20 Jun

15 Tips on Making Your Team Building Activity in Seattle a Success

By Leave your thoughts

We’re the West Coast’s only full-time pirate ship cruise company — and that means we’ve hosted a lot of successful team building events. Holding your company event aboard a pirate ship is certainly unique, memorable, and of course, fun! In fact, it’s one of the fastest-rising team building ideas in Seattle.

Since we’ve collaborated on so many top-notch team building events, we’ve had the chance to notice some key ingredients the most successful events all have in common.

Today we’re sharing 15 tried-and-true tips to make sure your event is a huge hit!

  1. Get outside

When you ditch the office decorum and spend time with your coworkers in a novel location, everyone’s minds immediately switch into a whole new mode that’s open to fun and adventure. From the moment your team sees our ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, it will be clear the day will not be business as usual.

  1. Schedule your event at a day and time that works for everyone

Be sure to check vacation schedules — you won’t want your big team activity to happen on a day when half the office is out of town.

From there, choose the time wisely — each office is different, and we’re happy to accommodate your needs. No matter how much they may love their job, your team might not be able to swing after-hours gatherings, for example. A popular approach we’ve seen is to spend the last couple hours of the workday cruising with us.

  1. Encourage collaboration and competition

When it comes to team building activities, we’re full of innovative ideas. Some hugely successful team building ideas in Seattle aboard our ship include learning to be a pirate, learning the parts of the ship, working together to find lost treasure, a best pirate name contest, a best-dressed pirate contest, a limbo competition, and more.

  1. Make activities accessible for everyone

Since you spend so much time together at work, it’s easy to forget how much everyone’s interests outside the office can vary. Some of your colleagues might find a softball game fun, for instance, while others would feel out of their depth. You’ll also want to keep physical conditions or health sensitivities in mind when choosing activities.

We’re happy to say we’ve found that people of all ages and with varying interests enjoy getting a whole new perspective of Seattle aboard our pirate ship. In Puget Sound, for instance, it’s possible to see some of the Northwest’s incredible wildlife such as salmon, harbor seals, and sea lions.

  1. Make sure each member of the team has a chance to get involved

When you’re designing a team building activity, choose one that requires every team member to make it work. Otherwise, you’ll have some employees spending too much time on the sidelines.

Need some help brainstorming? We’ve collaborated on some of the very best team building Ideas in Seattle — we’re here to help!

  1. Set clear expectations

Sure, they’ll get to leave the office for a few hours, but your staff should understand the purpose of your team building event. Is there something specific you want to accomplish during your time together? Is it just a relaxed time to socialize? Be sure to cast a clear vision.

You don’t need to give away all your secrets about the event, but your colleagues may get more excited if they know why the activity is taking place.

  1. Plan well in advance and get your staff pumped up

The earlier you let your team know what’s happening, the easier it is to plan — and the more time there is for the buzz to build around such a unique event on a pirate ship.

  1. Have a plan to break the ice (or, we can help with that!)

Will you need to help everyone warm up to each other and get the conversation flowing? Just let us know, and we can brainstorm together.

  1. Put less on your staff member’s plates

Be sure to reduce your employees’ workload during the scheduled team-building time, or make other arrangments to get all the work done.

  1. Consider travel time

The day should be as easy and fun for your staff as possible — and a long journey to an inconvenient venue gets everything off on the wrong foot. So plan accordingly!

If you’re located in Downtown Seattle, your team can reach our docks in minutes and have more time for your planned activities.

If your team is on the east side of Lake Washington, we can arrange to pick you and your guests up at Carillon Point or Kirkland City Dock so you’ll avoid Seattle traffic and parking headaches. The convenient location and accommodations are among the many reasons our pirate ship is one of the most talked about team building ideas in Seattle!

  1.  Keep your team happy with amazing food

Consider your team’s dietary preferences and restrictions as you plan out the menu. Aboard our ship, you’re free to add catering from a provider of your choosing.

Or, let our preferred caterer take care of your event. We even have a package for catered food, alcohol, and sailing, so you’re free to simply enjoy the event with your team.

  1. Check your job titles at the door

Make it clear that office titles don’t exist during this team building event. A fun idea we’ve seen is having each person make a name tag with a brand new title that helps people get to know them better, such as “Chief Gardener” or “Yoga Master.”

  1. Ask your colleagues to document the day

Don’t run the risk of your colleagues losing or forgetting everything they learned throughout the day. Encourage them to preserve their memories and bring their new lessons back to the office by taking notes and pictures.

  1. Don’t forget the feedback

Reach out to your participants within a couple of days of your team building event, thanking them for their time and asking for constructive feedback about the event. Circle back to this valuable information when it’s time to plan your next group event.

  1. Have fun!

When you’re planning a team building activity, the first thing on your list should be fun. If your staff is having fun, they’ll feel inspired to start fresh and be more productive when they return to work.

At Emerald City Pirates, we’re standing by, ready to provide your team with world-class hospitality and customer service to help create a day you’ll always remember. Now is the time to schedule the best team building event of the year!

Call 206-639-8689 to reserve your team building event today.

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