| To ensure that you get value from the time and | | | | corporate retreats, excessive consumption of |
| money invested in team building sessions and | | | | alcohol can lead to poor judgement and sexual |
| corporate retreats, there are several pitfalls that | | | | indiscretions. Many companies don't realize that |
| your company should avoid.Team Building Pitfalls | | | | they are skating on thin ice when they turn a blind |
| Allocate sufficient time for planningThere is no | | | | eye to dirty jokes, sexual innuendo and |
| way that you can expect to pull off an effective | | | | employees skinny dipping in the pool on a |
| team building session or corporate retreat if 1 - 2 | | | | corporate retreat or at a sales rally. We heard of |
| weeks prior to the session you are just | | | | one sales rally to which the Director brought along |
| contacting vendorsDon't schedule your session to | | | | a pornographic video. In the evening, the director, |
| end on a Friday.Like it or not, focus will become a | | | | the CEO and several members of the sales team |
| challenge as the day wears on.Do allocate more | | | | returned to the meeting room at the conference |
| time for your session if your group is highly | | | | centre and watched it. The next day, a lot of |
| analytical.Analytical learners need more time to | | | | snickering was going on. We are also aware of |
| debrief and apply the session to your specific | | | | two unrelated incidents at two different |
| business challenges or they will leave feeling | | | | companies during corporate retreats in which |
| frustrated and that the session was a waste of | | | | employees became so intoxicated that they |
| time. "What was that?" will be a frequent | | | | jumped on the table and started doing a strip |
| comment on your feedback forms.Don't splurge | | | | teaseIf even one employee had decided to file a |
| on food and accommodation and scrimp on | | | | sexual harassment suit (US) or human rights |
| facilitation fees.ou need an experienced facilitator | | | | complaint (Canada) due to any of these incidents, |
| to execute a session successfully. I remember a | | | | the negative publicity alone could have done a lot |
| company that contacted us in a panic. They had | | | | of damage to a company's reputation. As Astra |
| blown most of their budget for a top of the line | | | | USA, the American subsidiary of Astra AB, a |
| conference facility with all the bells and whistles. | | | | Swedish pharmaceutical company discovered, it |
| They had little left to pay a facilitator. We | | | | could also hit you in your pocketbook.Astra USA |
| suggested a couple of cost affective facilities for | | | | agreed to pay nearly US$9.85 million to |
| accommodation and meetings but eventually had | | | | approximately 80 former employees complaining |
| to pass on that booking too as they insisted on | | | | of sexual harassment and retaliation on the job, |
| the high end facility and could not afford a | | | | at corporate retreats and during sales rallies. They |
| facilitator.Don't just go through the motions of | | | | admitted to fostering a hostile work environment, |
| team building.Team recreation is important. If your | | | | including requests for sexual favors in exchange |
| goal is a day off work, then schedule a picnic or | | | | for favorable treatment on the job. Business |
| recreational activity.Get your priorities straight.We | | | | Week Magazine covered this story in detail and |
| thought we had heard it all when we were asked | | | | you can still access it on their web site.To avoid |
| "Can you cut your simulation down to half a day | | | | similar difficulties, have a clear code of conduct |
| so that we can have more time to go shopping?" | | | | for ALL company related meetings, activities, and |
| Another time, a prospective client selected a | | | | events. Cover it in your orientation, diversity |
| venue that was less than optimal for their activity | | | | training and management development |
| as they did not feel their staff could forego | | | | programmes. Have every employee sign-off and |
| alcohol for one day and the ideal location was not | | | | agree to adhere to this code. When incidents |
| licensed for alcohol. | | | | occur that are clearly inappropriate, deal with |
| Alcohol: Don't Let it Flow FreelyThere is no way | | | | them and send a clear message that certain |
| to address this topic without just coming out and | | | | behaviour will not be tolerated in the workplace or |
| saying it. "Watch the booze." Again it comes down | | | | at company events.Team Building: The Bottom |
| to priorities and liability. I remember doing some | | | | LineTeam building sessions and corporate retreats |
| location scouting with a prospective client. I should | | | | can be enjoyable and produce a myriad of |
| have known we were in trouble when one of the | | | | benefits for your company. To get the most |
| first questions they asked was "Will there be a | | | | bang from your team building buck, ensure that |
| fridge where we can store our beer?" It was | | | | there is bottom line results in what you offer. |
| downhill from there. Late night drinking binges, a | | | | Remember, people don't have to get wasted or |
| director passing around a bottle of hard liquor | | | | tell off-colour jokes in order to have a good time. |
| before a physically challenging outdoor event and | | | | There is something to be said for brainstorming |
| the CEO having to be confined to his bed on the | | | | with co-workers to come up with solutions to |
| last day of the session for overdoing it.Certainly | | | | some vexing business problems or flow charting |
| there is nothing wrong with a glass of wine with | | | | to improve a process that isn't working. There is |
| dinner. Many companies are not aware of the fact | | | | something to be said for relaxing around a bonfire, |
| that if they allow the liquor to flow freely before | | | | getting to know your co-workers while you pitch |
| an activity that involves physical exertion, your | | | | a tent or start a fire, cooking your meals |
| company could be held liable if someone gets | | | | outdoors, learning a new sport like polo, and the |
| injured.There is another area of potential liability. If | | | | many other activities that can add the "fun |
| participants will be driving after your corporate | | | | factor" to your events. From where we see it, |
| event, hire a smart serve bartender who is | | | | there is far more value in activities like that than |
| trained to detect potential problems and turn off | | | | boozing it up or frolicking nude in a hot tub with |
| the tap when appropriate. You might also want to | | | | co-workers.© 2006 Executive Oasis |
| have a backup plan and provide a taxi or hotel | | | | InternationalAnne Thornley-Brown is the founder |
| accommodation for any participants who do | | | | and President of Executive Oasis International, a |
| become inebriated. The bottom line is that courts | | | | Toronto based firm that helps executive teams in |
| throughout the USA are rendering judgements | | | | Canada, Jamaica, Asia, and Dubai design strategies |
| that hold companies liable when employees | | | | to survive, thrive and grow in our turbulent |
| consume too much alcohol at company-sponsored | | | | economy. Their services include executive |
| functions and then cause accident after leaving | | | | retreats, meeting facilitation, executive team |
| the event.Put a Leash on the LibidoDuring some | | | | building, and executive coaching. |