Food is one of the basic needs of all human beings, but thousands of people in the U.S. cannot afford even one meal a day. When your team wants to do something “extra” for the local community, you may want to consider a charitable team building program. Cooking for a Cause program is one such event that will build the bond among your employees while making a meaningful donation to the less fortunate.
By engaging your team in a cooking class, they carry over the newly formed bonds from the kitchen to the office enabling improved collaboration, problem-solving, and productivity. This way you can build a more productive team and a stronger company. A team building cooking class involves food, challenges, and competition as teams work together to make a real impact on someone’s day.
Here are some benefits of cooking for a cause.
Improve the Effectiveness of Your Team
Your team will work towards the common goal of learning some new culinary skills and making an impact on other people’s lives. When we’re at work, there’s not always an opportunity to talk about non-work topics such as family, hobbies, and sports. When employees get out of their comfort zone, they engage as one person to another. A team building cooking class created a fun atmosphere of open communication, which can improve camaraderie in and out of the office. It also helps members develop trust and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Boost Morale
Cooking for charity is a great way to quickly boost employees’ morale. As the team learns how to prepare new dishes and give back to the community, they develop a sense of impact and contribution. Studies indicate that giving back to others can increase happiness, reduce feelings of isolation, reduce stress, and create a sense of belonging. Taking a team building cooking class to make something for local families in need will leave your team with warm and fuzzy feelings – and an immediate boost in morale.
Team Development
We live in a time where people are highly motivated to make an impact on society. Some individuals get a sense of satisfaction working for organizations that have integrated corporate social responsibility into their company culture. Incorporating a charity-based team building cooking class into your company’s events calendar will impact your long-term team development. This will help attract and retain top talent who are invested in your company.
Organization Reputation
When your charitable teambuilding cooking event provides a homeless family with a warm meal, the sentiments will never be forgotten. You will build a great reputation for your organization and more people will want to do business with you. This reputation growth can lead to better networking opportunities, business leads, and sales. Your team can take pride in the fact that they’ve gained some new skills, make a positive impact on someone’s life, and improved the organization’s reputation.A great team building cooking class can cook up great meals, stronger teams, creative ideas, and motivated employees. It becomes even more impactful when coupled with charity work.