Reed Employment made a survey of their clients and compiled a report called Motivating People at Work. This revealed that social events that were both organised and paid for by employers have risen by 31 percent. This included team building days for departments and fun days open to the whole company and their families. There is no doubt that this trend has continued over the course of this year with most event management companies reporting bumper years.

The increase in popularity of these events has risen as companies have become more concerned about the so called Work / Life Balance. Work is perceived more and more as a social activity. People spend the best part of the daytime element of their week at work and more people than ever before count their work colleagues within their main group of friends.

Dr Cliff Arnall of the University of Cardiff recently declared that Friday 24th June is the 'happiest day of the year'. The seasonal disorders specialist devised a formula which measures good mood using increased outdoor activity, high energy levels and more sunlight. The formula he devised was:-

O + (N x S) +Cpm/T + He

In this formula O stands for being outdoors, N is for nature, s for social interaction, Cpm for memories of childhood summers and general positive memories, T stands for temperature and He is for holidays and time off work.

Could this same equation explain the success of outdoor events and why managers are increasingly turning towards events to motivate and reward their workforce?

Find out more about outdoor events for companies at www.teambuilding.co.uk

James Coakes is Managing Director of Progressive Resources Ltd, a team building event organiser founded in 1989 that organised more than 500 events in 2004.