Food. Drinks. Decorations. Music. Gifts. Games. The flurry of activity around planning holiday office parties can be dizzying and exhausting. Office parties are a great break from the daily grind, but afterward, there’s often little to show.
This year, consider making a new resolution, to break the mold and do something different. A charitable teambuilding workshop is a fantastic way to spread holiday cheer internally and externally.

What exactly is a charitable teambuilding workshop?

Charitable teambuilding has been proven to strengthen staff relationships. Over the course of an afternoon, staff members will invest their time and energy into a project that directly benefits the community.

Holiday teambuilding events that involve charitable giving are ideal because they are:

• Relaxed and free-flowing
• A tremendous antidote to holiday blues
• A chance to sharpen staff’s communications and collaborative skills
• Great equalizers [they break the ice between superiors and subordinates]
• Showcases for unknown skills and talents
• Calls-to-action to help the community

Why charitable giving matters

For corporate America, holidays in the new millennium aren’t what they used to be. It’s no longer enough to donate a paltry basket of food at Thanksgiving. And, passing the hat once throughout the rest of the holiday season won’t pass muster either.

Being a good corporate neighbor is almost compulsory today. Companies are expected to care about their communities and the citizens they impact while pursuing profits.

When mixed with charitable events, holiday teambuilding can build goodwill in four distinct ways:
1. Among investors – Generosity is a signal that the company is healthy and thriving. After all, if you’ve got resources to give away that must mean things are going great, right?
2. Among employees, professionally – Willingness to open up both the company’s schedule and purse translates as an investment in staff. Employee engagement explodes when they are allowed to add value to the business outside the company headquarters.
3. Among employees, personally – Morale soars among employees who feel connected to a company that’s connected to the community. In today’s heartless, dog-eat-dog marketplace, charitable holiday teambuilding activities stand out like a beacon of hope. That is a benefit to a company’s staff –emotionally and psychologically.
4. Among community leaders – They may not be stockholders, but everyone in the community becomes a stakeholder when contacted charitably. It’s as simple as asking them what they need and then providing it. That’s an investment with a solid ROI.

The best holiday teambuilding activities

Practice can make perfect, but only if you practice, practice, practice. Magnovo’s charitable workshops are great ways to practice leadership and communications skills.

Assembling bicycles at Bike-a-thons takes planning and cooperation. Activities that involve friendly competition may also involve strategizing and problem-solving skills.

 

The spirit of holiday teambuilding is also about inclusion. During Magnovo workshops, participants build wheelchairs at our WheelCharity Workshops and wagons at our Wagon Builders Workshops.

And without exception, every member of each team feels that their contribution is valued; their efforts appreciated. They know what they did matters to their team and to the gift recipients.

Every holiday has one thing in common: food! Puttin Pantry Workshops provide non-perishable nutrition to local food pantries. Workshop participants are always gratified to know that they’ve helped feed a lot of hungry families.

Deployed military personnel are always grateful to received snacks and other goodies stashed in Magnovo’s Mission: Military Care packages. They make the holiday a happy time because home feels a little closer. And the corporate employees who pulled together to package the cookies, candies, and other treats make an emotional connection with these soldiers.

Holiday teambuilding and charitable giving can help make this holiday season a merrier one!