We're very proud to announce that we have a new resource for all your team building needs - CCC Events!
We have created a site with the intention of having everything at your fingertips, from event ideas to venue suggestions. Combined with our lightning quick response time, professional advice and free venue finding service, we are ready to assist you when it's time to take your team building to the next level!
At CCC Events, we're big advocates of the benefits of regularly coming together as a team away from the stresses of everyday working life. The advantages of taking off your 'work hats' for a while and getting together in a relaxed environment are numerous - better working relationships, higher morale and increased productivity to name just a few. However, the number one reason many of our clients find it difficult to make this happen is lack of time; there's always things to be done and urgent tasks to attend to. Therefore, today's edition of Easy Office-Based Team Building Ideas looks at how you can slot fun team building activities right into your lunch break. Spending lunchtime with colleagues can strengthen bonds immeasurably, and having an activity to focus on will break the ice and carry the benefits over into the afternoon.
The key to lunchtime-based team building is to keep it light; it is people's free time, after all, so look at this more as 'lunch time entertainment' and make participation optional. You'll find that with enough prior notice, most people will want to get involved in something different to their usual deli run or desk picnic, and may even make it a regular activity off their own backs. Try any of the activities below or do a different one each week!
Simple yet effective, you can't beat the humble boardgame when it comes to creating light-hearted banter! Ask everyone to bring their favourite from home, then set up a designated 'arena' for the games to take place. To keep things relaxed, let people play whomever and whatever they like, but play against the clock - so when the lunch hour is up, whoever is in the lead wins, regardless of whether that game has finished. Our favourites are Jenga, Scrabble and good old Snakes and Ladders.
For a lunchtime feast that'll beat boring sandwiches any day, hold a Pot Luck Lunch. Everyone brings one dish - easily portable things like pasta salad, cold cuts, quiches and cakes work best - and shares them out at lunchtime. It's a lot more sociable than going out separately, and if you have any culinary geniuses amongst you, you'll get to enjoy the best lunchtime treats you've had in a long time.
Getting artistic at the office actually works best for teams who think they have no creative skill whatsoever - taken with a big pinch of salt, creative lunchtimes can be a fun way of activating the parts of your brain you haven't used since primary school. Keep it simple with the materials - at the very least you'll need some paper and pens, but you can add felt tips or coloured pencils if you like. If you're already quite close as a team, a brilliant starting point is to pair up and draw one another's portraits - it's not for the easily offended, but in the right circumstances this activity can leave you crying with laughter.
We know the weather can be grim, but that's even more reason to take advantage when the it's not raining and get outside for a bit. Office lighting and heating can make people sluggish and demotivated, and even just a short burst of fresh air and vitamin D can boost moods and productivity. No need to get the hiking boots out - a quick group stroll to a nearby cafe (we find the promise of hot chocolate can persuade many) works wonders. Blow away the cobwebs and you'll return invigorated and positive - we promise.
If you're an office of literature lovers, then a book club can be a great way of structuring lunchtime team bonding. Simply take it in turns to choose a new book each month (there are some great suggestions here), decide on where you'll all read up to before your next meeting, and get together one lunchtime to discuss! If books aren't your bag, then choose something that is - the sky's the limit on this one! Running, card games, crochet; whatever you're into, put the feelers out and form a club - you might be surprised at who shows an interest!
For professional, corporate team building events to suit your schedule - from one-hour icebreakers to full day programmes - visit CCC Events or call us on 0845 006 06 06.
Today's Easy Office-Based Team Building Idea takes TV classic Would I Lie To You? and turns it into a simple yet effective icebreaker tool that is both fun and effective. You'll learn unusual facts about one another, promoting team bonding, but you'll also be in stitches as usually-reserved colleagues try to convince you that they were once Judo champions!
To prepare for this exercise, ask each person who will be taking part to submit one or two unusual stories or facts about themselves that none of their colleagues are aware of. Tell people in advance what the stories will be used for, so that they only submit stories they are happy sharing and can have a think about personal facts that may surprise - and fool - others.
Meanwhile, it's your responsibility to come up with the 'Lies' that you will give out during the exercise. Be careful not to give anything that may be potentially embarrassing; judge it on how close you are as a team and how forthcoming people normally are. Here are some ideas to get you going:
Print each 'Lie' onto a separate piece of paper, and remember to write the word 'Lie' underneath, or use red ink to show it is false. Do the same with the 'Truths', writing 'True' or using green ink.
Then decide how many stories each person will tell - if you are short on time or there is a lot of you, just go for one per person. Decide who will tell their 'Truth' and who will tell one of your 'Lies' and pop the necessary pieces of paper into envelopes with the name of the person who will be reading them on the front. If you have more time, or there's only a small group taking part, you can give each person a few envelopes, one or two containing their 'Truths', the rest with your 'Lies' (make sure everyone gets the correct 'Truth'!) Allocating the 'Lies' yourself lends an element of surprise for everyone, but if you're short on time, you can always simply ask people to arrive with one truth and two lies of their own.
When you're ready to begin, explain the game and ask the first person to open an envelope. They must then relate what it says to the rest of the group, adding as much detail as they like, to convince them it is true. Other participants can then ask questions and discuss the answers to get more information and try to catch the main player out. Once everyone has asked a question, ask those who think it is a 'Lie' to raise their hand. Ask the main player to reveal the truth by turning the paper around for everyone to see, and give a point to those who were correct. If the main player gets a 'Truth' in their envelope, they may choose to double-bluff the other players by seeming as though they are lying - again, anyone who guesses correctly gets a point.
This exercise works wells as a short icebreaker before meetings, but you can also make a whole afternoon or evening of it by splitting people into teams of two or three and adding extra rounds. Classic rounds from the TV show include:
Our Easy Office-Based Team Building Ideas are amazing, but our Corporate Team Building Events are on another level! To find out more, visit our website or call 0845 006 06 06 for a chat.
We are now recruiting for a Sales & Event Coordinator to join the team at our head offices in Hove.
To see details of all available positions, more information and details of how to apply, please go to www.cccevents.co.uk/jobs.
Based at our head offices in Hove, we have the following positions available: Event Manager - join our operations team delivering award winning events to our clients. Venue Coordinator - join our office based team of friendly and professional coordinators.
For more information and details of how to apply, please go to www.cccevents.co.uk/jobs.
As you may have gathered from our Venue Profile series, we're pretty passionate about great venues here at CCC HQ. We love to keep up-to-date on all the best places to hold our team building events, wherever in the UK they may be, so that we can best advise our clients through our free venue-finding service. So when we received an email from the lovely folks at De Vere, titled simply 'The Grand Dame Rises', a prickle of excitement ran through us as we knew it could only mean one thing: the jewel in our home town's crown is back to her former glory.
We can be pretty biased when it comes to talking about our amazing home town of Brighton, but in this instance, it's entirely justified. Since beginning the refurbishment last year, De Vere have transformed this iconic piece of British history into a luxurious, opulent establishment that straddles the line between traditional and modern perfectly. The large, airy conference rooms are perfect for indoor team building events, and Brighton itself is the perfect backdrop for a corporate treasure hunt.
You may be visiting for business rather than pleasure, but The Grand allows you to blur the line between the two. Take advantage of the second-to-none business amenities that De Vere venues do so well, before relaxing in the spa or taking a stroll along the seafront - after all, why should the tourists have all the fun?
"The Grand has always been a CCC favourite, but the refurbishment has blown us all away - we'll be producing several team building events there this summer and we can't wait!" - Ann Elcock, CCC Venue Co-ordinator
So you've got the perfect venue, but which team building event to choose? Check out the plethora of options available on our website or call 0845 006 06 06 to find out what's right for you and your team.
CCC are looking to recruit a full time Event Manager to join our friendly, professional team, working from our head offices in Hove.
For more information and details of how to apply, please go to www.cccevents.co.uk/jobs.
Here at CCC Events, we get a massive buzz from motivating corporate groups through our fabulous team building events. But when the event day is over, we still want to help out - which is why we love our series on Easy Office Based Team Building Ideas. They are the perfect solution for those of you looking for quick, budget friendly motivators that you can run yourselves, between your 'official' team building days. This week, we are looking at Zoom, an illustrated book by Istvan Banyai, and how it can be utilised as a brilliant team building resource. Numerous corporate coaches use Zoom as a highly effective facilitation tool, but for a fraction of the cost it's easy to do it yourself.
Zoom is a world-renowned wordless children's book, written in 1995 and since published in 18 countries. Its illustrations take the reader though an amazing narrative as the eye of the reader 'zooms out' - see how it works here.
To apply Zoom as an easy motivational team building exercise, the only purchase you will need to make is of a couple of copies of the book, which is available for a couple of pounds here on Amazon. Separate and laminate the pages, shuffle them up and divide the pictures amongst your team. Their task is then to arrange the pages in order of sequence, either 'zooming out' or 'zooming in'.
This is great energiser at the start of a small team meeting, but can also work as a fantastic icebreaker for large conferences. Simply prepare one page per person and place one at each table setting. Participants then have until the end of the conference to swap pages, the aim being that they can make up a complete sequence within their table. Swapping can be done during breaks or free time, providing a great conversation starter and encouraging plenty of networking.
Ready to take your team building to the next level? Check out our many amazing team building events on our website or call 0845 006 06 06 for a chat.
The latest in our series on team motivation reminds us that the application of every member is integral to achieving our goals as a team. If it's been a while since your last team building event and your team is lacking inspiration, the words of Vince Lombardi are sure to inspire.
Click here for a free, printable version of this poster.
Need a bigger boost? Give yourselves something to look forward to by planning your summer team building now! Visit our website or call 0845 006 06 06 for a chat.
If your company organises a lot of corporate events, one conferencing venue can begin to look much like another after a while. But if you're after something a little bit different, somewhere that will impress your clients and make your team feel really valued, then read on! CCC Events has a huge wealth of experience when it comes to the perfect venue, as we've been producing events all over the UK and in Europe for over twenty years. Here on our blog we profile some of our favourites, and today we're looking at the dramatic and imposing Edinburgh Castle - the perfect venue for a grand, high-impact corporate event.
Nowadays, many historical listed buildings are forced to build separate conference centres in the grounds, as the original rooms just aren't suitable - but we love the fact that at Edinburgh Castle, this isn't the case. Our favourite private function space, The Queen Anne Building, is situated in the heart of the castle and your colleagues will be blown away by the breathtaking views and grandiose atmosphere. Being here is inspiring to say the least, so your team will be flowing with constructive ideas on how to push your company forward, and everyone will be talking about it for months to come.
"Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities - it's the perfect balance between historical and cosmopolitan. The Castle is an amazing venue, and as one of the most haunted places in the world, it's the ideal setting for a Murder Mystery" - Mike Horner, CCC Event Manager
This week's Easy Office-Based Team Building Idea takes inspiration from the hit TV show Minute to Win It. It's the perfect solution if you're after low-budget yet high-octane team challenges that bring people together for a fun Friday afternoon.
The concept of Minute to Win It is simple: a range of (seemingly) straight-forward challenges are set, which participants must complete in 60 seconds or less in order to earn points for their team. The beauty of using this concept as a team building exercise is that once the clock starts ticking, it becomes highly competitive whilst also being very light-hearted; participants will be so focused on completing their challenge in under a minute that they won't care how silly they look whilst doing it!
To prepare for your Minute to Win It team building afternoon, begin by deciding which challenges you want to set. You can find a full list of challenges, as well as explanatory videos on the US Minute To Win It website, but some of our favourites are:
Once you've gathered everything you need, divide the group into teams. Present the first challenge (you can either explain it yourself or play the website's video on a computer or through a projector) and give the teams 30 seconds to nominate their first player. Have the players come up and compete one at a time, keeping track of their scores. Once they are done, move onto the next challenge until everyone has competed at least once. Be sure to have a camera on hand - if you want to win, there's no way to tackle these challenges glamorously!
If you think our Easy Office-Based Team Building Ideas are great, you should see our Corporate Team Building Events - they're amazing! To find out more, visit our website or call 0845 006 06 06 to speak to our sales team - they're lovely.
This week's motivational poster is a reminder that when times get tough, the best teams pull together and tackle the problem as a group. It can be easy to lose sight of the importance of a strong team sometimes - remind yourselves by printing our poster here and sticking it up in your office. You can also check out the rest of this series here.
"Tough times don't last - tough teams do"
If you want to boost motivation further, check out our range of team building events or call 0845 006 06 06 to have a chat about the many team building options available with CCC.
Here at CCC Events we like to keep abreast of all things team building, so were fascinated by this article in The Telegraph which claims that Stonehenge in Wiltshire may have been the product of the world's first team-building exercise. Rather than being a place of worship, it may have been that it was the process of building Stonehenge that was important to it's creators, rather than the end product itself. And what better way to boost motivation and personal bonds than by creating one of the planet's most mystical and significant landmarks together?
This got us thinking about how the process of doing something as a team is the backbone of a successful team building event. Nearly all of our events have a competitive edge, which makes being the winning team the ultimate goal of the day, and that's great: it gets people involved, spurring enthusiasm and commitment. But when it comes to achieving the more subtle aims of team building - forming bonds, breaking the ice, working together - it's the process of teamwork, rather than the end product, that counts.
Take our Cryptic Challenge as an example. Teams tackle numerous challenges, including fiendish puzzles and more physical tasks, all in the hope of being the Cryptic Challenge Champions. But in the process, they must employ a wealth of valuable team qualities; communication, trust, teamwork and even humour. Often, they don't even notice it's happening, but by the end of the event they've laughed together, spoken to new people, and overcome obstacles in a fun and relaxed environment.
The Telegraph's article also suggests that the Stonehenge site was uninhabited for most of the year. Rather than tackling the building of Stonehenge in one go, the article claims that people came together a couple of times a year to meet up and work together. Modern team building is strikingly similar: it is of course necessary to spend most of the year doing our day-to-day jobs, but coming together once in a while to tackle something entirely different not only brushes away the cobwebs, it also allows people to socialise away from the usual stresses of working life. Providing a fun common goal provides a focus to the day, and helps to form bonds between colleagues, which in turn makes for a more efficient team and better productivity in the long run.
So it turns out that we aren't all that dissimilar to our ancestors from 4,500 years ago. Every once in a while, it benefits us to team up, work together and have some fun... just like they did.
For ideas on how team building can benefit your team, check out our website or call 0845 006 06 06 for a chat with our sales team.
If you're looking for budget-friendly team building ideas that are simple yet effective and that you can run from the comfort of your office, check out our series on Easy Office-Based Team Building Ideas. This week, we're taking a look at how a simple deck of cards can be used in a range of icebreakers and team builds - pick and choose from our list, or tackle them all for a fun, motivational afternoon.
If you're ready to take your team building to the next level, check out our website or call 0845 006 06 06.
CCC are looking to recruit a full time Event Manager to to join our friendly, professional team, working from our head offices in Hove.
For more information and details of how to apply, please go to www.cccevents.co.uk/jobs.
If you've been given the task of arranging your company's next team building event, but your colleagues are more Prada than paintballing, then look no further than the fabulous Fashion Works!
In this fantastic and creative team building event, you'll get the chance to become fashionistas for the day, designing and making next year's hottest 'look' before an amazing Catwalk Finale. Each team forms a design house and there are roles for everyone - from models to choreographers and seamstresses to photographers, it's all hands on deck to get the final production ready.
A plethora of materials is supplied, so everyone can let their imagination run riot in order to come up with the most impressive, larger-than-life designs they can think of. And that they do - you may never have known that your favourite colleague has always dreamt of dressing up as a glam-rock version of Cinderella, but after this team building event, you will!
Our recent Fashion Works team build at Ettington Chase in Warwick was just as incredible as any other - the teams' feet barely touched the ground as they raced around the hotel and grounds getting as many shots as possible for their official photo shoot, the results of which were then displayed on a giant screen for everyone to enjoy.
When the time was up, the teams were raring to go for their Catwalk Finale - and they didn't disappoint. Everyone was in stitches, whilst also being highly impressed with the incredible outfits that had been produced. The day ended on a high as the winning design house was announced and the champagne corks popped - next stop, Milan!
If you're interested in one of our awesome creative team building events, visit our website or call 0845 006 06 06 to speak to our fabulous sales team.
Today's motivational poster is based on the concept that when it comes to thinking up new ideas, there are no limits. If you or your team have been in a rut recently, stick this quote from Deepak Chopra up in the office and wait for the inspiration to flow!
Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid of the box" - Deepak Chopra
Find a free, printable version of this poster here, and take a look at the rest of our motivational posters here.
If you want to boost team motivation even further, bring in the professionals! CCC Events has over twenty years experience in the industry and offers over 75 team building events to suit your brief. Call 0845 006 06 06 for a chat with our lovely sales team or check out our website.
If you've been given the daunting task of sourcing a venue for your company's conference or team building event, then you've come to the right place. With over twenty years' experience in corporate team building and entertainment, CCC Events has worked at literally thousands of venues across the UK and Europe. We offer a free venue finding service to all of our clients, and here on the blog we profile some of our favourite places to produce team building events.
Twickenham Stadium is a venue with personality - even on non-match days, it's hard to escape the exciting atmosphere that comes with being in the largest dedicated rugby union venue in the world. Holding your conference or team building event at Twickenham will impress your clients and make your staff feel valued - it's a real treat to spend time here, so no one will feel like it's just another working day. We recommend spending the morning in conference, then brushing off the cobwebs with a lunchtime Twickenham Stadium Tour. Your team will be so motivated from walking in the footsteps of their heroes (you even get to see the England dressing room) that they'll be in the perfect state of mind for your afternoon team building event.
"The best event I have ever managed at Twickenham Stadium was held in the Member's Lounge, which has a spectacular view of the pitch and its own bar. After lunch, we brought in Sir Clive Woodward, who gave a fantastic motivational speech on teamwork and leadership, which was the perfect prelude to our afternoon team building event . By the end of the afternoon, the energy in the room was incredible."
Dave Hall, CCC Event Manager
Are you considering holding your team building event in London? Call 0845 006 06 06 to discuss our range of venue options, including Twickenham Stadium. Alternatively, visit our website to take a peek at the team building events we offer.
If you've been checking out our website, you're probably already full of ideas on the type of team building event you'd like us to run for you. But where should you hold it? A nice country hotel? Somewhere more city-based? Or even a private residence available to rent? Trying to decide may seem daunting, but there's no need to worry - we offer a free venue-finding service to all of our clients, and with over 20 years' experience in running team building events all over the UK and in Europe, we like to think we know our stuff when it comes to recommending great venues. Here on the blog, we share our insider knowledge by profiling some of our favourite venues for team building events, meetings and conferences.
The Windsor Hotel straddles the line between modern and classic perfectly. It's only a couple of years old, so it's fully equipped with all the latest mod-cons - we love the fact that the meeting rooms have iPod docks built in to the walls, so if you want to create a relaxed atmosphere while your group brainstorms, you can just plug in your iPhone and set the tone with music. The smart yet tranquil atmosphere and impeccable service hark back to the 'golden age' of hotels and will make you feel more like you're on holiday than at work. It also boasts a fantastic location - there's something special about being in the heart of Windsor; with it's amazing history, quaint buildings and relaxed, elegant vibe, being here always makes us feel extremely proud to be British. There's plenty to see, and The Windsor Hotel provides the perfect base for exploring - make the most of the hotel's central location by using at as the starting point for a Windsor Adventure, which is a great way to see the sights and boost team motivation. If you'd prefer something indoors, relax after a long day of meetings with a World of Wine team build before dinner in the hotel itself.
"Being a MacDonald venue, The Windsor Hotel is second-to-none when it comes to hosting your team building event. I love the fact that you can even watch the changing of the guards from the comfort of the hotel lobby" - Kye Harman, CCC Event Manager
If your workplace is anything like ours, then you love yourselves a slice of cake. Birthdays, Fridays, national celebrations - in our eyes, they're all the perfect excuse to swap our lunchtime sarnies for a bit of Victoria Sponge. This week's Easy Office-Based Team Building Idea adds a competitive element to your average office tea party: behold, The Great Team Building Bake Off!
Here at CCC HQ, we'll be holding our own Bake Off in the run up to Easter Weekend - we're looking forward to it so much that we'd thought we'd share our tips on how to organise your own.
A few weeks before you plan on holding your Bake Off, be sure to email everyone to let them know which day it will be held and display our poster to remind everyone. This will give people time to think about what they want to bake and get people talking in the run up to your team build.
Competitors can be as traditional or as unusual as they like - there's at least one person in every office who will claim that their Grandmother's recipe for Fruit Cake will be the ultimate contender, but unusual, savoury options such as cheese and jalapeño scones can often be the dark horse and blow everyone away.
Once you know who's going to be taking part, split competitors into three or more teams. Let them know their teams beforehand so that they can plan on bringing a range of baked goods between them and ensure there won't be two of the same thing within their team. This will also get the competitive banter going - you'll be surprised how much trash talking there can be about baking!
On the day, have teams place their baked goods together, and number each cake. For example, you might have the Red Team, with cakes 1-8, the Blue Team, with cakes 9-16, and so on. Send another email to encourage everyone (competitors and spectators) to taste as much as possible throughout the day and to place their ballot. It's fun to include a range of categories, such as 'Best Sweet', 'Best Savoury', 'Best Presentation', and of course 'Best Team Overall'. Place the ballot box (this can just be a shoebox with a slot cut into it) near the cakes, and ask people to write their names at the top of their voting slip to ensure there's no tactical voting.
Once the votes are counted, announce the category winners before awarding the main prize to the Best Overall Team. The best thing about this team build is that regardless of the results, everyone's a winner - at the end of the day, everyone will have had the best lunch ever!
If your team can't get enough of cooking, treat them to a Cookery-based Team Building Event. We'll provide all the supplies - just make sure to bring your appetites!
Next generation team building from the UK’s highest rated events company. CCC Events combine creativity with the latest technology and state of the art production to deliver the very best, award winning team building events. As industry leaders we provide outstanding value and peace of mind for our clients. Trusted by organisations large and small, we make every event the best it can be.
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