A well-facilitated away day can yield incredibly positive outcomes from getting to know one another and improving relationships to making decisions. Time and energy is so precious – you want to be sure to get it right so its worth thinking things through early on.
Helen Ellis
Here’s some ideas:
- Its important to be clear why you want to have a team away day/get-together. Think about the purpose and consider the mood of the team.
- When communicating with the team, think about the language you use. Perhaps avoid phrases like ‘role-play’ and ‘games’ which sometimes make people feel apprehensive. You can talk about group discussions, trying things out and activities.
- Its also important to share news about an upcoming away day in a positive way – describe why you are planning it and what the desired outcomes are.
- The most effective away days are a careful blend of a pleasant time (fun, even) and an outcomes focussed session. At the very least, even if the aim is purely to get to know each other and/or have fun, for the group to come away with a plan.
- Think about the mix of people. Is it appropriate to have everyone, all senior leadership, present all the time?
- An experienced facilitator can bring energy, help manage behaviours and create a safe space. They are likely to facilitate the group to agree what and how the day should be, including for instance, what we want to have achieved at close of play.
- Talk to the facilitator to co-design the session. They are likely to ask for some background and context but they will also be a valuable neutral support both at design stage and on the day.
PCC facilitators have years of experience designing and delivering team away days. We facilitate carefully using the coaching approach to ensure maximum benefit and value. We are adept at guiding teams through times of change and restructure, building trust and looking at core values.
“I found it interesting/thought provoking from a personal perspective and enlightening from both a team member and manager perspective! Lots to take away and reflect on” (PCN manager)
We can discuss the use of psychometric tools to enhance the session. We have qualified and experienced Myers Briggs (MBTI) and Belbin Team Roles practitioners which can add the creative thinking and team planning opportunities.
Get in touch to talk through possible options to see how we can support the further development of your team. Helen.ellis@pcc.nhs.uk.
