Instead of beach Olympics or tele-matches, companies are now seeking more creative teambuilding activities at unique venues, to enhance staff development programmes.
Outdoor effort
This year-old Sentosa attraction offers teambuilding programmes aimed at encouraging participants to discover their true potential and build confidence. Group sizes range from 11 up to 1,000 participants.
On MegaZip, a 450-metre-long zip line, participants can travel safely over the jungle canopy of Imbiah Hill, above Siloso Beach, and across the bay to a small offshore islet. ClimbMax is a three-level aerial obstacle course with 36 obstacles of different heights. Participants climb at tree-top height, cross rope bridges and slide down an 18-metre mini-zip wire. Northface is a rock-climbing wall featuring three routes of varying levels of difficulty.
Clients include FMCG, hospitality, legal and financial companies and government agencies. Lynn Enriquez, office manager of IMC Financial Markets, says: “We enjoyed our three-hour session. Each activity was fun. ClimbMax is a must. Some stunts were tiring and difficult, but my colleagues and I enjoyed them all immensely.”
Sailing skills
Keppel Bay Sailing Academy (KBSA), an extension of Marina at Keppel Bay, is the only academy in Singapore providing sailing courses accredited by the UK’s Royal Yachting Association, an internationally recognised institution for high-level courses. KBSA conducts innovative activities to foster teamwork, improve communication and realise employees’ creative potential. The challenges are designed to parallel real workplace situations and environments.
Leading MNCs and financial institutions have enrolled their executives in programmes aimed at reinforcing the importance of teamwork. KBSA has two Beneteau yachts, Endeavour and Venture, each with capacity for eight people. Training ranges from one to three days, and clients may end the programme with a race between the two teams.
Climbing skillsThe world’s tallest indoor Via Ferrata (iron road) is at Orchard Central, a shopping mall open since mid-2009. BorderX (border crossing) offers abseiling and rock-climbing lanes with a choice of three routes for up to 50 people for a half-day. Even inexperienced climbers can scale new heights in air-conditioned comfort. The course promotes teamwork and cohesiveness, especially for cross-functional teams. Specific objectives can be defined for team competitions.
Since opening in June 2009, BorderX has welcomed more than 50 corporate and association groups, including P&G, Microsoft and Schering-Plough, as well as banks, oil companies and educational institutions. Ross Stokes, regional sales director of ETP International, says: “Via Ferrata offers an excellent teambuilding exercise. I found it extremely helpful in analysing our teams’ strengths and weaknesses. The staff is very professional and friendly.”
Army actionThe Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association (SAFRA) offers a range of outdoor training and teambuilding activities at its Yishun, Mount Faber and Jurong clubs. Customised half-day and one-day packages are available for between 30 to 800 participants, and include an 18-metre-high canopy walk, a 21-metre-high simulated parachute jump and a range of props that create challenging and stimulating climbing experiences. Other activities on offer include archery, shooting, rock-climbing and a 24-lane bowling alley.
Corporate clients such as Exxon Mobil, Philips Electronics and OCBC Bank have experienced SAFRA’s cohesion building programme, which features water- and land-based activities such as abseiling. Erik Dowling, operations planning leader Asia, Procter & Gamble International Operations, says: “SAFRA Yishun’s facilities really met the needs of our corporate event. The venue was perfect for our meeting and teambuilding activities, and we had fun.”