Why We Need Company Outings
A Little R&R Goes a Long Way
A healthy, vibrant culture is important to any successful business. Employees want to feel secure at their workplace, but even more than that, they want to belong. You’ve probably heard the term “culture fit” in reference to the candidate selection process. When hiring new employees, it’s imperative to on-board individuals who match your company’s culture, mission, and values.
However, the conversation about culture doesn’t end when a job offer is extended. Culture is a fundamental component of an employee’s experience from on-boarding onward—in many ways, culture fits into an employee’s everyday life at the office. A company’s culture manifests itself in every project and discussion.
As a business leader, you want to continue to foster your team’s camaraderie and collaborative spirit. It’s easy for employees to become isolated when they’re busy with daily work responsibilities, especially if your team members work in separate offices. That’s why I’m a proponent of regular company outings. I’m not necessarily talking about trips to Mexico or other resort destinations; rather, I’m referring to smaller-scale activities such as happy hours and movie nights. Employees who play hard, work hard—and they’ll enjoy the effort they put forth that much more.
Company outings work best to build team cohesion. Even if your company doesn’t operate under a traditional hierarchical structure, the feeling of hierarchy still exists. At the office, employees may feel limited in their behavior, or they may feel that casually chatting with certain individuals, especially higher-ups, is inappropriate. At an outing, employees are more likely to be themselves and connect with colleagues they don’t generally associate with. Spending time together outside the office encourages communication across all team members and allows people to know each other better. These casual get-togethers ultimately strengthen a company’s sense of solidarity.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, casual hangouts away from the office also improve productivity. This is especially true for employees with creative roles. People need to recharge after long periods of work. An hour or two of fun at a movie theater, restaurant, or barbecue lets the brain relax and refuels creative cells. Team members will come back to work ready to tackle new projects, and they won’t feel the weight of their previous work stresses.
