Team bonding activities for your staff during winter

Don’t let the cold weather stop you from organising team bonding activities! Winter is the perfect time of year to bring your staff together for fun social activities outside of work.

Socialising outside of work hours is a great way to build and strengthen personal relationships with work colleagues. Staff can interact differently, support their mental health and discover new things about one another. As a team leader or manager, it’s also a great opportunity for you to put yourself out there on a more relatable level. 

With so many different activities to choose from, Hello Leaders has picked our favourites to help you narrow down your shortlist.

Mini-Golf – It’s not just for kids

Gone are the days when you have to sit around putting through windmills and broken barrels. Modern mini-golf focuses on socialisation rather than novelty. Plus it’s not just for the kids.

Holey Moley Golf and Hey Caddy are two top choices for those who enjoy a social drink. Both are high-quality entertainment venues providing a colourful – and competitive – backdrop for a night out with colleagues. There are pop culture references, social media moments and even a chance to bust out a song or two in select venues with a karaoke bar. 

For those who are slightly more competitive and want a traditional approach, X-Golf is a golfing simulator experience located across metropolitan Australia. They serve food and drinks and you can take on top-tier courses without having to walk anywhere. Most X-Golf venues are also found under the same roof as Hey Caddy, so there are options for staff who prefer one over the other. 

Trivia Night – Work those brain cells

Trivia nights are about balance; you need a team with the right knowledge mix so there’s someone to ace the sports, music and geography rounds! You can’t rely on just one person and that’s why it’s perfect for bonding. 

Consider local pubs and venues which host regular trivia nights – many hold them weekly. Quiz Meisters is a handy website to find trivia shows near you, while there’s always a good chance one of your staff members will be involved in a social group hosting an event! You can even talk to staff about promoting events like a charity trivia night at work to engage with other colleagues. 

Health and Well-being – Good for the soul

Team bonding doesn’t have to be non-stop action; slow things down and focus on staff health and well-being. There are plenty of ideas, too, including:

• Spa days
• Yoga/hot yoga
• Pilates
• Pedicures and manicures
• Massages
• Meditation

You can also consider a one-day wellness retreat where group sessions provide a chance for everyone to unwind together. Otherwise, a number of local businesses will be ready to help your team. Just be sure to call first as they might only have room for smaller groups, depending on the activity.

Escape Rooms – Team bonding under pressure

If you want a chance to test how well your team works together in a completely different setting, escape rooms provide the perfect test. Escape rooms have grown in popularity over the last few years with countless businesses opening in every city. And the premise is pretty simple: your group has 60 minutes to escape a locked room, but you have to solve a number of puzzles, challenges and riddles to do so. There are no shortcuts.

Oh, and the rooms have themes! So you might have to escape a tropical island, break out of prison or avoid disaster in a haunted mansion. With a range of difficulty levels, you can take on whichever challenge everyone’s most comfortable with. It’s just a fun, interactive experience promoting teamwork and problem-solving. 

Arts and Crafts – Try something new

When you spend each day working through the same routine it’s nice to be creative after work. And if you can involve the people you work with, it’s a great way to create new bonds and have a laugh!

There are plenty of modern choices for engaging arts and crafts sessions. Designed to be social, educational and fun, many mix the chance to have a drink or two while trying something new. Great examples include paint and sip classes (social group painting with drinks on the side), pottery classes or soap and candle making. 

Bowling and movies – The old classics

Sometimes the old classics are a great way to bring colleagues together outside of work. Bowling is timeless, and since most venues also feature game arcades or even laser tag, it’s easy to host a fun and competitive night out. Zone Bowling, Kingpin Bowling and Strike Bowling are among the most popular national options. 

If you’re after a more low-key event, take the team to the movies. Pair it with dinner and drinks and you have a good quality activity that’s accessible for everyone.

Exercise and action – Work hard, play hard

Although it might not be as accessible to everyone, consider holding an event based on physical activity. It’s important to choose something that can be adapted to any range of skill levels as you don’t want to exclude staff – but it could be one option among many. Popular examples for winter include bouldering and indoor sports like cricket, soccer, basketball or handball. As this might not be for everyone, it’s always worth gauging interest first before committing to physical team bonding activities.