Staying connected takes more than online meetings, emails and instant messages when a team is spread across different locations.
At Altenar, most of the UK team is based in our Isle of Man office, while colleagues are also based across mainland UK. That geographical split means there aren’t always opportunities for everyone to spend time together in person - particularly away from the usual day-to-day working environment.
That is where our team events come in.
Over the past few years, UK-based staff have enjoyed pizza making in Liverpool, a day at Haydock races and a driving day at Mercedes-Benz World, combining shared experiences, a little friendly competition and, most importantly, an opportunity to spend time together outside of work.
There is more to bringing everyone together than simply picking a date and booking an activity though. Office Administrator Margaret Griffiths is responsible for organizing the team away days and explains the process involved.
The logistical challenge
“Having the Irish Sea in between us makes it quite difficult to organise an event for the IOM and UK teams that everyone can attend,” says Margaret. “But I love a challenge and this is one of my favorite parts of my job.”
The planning starts with finding a date that works for everyone. That’s no easy task when holidays, travel and other commitments all need to be taken into account.
Then comes the bigger question: where should everyone go, and what should they do?
The team is encouraged to suggest ideas for activities, which are then weighed up against what is available and what will work for the group. From there, the logistics begin: flights or ferry travel, taxis, meals, timings and, where necessary, overnight accommodation.
“There’s quite a lot of planning involved when you’re bringing colleagues over from the IOM, particularly when you’re coordinating flights, transport and timings for a whole group,” explains Margaret.
And when travel is involved, flexibility is just as important as planning ahead. The aim is to make sure that once everyone arrives, they can forget about the logistics and simply enjoy the day.
“For me the main thing is making sure the day runs as smoothly as possible for everyone, so that once they arrive, they can relax, enjoy the event and spend time with their colleagues rather than worrying about logistics.”
More than just a day out
The value of these events goes beyond having a good time.
When colleagues work in different locations or don't regularly collaborate, there can be fewer opportunities for the informal conversations that naturally happen when people share the same workplace.
Team events create space for that to happen.
“I think it is really about bringing people together and giving everyone the opportunity to get to know each other outside of work,” she says.
“When you know people personally, it makes working together so much easier. You communicate better, you feel more comfortable with each other, and ultimately it helps create a stronger team.”
There is also a competitive element. The recent events have included opportunities for colleagues to compete against one another and win prizes - adding a little extra fun to the day.
Away from work, people can interact in a more relaxed environment, and those relationships often carry back into the office.
“I find the teams communicate a lot more while you can visibly see they are having fun.”
The impact can continue long after everyone has returned home. The office becomes more chatty, with colleagues talking about what they enjoyed, sharing their experiences and remembering the smaller moments from the day.
Making time to enjoy the experience
The events so far have been a success, but there is always room to improve.
Both recent events have taken place in England, meaning the Isle of Man team has had to factor travel across the Irish Sea into the schedule. For the Haydock races, the group travele by boat but had to leave before the final race to make the return journey. At Mercedes-Benz World, the team similarly had to leave in time to catch the flight home.
For future events, an extra overnight stay could make all the difference.
“The only thing I would like to do differently is to maybe have two overnight stays,” notes Margaret. “With a couple of nights we wouldn’t have to rush after the event.”
It is a small change, but one that reflects the wider objective: creating enough time for people to properly enjoy being together.
A stronger team, one event at a time
Looking ahead, the goal is to continue creating opportunities for the UK team to connect away from their usual working environment.
That doesn't necessarily mean bigger or more elaborate events. What matters is creating experiences where everyone can participate, meet colleagues they might not normally work with and build relationships that continue afterwards.
Margaret says: “For me, I’d feel an event had genuinely brought the team closer if people come away having got to know colleagues they perhaps don’t normally work with or speak to, and if those relationships continued back in the office afterwards.
“Everyone feels included, has enjoyed themselves and comes back feeling that we’re more of a team than we were before.”
Ultimately, that is what makes a successful team event.
