Employee getaways

Corporate incentive trips are a great way to recognise and reward employees for their hard work. They also create an opportunity for employees to let their hair down and mingle with co-workers in a non-work environment. Such trips can be organised at a local or international location depending on your organisation’s needs, budgets and interests.

Nature escape

A nature-themed getaway is the perfect antidote for city-stressed employees. Located at the coastline of Kota Kinabalu city centre in Sabah, Malaysia, the Sutera Harbour Resort is a good base for adventures in the great outdoors. The resort encompasses two 5-star hotels- The Magellan Sutera Resort and The Pacific Sutera Hotel.

The resort offers team-building activities at Manukan Island, one of five stunning islands that are a part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Telematches, treasure hunts and nature trail trekking are some of the fun activities that can be organised for employees.

Outdoor activities can also be arranged at three breathtaking locations – the beachside, the dramatic marina boardwalk or beautiful lush gardens. The Sutera Harbour Resort also owns five lodges in Kinabalu Park, Laban Rata, Mesilau Nature Resort and Poring Hot Spring and Nature Reserve. The facilities at these Sanctuary Lodges are ideal for team-building events.

For a touch of luxury, you could also take your employees on a sunset cruise on the The Puteri Sutera, a private yacht. Other interesting activities close to the resort include the North Borneo Railway, one of the few functional steam locomotives in the world. It offers a trip back into time and is a great way to take in the sights of Sabah’s rustic countryside.

Bonding through cooking

If getting the whole team out of the country for few days is too much of a logistical challenge, consider a fun day retreat at a local place of interest.

The Sentosa Resort and Spa offers a novel corporate team-building activity inspired by the original BBC television series, “MasterChef”. Its new Sentosa Iron Chef package promises to get groups out of the boardroom and into the kitchen.

 Participants are divided into equal groups and issued chef hats and aprons. The “Master chef” (a chef at resort) will then describe in detail what the group will be making over the next 3 to 4 hours. This includes identifying the ingredients used and a demonstration of how each dish is cooked. The chef will also give suggestions on different preparations and encourage teams to try out variations for each dish.

Teams will need to work together to create three dishes for judging by the chef, and each dish will be scored on originality, taste and cleanliness. Writing material is also provided so that teams can make notes during the demonstration. Teams can decide amongst themselves on their respective roles in the kitchen and the work delegation.

Sherry Goh, a corporate affairs manager who attended an Iron Chef session, was impressed by its uniqueness. “Team-building doesn’t get better than this. I have attended many corporate retreats, but the Sentosa Iron Chef activity was a breath of fresh air and a lot of fun! I have never before thought of cooking as a bonding activity but this exercise proved me wrong.”