A new employee's first week is packed: getting a laptop, signing paperwork, learning processes, meeting the team lead. In week two they start real work, but still don't know who is who in the building. By month two, many still haven't talked to anyone outside their own department. They aren't hard to approach. They just haven't had the chance.
The real problem for newcomers
Bonding new hires isn't only about holding a fun event. The aim is to shorten the time between the day someone walks in and the day they feel they belong. That takes longer than HR usually expects, because relationships between departments only form when something forces people to work together.
Traditional welcome events, like a Monday gathering or an introduction lunch, tend to have two limits. Newcomers stand outside the existing group's circle, so they mostly listen and say little. And the meeting comes too early, when the newcomer is still worried about the job itself, so they can't remember who is who.
The best timing
There's no universal answer, but there's a window that usually works: after the second week and before the end of the first month. By then the newcomer knows a few names and understands their job, and is still new enough to feel like an outsider. A shared event at this point has the most effect.
Earlier, in the first week, they're overloaded. Later, in month three, they've formed their own circle, usually within the department.
If the company hires in cohorts, say ten to twenty people joining in the same month, a shared event is even more worthwhile. It creates a group of people who started at the same time and can support each other through the first months.
Why indoor kart racing fits
Kart racing has three features that suit this goal. It's short, about three hours in all, so it doesn't take up a whole workday. It has clear rules, so newcomers don't have to guess what is allowed. And it gives people a story to tell, something they can bring up in office conversations afterwards.
Infinity Racing is a three-level indoor kart track at Vincom Thao Dien, Thu Duc City. The track is 300 m long with 16 corners and, according to its introduction page, is hard enough for every skill level, so first-timers and experienced drivers run the same track. It's all indoors, so the weather doesn't matter.
The article on team building for people new to driving answers common questions from people who have never driven, and you can send it to new hires to read beforehand.
How to pair people
This part decides the outcome. If newcomers sit in a group of their own, they only meet more newcomers. Aim for three things.
- Each team has newcomers and longer-serving staff.
- Each team has people from at least two departments.
- Newcomers are not on the same team as their direct team lead.
The third may seem odd, but there's a reason. On the same team as their lead, newcomers tend to hold back and say less. On a different team, they have room to talk with people they'd otherwise rarely get to know.
Don't make anyone drive
The Infinity Racing introduction page says the package can be customized so every member of the group can take part, whether holding the wheel or cheering from outside. That matters especially for new hires. A newcomer may be shy, may have personal reasons, or may simply not feel comfortable yet. Give them another role, such as timekeeper, photographer or cheerer, and make sure nobody feels judged for choosing it.
Apply the race-first, drink-later rule properly too. Serve alcohol only once every heat has finished.
A three-hour structure
Here is a reference structure for a group of about 20 to 40 newcomers and existing staff.
- Welcome, name tags with name and department, safety briefing: 30 minutes.
- Practice round and main team rounds: 90 minutes, with people waiting in the warm-up area.
- Light food, free conversation, results: 45 minutes.
- Group photo and wrap-up: 15 minutes.
The light food at the end is the important part. That's when teammates talk the most, and when many relationships begin.
How to measure it
HR can track three simple indicators: how many newcomers say they got to know at least three people outside their department after the event, how many messages or conversations took place between departments in the following two weeks, and the resignation rate in the first 90 days compared with the previous cohort. The last one needs a long time to mean anything, but it's worth recording.
The article on measuring ROI after team building explains how in more detail.
Cost and booking
The operator's reference all-inclusive package runs from VND 70 to 100 million (about US$2,700 to 3,800), including kart racing, food and drink and entertainment, depending on group size and number of rounds. For groups under 20, the operator says it can still run the event, splitting heats sensibly so there's still a competitive feel.
To see the venue and get a quote for a group of new hires, visit the Infinity Racing page or send a quote request with your headcount and planned timing.
New hires won't remember the company rules they read in week one. They will remember for a long time who sat next to them in the first corner.