We see it a lot here in Vietnam. Once a year, there is budget for a trip. The bigger the budget, the farther the trip. It is seen as a show of appreciation to the staff. And it is! It is a really nice gesture and a good chance to see your colleagues in a different setting, drinking, eating, and having fun on the company’s dime.  Memories are made, anecdotes are created, everyone in the same T-shirt… and then it’s back to the office. The office, where:

• team members still gossip about each other.
• teams have no shared purpose.
• colleagues still don’t give feedback to each other to improve.
• toxic behavior is accepted because of hierarchy. 
• unclear expectations and vague communication are daily occurrences.
• teams don’t communicate with other teams.
• creativity and innovation are stifled because of urgency.

But, hey! You had fun and that’s what counts…..right?

Some companies feel a bit more enlightened and add some games, where people have to collaborate. More fun, a bit of competition, and great photos for the company website. But did anyone actually learn something? Are they applying these learnings in their work afterwards? Has communication or team performance improved? How do you know?

Of course, you should continue your yearly team outing! It’s something staff expect and look forward to. But please, don’t think that’s all it takes to build high-performing teams. That requires fundamental changes in mindset and rituals.

 If you want to know more about this, we can help. Feel free to contact us!