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Cohesion & QWL

Business challenge: organize an inspiring and motivating challenge for your team

Why Organize a Business Challenge?

The Benefits of Business Challenges

Strengthened team cohesion: Corporate Challenges are the ideal opportunity to bring employees together around a common objective. By working together to take on challenges and complete tasks, team members get to know each other better, collaborate effectively, and develop strong relationships.

Increased motivation: Challenges stimulate the motivation of employees by offering them engaging and rewarding activities. These events offer an opportunity to get away from the daily work environment, which boosts creativity, productivity and enthusiasm within the company.

Skills development: By participating in varied and challenging activities, employees have the opportunity to develop new skills and improve their existing abilities. These learnings can then be transferred into the professional setting, thus contributing to individual and organizational growth.

Strengthening a healthy competitive spirit: Corporate Challenges promote a healthy competitive spirit between teams or individuals. This positive emulation encourages participants to give their best and to take on challenges with determination and perseverance.

How does a challenge stimulate team spirit?

Creation of shared memories: The experiences shared during Corporate Challenges create lasting memories that reinforce the feeling of belonging to the team. These moments of camaraderie and success contribute to creating a friendly and harmonious work environment.

Promoting communication: The events and activities offered during a Challenge encourage communication and collaboration between team members. Participants should exchange ideas, solve problems together, and develop joint strategies to achieve the goals set.

Stress Management and Resilience Building: Corporate Challenges offer opportunities to get out of your comfort zone and face new or unexpected situations. These experiences help build resilience and learn to manage stress, which is beneficial both professionally and personally.

Valorization of collective effort: When employees tackle challenges and achieve goals together, they become aware of the importance of teamwork and the positive impact of their individual contributions on the overall success of the company.

What are the steps to organize a successful business challenge?

Identify the objectives and themes of the challenge

Before you start planning your Challenge, it's crucial to clearly define the goals you want to achieve. What do you hope to achieve through this event? What are the specific issues you want to address? Here are some examples of possible goals:

  • Strengthen team cohesion and interpersonal relationships.
  • Stimulate the motivation and commitment of employees.
  • Improve communication and collaboration between departments.
  • Identify and develop the key competencies of participants.
  • Celebrate the achievements and successes of the team or company.

Define the target audience and the rules of the game

The success of a Challenge in business depends in part on the correct definition of the target audience. Identify the teams or individuals who will participate in the Challenge, ensuring that all levels of hierarchy are represented. Also, consider the preferences and interests of the participants to make the event more engaging.

Then define the rules of the game clearly and transparently. This includes registration procedures, participation criteria, possible restrictions, safety regulations, and practical details such as the location, date, and duration of the Challenge. Make sure the rules are fair and understandable for all participants.

By involving the target audience in the process of defining the rules, you will promote the buy-in and enthusiasm of participants, which will contribute to the overall success of the Challenge.

Choice of awards and recognition

Comparing the different types of rewards

There are a variety of possible rewards to reward winners and deserving participants. Here are some examples of the types of rewards you can consider for your Business Challenge:

Hardware prices : Gifts such as electronics, vouchers, personalized items, or sports equipment can be attractive incentives for participants.

Unique experiences: Offering memorable experiences, such as trips, relaxing spa days, or special leisure activities, can create additional motivation for participants.

Public recognition: Highlighting the remarkable performances of participants during an awards ceremony or in internal communications helps to value the efforts made.

Professional Development Opportunities: Offering training, seminars or mentoring opportunities as a reward can encourage employees to fully invest in the Challenge.

Encourage participation with original prizes

To encourage more participation, bet on original rewards that are out of the ordinary. Here are some creative ideas to get attendees' attention:

  1. Unusual experiences: Offering new experiences, such as adventure days or unusual activities, can arouse the enthusiasm and commitment of participants.
  2. Personalized rewards: Offering personalized prizes based on the interests or passions of the winners shows particular attention and reinforces their motivation to succeed.
  3. Bonus challenges: Announcing bonus challenges during the Challenge, with special rewards for participants who complete them, can keep the excitement going throughout the event.
  4. Virtual rewards: For Connected Challenges, offering virtual rewards, such as badges or digital trophies, adds a fun dimension to the event.

Keep in mind that the appreciation of efforts and performances, whether individual or collective, is of paramount importance in stimulating the motivation of participants. Encourage managers and colleagues to express their appreciation and recognize the achievements of the participants throughout the Challenge.

Recognizing and rewarding exceptional performance

What are the rewards to motivate participants?

  1. Award ceremony : Organizing a Challenge closing ceremony where the winners are honored and receive their awards in the presence of the team is a solemn way to recognize their efforts and successes.
  2. Wall of Fame: Create a “Wall of Fame” displaying the names and photos of participants who have performed exceptionally well. This will reinforce their sense of belonging and encourage them to surpass themselves during the next Challenges.
  3. Public praise: Highlight the achievements of the participants in the company's internal communications, whether on the website, in the internal newspaper or on social networks. This will make it possible to value their work and share their success with the entire organization.
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  5. Surprise rewards: Surprise participants by offering them additional rewards for exceptional achievements or remarkable progress. These unexpected rewards increase their motivation to get more involved.

Collect feedback to improve future challenges

To ensure the continuous improvement of your future corporate events, it is essential to gather feedback from participants. Their comments, suggestions and experiences will provide you with valuable information to optimize the organization of future events. Here's how to collect feedback effectively:

  1. Anonymous questionnaires: Offer anonymous online quizzes to allow participants to give their opinion freely, without fear of judgment.
  2. Individual interviews: Organize one-on-one interviews with selected participants to deepen their feedback and obtain more detailed information.
  3. Data analysis: Analyze the data collected during the Challenge, such as participation rates, test times, and scores obtained, to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
  4. Real-time feedback : Set up a real-time feedback system during the Challenge to collect the impressions and reactions of participants as they go along.

Measuring the success of your business challenge

Key indicators to track to measure success

  1. Participation rate: The participation rate measures the involvement of employees in the Challenge. A high rate indicates strong interest and adherence to the event.
  2. Level of commitment: Measure the engagement of participants by evaluating their active participation, their enthusiasm during the activities, and their investment in the proposed challenges.
  3. Individual and collective results: Analyze individual and collective performances to assess the effectiveness of teams and the achievement of set goals.
  4. Participant satisfaction: Get feedback from participants about their overall Challenge experience. Their satisfaction is an important indicator of the positive impact of the event.
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  6. Skills improvement: Evaluate the skills developed or strengthened by the participants through the Challenge activities, according to the objectives set.

Analyzing data to optimize results

Once the data is collected, it is time to analyze it to learn lessons and optimize the results for the next Challenges. Here are some key steps for analyzing data:

  1. Comparison with the objectives: Compare the results obtained with the goals you set for yourself at the start of the Challenge. Identify variances and successes against these goals.
  2. Identifying strengths and weaknesses : Identify activities or aspects that worked particularly well and which could be improved. This information will guide you in adjusting your next Challenge.
  3. Feedback from participants: Take into account participants' feedback to better understand their expectations and feelings. This information will help you improve the overall Challenge experience.
  4. Benchmarks: Compare the results of your Challenge with internal or external benchmarks to compare your event to other similar initiatives.
  5. Identification of areas for improvement: Based on the analyses carried out, define the actions to be taken to improve the organization, content and overall experience of the next Challenge.

Participants' testimonies and Challenge retrospective

One of the most fascinating aspects of a corporate challenge is the prospect of collecting authentic testimonies from participants who have had this unique experience. These stories will give you a first-hand look at their experience, the challenges they've faced, and the benefits they've benefitted from it. These tools will allow you to better understand the organization of a challenge in business and to be able to repeat the experience.

Gather feedback to improve the event

  1. Objective assessment : Compare the results of the event with the objectives initially set. This will allow you to determine if the event met its goals and where improvements are needed.
  2. Cost and benefit analysis : Evaluate the costs of the event in relation to its benefits, including tangible and intangible returns on investment. This will help you decide if the event was profitable and how to improve it.
  3. Team retrospective meetings : Organize retrospective meetings with your team to discuss lessons learned and suggestions for improvement. Engage everyone on the team to get diverse perspectives.
  4. Benchmarking : Compare the performance of your event with that of other similar events in your industry. This can help you identify areas where you can improve.

Celebrating achievements and creating a positive atmosphere

To celebrate the final achievements of an event internally and create a positive atmosphere, there are several tools and approaches that businesses can use. Here are a few suggestions:

  1. Online closing meetings : Use video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet to organize a virtual closing meeting with participants. It is an opportunity to thank everyone, to share the results and to celebrate together.
  2. Live broadcast : If the event is large, consider live streaming the closing ceremony on social media or on a live streaming platform like Facebook Live, YouTube Live, or Twitch, so that everyone in the company can participate.
  3. Online recognition chart : Create an online recognition chart where you post the names and achievements of participants. You can use simple tools like Trello or more comprehensive project management tools like Asana.
  4. Internal communications : Use internal company communication tools, such as emails, newsletters, or corporate communication platforms like Slack, to share messages of congratulations and appreciation to participants.
  5. Corporate Intranet : If your company has an intranet, create a dedicated event section where you can post articles, photos, and videos to highlight achievements and highlights.
  6. Thank you videos : Create thank you videos where company leaders express their gratitude to the participants and celebrate their successes. These videos can be shared internally via video platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
  7. Virtual rewards : If the event includes awards or awards, organize a virtual awards ceremony using video conferencing platforms. You can also create virtual certificates for participants.
  8. Online contests and games : Organize fun online contests or games to entertain participants and build team spirit after the event. Online gaming tools like Kahoot! may be useful.
  9. Internal social networks : If your business has an internal social network, encourage employees to share their own experiences and photos from the event, using a specific hashtag.
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  11. Suggestion box : Set up an online suggestion box where participants can give feedback on the event, make suggestions for improvement, and express their satisfaction.

Business Challenges are proving to be a powerful tool for consolidating unity within the team and stimulating employee motivation. By initiating a Challenge, you open a unique door to bring your employees together around a common goal, thus promoting communication and cooperation between team members. The team building activities offered during these events strengthen personal relationships, create memorable moments and strengthen cohesion within your company.

It is essential to understand that Business Challenges are not only synonymous with entertainment and fun, but also real opportunities to boost both collective performance and that of each individual within your organization.

To maintain this positive momentum, do not hesitate to organize new Challenges regularly. Be creative, tailor activities to your team's specific interests and goals, and even consider introducing original rewards to continue engaging your employees.

At OuiLive, we are firmly convinced that our Connected Challenges offer an exceptional solution to strengthen team cohesion and stimulate the enthusiasm of your employees. Our unique and varied experiences are designed to precisely meet your team building needs.

Together, let's create unforgettable Business Challenges that will contribute to making your business shine and reaching new heights of success!

By: Swen Ravelontsalama

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