Intense Laser Tag Battle or Hackathon

In the planning stage of your next corporate event creating collaboration, creativity, and camaraderie among employees has become essential. Organisations often seek ways to strengthen team morale, encourage innovation, and pour some energy into the workplace, as well as many team-building activities available, hackathons and laser tag challenges are both great examples to see how the choice of what type of event you are planning affects and creates change in your organisation. Although both aim to create bonds and promote healthy competition, hackathons offer a unique set of advantages that laser tag can’t match, particularly in problem-solving and sustained engagement.

Laser Tag

Laser tag challenges are amazing without a doubt, by offering employees a rush of adrenaline as they compete with each other, hide, and shoot at their colleagues in a spirited yet friendly environment. Participants strategise, compete bravely, and briefly escape from their usual work stress. This corporate activity offers a quick, energising dose of fun and excitement but laser tag has its limitations. The game is physically demanding, which can exclude those with physical challenges or lower fitness levels, not to mention people and participants with any visual or other kind of disabilities and other physically challenging states like pregnancy, which can isolate some of the colleagues from the experience. Beyond the excitement, participation in this event doesn’t offer long-term benefits that employees can translate into their daily work. The strategic planning involved is typically limited to the confines of the game itself, and the collaboration required rarely indicates to meaningful personal or professional growth. In other words, it really matters what kind of event you choose to organise for your next corporate event in the long run. 

Memorable Hackathons

Meanwhile, hackathons provide a forward-thinking approach to team building. Bringing together diverse teams to solve a challenge that serves the company’s goal, by either coming up with a new product idea or service, it is an amazing opportunity for brainstorming innovative ideas and developing creative solutions over a set period. Employees from different departments share their expertise, working toward a shared objective in cross-functional teams. Unlike the fleeting excitement of laser tag, hackathons can profoundly impact employees. The collaboration, problem-solving, and creativity required are directly applicable to daily work roles. Participants leave a hackathon with a sense of achievement, and this accomplishment creates a deeper job satisfaction and a stronger commitment to the organisation.

New Perspective

Hackathons involve dealing with real business issues or worldwide issues, whether it’s developing a new product, evolving an existing process for example in internal communication, or brainstorming solutions to current challenges. By focusing on relevant problems, employees gain new skills that can reshape the company’s path. Furthermore, participants engage in meaningful tasks beyond their daily roles, energising their creativity. Inclusivity is another great benefit of hackathons, because, unlike physical activities such as laser tag, which can exclude some, hackathons are accessible to participants from all backgrounds. The focus is on mental agility rather than physical strength, allowing employees with diverse abilities to participate equally. This creates a culture of equality within the team, and by doing so, a more cohesive and supportive environment.

Team Spirit

Like laser tag challenges, hackathons also bring out the competitive side of the participants, the only difference is that this competition is around creative problem-solving rather than physical power. Participants are encouraged to think outside the box and innovate, motivated by the challenge and the potential recognition of their teammates’ strengths and also, the grand prize of the event. Hackathons create a meaningful team-building atmosphere as team members pool their skills and knowledge to reach a shared goal, where employees work with colleagues they rarely interact with, breaking down departmental or social group walls and forging stronger relationships. This collaborative environment sparks fresh ideas and perspectives, adding value to the creative process and leading to more innovative outcomes for the organisation.

Conclusion

While both hackathons and laser tag challenges offer fun and competition, the benefits of hackathons, these events create an inclusive, collaborative, and innovative environment that generates long-term benefits for both employees and the organisation. The fresh perspectives, strengthened bonds, and newly developed skill sets that participants gain directly impact the company’s future, making hackathons an invaluable investment for organisations seeking to nurture creativity and team spirit. Meanwhile, laser tag may provide a temporary burst of fun but lacks the depth and lasting influence that hackathons offer. When it comes to choosing between these two activities, the benefits of hackathons make them the clear winner.