30 Sep Culinary expedition – Key moments in the employee journey
What route do you take with your team?
Every employee makes a unique journey within an organisation where they work: the employee journey. From the first meeting to the farewell, this journey consists of several key moments that greatly influence employee motivation, commitment and performance. A positive performance or great financial result is not blissful if the road leading up to it is full of negative experiences. That is why it is more than important to invest in the journey you are all part of. But which moments are really important? And how can you capitalise on them as an employer or team lead? Apart from individual attention, team activities play an important role in the employee journey.
We list a few:
- Onboarding: first impressions count
A new employee’s first days and weeks are crucial. This is the moment when someone feels welcome (or not) and gets to know the company’s culture. A warm welcome can set the tone for a long-term and successful collaboration.
What you can do: Organise an informal lunch or joint dinner once in a while to introduce new colleagues to the team in a relaxed setting and also get to know each other better.
- Team development: building trust
At every stage of a team’s development, it is important to take time for connection and collaboration. Whether it is a new group that still needs to get to know each other or an experienced team in need of renewed energy, the right activities can make a world of difference. People sometimes need off-time from the office. Beware of bland team outings, but consider inspiring activities. This in turn gives room for conversations and new insights with each other.
What you can do: Plan a culinary expedition, such as a wild-picking walk or a cycling tour of local producers. These activities not only offer a moment of relaxation, but also encourage cooperation and inspiration. If necessary, add themes and tasks that apply to the team or the goals you have with each other. Such as circularity, sustainability. Or apply a brainstorming technique along the way to come up with ideas together to achieve a particular goal.
- Celebrate successes: a moment of recognition
Success needs to be celebrated – big or small. These are the moments when, as a team, you can reflect on achievements and gain energy for new challenges.
What you can do: Organise drinks, a tasting or a joint cooking event where you reflect together on the team success. It is then also important to highlight the contributions of employees in particular. This too can be creatively implemented in a culinary programme, so that this memory will be extra memorable.
Another idea: Do you want to show the strength of your team and the qualities you have together? Have everyone characterise each other’s personality using ingredients and explain this. This will create a nice culinary blueprint of your team.
- In adversity: getting stronger together
Not every stage of the employee journey is positive. In the event of setbacks or change, it is important to come together as a team and support each other.
What you can do: Commit to activities that bring peace and connection, such as a tea ceremony or a joint dinner where there is room for conversation and reflection. There are great conversation methods and exercises you can apply in this setting.
- Farewell: a nice closing
When an employee leaves, it is important to say goodbye in a positive way. This is not only a token of appreciation, but also contributes to a good employer image. So just as important for the leaver as for the stayers!
What you can do: Organise a joint dinner or a tasting as a thank you for the departing colleague’s commitment and contribution.
Bonus tip: “Ordinary days or things” – the no-reason dinner 😉. Sometimes it is actually wise not to focus on goals, team building or other performance-related actions for a while. Surprise your team spontaneously with an outing or dinner. Just because it is unexpected and you do it simply to give them something nice, it can have a lot of impact.”
Food connects
At Eat2Gather, we believe that eating together is a powerful way to connect. Whether it’s getting to know new colleagues, celebrating a milestone or strengthening group dynamics, culinary activities bring people closer together. Our activities are not only about enjoyment, but also about discovery and inspiration. Cooking, tasting or walking together creates conversations that go beyond the workplace and lays the foundation for strong relationships.