10 Team Building Activities in LA
Sometimes it’s tough to run a company in Los Angeles. The hectic pace of life combined with the slow pace of traffic can make day-to-day life in the office frustrating. When morale at your business starts to get low, the best solution is to organize a team building activity!
Team building activities can be a variety of events that get your employees working and talking together. Bonding and strong relationships are great for any team both in and out of the office, so investing in quality time that your company can enjoy together is always a good idea.
Most importantly, outside activities build engagement among employees. Did you know that a recent study reported that “organizations with highly engaged employees achieve twice the annual net income of organizations whose employees lag behind on engagement?”
The same article found that “team building can help you attract and retain top talent.” They even quote a recently published piece from Forbes that says “team building is the most important investment you can make in your team” but with one important note: you should not force any lessons or practical takeaways from the event. Instead, just focus on enjoying yourselves and each others company, and the relationships, bonding, and communication will take care of itself.
If you’re ready to get out of the office and into a team building activity, here are ten great ideas your employees are sure to enjoy for a day in Los Angeles.
1. Trapped! Escape Room Los Angeles
Escape rooms are extremely popular right now, and for good reason. They’re a great way to enjoy a night while also exercising your mind. Trapped! Escape Room Los Angeles is the perfect team building activity in Los Angeles because it hones plenty of important office skills. Watch your team work together and communicate clearly, cooperate with others, and build bonds while they do it.
Escaping from the Trapped! room requires your employees to use logic and creativity to solve the puzzle, while also stepping into different leadership and management roles to make sure the group completes the objective. With three different puzzle choices, a convenient location in Los Angeles, and the ability to hold up to 24 people, Trapped! Escape Room is a no-brainer for your next team building activity!
2. Disneyland
Sure, Disneyland is the first thing that comes to mind when you want to entertain your children, but have you ever considered it for a corporate retreat? The truth is, Disneyland is a perfect team building activity in Los Angeles!
Disney Meetings offers customized professional development programs that range from “a keynote presentation to a one- or multi-day program to tours or team-building exercises.” Nothing inspires passion and inspiration quite like this famous mouse. If you’re looking for something that’s quintessentially California, while also being a new and unique take on team building exercises in Los Angeles, a day out with Disney might be for you.
3. Make a Movie
Yes, you read that right. Making your own movies is an actual team building activity that is offered in Los Angeles! This event takes about three hours and can accommodate groups of 10 all the way up to 200 people.
In this team building activity from the Team Bonding company, you will be split into groups and each one will write, direct, star in, edit, and screen their own film to the group. Afterward you’ll enjoy an award ceremony and receive recognition for your movies.
Making a movie is a great team building activity because it requires each group to take a vision and turn it into reality. It also lets people step into different roles, get out of their comfort zone, communicate better, and of course build bonds with their coworkers! Enjoy a fun and creative team building activity in Los Angeles with this movie making night out.
4. Dodgeball Tournament
Although not ideal for small companies, a dodgeball tournament can be an amazing team building activity in Los Angeles for large events. The reasons why are pretty clear: the tournament inspires teamwork, leadership, and of course a little friendly competition to motivate employees.
Firefly Events makes it easy to get a tournament “delivered” to your group wherever you may be. They bring the balls, the refs, the rules, and of course plenty of spirit! With Firefly Events, all you need to do is follow their lead while they help the teams warm up, give out plenty of fun gear for the rest of the squad to cheer you on with, and keep the games on track. Stir up some passion on your team and watch your members form some serious bonds while the balls are whizzing by!
5. Cooking Class
There are plenty of different cooking classes in Los Angeles, and many of them even specialize in corporate retreats and team building activities.
Cooking together is a great way to bring your employees closer. Not only do the people involved get the satisfaction of creating something from scratch, they also get to work on a useful skill and reward themselves with a tasty treat for a job well done! The group must work together to follow specific instructions and take on different roles in the kitchen, and then they can unwind and reflect as they enjoy the dinner they created.
Cooking classes in Los Angeles are available at Cozy Meal, where you can choose to host the event in your offices, at a third-party location, or even in the chef’s house for a truly unique atmosphere!
6. Hornblower Cruises and Events
This cruise company offers multiple different options for team building events on the water. First, start your day off with beautiful scenery as you set off from Marina del Rey. After that, you have the option to pre-book one of their four different packages for groups: The salsa cook-off cruise, the wine workshop cruise, the wellness retreat cruise, or the trivia cruise.
So, whether your group is full of foodies, partiers, trivia buffs, or healthy minded individuals, there is definitely something for everyone here. Spend some quality time with your crew in a place that’s just a bit more relaxing than your office park, and enjoy getting to know each other outside of the office!
7. Get Tickets to a Lakers Game
Is there anything that brings a group of people together faster than a shared love for a sports team? In Los Angeles, purchasing tickets for your company at the next LA Lakers NBA game is a great team building activity.
Take your employees for a night out at the Staples Center with group seats so you can all enjoy the game together. Your company can bond while cheering on the Lakers and watching some finely tuned teamwork in action. Seeing a sport played at the highest level can also inspire your employees to strive for more in their own lives at work!
8. Ziplining Adventures
Check out Big Pines Zipline Tours for your next team building activity in Los Angeles. This company offers group ziplining activities that you can also combine with a picnic, BBQ, bar, or meeting facilities. For small companies, this is a fun and unique team building activity outside of the city.
Zip lining is a great way to engage your employees because for some it may be a practice in overcoming a fear, and for others their teamwork skills and attention to detail will be put to the test while navigating the stairs, bridges, and rappels. No matter what your teams’ strengths and weaknesses are, they are all sure to learn something new at this heart-pumping ziplining adventure!
9. Bear Mountain Ski Resort
Although it’s a little off the beaten path, the Bear Mountain Ski Resort is a great team building activity that is only two hours from Los Angeles. For groups that are active, outdoorsy, and interested in getting out of the city, this is the perfect event.
Bear Mountain is open to ski on all year long, and the world-class resort has hills and routes for people of every experience level. Take your team out into the beautiful forests that California is known for. Your group can take lessons or even come to the mountain for special events like the Toyota Supergirl Snow Pro.
If you choose Bear Mountain Ski Resort for a team building event, your employees will have a blast hitting the slopes, learning new skills, creating new relationships, and bonding in an environment that is fun and full of adrenaline!
10. Give Back
Volunteering can be really fun with the Wise Guys Events. The company plans retreats that partner team building with charitable donations to organizations in Los Angeles. One of their most popular options is the Super Hero Academy, which is billed as “hands-down the most fun you can have with corporate social responsibility.”
Support either the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, and play games while you do it. During the day-long event, you’ll solve puzzles, compete in athletic activities, film movies for the kids in the hospitals to cheer them up, and even purchase gifts for them off their wish lists. Feel good, help others, and have fun with this unique team building activity in Los Angeles!
Great Team Building Activities in Los Angeles
If your team is desperate for a break from the office, these ten team building activities may be exactly what you’re looking for.
There are options for every company culture and group size. Whether you want to keep it classy with a boat cruise or get down and dirty outdoors with a ziplining adventure, these events are sure to please every group. You can also sign up for ski lessons, check out a Lakers game, take a cooking class, or even plan an entire dodgeball tournament for your employees!
Additional options include a day of inspiration with Disney or even giving back to local organizations with the Super Hero Academy from Wise Guys Events. Finally, consider unique choices that really require communication and teamwork, like making a movie or escaping from the Trapped! Escape Room Los Angeles.
Team building activities work best when your company has fun and the day doesn’t feel like work. Whatever you pick, make sure you keep your company in mind and choose something that the team will really enjoy.
With these options, your team building activity in Los Angeles can’t go wrong. Try one of them or all ten throughout the years and your employees are sure to have a great time getting to know each other!