Under the Faro Sun: Team building in a different way

The sound of the ocean instead of your keyboard. A palm tree backdrop instead of a screen saver. A cocktail bar instead of a coffee kitchen. When it came to team building, the Metallbude team didn't go to the conference room next door, but got on a plane to Portugal. The reason? A collective Christmas present from the bosses. The goal? To foster community through shared experiences.

Team Metallbude took a Vacation together

Chilling by the pool with your co-workers, let alone your own bosses, and enjoying the hotel buffet? For many it was unimaginable and for us it was a completely new experience. Sharing a desk in the office, good food and (more or less) good music is one thing and normal at Metallbude - but a common vacation routine? That was something else. And yet, for four days, one beautiful or entertaining moment followed the next. Any worries or inhibitions that might have existed were quickly thrown overboard and the time was enjoyed to the full - both in the individual team-building units and during the shared leisure activities between the old town, the pool and the beach. As a result, everyone took home not only a nice tan and a souvenir or two from Portugal, but also important impressions about belonging, appreciation, communication and the future.

What do we take away from this time?

After the four days of cool-down and team building under the Faro sun, the Metallbude team was able to draw three very important insights from this time:

The world doesn't end - and neither does the company - if you leave your laptop at home and are (mostly) out of the office for a few days. (Also: The emails don't just run away anyway, but are still waiting for you in your inbox even after the "time out".)

Team building only makes sense if and as long as it is individually and personally tailored to the team. Simply following rigid methods and prescribed measures is of little or no use. In our case it started with the choice of circumstances and environment.

It makes no difference what gender you are, how old or young you are and which department you represent in the company - because everyone pulls together and believes in the same vision. That made this shared experience all the more beautiful and valuable.