5 Olympic-Themed Activities To Motivate Your Staff

The Olympics are here, and along with the iconic games comes a sense of excitement and unity. This summer is the perfect time to reignite the passion in your staff through competitive activities that promote teamwork, fitness, and overall well-being.

Competitive sports can help develop many positive personality traits such as leadership, social skills, loyalty and time management – all characteristics that make a strong service staff.

It’s time to bring back physical activity as a bonding experience, and there’s no better opportunity to do it when Olympic fever is spreading. Plan events with clear rules, and offer legit prizes to winners. Aside from its many benefits, the simple act of playing helps adults deal with stress. What better way to celebrate the games than by applying competitive play to your staff’s professional development?

Focusing on physical well-being also boosts emotional and mental health. It gets us out of our heads and allows team members an outlet to do something that feels like a break but still benefits staff operations individually and as a whole.

Team-building activities don’t just bring staff closer together. Showing your employees you care by putting in time and effort to organize activities – especially when they’re part of an outing or special event – can increase loyalty. Companies often overlook these types of activities, especially in a digital world where human interaction is left as a bottom-level priority.

In the spirit of the symbolic rings, which represent unity of the five regions of the world, here are five Olympic-style activities designed to unite all the members of your team.

Individual Competition

This event can be tailored to each specific business. Set up a task that is usually a part of the day-to-day duties, then time individuals as they compete to complete that task with accuracy and speed. For example, restaurant servers can compete to set a table according to formal dining standards. Or hair stylists can use wigged mannequins to carry out washing, cutting, and blow-drying challenges. Don’t forget to provide all necessary materials for each competitor and make sure everyone gets the same supplies so results are fair. There are endless ways to customize individual tasks that reward top performers with prizes and bragging rights.

Team Relay Course

Again, this activity can be accomplished in a variety of ways, and it’s the perfect vessel for team building. Set up stations and assign teams, then explain instructions carefully for each station. Appoint judges or referees at each checkpoint. This can be in the form of a full dining service with table setup, food prep, serving of dishes, and bussing tables. It can also be done at a coffee house with baristas starting a complicated coffee order, then passing off the drink midway for others to finish the instructions. Hotel staff can make beds, then tag teammates for a hallway race leading to another phase of service like checking in a “guest.”

Scavenger Hunt Expedition

Employees can embark on a journey of fun and excitement with a well-planned scavenger hunt. Use clues related to hospitality services or landmarks to set staff on a hunt for different items. As they collect their treasures, you can reward them with pit stops at local breweries, wine bars, or coffee shops. This is another great opportunity to unite your team as well as network with other local businesses. Combine multiple staffs into one ultimate scavenger hunt that brings everyone in the biz together for a fun expedition. You may even make some new partnerships along the way.

Design Contest

You may have some staff members who struggle with physical activity, and that’s okay. Provide an opportunity for mental and artistic strengths to shine with menu design, flag creation, or even new logo submissions. These events can still be live and timed to keep up the excitement. Establish guidelines on these creative challenges, such as supplying a theme, color scheme, or template. Have multiple judges per category so different opinions combine for a balanced outcome. Who knows, you may even get new ideas for dishes, products, or services as a result.

Closing Ceremonies

Don’t forget the most important part of your Olympic-themed activities: the celebration! Organize a gathering somewhere outside if possible, like a beach or park, so employees can enjoy the great outdoors while feasting on a classic summer barbeque. The company picnic may be a thing of the past, but maybe it should be brought back to the present. Keep things athletic with volleyball, football, and other playful sports. Your employees deserve to enjoy themselves, and the thought behind such a celebration inspires them to serve from a place of love and unity.