The world of work is constantly evolving. Over recent years, workforces have been broken down into smaller teams that are sometimes based in different geographical locations. Though teams need to work seamlessly together to achieve goals, this can at times be a struggle. A solution to creating good team players and strong work groups is to get your employees involved in team building. While the concept has been around for a while, team building trends are constantly changing. Right now, activities revolving around food, gastronomy and cooking are particularly popular choices among companies. Keep reading to find out more about this tasty trend.
So what is team building and why is it important?
The term team building is commonly used in the world of business to describe collaborative tasks designed to improve relationships between team members, promote cooperation and ultimately improve performance. It has a number of benefits, including:
- Improving the atmosphere and mood at work
- Keeping teams onboard with business values and goals
- Helping turn professional relationships into personal relationships
Cuisine, a popular focus in team building activities
Of the many different types of team building activities out there, experiences that revolve around cuisine have been a popular choice in recent years. And it’s not surprising when you think about it. First of all, who doesn’t enjoy food? And secondly, gastronomy speaks volumes of the heritage of a destination.
Foodie experiences give you the opportunity to really delve into the culture of the place you’re visiting and to share special moments around the table. But team building activities have evolved to encompass much more than a great meal out. From tapas tours to cooking classes and visits to food markets, there are all sorts of food-focused team building activities that will bring your team closer together and strengthen their relationships.
Three different food-focused team building experiences
Group cooking classes
Learning to cook alongside your workmates will help you define the roles in your team and help you see the part you play in the bigger picture. This reflects the work environment in which each person has a specific task that fits into the bigger jigsaw puzzle. In some cases, group cooking classes are led by some of the biggest culinary names out there.
Group cooking classes are popular for a number of reasons. First off, they’re a whole lot of fun. But they’re also useful in helping to define your team dynamic. In these classes you will typically start off by watching the chef demonstrate what you are going to make and then separate the tasks to successfully make the dish that you will then sit down to enjoy together.
Foodies experiences
Shining the light on local gastronomy makes for a memorable team building event. You could, for example, take your group to a local winery to take a stroll through the vines followed by an incredible tasting session. Or otherwise, you could delve into the local olive oil tradition by visiting an oil press and - you guessed it - finishing off by trying some of the delicious oils that are made there.
Gastronomic experiences in the Costa del Sol give you the opportunity to taste what the destination is all about. Beyond wine and olive oil, you could take a tapas tour through the destination of your choice, hopping from bar to restaurant to sample delicious mouthfuls. The best way to guarantee the success of your event is to enlist the help of seasoned professionals in the form of service companies.
Meals out and food fairs
If you fancy doing something a little bit more traditional, you could always opt for a good lunch or dinner out with your colleagues. The province of Malaga boasts a wide range of restaurants that will cater to your group. There are even Michelin starred eateries if you’re in the mood for something really special.
Another option is to combine the delicious with the educational by taking your team to a food fair. As you can see, there are all sorts of team building activities that revolve around food. And there’s no better place to host your event than the Costa del Sol, a foodie destination par excellence.
