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3 Reasons to get your team outside this Summer

Peter and the team at O3e
May 24, 2017
3 min read

Look at your sad and forlorn employees, looking out of the window at the beautiful weather. If only there were some way, you could justify treating them to an afternoon of fresh air and sunshine?

Aha - but there is!

Did you know that all of our team building events can be run outside?

Did you also know, that we know heaps of suitable venues (along with emergency rainy day options!)

And did you also know - that 100% of every event we do, directly benefits a charity?

Here are some tips on how to build your business case for some fun in the sun.

1. The Smells in Fresh Air bust stress and increases happiness!

And this includes RAIN!! So don't stress about the weather!

According to the Huffington post, Science shows that you really should stop and smell the roses, as the smell of them promotes relaxation. Other flowers, like lavender and jasmine can also lower anxiety and up your mood. Research shows that the scent of pine trees decreases stress and increases relaxation. Even walking through a park can help you feel calmer and happier when you catch a whiff of freshly cut grass. And while rain may put a damper on your outdoor plans, we love nothing more than the scent of a downpour, according to Smithsonian magazine. The smell reminds us of the color green and may be linked with the growth of both the plants and animals that we need to eat, which could explain why it smells so good to us.

2. Fresh Oxygen Energizes Research shows that spending time out in the fresh air, surrounded by nature, increases energy in 90% of people!

According to an article in Livestrong, inhaling fresh air helps clear your lungs and enables you to take deeper, longer breaths of air -- which increases the amount of oxygen that's transported to your body's cells. Increased oxygen in your body translates to greater energy as well as clarity of mind. According to a group of studies published in a 2010 issue of the "Journal of Environmental Psychology," research participants reported feeling happier, healthier and more alive when they spent time in nature.

3. Sunshine creates Vitamin D, which keeps your team healthy! Vitamin D is also known as "The Sunshine Vitamin". It's a crucial ingredient for overall health, protecting against inflammation, lowering high blood pressure and improving brain function to name a few!

According to an article in the April, 2008 issue of the "Environmental Health Perspectives" journal, spending about 30 minutes in the sun can provide you with nearly a day's supply of vitamin D through skin absorption.

Click the image to see our Charity Bike Build in action in the glorious Guernsey sunshine!

Aside from the above sun-related benefits, remember that a CSR Team building event brings it's own unique benefits.....

A survey of 1,007 UK employees released by LeapCR in 2011, and referred to in HRMagazine, had some interesting soundbites:

"49% of UK employees said they were more likely to stay with an employer that encourages its workforce to donate time or raise money for charity within working hours."

"Three quarters of UK workforce want their employer to balance commercial success with good CSR strategies, including supporting charities (75%)."

"More than half (52%) of UK employees believe that their employer should do more to encourage charitable giving during working hours and 51% felt companies have a duty to commit to charitable acts and CSR."

Malcolm Solvil, CEO of LeapCR said:

"The reality is that the UK workforce passionately cares about CSR and expects their employer to share that commitment. If employers fail to meet these expectations, either through a lack of CSR initiatives or a failure to communicate what they are doing to their staff, then they will find themselves struggling to remain competitive. "I predict that by the end of this decade, the UK employers that are deemed successful will be those who have faced up to this pressing issue."

So the only question left is.....