A few weeks ago we ran an away day for the UK Green Building Council, a passionate and busy organisation who advocate for a better built environment.
We got their team of twenty to connect around the fire, take an inspiring tour of the Brighton Earthship, and do some whittling and foraging.
Usually based in an office in London, the activities and time together in nature really worked - Julie Hirigoyen their CEO wrote that the day gave them a “palpable sense of calm and togetherness which is still with us a week later.”
The day gave us a “palpable sense of calm and togetherness which is still with us a week later.”
It means your team can have fun and also go a bit deeper - the activities, the positive stories that are seeded, and the shared time together, create and reinforce the type of bonds that take years to build in an office.
Spending time together in nature has other special benefits:
- It softens personal barriers and brings colleagues together, making it easier to reconnect as humans.
- It dramatically increases creative thinking - one of the most valued skills in the workplace.
- It's relaxing and refreshing - even a short time in nature improves energy levels, reduces stress, boosts cognitive function, and is good for your heart.
Don't take our word for it, Nick Hiller from the Academy of Medical Sciences wrote, “The wild workshop enabled [us] to think about the future in ways that would never have been possible in a standard meeting room.”