Corporate teambuilding adventure

Ubbquittious

Have you ever been on one of those corporate teambuilding activity days? I never have and all I'm wondering is how cringeworthy an experience is it.

I reckon sizeable amount of cringe is inevitable if one suddenly finds oneself running through a field full of muck with the people who normally pester you for updates via email in the corporate world. Or watching the fat fella with suspenders who hasn't ran in years trying to run through a mucky field. Or perhaps having to help the sophisticated looking office girl who tried to get you fired for sexual harassment climb over a fence.

This is all compounded by the base level of cringe induced by the mere fact that you're there trying to pretend you're enjoying this fake adventure set up and paid for by the company.

So, lads.. how cringe?

Goquest and adventure rooms are great fun

The_Valeyard

The Boda Borg in Lough Key is great craic

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Have you ever been on one of those corporate teambuilding activity days? I never have and all I'm wondering is how cringeworthy an experience is it.

I reckon sizeable amount of cringe is inevitable if one suddenly finds oneself running through a field full of muck with the people who normally pester you for updates via email in the corporate world. Or watching the fat fella with suspenders who hasn't ran in years trying to run through a mucky field. Or perhaps having to help the sophisticated looking office girl who tried to get you fired for sexual harassment climb over a fence.

This is all compounded by the base level of cringe induced by the mere fact that you're there trying to pretend you're enjoying this fake adventure set up and paid for by the company.

So, lads.. how cringe?

Been on one that was nothing like that - it was more problem solving and very little running. It was fun and a day out, but there wasn't really much "building" as everyone hung out in little groups with the same people they'd have hung out with anyway.

Boom_Bap

Done a few of them at this stage, they're grand, better than being in the office.

Beta Ray Bill

We've gone Karting a good few times.

I'll be honest though, it gets very competitive. If anything it actually makes people hate me even more as often finish in the top 3
And I'm not a bit gracious about... I just can't help myself!

BrokenArrows

We had one years ago. It was pretty good fun.

It was a huge obstacle course made of inflatable things. It was good weather and we were outside. Generally a good laugh and a few pints after. Someone did break their leg tho!

Lux23

I went on an away day once and it was actually good fun. We went to a restaurant afterwards and spent two grand on cocktails. Oh, I miss the boom.

keeponhurling

In the old days team building was just everybody going to the pub together.

Neon_Lights

Apparently having any activity over a heartrate of 80 isn't politically correct and a health and safety risk to that obese choccy muncher.

Neon_Lights

OSI wrote: »

We had one in my last employer. The new CEO used it as an opportunity to decide who he was going to make redundant the following month :rolleyes:

Were you a chosen one?

razorblunt

I've done a few, they've all been grand, days out of the office.

It's the ice breakers I can't stand, we all focking know each other, let's just start the activities.

The last day out was run by British Military Fitness (outdoor bootcamps), it finished with a relay obstacle race and one of the heavier ladies fainted. She was mortified, the poor girl. She wasn't thought of any less, it was a warm day and she gave it 100% effort, you could tell it took her a while to get over it though, not helped by the cows in her team always bringing it up, even though they sat it out.

Glenster

We've all done them.

They were fine when we were in our early 20's and we had the free time to waste a day. And there was the prospect of getting off with a few of the girls in the office.

But I'm 30 now. I have limited free time, the money to organise my own day out with people I actually like if I want to, and actual responsibilities in work (not just ad hoc jobs that my boss gets in trouble in if they aren't done)

NO THANK YOU. I'M BUSY.

r93kaey5p2izun

No. This would never happen in my job, too expensive. An outdoor activity thing sounds like fun.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

I've been on one, about 6 or 7 years ago. It was to an outdoor adventure place and it was actually a lot of fun!

seachto7

I'd rather just have a job I enjoy

tupenny

We had 1 to glasnevin cemetery. While interesting, I fail to see how they could describe it as a team building day!!
I think I'd enjoy 1 of the more usual type though..

Aglomerado

tupenny wrote: »

We had 1 to glasnevin cemetery. While interesting, I fail to see how they could describe it as a team building day!!
I think I'd enjoy 1 of the more usual type though..

That could be used as an opportunity to kick the most annoying member of the team into an open grave!

Wabbit Ears

I organise events for our S&S club and theres a huge amount of thought gone into making them accessible for all levels of fitness and to avoid cringeiness as everybody hates that.

TBH its only people who dont every make any effort to do them that go on about how cringy it'll be and people who do go nearly always really enjoy them.

Dyr

I'd rather do me job thanks

One dept in our place had a team building day that ended in a digging match.

whisky_galore

Enforced fun, activities I have zero interest in with people I have no intention of socialising with otherwise.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Neon_Lights

Modern team building entails practicing speaking in a put on over elaborate d4 accent so you sound like a toff, and acting aloof and too important to tackle any problems

Bambi985

I did "hostile environment training" back when I worked in Media, to prepare myself for travelling into war zones and riot scenarios etc.

It was gas craic and terrifying in equal parts. We started the day getting chased, bricked and petrol bombed by a bunch of trainee police officers/psychopaths and ended with getting "kidnapped", blindfolded, handcuffed and made to stand in a stress position while weird music was played and we tried to negotiate our release for more than two hours. Some people fainted, others shat themselves laughing and got booted from the course, only to meet us down the pub for a good aul shindig later. I made two great new friends that day. Highly recommend.

Hector Savage

whisky_galore wrote: »

Enforced fun, activities I have zero interest in with people I have no intention of socialising with otherwise.

Indeed and its not like the activities are any fun, it's usually ****e like playing some ball game with your leg tied to a colleague - so to promote "Cooperation" (such ****).

And then you have to lick HR's ass afterwards to say how amazing it was
and how it really helps the team "going forward" ...

A Battered Mars Bar

We had one last year and it was great! We cleared out all the desks and stacked the chairs and had bean bags brought in! We got to play with mala in the morning and a gold star was given out for the best hair do! lol

Our corporate gold stars are very important as each year instead of getting a cash bonus for xmas, the person with the most stars gets to turn on the fairy lights in our office. It's a highly respected position and the winner gets their picture taken for the office wall as top star employee of the whole year!

We did other things as well like we got to print out blueprints of old Irish ring forts and assemble them as a team! we were even given pritt stick each to use as we all shared responsibility for gluing!

In the evening after we had our juice boxes we got to make a schedule of how we wanted to spend our time for the next year working in the office. We had to list what we wanted to achieve and how we would go about doing it! it was so cool!

Our boss said he would arrange for everyone in the office to volunteer each Saturday for 6 months to do charity work like feeding the homeless! We were so stoked and thought it was a great idea!

When the day came to a close we all felt so much closer together. We even got to stay back a whole 2 hours after work to put the office chairs and desks back!

It was the best day ever and we all had so much productive fun

andekwarhola

I'm sure they're all mad about you as well.

JohnCleary

We had a proper day out when I worked in a multi-national software company.

I was only a few days in the job and about 20 so was on best behavior.

The Muslim guy snook a naggin onto the bus, knocked it back, got steamed and we all got a great laugh.
Unsurprisingly, he didn't make it to the top of the climbing well :pac:

Was a savage day out at Delphi, big spread put on for us and a tab when we all met when we got back to Galway that eve.

dreamers75

Had to build a race car out of cardboard and race the other teams cardboard race car.

Went Airsoft with my team a few times, Friendly Fire was most definitely off.

Robsweezie

corporate bullfighting adventure where the ones who arent gored to death get a promotion.

Neon_Lights

Robsweezie wrote: »

corporate bullfighting adventure where the ones who arent gored to death get a promotion.

A process known as delayering

jmayo

Been on a few years ago.
One thing I would never recommend are things like airsoft or paintball.
Hell even karting can get very serious with some people taking each other out.

At one company paintball event one "lady" actually continued to hit one guy 5/6 times in the nuts at close range even after he had screamed he was out.
And then to top it off two guys who weren't exactly best buddies decided the paintball guns were a waste and they gave us all a traveller cultural experience.