A Team Day Out. A Team Day. Read: a day of uncertainty for the participants, and 2 staff members who organise everything and keep it strictly secret.
Every year, the doubt grows in the lead-up to that Team Day Out. What are they going to throw at us this time? Are we going to get dirty, soaked? Are we staying in the area or are we heading out? Is muscle power needed or rather brainpower? In previous editions, the focus was on height (wall climbing) and depth (diving), so we wonder what awaits us this year. The guesses are flying back and forth in the WhatsApp group, and the many GIFs reveal both the fun and the nervousness.
And then the moment arrives. We head to Poperinge with the whole group and receive a crash course in Offroad E-scootering with GPS. The batteries are fully charged, the GPS is set up. All we have to do is give it some throttle, but it soon becomes clear that more is needed than just a push on the accelerator. Steering skills and balance are at least equally important! The cornfields rush past us, the mud splashes up, and a few individuals dive into the scenery. After about 30 kilometres on both paved and unpaved tracks, we reach the finish line and crave a bite to eat.
After lunch, the brainpower takes charge. We are locked in an escape room, and each team member plays their role. The thinkers think, the seekers search, and a few calculate sums on a board. The hour we are given is not even needed: we escape from the room after a display of teamwork in just under 49 minutes. Escape mission accomplished, but team day not yet accomplished…
The speed of the E-mountain scooter (or whatever you call such a thing) pales in comparison to the next challenge: we are challenged to show how much we love speed at the Poperinge kart circuit. After a qualifying session, the starting positions on the grid are allocated and the race begins. We focus on accelerating, braking in time, and steering in. One person does not shy away from risks and tears along the tyre wall, while another takes their foot off the accelerator in time and lets the racer through. And a few even hit the brakes to have yet another little duel with their follower...
We are gradually finding our peace again at dinner, and after countless colourful table stories, we can conclude that it was a successful day. Thank you to the organisers, thank you to the participants, thank you to the entire Conics team!