements, and we’re always happy to chat about your needs. Get in touch with us to start planning your perfect team building day!