5 Ideas for CIO Team Building Getaways

Working as a Chief Information Officer is not easy, which is why many CIOs often live busy lives. But not having a healthy work-life balance could lead to burnout. To avoid this, CIOs should take a break from work and consider going for a team-building getaway. Team building is not only relaxing, but it's also a fun way to improve collaboration and communication with the team, which is essential for CIOs. 
 

Here are some ideas for CIO team building getaways.

1. Yacht ruising 
 

Consider doing a cruise for your team-building getaway. Getting out into the water with the team to breathe some fresh air away from the workplace is a relaxing way to foster bonds amongst each other while boosting team morale. 
 

While on the cruise, organise fun activities to keep everyone entertained. Before the event, divide the team into groups, then think of a problem that requires a burst of creativity to solve. They should only be given only thirty minutes or less to think of solutions to the given problem using creativity, communication, and teamwork. Then allow the team about ten minutes to present their ideas. Obviously, the team that has the best solutions will win.
 

Another fun way you can do while cruising is to encourage everyone to open up and share interesting info about themselves, which is a wonderful way to get to know each other outside of work. They can talk about their favourite hobbies and personal information they are comfortable sharing. At the end of your cruise, everyone will only have fun memories to tell. Your team will feel excited to come to work after the fun bonding moments during your cruise.
 

2. Expedition Trekking
 

If your team is the adventurous type and keen on exploring the outdoors, then take them on a jungle trekking expedition! Trekking is an outdoor recreational activity guaranteed to be fun and will teach the team essential skills like critical thinking and problem-solving. 
 

One of the main goals of team building is to enhance coordination among the team and encourage cooperation among team members, something you can achieve on your jungle trek. In the workplace setting, everyone has to work together to achieve a common goal, and trekking is the same thing. Only with trekking the goal is to reach the summit. It requires cooperation and coordination, and these are essential skills for the role of a CIO.
 

There are many great destinations for jungle trekking. But if the team is feeling adventurous, and would like to explore off-the-beaten destinations, consider booking a Burma jungle expedition. Now called Myanmar, Burma is a country home to unspoilt sceneries. On your jungle trekking expedition of Burma, you'll be passing through local villages, bamboo forests, and raging river valleys.
 

3. Mountain Climbing 
 

Mountain climbing is a fun team-building activity. The activity is goal-oriented and requires trust, cooperation, and communication. Given the many essential skills the team can learn from climbing mountains, it's not a surprise why it's becoming one of the most popular corporate team-building activities. 
 

You can hire professional facilitators to organise your team's mountain climbing activities. Since they are knowledgeable in this aspect, it will enhance the experience further, allowing your team to enjoy while learning some essential skills. In addition, mountain climbing is a great physical exercise - beneficial for both mental and physical health. The activity also requires cooperation among team members since each participant has to depend upon one another to reach the peak. 
 

If you want your team to be physically and mentally healthy, you may want to replace your cocktail parties with mountain climbing. Aside from having fun, your team will learn several valuable skills that can help them resolve problems at the workplace. Of course, being able to explore the great outdoors is very relaxing and can help improve mental health. At the end of this activity, everyone will feel revitalised and ready to tackle the challenges that every CIO has to deal with at work.

4. Glamping 
 

Camping or glamping are activities that can help bring teams together, especially those working in a hectic environment. It requires gathering the group offsite, usually in a rural location surrounded by the stunning views of nature. 
 

As you know, being out in nature can come with health benefits, such as improving mental health, which is essential if you're working as a CIO. Research shows that nature can help improve one's mental health by offering stress relief and a mental boost. Studies found that those who spend plenty of time outdoors have a significantly low cortisol level, the stress hormone. In addition, nature has a way to boost endorphins, which promotes happiness. 
 

If you are in the UK, you don't need to travel far to camp or go glamping with the team. There are many excellent glamping sites in the country. Some of them come with luxury facilities, such as a hot tub. If glamping sounds like an ideal team-building getaway, check out Hipcamp and search for interesting glamping sites in the United Kingdom with a hot tub to make sure your team gets to relax after your days activities.

5. Horseback Holiday 
 

If you're looking for a unique team-building activity, consider horseback holidays. Everyone loves horseback riding, and this activity can make for a fun bonding experience with the team. It also teaches the team many skills they can apply in the workplace setting.
 

Horses are honest creatures, teaching us the value of honesty. They are usually committed to their masters, which also demonstrates the importance of commitment to work. Like humans, horses have different personalities, moods, and quirks. They will react differently to different situations, just like humans.

During your horseback riding activity, you can also learn the value of leadership  from the horses. The horse follows a leader who can show fairness and respect, which managers can learn from when dealing with their subordinates. There are ranches that offer corporate team-building activities that involve horseback riding. Different ranches offer different activities aimed at teaching the team some valuable lessons.