Business Proposal Idea 6-7 page

Although Solution Technologies has encouraged it’s employees to attend quarterly scheduled team-building training, senior level leadership has remained exempt from participating. This company has seen great success with the quarterly planned events and the employees really seem to enjoy the team building experience. The incorporation of senior staff into these functions will not only help unify this great company but give additional “buy-in” to attending the events.

A company that operates 24-hour a day, 364 days a year, often will not stop production and take time off to conduct team building training. With the exception of senior staff, Solution Technologies makes time for its employees to attend regularly scheduled events. Regimented schedules and priorities of work have been the most common reasons senior leadership has not participated in team building. The senior leadership encourages employees to attend but with making themselves exempt, giving the wrong impression the quarterly training is not truly important.

Dividing the senior leadership into two separate groups will facilitate training attendance by all staff, regardless of position. One half could attend 1st and 3rd quarter training while the second half of the senior leadership could attend 2nd and 4th quarter training. This would facilitate the attendance of senior leadership throughout the year without disrupting staff schedules and work priorities at the highest level. The attendance of senior staff to quarterly training will promote the importance of team building events within the company.

Participation of senior leadership encourages participation. A variation of quarterly events and the promotion of team building should be considered while minimizing of work disruption will be the priority of this four step plan:

1. Operations manager will divide senior leadership into two separate groups based on duty positions and work schedule.

2. Schedule team building events on weekday afternoons to minimize disruptions to day to day operations.

3. Diversify team building event ideas and plans.

4. Promote corporate team building at all levels at Solution Technologies.

Solution Technologies (ST) was built from ground up with just a few employees. Now with more than 500 personnel, the importance of team building is even more prevalent. ST employees have always been ambitious and enthusiastic, but that does not mean they work well with others. “The success of most organizations depend on the ability of individuals to build effective teams.” (D’ewes, 2016, p. 1) By implementing team building events for senior leadership within the company will not only allow the organization to grow but to unify as one big team.

Solution Technologies has always had team building events, yet participation by employees have never met the company’s planning expectations. There are reason for it. Senior leadership within the company are exempt from attending the team building events. The common excuses used to validate the absence of leadership is “a varying work schedule” or “priority of work over play”. It is this mentality that affects the company, giving the impression that corporate team building is not important to leadership, therefore it must not be important to all employees.

Current team building events are the same thing every quarter. The events are always on company grounds, and employees participate in the same activities with no variety. No one enjoys a day away from work, especially when it feels like they are at work. It is the repetitious team building events that affect event attendance.

Dividing the company’s leadership into two teams will enable to all employees to attend at least two team building events annually. With the leadership divided, one team can attend the 1st and 3rd quarter events and the second team can attend the 2nd and 4th quarter events. Split leadership allows minimal disruption in work production while one group attends their quarterly team building.

Establishing a theme, changing venue location, and implementing a variety of team building activities will spark interest, as well as increase attendance. (Thornley-Brown, 2011) The team building day should be structured with events that employees can relate to. All events should remain flexible, with the ability to improvise. This gives a more relaxed feel to the event encouraging involvement and participation. (Clevenger, 2007) Variety is what the company needs, and maximum participation is what is to be gained by changing the current team building plans.

Solution Technologies will categorize its senior leadership into two groups, identified by their work schedules and duty positions. This two team plan will be scheduled for one day, per quarter, to facilitate continual operations with minimal disruptions. The two teams will be established by the end of the 2nd quarter.

This proposal includes several sections which include team building, buying in, the work plan, and the intended cost. The first discussion is team building and its importance to the success of this company. Buying in is nothing more than everyone participating in our team building, but that sometimes is easier said than done. The work plan will lay out how the company will accomplish the new team building schedule and finally the cost will show how what changes will be required to remain close to our current budget.

During the past five years, the company has seen a steady decline in team building event attendance. Lack of variety in venue locations along with repetitious events have made company team building un-enjoyable. The lack of participation by senior staff has been noticed by company employees, adding to the dismal showings at quarterly team events.

Team building is important tool utilized by just about every organization. More than 80% of all companies, particularly those with over 100 employees, have established teams within their organization and utilize team building as part of their developmental practices. (Valentina, & Kokurin, 2015) Team building events can be very effective provided they are properly organized and the employees are willing to participate. Solution Technologies will schedule team building events at different venues to encourage attendance. These events build trust, helps reduce workplace conflict, encourages communication, and can increase collaboration within the organization. Effective team building events fosters unity amongst employees, which is good for company culture and increasing the bottom line. (Scudamore, 2016) By ensuring participation from senior leadership, employees will feel these events are important to the company.

Solution Technologies is capable of operating with minimal oversight from senior leadership. Every department within the company has a lead as well as an assistant, allowing for split operations to be conducted on a limited basis. Dividing the senior leadership into two teams allows operations to continue without disruption during quarterly team training events.

Team training should no longer feel like another day of work. A variety of event locations will be determined by the company’s training team. This will give each team building event its own identity, sparking interest. The focus of each quarterly event will be theme based as well. This will allow training goals to be set as well as make the events more memorable for Solution Technologies employees. An example of an event theme would be “Determination” and the location to coincide with the theme might be a local race track.

Step 1: The training department will establish a list of team building themes along with associated venue locations. Based on availability, weather, and theme, will determine where the quarterly team building will be held. With the company currently in the 2nd quarter, plenty of time is available to establish the 3rd quarter and beyond. Set dates and locations will be set NLT 15 May 2018.

Step 2: Event locations may come at a cost. It will be the training department along with the financial team to secure “group rate” discounts for all locations. Reducing additional costs of venues as well as alternating between low-fare locations and costly alternatives will provide the needed venue variety to our employees. Based on locations secured in Step 1, cost analysis will be need to be determined by 31 May 2018.

Step 3: The Operations Manager will determine the two senior leadership teams. Each team will consist of either a department head or their designated assistant. This will minimize disruption and assist departments with leadership decisions when leadership is attending quarterly training. Teams will be established by 30 Jun 2018, the end of the 2nd quarter.

Establishing venue locations outside of the company footprint will likely add to the cost of quarterly team building. The current budget for the quarterly team building is $10,000. The way to reduce cost would eliminate catering each event and create a potluck style for food. For events that require an entry fee (example: Race track, theme park), a reduced ticket price should be utilized. Venue expense should be calculated at 150 employees at $25 per person. Additional cost to enter a venue will be at the employee’s expense.

Current Expenditures Estimated Budget

Venue: $0 $0 - $12,500

Food: $8,000 $0

Team Prizes: $1,000 $500

Additional Expenses: $0 - $1000 $500

Corporate team building should be a fun day away from work where everyone can learn skills to work better with their fellow colleagues. All events are currently held in the company footprint, eliminating the “away from work” feel. Lack of participation to the quarterly training is further compounded by the fact that the senior leadership rarely attends, giving the impression that the team building is not important. Changing venue location to a variety of places, along with senior leader attendance will increase company attendance and prove fruitful to Solution Technologies.

Implementing a two team system within company senior leadership will allow senior staff to attend quarterly training with disrupting day to day operations. This approach will show lower level employees that team building training is important and that show senior leadership is “buying in” to the training. The addition of venue variety will entice employees to attend quarterly training.

Team building is part of professional development and can lead to greater company cohesion. By changing up the training venue to something unique and slightly outside of employees comfort zones can strengthen a team’s resolve. Incorporating personnel from all levels of the company into this training promotes a team attitude and shows that leadership is willing to “buy in” to the training.

Solutions Technologies have been conducting quarterly team building training for the last five years. The way the training is currently being conducted, the company has seen event attendance decline. There currently is no plan in place that is increasing attendance. Employees are looking for a fun day away from work. This plan provides that fun while continuing to conduct team building training.

If approved, we can implement the changes to the training calendar by June 30, 2018, securing 3rd and 4th quarter venue locations. Please feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions.