“Ok everyone – it’s almost time for our team bonding day.” “Oh, Yay!” Insert eye rolls and a few sighs. C’mon what do you really think when you hear those words? Does your mind start racing of all the ways you just cannot make it that day? Do you quickly jump on the phone, dialing for appointments that you just cannot get out of? Ahh yes, good old team building, it’s a bit of a love/ hate experience. Some people eagerly look forward to a day out of the office, while others dread the thought of trust falls or donning shorts and combating obstacles. They’re not alone, research from Citrix reveals that 31 percent of office workers say that they can’t stand team-building activities.

But, like it or not, team building is here to stay, and with good reason. According to an article in Forbes team building, “builds trust, mitigates conflict, encourages communication, and increases collaboration. Effective team building means more engaged employees, which is good for company culture and boosting the bottom line.”

Upper management will tell you that team building can truly highlight leadership skills, inspire creativity and encourage collaboration.

Studies by the American Psychological Association (APA) find that team building activities can, “help employees feel valued, and those that do are the most motivated to do great work.” When coworkers are motivated they tend to collaborate more effectively, the lines of communication become much more open leading to a relaxed, productive, and cohesive workspace.

Although experts caution that it’s best to look for activities that involve both mental and physical skills, in order to allow everyone to feel as though they are truly contributing.

But despite all the benefits, coming up with a team building activity that everyone can get excited about can be a real challenge. Not to worry though, Newport Beach, CA has you covered. With year-round temperatures averaging 70 degrees, the largest recreational harbor in the U.S. and an abundance of activities, Newport Beach, CA offers a variety of creative and fun team building challenges sure to get any group excited!

Here is a look at several active team building options requiring both mental and physical agility:

Sailing Regatta – Requiring both mental and physical skills, sailing regattas have the ability to encourage pure collaboration. A regatta in Newport Harbor is certain to get your group fired up! Surrounded by coastal bluffs, lined by gorgeous homes, many of which belong to celebrities, and dotted by seven islands, a regatta through Newport Harbor provides a terrific view of the beauty of Newport Beach.

Kayaking – Offers a relaxing and friendly competition amongst coworkers or a chance to rev up the internal engines and crank up the competition. Kayaking has the ability to appease a wide range of groups. Lucky for meeting planners, Newport Beach offers two areas perfect for either a challenging race or a relaxed rivalry. Kayaking team challenges are offered in Newport Harbor or in the Upper Back Bay Estuary.

Outrigger canoeing – Outrigger canoeing can also be an invigorating and competitive team building activity or a fun, easy race that taps mental and physical agility along the way. Courses can be set up to take groups through Newport Harbor or along the Upper Back Bay Estuary.

Team building challenges requiring mental skills

Duffy Boat Scavenger Hunt – A unique experience filled with plenty of fun! These quiet, comfortable electric boats seat up to 10 passengers and easily glide through the harbor. A Duffy scavenger hunt has teams racing through the water to retrieve clues, then tales them to various landmarks around the harbor where they either collect scavenger hunt items or participate in mental team challenges to ‘win’ prizes. Teams can also incorporate a CSR component to this activity by collecting food items from the many waterfront restaurants, then package and donate the goods to a local food bank or shelter.

Luxury yachts – Just about any team building activity that can be done in a ballroom can be done aboard a private luxury yacht. Pacific Avalon Yachts provides several team building options including a spin off the hit TV show Shark Tank, where groups will have to create a product or marketing plan to take their company to the top, and then face the sharks for a mental showdown! The company has also held a classic murder mystery challenge and CSR activities such as, Team Care Bear where teams compete in a serious of mental challenges in order to win the pieces necessary to build a bear, which is then presented to either at risk or hospitalized children.

Hornblower Cruises and Events also offers several group team building experiences while cruising Newport Harbor. Challenges include, a salsa cook-off, a wine-blending workshop and a blind wine tasting competition.

Team building activities are quickly becoming an important part of company culture for the simple reason that connected teams are productive teams. Working together, employees will automatically deliver positive contributions to the work environment.

When you’re ready to try a refreshing twist on traditional team building activities or are looking for the perfect fit for your next program, connect with Visit Newport Beach. As local experts, Visit Newport Beach opens the doors to this iconic destination with the knowledge and resources to simplify the planning process and offers incentives to extend the meeting budget.