The ultimate goal of a business is to get a return on its investment – this is no different when planning a corporate event.
F1 Boston takes that approach in providing hands-on training and practice for communication skills, leadership development and team building that will have your employees looking forward to going to work the next day, said Glen Ransden, marketing director of F1 Boston, an indoor kart racing facility in Braintree, Mass.
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This can all be accomplished with a heart-pounding race around the track with your co-workers. Cars travel between 35 and 40 mph, which equates to going nearly 80 mph on the track.
“If you really get someone’s adrenaline pumping, they will remember it,” said Ransden.
F1 Boston has eight meeting rooms for 10 to more than 650 people, two European indoor kart-racing tracks, complete on-site catering, specialized programs for all group needs and audio-visual equipment for meeting presentations.
Nearly 80 percent of the business at F1 is from corporate functions. More than 1,100 companies book programs there each year with many going back for numerous events each year, said Ransden.
The facility is also used for product launches, trade shows and client entertaining. The hands-on approach is ideal for building team spirit and motivating a group, said Ransden.
There are three kinds of programs that an employer can plan, he said: observatory, like a ballgame or a speech; semi-participatory, like golf where a person only interacts with a few people; or fully participatory, in which everyone is part of what’s going on.
At F1 Boston, everyone who is able to participate in the office can take part in the experience, he said.
“People are emotionally and physically involved,” said Ransden. Participants can “stretch their imagination,” he said.
Most employers are looking for something other than the normal golf outings or the hotel presentations, said Ransden. People from all over New England go to get the F1 Boston experience.
All outings are personalized for the individual needs and goals of a company, said Ransden.
F1 Boston provides training and a safety briefing for each rider before they hit the gas pedal for a racing experience on the professionally designed tracks. Drivers are outfitted with racing suits, helmets and neck braces.
Companies often hold endurance races that test the teamwork ability of co-workers for a race, which can last an hour or longer. Employees are split into teams and are challenged to complete the most amount of laps in the allotted time while allowing everyone the opportunity to drive.
