When it comes to teambuilding, there’s a multitude of activities on offer. Human Resources reviews two options that are effective as well as great fun
When it comes to teambuilding, there’s a multitude of activities on offer. Human Resources reviews two options that are effective as well as great fun
Go-karting
A lot of executives probably shy away from the idea of teambuilding. They have too much to do, not enough time, and think of teambuilding exercises as warm and fuzzy HR initiatives. And although they probably do have too much to do and not enough time to do it, a half or full day of go-karting is a welcome breather from the frantic pace of the office and certainly contributes to esprit de corps.
More simply, go-karting is bloody great fun. As a teambuilding exercise, go-karting checks all the boxes, It encourages cohesive and collaborative team spirit, gets employees or executives to communicate better and improves morale. Yes, it takes a lot more than a day of go-karting to improve lagging morale but this certainly is a great shot in the arm.
Kartatak Raceway, in Sydney’s Arncliffe, has a 300 metre indoor track. Teambuilding, incentive initiatives, product launches and client building exercises are a major part of their business and the outfit can accommodate between one and fifty drivers at a time. There are a range of packages for corporates, including ‘The Race Meeting’ and ‘The Enduro’. The Race Meeting requires between eight and fifty drivers, and sees opponents racing each other to the finishing line in mini grand prix style format. Drivers compete in three heats, followed by a longer final feature race to determine the ultimate winner. The Enduro requires 16 or more drivers, and is the ideal teambuilding experience, requiring consistency, communication and stamina. Teams of between two and eight drivers pit to change drivers when they choose, ensuring all members have the opportunity to drive. The goal is for team members to work together the complete the allotted number of laps first.
A Kartatak race director is on hand to supervise and answer any questions drivers have, and each event begins with a pre-race brief and training, followed by a warm-up session to familiarise drivers with the track layout and go-karts. The go-karts, or ‘skid cars’, are like dodgems on steroids, and it doesn’t take long to get the hang of powersliding through corners. Kartatak discourages ramming, but bumping slower drivers who just can’t handle the heat is fair game. The first three drivers to finish also win trophies, while Kartatak can also arrange catering if needed. As far as teambuilding events go, Kartatak offers a quick and fun shot of strategy, speed and skill.
More information:
Address: 40-50 Arncliffe St, Arncliffe, Sydney NSW
Phone: 02 9597 7077
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kartatak.com.au
Skydiving
Not everyone considers jumping out of a plane at 14,000 feet fun. Certainly the sport exists on the fringe of regular daily activities but skydiving is not necessarily the sole domain of adrenalin junkies. A wide variety of people can claim to have jumped out of a plane and plummeted to earth at 250km per hour for one minute, before being yanked back by a parachute and floating to the ground at a more sane speed. A tandem jump, where the punter is strapped to a qualified instructor, is the best option for the uninitiated.
Skydive the Beach is New South Wales’ only beachfront tandem skydiving operation. Based in North Wollongong, Skydive the Beach has been operating for more than seven years, and is now the fourth largest skydiving centre in the country, out of more than 80.
So what’s it like? Set aside about a half day for a tandem jump with Skydive the Beach. It’s a one-hour drive from Sydney to the base headquarters in Stuart Park. There’s the usual signup process, waiver forms and the like, then you get to meet your instructor. The company has about ten instructors who strap themselves to jumpers’ backs and make sure they both land safely on the nearby beach.
The instruction part only lasts about ten minutes: slide forth to the edge of the plane on your knees, cross your arms in front of you, and look up. When you feel a tap on your shoulder, open up your arms and enjoy the fall. Apart from a few finer details, that’s pretty much it. From there, it’s a 20-minute drive to Illawara airport and a 20-minute flight up to 14,000 feet. This is where the nerves usually begin to kick in, and participants realise there’s no turning back.
Knowing you’re strapped to an instructor who has a parachute as well as a backup safety chute helps, and on each jump Skydive the Beach sends a ‘spotter’ who jumps in the middle of everyone else and watches the tandem jumpers to provide backup if there are any issues.
“Five minutes!” yells the pilot, prompting the instructors to finalise last minute preparations. They take you through a quick overview of what you have to do (it’s pretty simple – the instructor does all the hard work for you) before the first instructor and hapless jumper lean forward and slide back the jumping door. The pilot gives the final signal and you’re away.
The feeling of freefalling is amazing, and the adrenalin rush is indescribable – you have to do it yourself to experience this. There’s the deafening rush of the wind in your ears as you plummet earthward, the biting cold of mid-winter air at 14,000 feet. Your face and hands cop the full brunt of it, but a minute later, the instructor pulls the parachute and you’re abruptly jolted, while your senses readjust themselves.
Then it’s time to enjoy the view drifting down towards the beach, easily one of the most spectacular drop zone locations in Australia, with a clear vista of ocean, beach, Wollongong city and surrounding towns and farmland. Landing on the beach is pretty easy. Keep your legs up and the instructor plants the landing safely for you. The rush from skydiving lasts anywhere from maybe half an hour up to days or even a week or two, according to past jumpers.
For companies looking for something a bit more on the extreme end of teambuilding or incentives, then it’s pretty hard to go past skydiving for the more adventurous members of your company.
More information:
Address: Stuart Park, George Hanley Drive, NorthWollongong NSW
