Technology runs our lives – this we can’t deny. On any given day, most people struggle to take a breather and rest their eyes from the screen for longer than a few minutes. As employees most of us can’t function without laptops and technology, and as individuals, we can’t live without our smartphones. Screen time has become so commonplace that escaping it seems almost impossible – even though we know it can have negative repercussions for our health and wellbeing.

In fact, there is growing concern among employers that video fatigue may be affecting their staff’s productivity, engagement and mental health. To redress the balance, forward-thinking companies are coming up with unique ways to combine team meetings with wellness getaways surrounded by nature.

Face to face trumps virtual
While virtual meetings have been essential for businesses to survive throughout the pandemic when face-to-face meetings weren’t an option, one of the biggest take-aways from the days of imposed remote work has been that communication can be incredibly stilted when done via video. The natural ebb and flow of a normal face-to-face conversation is stripped away – particularly with larger groups.

Eye contact in particular is so important to creating a connection with someone, so it’s important that companies put aside a time and space for colleagues to interact in groups and build a sense of workplace community. After two years of connecting with colleagues solely through screens – there’s never been a better time to go back to basics and reconnect in real life.

It’s no surprise then that companies are increasingly offering nature-rich work events and workcations to their staff as a way of motivating and rewarding them, while also investing in employee wellbeing, cultivating their work relationships and engagement to the company culture. At a time when the “Great Resignation” continues to make headlines and impact business’s recruitment drive, creating a workplace where employees can thrive is a key strategy for employee retention, satisfaction, and productivity.

Enjoying nature’s benefits
Nature helps to reduce stress – with experts claiming that spending 120 minutes immersed in nature per week can have huge benefits on our health and psychological well-being – not only reducing blood pressure and stress hormones, but also boosting our immune system, increasing self-esteem, and lowering anxiety. Furthermore, research has shown that being in nature makes people’s attention sharper and strengthens their memory, suggesting that employees can benefit from a productivity and wellness boost by engaging in a short outdoor activity – which company-wide looks like a reinvigorated workforce.

There is no denying the importance of nature, and its related benefits have become more and more obvious since the pandemic prevented many city-dwellers from escaping to the Great Outdoors, beyond perhaps their own little patch of garden or in a local park. When we were able to leave our homes, ‘being’ outdoors was one of the few permitted activities and the positive impact it had on mental health during a time of global anxiety was noticeable.

Outdoor skills translate into the office
Outdoor team building activities are a great opportunity for colleagues to get to know each other – particularly those who have started a new job during the pandemic or come back from time away from work. Likewise, these present an opportunity for colleagues working across different departments, who may not be on the same weekly video-based calls, to connect with each other. Field archery, aerial tree trekking, laser combat, adventure golf, pottery painting and geocache; activities offered at Center Parcs’ conference and events destinations can range from more mentally stimulating challenges to more sport-based ones – the common denominator being teamwork, which will help strengthen relationships between colleagues.

Providing an opportunity to collectively develop communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills – to name just a few – will help develop trust between team members and translate to better team work once back in the office. Ideally, companies should look to offer activities that are suitable for a range of different abilities – and align with people’s interests. Regardless of what activity you select for your employees, make sure it is fun and takes into consideration their desires and the skills they would like to develop.

The easing of covid restrictions combined with the desire to become an attractive employer and retain staff has prompted companies to increasingly offer out-of-the-box benefits and perks. The advantage of offering a nature-rich workcation as a perk, is that the benefit can be enjoyed collectively by all your staff in one same place. Effectively, businesses are rewarding their talent while also promoting a health-focused company culture, improving employee satisfaction and staff retention.  No matter what the aim of the event is, face to face outdoor team-building activities will strengthen bonds with employees inside and outside the workplace after a long period of virtual meetings.