 |
|
|
|
 |
Every group needs a bit of purposeful fun to make the work worthwhile. Here are seven fun teambuilding ideas to consider adding to your next program:
|
|
|
High Octane. Getting your group revved up promotes camaraderie and an energized mood. At Circuit Mont Tremblant, for example, group members take part in a classroom session at the Jim Russell Racing School, then get suited up and put theory into practice burning rubber around a looping track. “Getting behind the wheel of a race car is an adrenalin rush people don’t forget,” says school manager Keith Blatz. lecircuit.com, jimrussell.com |
|
|
Drum roll please. Want to get your group pumped up for the next product launch? Drum Café Canada can come to wherever group is and help participants create rhythmic beats that break down barriers, unify and celebrate diversity. “Drumming is a centuries old method of getting people to focus on a common goal,” says general manager, Chris O’Neil, of Drum Café’s Toronto location. drumcafe.ca |
|
|
Urban safari. Offer your attendees a new brand of city tour. Customized to your specifications by Flip Events, groups can follow clues along a given route through the host city’s signature sites. Teams can also bag bonus points by interacting with locals. “In one case, teams of eight had to convince a police officer to allow them to squeeze into the back of the cruiser, and then ask him to snap a photo for evidence,” says Flip Events partner Joan Bendon. flipevents.com |
|
|
Goodbye air guitar. Inside every corporate professional is the heart of a rock star. Help them unleash it and laugh with co-workers in the process. At Rock the Stars, facilitators teach groups to rip a riff with real instruments. Whether they're tone deaf or have perfect pitch, attendees can bang out Taking Care of Business by B.T.O., dressed appropriately in costumes befitting a musical icon. “We’ve been blown away by some of the groups’ performances,” says founder Stewart Hall. rockthestars.com |
|
|
Playing with purpose. It’s more than just child’s play with St. Catharines, Ont.-based Frontier Team Building’s “Some Assembly Required” program, where groups complete tasks and are rewarded with toy parts, which they ultimately assemble into toy race cars. After assembly, groups can donate the toys they create to a children’s charity, says program director Claudia Valle. frontiergroup.biz |
|
|
Now we’re cooking. In an intimate, contemporary setting, groups can watch and learn cooking techniques from a selection of well-known chefs at the Chef Upstairs in Toronto. Or pick a type of cuisine, for example, sushi, and learn the art of rolling a killer California roll (made with crab and avocado). thechefupstairs.com |
|
|
Train like an Olympian. Help your group learn from the best of the best in sports. Becoming an elite athlete is more than mere muscle, it’s also mental preparedness. The Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE) in Victoria, B.C., has an interactive program where sports psychologists, dieticians and physiologists share secrets of success that are applicable to all facets of life and work. piseworld.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Engage 2011
When: Oct. 5, 2011 (Toronto) and Oct. 26, 2011 (Vancouver)
Where: Glenn Gould Studios, Toronto, and Vancity Theatre, Vancouver
Why go: Learn, connect and be inspired by fresh ideas and engaging minds.
What’s in it for you: This memorable one day experience will showcase a combination of high profile speakers and professional development experts. Registration for Engage Toronto and Engage Vancouver is complimentary.
More industry events at Ignitemag.ca
|
|
 |
Incentives + Meetings
Your little “green” book
Sustainable meetings do not cost more, and in their latest book, Saving Green by Going Green, authors Nancy Zavada, Amy Spatrisano and Shawna McKinley from MeetGreen, an organization that works with progressive global organizations to integrate sustainable practices, intend to prove it. What makes this book different from other publications on the topic of green meetings: instead of focusing on the “why” of sustainable meetings, it concentrates on the “how.” The book outlines how to effectively implement a cost-effective, sustainable workflow, guiding planners step-by-step, from start to finish, and includes all the checklists, forms and vendor requests a planner requires to plan a green meeting. |
|
Corporate Travel Management
Nominations, please!
Entries for the 2011 Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence are now being accepted by the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC). Now in its eighth year, the program recognizes individuals, companies or properties for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to the lodging industry via The Humanitarian Award, The Human Resources Award, and the Outstanding Supplier Award. The HAC is also accepting nominations for the Stephen Phillips Passion for Hospitality Bursary, awarded to the hospitality student who best exemplifies the qualities that the late Stephen Phillips, former vice-chairman and CEO of AFM Hospitality Corporation Inc., brought to the industry. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 28, and winners will be honoured on Mar. 6, 2012 at the HAC Annual Conference Awards Luncheon. |
|
Corporate Gifts + Rewards
An engaging award
Employee rewards and recognition solutions company, I Love Rewards, recently announced the 50 Most Engaged Workplaces in Canada, an annual award honouring the country’s top employers that demonstrate leadership and innovation in engaging their employees. The goal of the award is to encourage workplace improvements by drawing attention to and recognizing those organizations that invest in employee engagement, which, in turn, is linked to increased productivity and retention rates. Award applicants were assessed on eight elements of employee engagement: communication, leadership, rewards and recognition, culture, professional and personal growth, accountability and performance, vision and values, and corporate social responsibility. An awards gala will be held on Nov. 15 at the Arcadian Court in Toronto. |
|
| Share your event news, case studies or story ideas with us here at ignitemag.ca. |
|
|
|
 |
An exclusive offer
Experienced sales managers in the Montreal area won’t want to miss this opportunity to join the team at one of Quebec’s finest boutique hotels. Le St. Martin Hotel & Suites wants you to bring your strong negotiating, decision-making and communication skills to the table, as well as 4-5 years of hotel sales experience. The position is available immediately, so waste no time in applying for this position.
Support the team
Global manufacturing and technology company Emerson has some big shoes to fill at the Canada Engineering Centre’s head office in Calgary. Executive assistants with at least 5-7 years experience in a similar role should take note of this great opportunity to utilize their administrative skills supporting the general manager and leadership team. Key responsibilities include managing information and reports, training other administrative personnel, and planning executive meetings and events. For more information and to apply online, click here. |
|
|
|
|
