Let’s play the team building game

Gerard Crowley reflects on the growing trend of digital gamification in the corporate and events market.

Many of us have been to a conference, company away day or training session and left feeling uninspired, unmotivated, and, frankly, bored. Games used for team building have always been popular and now digital gamification is crossing the pond with the aim of engaging delegates, increasing learning and boosting teamwork.

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Already seen at TEDx events around the world and at the international internet society forum InterCommunity 2015, interactive challenges and team building activities have been bringing colleagues closer while turning corporate events into adult playgrounds.

Gamification is the art of applying elements of a game to routine tasks, to encourage and motivate people to increased productivity, teamwork and engagement. Since 2010, 350 companies have launched gamification projects and Gartner, the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company, predicted that 70 per cent of Forbes Global 2000 companies would introduce gamification to boost engagement, retention and revenues by the end of last year.

This trend is now making its way into the team building and conferencing industry in the UK; with groups of corporate professionals seen juggling, singing, contorting and ultimately working together to complete fun challenges, encouraged and lead by gamification software. 

The days of flipcharts and awkward conversations with the stranger next to you appear to be numbered. The industry is increasingly moving towards advanced digital technology which encompasses the best team building activities of the past, such as role play and tug of war, and brings it into the digital age.

We have found that by introducing mobile and tablet-based team building apps at conferences, corporate events or company away days, not only provides a welcome respite from heavy content, it puts the delegates first and adds purpose.

Team Challenge Company has recently introduced the most advanced treasure hunt app, Go Team, to the Scottish market and it has proved a hit in the corporate market. The app allows us to create bespoke real-time team building activities which can be developed to foster role allocation, co-ordination and planning between colleagues.

Our purpose is what drives us, and when you present teams of people with a common goal, it promotes camaraderie, competition, and a sense of accomplishment. The perfect outcome for both organiser and delegate. 

About the author

Gerard Crowley, is the co-director at one of the UK’s leading corporate team building businesses, Team Challenge Company.

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