A team that plays together, stays together. One of the most compelling studies on team bonding, which analysed more than 50 years of statistics, found that group exercises have a marked effect on performance and co-operation among colleagues.
It seems the key to success isn’t to put individuals in awkward or unnatural situations, but rather drop them into informal scenarios — as how we act in those situations is the best predictor of how well a team can communicate in the future. To help you and your co-workers get on the same wavelength, we’ve put together a list of activities around the city that provide the perfect environment for bonding.
Dublin Barista School
Bring your team closer together and educate them at the same time. Dublin Barista School hosts a range of coffee-based events about tasting, brewing, fun latte art competitions and even coffee cocktail making classes. Their premises can cater for up to 20 people, but if you want to include more participants they can also set up in your space.
Viking Splash
Why not become tourists for the day? Take the whole team on one of Dublin’s favourite guided tours to see the biggest sights in the capital from road and river in a converted World War II amphibious vehicle. Because roaring at unsuspecting pedestrians in unison is pretty much guaranteed to bring everyone a little bit closer.
If you want to feel like a family, you should make a family meal together! At the restaurant Pinocchio in Temple Bar, you can take part in hands-on cooking classes where your team has to work together to make a three-course Italian meal, step by step, that you’ll get to enjoy at the end… along with some complementary Italian wine, of course.
Kippure Estate is an adventure centre just a 30 minute drive from Dublin. Surrounded by 240 acres of wild and beautiful forestry and parkland this is a stunning place to get your team-building on! Take part in custom activities such as challenging ropes courses, zip wires, archery or climbing & abseiling, plus an abundance of other options to choose from. This is a day your team will never forget.
If you haven’t already experienced the walk from Greystones to Bray, this is a must! There’s nothing like a bit of team bonding than getting out and enjoying the fresh air together, especially if you can get the weather. Simply take a long nice stroll along the cliff walk ending up in Bray where you can grab yourselves a tasty Platform Pizza and a few drinks at The Harbour Bar. A perfectly relaxed team day out.
Here’s a more intimate setting that’s ideal for smaller teams. Dublin has got no shortage of escape room experiences, but this one’s a little different — it takes place entirely on a small barge. Catering for 2-6 players, this live action adventure game involves solving puzzles, cracking codes, uncovering mysteries and escaping perils.
If your co-workers are of the competitive variety, this is for them. Split your team up into groups and pit them against each other across a variety of games: five ping pong tables, four pool tables, one American pool table, two shuffleboard tables and two foosball tables. This place also boasts Dublin’s largest indoor video wall showing all major live sports.
Dublin Food Tour
Food is one thing that is always sure to unite a team of diverse personalities. At just over three hours long, the Dublin Food Tour will make eight stops around the city centre and along the way you’ll experience local shops, hidden gems, amazing Irish cheeses, famous Irish smoked batter cod, artisanal ice cream, Irish whiskies, cream liqueur and their tour’s intriguing “Secret Dish”. Now doesn’t that sound like a pleasant way to spend some quality time with your co-workers?
Astropark
Organise a big company sports day at this spot. There are a tonne of energetic activities for your team to enjoy like Nerf & Archery AstroWars, Bubble Football, Goggle Football and more. Once everyone’s happily exhausted you can also enjoy a choice of BBQ, buffet, bar food, or finger food options, as well as drinks in the Sports Bar.
Get outdoors and get active with Kayayking.ie’s team building tours at Dalkey or the Royal Canal. Compete in team races, treasure hunts, challenges or a simple guided tour, followed by prosecco and chocolates to really top things off. Voted as one of the best things to do in Dublin by the Irish Times, you won’t be let down.