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Many organisations these days spruik the idea of ‘team bonding’ as a cultural benefit to working in their business. But what exactly is ‘team bonding’ and how can companies utilise corporate sporting events to further their business and drive productivity? In my experience, participating in corporate events has a number of key benefits that can contribute to culture and your bottom line. Sporting events in particular have many positive benefits, and if you’re an organisation looking to boost team spirit and improve culture, read on!

They boost morale

When you work in an office environment, getting out of your day-to-day routine and your comfort zone can lead to a greater sense of achievement, unity and satisfaction. Framing the activity as a reward for your team’s hard work will also boost participation and leave your team feeling valued.

My background in sport has shown me that participating in these type of team events also brings people closer and inevitably helps them work more collaboratively. Feeling like you are a valued and effective member of a team will leave each individual with a sense of wellbeing and belonging, leading to stronger morale, a deeper sense of commitment to their work, and a positive feeling about your brand.

They promote a healthy lifestyle

There is a lot of research to suggest that leading a healthy lifestyle leads to people being more productive at work. It’s a simple equation: when you feel healthier you become happier; when you feel happier you become more positive and productive, and round and round it goes. By encouraging your team to participate in work-sponsored corporate events you’re not only promoting how important it is to spend time together as a team, but you’ll also be championing exercise as a key component of a healthy lifestyle. And when your team is fit & healthy, well…you know what that means for productivity!

They make your team members better human beings

One of the largest corporate sporting events in Melbourne is the Corporate Triathlon, and participating in this was a huge success for Fetch. Ten of our staff members (and one of our recently-placed candidates!) competed in small teams, completing the tough triathlon which included a 400 Metre Ocean Swim, 10km bike ride along Beach Road and finishing off with a 4km run along our stunning city coastline.

The most significant part of the day was the ongoing support we gave to each other throughout the tough stages of the triathlon. From standing at the start line and cheering as we took off into the water for the swim, to sitting on the hill on Beach Road as we began and finished the bike ride, the most important thing that we did was make sure our colleagues saw our smiling and supportive faces at every marker.

When you help your team to develop a different mindset and start focusing on others’ success and not just their own, you begin to develop more well-rounded human beings. The more you do this you will see this spill over into their working life – they’ll start contributing more and working more cohesively as a team.

They help with brand awareness

When you participate in something like the Corporate Triathlon, it gives you the opportunity to develop uniforms and collateral that highlight your brand in a positive way. Other businesses – many of whom could be your potential clients – will see you and your team getting active, supporting a charity, and most importantly, having like-minded values. By default, they will start to associate your brand with theirs, and people do business with people they like, right?

When it comes to the question of whether participating in corporate events can bond you as a team, the benefits are clear. Beyond this, they can also have a positive effect on the external perception of your brand. All companies should be participating in as many corporate events for charity as they possibly can, and encouraging their staff to get involved. It’s rewarding as an individual, cements a team, improves communication and collaboration, and it gives back to the community.

If anyone would like to find out more about how to get involved with Fetch’s program and the events that are coming up, I’d be more than happy to help. I encourage everyone to get involved!

Brandyn Grenfell is a Residential Construction specialist with Fetch. With a strong background in team sport, he has a passion for team development and mindset training. You can connect with Brandyn on LinkedIn here.

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