How Team Activity Group helped EACTS make team building part of its culture
The Challenge
When you invest in your people, they notice. And EACTS is a brilliant example of an organisation putting that principle into practice.
The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) is a membership organisation providing training and education for around 4,500 cardiac and thoracic surgeons. Its Windsor-based team has grown significantly too, from around 10 employees four years ago to 33 today.
With a hybrid working model, colleagues aren't necessarily in the office on the same days, making the opportunities to bring everyone together all the more valuable.
Staff wellbeing and welfare form part of Rachel Elewe's role and she has introduced a fantastic programme of activities designed to help people connect, have fun and enjoy being part of the EACTS team. She spoke to us about the role Team Activity Group have played in making that possible.
“Team Activity Group are just so reliable. You don’t have to worry about anything – everything is there and ready to go, and the team genuinely seem to love what they do. That really comes across in the way they deliver the events.”
Alongside smaller initiatives throughout the year, EACTS holds regular team days, with the summer event providing the perfect opportunity to get everyone completely away from the office and doing something memorable together.
The Approach
Team Activity Group has delivered two very different summer events for EACTS: dragon boat racing at Dorney Lake followed by a sports day at De Vere Beaumont Estate, and they certainly threw themselves into both.
The sports day was designed to keep everybody involved, with relay-style activities ensuring there was plenty going on and very little standing around watching. Mike, our resident compère and energy-bringer added his trademark humour to proceedings, creating an atmosphere where the competition was fun and everyone could get stuck in.
Rachel said: “He just made it so enjoyable. We all got involved and his commentary was really funny. He kept everyone involved and moving around between the various challenges. I thought it was excellent.”
The dragon boat racing brought out the team's competitive spirit in a different way, giving everyone the chance to learn something new before racing each other on the water.
For Rachel, though, a great event starts long before everyone arrives.
“Sarah is so quick to respond, and we always have a meeting to determine exactly what EACTS needs from the event. I also love that she provides different proposals and can manage any combination of equipment alongside the set-up, safety and delivery. It gives me so much peace of mind to have Team Activity Group involved.”
Rachel explained that on both occasions, while EACTS was busy with the earlier part of its day, she could see our activities were already set up outside and ready to go well in advance.
“You don't have to worry about anything when you work with Team Activity Group. Everything is just there.”
The Outcome
The response from the EACTS team speaks for itself. Rachel heard the sports day described as “the best team day yet”, while both events created the kind of lift that continued long after everyone has gone home.
“You feel the euphoria even after the day has finished and that's what I like. It definitely contributes to people feeling more positive and energised.”
For a hybrid team, these shared experiences are particularly powerful. New starters get to meet colleagues they may previously have known only through email, while people from different parts of the organisation have time to talk, laugh and build relationships away from everyday distractions.
And EACTS is seeing the value of making that investment consistently.
Team activities have become such an established and appreciated part of its culture that senior management now talk about the “amazing stuff we do as a team” when interviewing prospective employees. Rachel also believes the approach has had a positive impact on staff morale, wellbeing and retention.
For us, it's fantastic to work with an organisation that puts so much thought and energy into looking after its people. And it's even better to hear what happens when you get that combination right.
Key benefits of team building for staff wellbeing
Stronger relationships and connection, especially for hybrid teams, with shared experiences that give colleagues the chance to properly get to know each other, build relationships beyond emails and online meetings, and create something in common to talk about afterwards.
Getting people physically away from the office removes the temptation to check emails or slip back to a desk. It gives everyone permission to switch off, have fun and enjoy time together.
A culture people want to be part of. Doing wellbeing properly, as opposed to box-ticking, is a firm differentiator when it comes to attracting talent and cultivating employee loyalty.