The Traditional Filipino Games as Team-Building Sports Fest

There comes a time when colleagues need to team-away from regular work environment, to rejuvenate and bond in a fun atmosphere.  Because people work hard, we give them time to play hard, and re-bond with their colleagues in an atmosphere of fun and friendly competition. 

There are many activities with great team-building concepts. Other than management-staff workshops, one of the most often used platforms for team-building is SPORTS.  Everybody loves to play games. 

Corporate Olympics is one of the fun activities popularly organized by the Human Resource Departments for employees.   

Corporate sporting events aim to strengthen the bond between employees, while instilling the value of team spirit in a corporate community. In the same note, it hopes to develop the employees’ competitive character and determination to excel.  Teams that play together, work together.

A current, and successful, trend in team building is having teams work together in various Group Dynamics Team Building exercises outside of their normal job duties. 

These can range from working together as a team doing crafts and activities, at times with group activity challenges against other team. Team Building sessions such as this focus on communication, trust, allocating roles, and learning how to work together.

Another often organized activity is corporate excursions.  Employees love to go “outing” and do leisurely activities together with colleagues. Company excursions range from day-tours to beach outings, and usually combined with light team-building activities. It’s all about spending time together. 

Since the 1980’s there have been many new ideas and innovative games. Other than the usual basketball or track and field games, companies have been trying more daring activities, such as “Survival” games and other adventure sports.   

While these games may be challenging to younger employees, there are still many who may not be able to participate in the activities; most especially that the work-force are not up to much physical activities, not to mention the older staff.

Team Building creates a more effective and efficient work-force.  Whatever type of activity the company chooses, more importantly, the rule of thumb is to keep it Fun, Entertaining, Dynamic and Simple.

Magna Kultura Foundation has been implementing arts and cultural programs in schools and city festivals.  In Y2005, Human Resource Departments started calling on Magna Kultura to create customized team-building programs, ranging from visual arts activities, to stage theatre, to kite-making and other crafts workshops.  And for sports oriented companies, they have a selection of different type of fun games.

Since Y2008, many have opted to launch mini-Olympics event using the Traditional Filipino Street Games. The selection of Larong Pinoy as a Sports Fest Activity was intended Human Resource staff to involve employees ---both young and old--- into doing an alternative event instead of the usual western sports.

It is a fact that only a few employees get to play in the usual sports like basketball, volleyball, or other western sports; but with Larong Pinoy everybody can play --- from the executives to staff, down to the clerks and general service employees.  It’s a game everybody knows.  It’s a game everyone can enjoy --- even the non-sporty type. Even those who don’t play enjoy just watching others play. 
 
With Larong Pinoy as sports fest platform, the team bonding goals flows naturally among employees and staff, internally at the office until the day of the event. It becomes the “talk-of-the-town”, everyone remembering childhood memories, making the office alive with youthful camaraderie.

Corporate sports fests  are usually games for only a few employees, and others simply become bystanders who attend because of compliance for attendance. It should not be the case.  In building the company as a CommuniTeam, employees at all levels must be involved in something that everyone can participate in. 

Teambuilding activities are loads of fun, but they can also be tools for strengthening your group.  Sports jargon often crosses over into the business world. The practice is used frequently in the business arena and in the sports world alike and has been credited with creating successful units time and time again.   

Employees "come together as a team" and "go for the win" when tackling an important project. The business owner, the managers, and the Department Heads are likened to team coaches. 

Bear in mind that playing sports can be a good team-building exercise that shows employees and management how to come together in pursuit of a common goal.

Treat your employees to a fun team-building activity, and your company into a CommuniTeam.  

DON’T JUST ORGANIZE A SPORTS FEST FOR THE SAKE OF GIVING EMPLOYEES AN ACTIVITY. IGNITE TEAM SPIRIT, INSPIRE TEAM WORK. ORGANIZE AN EVENT THAT WILL TRULY BE MEMORABLE. A SPORTS FEST THAT WILL BOND EMPLOYEES INTO A REAL COMMUNITY WITH SOLID CAMARADERIE. 

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FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT PALARONG PINOY OLYMPICS, CLICK THIS LINK: THE LARONG PINOY TEAMBUILDING SPORTSFEST


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