Cultivating Team Excellence

For team-building service providers, the ultimate goal is to offer tailored programmes that cultivate growth, uplift capabilities, build intelligent operators, develop leaders, and foster camaraderie. Arthur Woo, CEO and founder of team-building company ATAG, shares with Sarawak Tribune how he managed and built his company from scratch to its current success.

Adapting, thriving in team-building industry

An important aspect of a company is its work culture, which determines the workflow and efficiency in the long run. A healthy, tight-knit culture ensures strong teamwork, effective communication, and increased overall productivity.

Understanding this, team-building company ATAG highlights the importance of cultivating growth, uplifting capabilities, building intelligent operators, developing leaders, and fostering camaraderie through their tailored services in the industry.

Speaking with its founder and CEO, Arthur Woo, it is clear that the values highlighted above are also practiced at ATAG. He believes that continuously promoting improvements, leadership development, and a collaborative work culture is essential in today’s corporate landscape.

“By instilling these values, ATAG helps organisations build strong and effective teams,” Woo added.

Building the brand

Initially, ATAG was a brand selling archery tags, which Woo had developed with other business partners in 2015. However, the shift in focus from archery tags to team-building services in 2016 led the company to its current success.

According to the 29-year-old entrepreneur, this transition was sparked by the recognition of a broader market opportunity in corporate training.

“Our first large group booking was by Standard Chartered Bank, which booked archery tags for 35 pax. We then realised that nobody books paintball, go-karting, or laser tag two to three times a year — some not even once a year.”

This realisation led to the creation of multiple engaging team-building activities that benefit organisations by fostering teamwork and improving employee engagement.

“This motivated us to expand our offerings and focus exclusively on innovative team-building programmes.”

The team behind ATAG.

The importance of instilling team-building practices

Having served over 200 companies and hosted over 800 sessions for more than 50,000 participants, Woo’s team has grown from a solo entrepreneur and student to a full team of capable young professionals. The team-building company is also an HRD Corp Registered Training Provider and has received top ratings on Google and TripAdvisor.

ATAG has also won several awards, including the Global Student Entrepreneur Award 2019 and the Best Team Award 2019, both from the Entrepreneur’s Organisation, as well as the Best Team Building Provider Award by HR Vendors of the Year 2022.

Woo’s passion for team-building was ignited by his personal experiences hosting activities and witnessing their positive impact on clients.

“Team-building activities create an environment where individuals can develop essential skills like communication, trust, and collaboration. These experiences translate into the workplace by improving overall dynamics and fostering a culture of mutual respect and understanding.

“When employees engage in team-building, they learn to work together more effectively, leading to enhanced productivity and a stronger sense of community within the organisation. This not only boosts morale but also drives better business outcomes, as a cohesive team is more likely to achieve its goals and overcome challenges,” he added.

Ever-evolving amidst advancements

With its adaptability to technological advancements, ATAG maintains its stature in the industry by continually evolving with trends. In explaining this, Woo noted that team-building isn’t limited to physical activities alone. Instead, by adopting technological methods, engagement can extend beyond traditional boundaries.

He further explained that technology provides tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and engagement among employees, especially in remote and hybrid work environments.

“The advancement of technology allows us to create dynamic, scalable team-building programmes that adapt to various business needs. Advanced technologies like virtual reality and AI-enabled platforms enhance the overall experience, making it more interactive and effective,” he said.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, ATAG has provided team-building services for Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), including virtual sessions during the recent pandemic lockdown. They also conducted in-person team-building activities in Kuala Lumpur and Malacca for SEB last year.

With flexibility as ATAG’s strength, Woo disclosed that they integrated virtual sessions such as Murder Mystery, Escape Rooms, and Amazing Race by leveraging advanced digital platforms and virtual reality technologies.

“The sessions are organised on video conference platforms such as Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meet, and WebEx via breakout room functions. This allows us to create immersive, interactive team-building experiences that can be accessed remotely. We tailor these sessions to meet the specific needs of international clients, ensuring they receive the same level of engagement and effectiveness as in-person activities.”

The future of ATAG

By expanding its platforms internationally, ATAG aims to establish a presence in markets such as Indonesia and China. The company also hopes to develop a comprehensive online platform for continuous team development and focus on sustainability and community involvement through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.

“Our ultimate vision is to create seamless, integrated team-building solutions that cater to both virtual and hybrid work environments. We aim to leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver immersive experiences that foster teamwork, enhance communication, and build strong organisational cultures. By continuously innovating and adapting to the changing work landscape, we strive to support companies in achieving their team-building goals effectively.”