Vestas' Real Estate & Facilities Management team leaders came together in Chennai from India and China. They had already spent two days in training and two days in business meetings. The last thing they needed was another high-energy programme. So we designed the opposite.
Knowing when to slow down
Great engagement is not always loud. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can give a team is space: time to walk, talk, eat well and simply enjoy each other's company. The REFM annual outing was built around that idea. No pressure, no scoreboards. Just Chennai's history, food and craft, shared at an easy pace.
A culture, introduced by the people who live it
The day travelled down the East Coast Road through living heritage: the traditional homes, crafts and folk arts of South India, and the 1,300-year-old stone temples and carvings of Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the sea.
The most important design choice was who told the stories. The India team hosted their colleagues from China, introducing their own culture, their own food and their own history. Guests became friends. Colleagues became hosts.
The best way to understand a colleague is to see the world they come from.
Across cultures, not around them
Teams that span countries spend most of their time on calls, translating priorities and time zones. A shared day like this changes the relationship. Sitting down to an authentic South Indian meal together, laughing over tender coconut by the roadside, pausing by the Shore Temple as the sea breeze comes in: these are the moments that build the trust behind every future conversation.
Light play, lasting warmth
The afternoon closed with a few gentle, easy-going games on the resort lawn and a relaxed hi-tea before the drive back. The team went home full of stories, photographs and a genuine feel for the city, and for each other.
That is Us in our I to We to Us philosophy: shared experiences that turn a cross-border group of leaders into one team.
Hosting colleagues from overseas, or simply looking for a corporate team outing near Chennai that isn't another resort day? We design outings with meaning, alongside our team building programmes. Let's plan yours.
