Creating an Experiential Team Building for Future Generation Europe
Cepkova, Lujza (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025060420029
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025060420029
Tiivistelmä
Effective team collaboration is crucial in modern workplaces, however, traditional team-building events often lack structured learning or specific goals. This thesis was inspired by the author's experience with both ineffective team-building events and those that significantly helped the team become stronger and more resilient.
The first objective of this product-based thesis was to create an activity plan for a 3-day-long team building using experience economy and experiential learning, focused on team development, enhancing the community, and education. The second objective was to execute the team building according to the plan on 4 - 6 October 2024 while documenting observations and insights during the activities to identify areas of enhancement, providing an open and inclusive environment, and promoting positive group dynamics. The third objective was to gather participant feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of the activities.
Starting with secondary research on the significance and challenges of team building, a conclusion was drawn, which suggested that without clear goals and a plan, team building can be a waste of resources. A SCORE analysis of Future Generation Europe highlighted the organisation‘s needs, leading to the development of specific goals: strengthening team bonds, integrating new volunteers, providing educational value through non-formal learning, and delivering a memorable experience at a low cost. Integrating the Pine and Gilmore‘s 4 Realms of Experience, Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle and Tuckman’s Team Development model, the event was planned and executed.
The team building was consequently organised according to the plan, using experience economy and experiential learning, focused on team development, enhancing the community, and education. Observations and insights of both the author and participants were documented. Participant feedback was gathered during a start-stop-continue activity, providing suggestions on how to enhance the event, what to keep and what should be avoided next time. The event was evaluated mostly positively, with some suggestions for improvements. Furthermore, feedback was gathered 5 months later from voluntary respondents, who claimed that the event was successful, enjoyed by the participants, and that the activities effectively integrated new members.
The event also established a foundation for future activities, with the organisation planning to continue using a blend of team-bonding and skill-building exercises. Based on this thesis, a detailed manual was created to guide others when organising a similar activity. This thesis can provide insights for HR professionals or managers wishing to elevate their team-building events and develop soft skills within their teams in an entertaining way. As a reusable and adaptable structure, the concept supports long-term team development, inclusion, and education, contributing to social sustainability.
The first objective of this product-based thesis was to create an activity plan for a 3-day-long team building using experience economy and experiential learning, focused on team development, enhancing the community, and education. The second objective was to execute the team building according to the plan on 4 - 6 October 2024 while documenting observations and insights during the activities to identify areas of enhancement, providing an open and inclusive environment, and promoting positive group dynamics. The third objective was to gather participant feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of the activities.
Starting with secondary research on the significance and challenges of team building, a conclusion was drawn, which suggested that without clear goals and a plan, team building can be a waste of resources. A SCORE analysis of Future Generation Europe highlighted the organisation‘s needs, leading to the development of specific goals: strengthening team bonds, integrating new volunteers, providing educational value through non-formal learning, and delivering a memorable experience at a low cost. Integrating the Pine and Gilmore‘s 4 Realms of Experience, Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle and Tuckman’s Team Development model, the event was planned and executed.
The team building was consequently organised according to the plan, using experience economy and experiential learning, focused on team development, enhancing the community, and education. Observations and insights of both the author and participants were documented. Participant feedback was gathered during a start-stop-continue activity, providing suggestions on how to enhance the event, what to keep and what should be avoided next time. The event was evaluated mostly positively, with some suggestions for improvements. Furthermore, feedback was gathered 5 months later from voluntary respondents, who claimed that the event was successful, enjoyed by the participants, and that the activities effectively integrated new members.
The event also established a foundation for future activities, with the organisation planning to continue using a blend of team-bonding and skill-building exercises. Based on this thesis, a detailed manual was created to guide others when organising a similar activity. This thesis can provide insights for HR professionals or managers wishing to elevate their team-building events and develop soft skills within their teams in an entertaining way. As a reusable and adaptable structure, the concept supports long-term team development, inclusion, and education, contributing to social sustainability.