Corporate sports can take on many guises, from simple fun runs to football tournaments and all the way to team triathlon style challenges. Promoting team members to participate in any type of sporting activities representing a company, when expertly managed by professionals, brings with it many potential benefits.
Added motivation to get active
The competitive element of corporate sports leads many of those who normally struggle to stay fit to be extra committed, perhaps due to the added pressure not to let the team down.
Rewires the brain, in a good way
The psychological link between of a positive lifestyle change with a workplace team should not be underestimated. Releasing endorphins because of corporate sports is addictive and good for you too. This is not wasted office time, the motivation and positive association to the workplace can far outweigh any lost work hours and it may even increase staff retention.
Tests people
By default, corporate sports push people out of their comfort zone. When adequately managed, this can be an rewarding process. Corporate sports present very different tests than the normal working environment. Not everyone will thrive in being tested in this way, which is why corporate sporting activities must never be mandatory or directly linked to promotions or bonuses.
Promotes a good work-life balance
This is a common challenge that corporate sports can help address. Corporate sports gets people out of the office in a positive environment that is normally linked to leisure. It can also help participants address their self-doubts by working with their teams to develop a winning mentality.
Celebrate the achievements of others
Corporate sports promote teamwork far beyond most work scenarios. It’s no longer just about how great you perform alone. Throughout training and during competition, teammates do all they can to support and cheer for each other so that everyone celebrates the achievements of the team.
Enhanced teamwork and camaraderie
Many team building exercises sound great to senior management but in practice, they fall flat with the staff. Corporate sports events serve up a refreshing approach, for the appropriate set of participants. Creating a strong team spirit can translate to powerful human connections that remain with the participants and the company long after the event.
Cross-pollination and flattened hierarchies
Teams often work in silos, unaware of what different departments are focused on. Corporate sports, with cross-department teams, creates a natural way to break down barriers and build better communication across departments. When managers take part on equal terms, there is an added opportunity to engage and connect people at all levels.
Helps create the right environment for success
Training for corporate sports involves creating an adequate environment by using the right techniques and tools. This is a transferable process to the work environment, one that highlights the importance of creating the right environment to succeed.
Highlights the importance of Management
Management techniques and the concept of management itself can often be criticised and questioned. Some question if managers are needed at all. With many examples from professionals sports when a change in management drives an instant change in performance and results. Management also plays an important part in corporate sports, and this gives companies a way to highlight the importance of management.
Creates a focus on performance
As in any competitions, corporate sports makes participants strive to achieve better results. When participants analyse their performance and modify their training accordingly their focus is entirely on the team’s performance. This analytical performance-focused approach can be translated into the workplace and be a catalyst for better performance there as well.
Shines a new light on risk management
It takes a team of professionals to make sure no one gets hurt or does any serious damage to themselves through corporate sports. These are risks involved in such activities which must be properly considered, analysed and the adequate actions taken. This is not only important to keep participants safe, but it also has the added benefit of making risk management a more tangible concept for all.
Conclusion
It is clear that the benefits of corporate sports go far beyond being enjoyable for the participants. There are significant potential benefits to companies engaging in them and there is a good case to be made that corporate sports help make participants, teams, and ultimately companies more successful.
