Team building with a twist

Human Resources attests to the whole package presented by Village Hotel Changi and Asian Detours after an action-packed day of activities to cap off the end of last year.

The Lighthouse Independent Media family celebrated our last working day of 2018 on 13 December with a range of team-building activities and a Christmas dinner, all of which came as a wonderful surprise to wind down an incredibly busy year.

At noon that day, we ditched our desks, put on our sporting gear and headed out to the East. None of us knew where we were going (aside from the designated drivers) or what activities were planned, so we could only anticipate what lay ahead for the day. No venues named, no hint of what the “outdoor elements” were. How mysterious.

That said, we guessed the right location as soon as we passed East Coast Park on the drive – Village Hotel Changi, of course! It was a great choice for a team building venue, with the scenic Changi Beach right at its doorstep.

Fun in the sun

We gathered in the spacious Ovals Foyer of the hotel for a briefing with Asian Detours, the corporate team building facilitators in charge of the afternoon activities, who revealed we would be taking part in a team challenge in the form of an Amazing Race.

The facilitators gave us a detailed briefing on what we had to do. Each of the 10 team leaders had to download the Mobile Adventures app onto their mobile phones and scan a QR code to check their team in.

Next, teams were given about two hours to complete various quizzes and tasks along Changi Beach. The team that earned the most number of points from their tasks and returned to the hotel before the time was up, would win.

The cool thing about the app was that it had "live" location droppers that allowed us to "spy" on where the other teams were and who was in the lead thus far – a really fun way to rev up the competitive spirit.

It also allowed us to record photos and videos as part of our activities, which would later be played for everyone to watch during dinner. The quizzes were pretty tricky and ranged across topics – from choosing the favourite band of one of our colleagues to solving riddles.

The physical tasks were equally comical – from recording a "live" news coverage at Changi Beach to co-ordinated team jump shots in different poses, along with stopping strangers for a photo.

The most fun, and possibly memorable task, was one where a few members in the team had to dance as creatively as possible to Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You. On camera. If this isn’t perfect material for a good laugh with your colleagues, what is?

Overall, the team building activities were a great avenue for us to let our hair down and simply have a good time outside of the office. Colleagues across business units and departments also had the chance to get to know each other better.

We learnt bits of information with each task – who could do a star jump, who could dance, who was sporting, and most importantly, who were the real team players.

Out of this world

After all the crazy racing around Changi Beach, it was time for us to freshen up for the night’s Christmas dinner party. Decked out in our outfits under the theme, "Out of this world", we made our way down to the Quad Room and were awed at how beautifully decorated the room was.

With our planning committee having worked closely with Village Hotel Changi’s team, we entered a room decorated from floor to ceiling – streamers, glittery ornaments, anything that fitted the theme. The festive, yet cosy room, perfectly accommodated our group of about 60.

The lavish buffet dinner consisted of a barbecue spread. There was the roast chicken and french beans for appetisers; fresh skewered tiger prawns, cajun beef steak among the main course menu; a salad bar; chocolate fudge cake, and more, for dessert.

To top it off, a bartender ensured a free flow of soft drinks and several bottles of wine. Over dinner, we found ourselves watching the hilarious video highlights of that afternoon’s team activities on the projector screen.

Thankfully, the room was located in a quiet corner away from the common hotel area, so we could all laugh our heads off at our colleagues’ antics and not disturb the neighbours.

That was capped off with a lucky draw, internal awards, and lots of games. As the night drew to a close, we hosted a birthday celebration for our December babies, with a lovely cake and two bottles of champagne sponsored by the hotel.

All in all, it was a day of excitement and bonding where many new memories were made. The Amazing Race in the afternoon brought out everyone’s competitive, yet team spirit, while the evening party ensured a rousing end to a year of hard work.

In short, a perfect way to head into the holidays and emerge refreshed for 2019.

Photos / Human Resources