Tag Archive for: treasure hunts

A Step-by-Step Guide to Traditional Vs. High-Tech Corporate Scavenger Hunts

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master of the hunt

Lisa Jennings – A “Master of the Hunt”

Masters of the Hunt!

We’ve organized many traditional and high-tech corporate scavenger hunts over the years.  Heck, our sister company is even called “Masters of the Hunt!” So, here are some questions you should answer if you are wondering if traditional or high-tech corporate scavenger hunts are right for you!

What Delivery Method Works Best For Your Group?

A traditional corporate scavenger hunt is easy to deliver, as it’s typically a printed handout that lists clues participants need to find.  High-tech corporate scavenger hunts can be done on participants’ own or loaner smart devices, such as cell phones and tablets.  But, please note, while you may want the high-tech corporate scavenger hunt to run through your meeting app, unfortunately, most meeting apps aren’t set up to do much more than ask simple questions.  For instance, our fonhunt and iTech Trek technology allows for a variety of challenges, such as drag-and-drop challenges, mini games, the ability to upload pictures, and splice together multiple clips to form one video. So, consider linking to the high-tech corporate hunt from your existing meetings app, or provide the devices so your attendees can put their own phones away for a while.

corporate treasure hunt

Solving the clues for this company treasure hunt takes team work.

What Is Your Event Budget?

Traditional corporate scavenger hunts may cost less to produce.  If you’re providing loaner devices for your high-tech corporate scavenger hunt, that expense has to be taken into account.  However, if participants are using their own devices, a high-tech corporate scavenger hunt may be more affordable, as there are no printing costs, especially for larger groups.

iphone corporate hunt

Using your mobile phones can help keep costs down while deliver a high-tech experience.

How Tech-Savvy Are Your Participants?

When booking high-tech corporate scavenger hunts, keep in mind there could be several pitfalls.  First of all, ensure the hunt mechanism is user friendly – all are not created equal.  And, if tech-savvy participants have to use their own devices, find out how it’s accessed.  If it’s via an app, be aware that some may be uncomfortable downloading a strange app onto their own devices due to privacy and space issues.  This is why many of our clients love that some of our high-tech corporate scavenger hunts can be accessed via the web with no need to download a strange app.

Where Is Your Corporate Scavenger Hunt Taking Place?

Many of our iPad-based, high-tech corporate scavenger hunts do not require connectivity, as they aren’t accessed via an app or WiFi.  Rather, the hunts are built into a program located on loaner iPads that work without connectivity. So, when booking a high-tech corporate scavenger hunt, ask if connectivity is an issue and if it is, ensure your location has WiFi or a strong cell signal.  Also, if you have a large group and want them to take a lot of photos via a high-tech corporate scavenger hunt, check your Internet speed, as a lot of people all trying to upload photos at the same time could take up more bandwidth than you have available.

ipad scavenger hunt

Pre-loaded apps on iPads mean that you don’t have to worry about WiFi access.

How Will Your Participants Be Viewing The Treasure Hunt?

One advantage of a traditional corporate treasure hunt is everyone can easily see a book.  Whereas with high-tech corporate hunts, keep in mind that if it’s held outdoors in bright sunshine, it may be difficult to see the screen.  Also, if doing high-tech corporate scavenger hunts with large team sizes, a tablet may be preferable to phones, to ensure many can gather around the screen at the same time.

scavenger hunt map

sample scavenger hunt books

Sample scavenger hunt books.

Do You Have A Lot Of Content?

What makes high-tech corporate scavenger hunts great is that participants can click on links to open up challenges, making it tidier to look at than wading through content on a traditional hunt handout.  For instance, for a tradeshow hunt, participants can click on an exhibitor’s name to read the clue they need to solve at that booth.

ipad corporate hunts

Using and iPad or Tablet allows for real-time results and more information related to the hunt to be stored and readily accessed.

How Quickly Do You Need Results?

High-tech corporate scavenger hunts are typically scored in real-time, meaning you can get results instantly.  If you want to announce the winning team immediately upon completion of the hunt, then go with a high-tech corporate scavenger hunt.  If you can wait – it typically takes 10 – 15 minutes per team to score a traditional photo scavenger hunt – then that could still be a good  option for you.

Team Building Scavenger Hunts – You’ve Got Options

Whatever you choose for your teaming event, a well planned team building scavenger hunt will keep your staff engaged and utilize their problem solving abilities in a fun and memorable way.

View More of our Corporate Scavenger Hunt Options

Team Bonding & Why It’s Important

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When I hear trainers who conduct serious team building events say that team bonding activities aren’t important, I start to resemble our wild hare mascot, Wild Harry. My nose starts twitching and I thump my foot down in frustration.

Yes, it’s beneficial to companies to host skills-based programs to enhance team knowledge. But, it’s equally beneficial to host play-based events to enhance team bonding. And, here is why:

 

Team bonding activities allow employees to, well – bond!

And, to see one another as real, flesh-and-blood people. They’re no longer “that number cruncher from Accounting.” They’re now Alan with two kids who has a hysterical sense of humor. It’s easy to let “the number cruncher from Accounting” down. But, it’s not as easy to let Alan down. That’s what really well planned and effective team building activities can do.

team bonding activities games

Team bonding activities – fun & games get people to interact outside the cubicle.

It’s hard to feel close to your team when you work in a cubicle or remotely all day.

Technology is a beautiful thing, but email means you can interact with fellow employees without the need to see or speak to a human being all day. If you want your people to care about your company and their fellow employees, they have to interact face-to-face and team bonding activities allow them to do just that.

team-bonding-activities-mixer

Team bonding activities are a fun way to get to know your colleagues.

Team bonding games and activities are fun! Fun energizes your team. Fun makes people happy.

Think about a typical school day. Teachers know they need to educate students with skills-based activities. Teachers know students have to work. But, teachers also know students need to blow off steam at recess. In fact, according to Stanford research, recess helps students feel more engaged and positive about their day. Just because we’re grown up, doesn’t mean we don’t still need recess. And, don’t you want your employees to feel more engaged and positive about their day?

 

Hosting team bonding events can make your employees feel more appreciated.

When you host a skills-based activity, they know your investment went towards making them better at their job, which translates into money for your company. But, when you host a team bonding event, they know that investment didn’t go directly towards the bottom line. It lets them know you are investing in perks and making them happy. Interestingly enough, however…

team bonding activities hospital art

Hospital art is a team bonding activity that your people will appreciate as it helps a good cause, which makes them feel good.

Team bonding activities do help your bottom line!

When employees are happy, like the people they work with and feel that their company cares about them, they stay at their job. Recruiting and training new employees takes a lot of time and money, so why wouldn’t you want to encourage team bonding?

 

Finally, don’t believe those trainers and academic types who tell you that team bonding activities don’t build skills. They do!

Yes, a treasure hunt is a team bonding activity, but clues can reinforce company information and help people hone their problem-solving skills. Sure, your employees may get a little silly when they do a creative event, like a “make a movie” team bonding activity. But, the theme of the movies can focus on corporate goals or product benefits and even showcase your team’s hidden talents! Host a variety of team bonding activities to put their different abilities into play each time.

team bonding activities treasure hunt

A team bonding activity to treasure – teams explore a theme park with a hunt!

team bonding activities creative events

Our Make a Scene movie-making event is one of many creative team bonding activities that pack a punch!

And, what does the company that plans team building events for a living do as a group to encourage team bonding? We’ve treated ourselves to a spa day, gone shoe shopping, walked together in a 5K, had a girl’s game night, done a charitable team bonding experience at Fallin’ Pines Critter Rescue,  and, challenged ourselves with Escape Room experiences to name a few! And, today we did it again!  We had lunch, took new head shots and team photos, got massages and broke out the Easter baskets.  Come on, admit it…doesn’t it make you want to work here too (just a little bit)?  And,  that is the importance of team bonding!

team bonding activities Wildly Different team

The Wildly Different team bonding before Easter and emulating their mascot, Wild Harry!

Need some great ideas for team bonding? Contact us today!