Wednesday, October 29, 2014

FIFO (Fly In Fly Out) Team Building - Behind the Scenes

The ACE Team - Wade, Mike, Dan and Ben
Have you ever wondered how companies improve morale and teamwork at remote camps in the gas industry? For the last three years ACE has conducted team building programs across three sites in outback Queensland. The work involves significant travel, heat, freight, long hours and lots of unexpected surprises. This year was no exception.
City driving - traffic, rain and lightning
The adventure started at 6am in Melbourne on a day with so much rain and lightning that the airport was shutdown for the safety of airline staff. The result was that our first flight of the day was delayed by two hours. The airport was so crowded that there was no space in the departure lounge to sit down.
On the floor at the crowded departure lounge
In this photo, Ben and I are making ourselves comfortable on the floor as we wait for our flight. Due to the flight delay we missed our next flight from Brisbane to Roma. We were put onto the next available flight which was then cancelled. So after waiting in Brisbane for several hours we finally arrived in sunny Roma to a sweltering 41 degrees celsius.
Outback driving - sunny and no traffic
Our next surprise was the hire car. We had four passengers and significant equipment so a ute was not a suitable vehicle. We were unable to get the vehicle swapped so we continued on our journey. We were about to drive through a thunderstorm and some dirt roads so we stopped off in town to buy a tarp to protect our equipment. It was disappointing that the Corporate Travel agent booked a ute even though they were expressly told that a ute would not be suitable.
The hire car - not what we wanted
One pleasant surprise was the food at the camp. In a word... sensational. I particularly liked the juice station complete with fruit, vegetables and herbs ready for juicing. The quality and quantity of the food was amazing. For dinner there were six different main course options. The roast lamb and Jamaican chicken were restaurant quality.
The juicing station - a pleasant surprise

We had eighty delegates in the group so we had planned to show our presentation on two projector screens. We had two projectors and a splitter cable but we had to be flexible with our plans when there were no screens available. We improvised by taping two white table cloths to the wall. This worked well and the show could continue.
My front door
You never know what you are going to find when you open the door to your room but another pleasant surprise was a comfortable bed, television and ensuite. The best thing in the room was the air conditioner. Due to the extreme heat this was essential for a good night's sleep.
Home for a few days

The event was very successful and we met all of our client's objectives for the team building program. After another amazing breakfast comprising french toast, croissants and espresso coffee, it was time to head back to the airport.
The breakfast buffet

We knew the drive would take two hours so we planned to get to the airport 60 minutes early. After 30 minutes of driving we received a phone call telling us that the road to the airport to had been closed due to a road accident. I was told by the State Emergency Service that a vehicle had collided with a bull at 3 am requiring the driver to be air lifted to hospital with significant injuries. The road had been closed for several hours so we were lucky to make our flight back to Brisbane.
Road closure
We made our flight - time to fly home. Another successful program, done and dusted.


Saturday, October 4, 2014

Team Building - Where does the money go?


Team building can be perceived as an expensive undertaking so you might be wondering where does the money go? Here is a list of items that you probably get without realising.



Public Liability Insurance
We need to have a $20 million public liability insurance policy to work at some venues governed by Parks Victoria. A few years ago we only had a $10 million policy so we had to spend $400 to upgrade the policy for one day to run an event.

Customised Equipment 
If you have participated on an ACE program you have probably seen some of the specialised equipment that we use. Many of the items have been custom made for us, as they are not in mass production. Items such as the Briefcase Operated Satellite System are unique items and can be worth thousands of dollars.

Vehicle and Trailer expenses
We work at around 60 - 80 venues a year so we do a lot of travelling and we need to ensure that our vehicles and trailers are well maintained. In fifteen years we have never broken down or been late for a session.

Photography
You could employ a professional photographer to capture the priceless moments that occur during your event but it would unnecessary. We take quality photos on a digital SLR camera and then provide you with a photobook and the digital files after the event.

Audiovisual equipment
We have every sort of audiovisual system imaginable so that we can be seen and heard in every type of venue. Sometimes we use a portable PA system for outdoor sessions or we might need two large systems linked together for an indoor event for several hundred people.

Music and sound editing
Most sessions incorporate music or edited sound files to complement the event. Many of the sound files have been meticulously edited for a specific purpose.

Customised trophies
Many events have custom made trophies as mementos for the winning team. The trophies are specific to each activity and client.

Equipment Storage
Have you ever wondered where does all the gear get kept? We have an enormous amount of activity equipment for large group sizes that could fill a small warehouse.

Venue site visits prior to sessions
Whilst we work at many venues we also try and visit each new venue prior to running a session. It is important that we are clear about vehicle access, room size, audio visual requirements, break out rooms and outdoor spaces.

Consumables 
We provide consumables such as sunscreen, insect repellent, spare hats, snacks and water for a number of our events.

Costumes
A number of our sessions involve costumes, props and accessories. You might be pleased to know that all the costumes are washed after each use which can be very time consuming, especially for large groups.

Raincoats
If the weather is cold and wet and you have booked an outdoor team session you will be loaned a waterproof rain jacket. These coats are very good quality and are not cheap. We have around $5000 worth of raincoats on standby just in case there is rain.

New activities - research and development
How do we keep coming up with new ideas for activities? It's not easy and we need to make a conscious effort to travel and experience a variety of similar and completely different activities.

Liaising with venues
Most events require us to confirm meal times, book outdoor areas, and prepare floor plans with the venue to ensure everything runs smoothly. For evening events we normally prepare a floor plan showing the table placements and AV equipment locations to assist with the room preparation and set up.

Liaising with suppliers
Some events require us to book rooms, outdoor spaces, tickets or session times with venues including Parks Victoria, Kingpin, Eureka Tower, Point Nepean National park etc.

Travel
Ever wondered how we design car rallies or amazing races. We invest a considerable amount of time scoping areas such as Daylesford, Torquay and Woodend for new activities.

Staffing
Every ACE staff member is university trained and well compensated for their skills and time. We don't take shortcuts with staff as they are such an important component of every event.