Finance teams think differently. They operate on logic, structure, and high-stakes decision-making. But most team building activities ignore this. In this blog, you’ll discover why traditional formats fall short and how a city-based challenge like Saigon City Quest is redefining finance team building in Vietnam.
Why traditional team building fails for finance team
Most traditional team building activities are designed for general bonding. They focus on fun, novelty, or basic communication games. But finance professionals operate differently. Their daily work involves complex problem-solving, tight timelines, and high accountability. Activities like trust falls or escape rooms may be entertaining, but they rarely reflect the structured decision-making that finance teams excel at.
When team building feels disconnected from how people actually work, it becomes forgettable. Finance team building should not ignore the analytical mindset. It should use it as a foundation to build trust, improve collaboration, and strengthen communication in high-pressure moments. That’s what creates lasting impact.
What makes a strong finance team beyond numbers
High-performing finance teams do more than deliver accurate reports. They work across departments, respond quickly to shifting demands, and support critical decisions at every level. Yet many team building programs overlook the importance of trust, empathy, and shared leadership in finance.
Finance professionals often work in silos. Each person is focused on their own function, such as reporting, auditing, or budgeting, with little opportunity for cross-role connection. That is why finance team building should go deeper than icebreakers.
A strong finance team needs to:
- Break down invisible walls between roles
- Improve real-time group decision-making
- Build trust through shared high-stakes challenges
- Strengthen communication under pressure
These are not skills learned through training slides. They develop through experiences that reflect the uncertainty and intensity of real work, where roles shift, data is incomplete, and collaboration drives success.
What is Saigon City Quest?
Saigon City Quest is an outdoor finance team building activity in Ho Chi Minh City that transforms the urban landscape into a live-action strategic challenge. It is designed for professionals who think in systems, plan with precision, and thrive under pressure. These are the same qualities that define strong finance teams.
Teams use maps, historic photos, and limited instructions to navigate through Saigon’s streets. They move from major landmarks like the Independence Palace and Saigon Central Post Office to quiet alleyways known only to locals. Along the way, they interpret cultural clues, ask strangers for help, solve logic-based puzzles, and react quickly to unexpected changes.
What makes this experience stand out is how closely it mirrors the real dynamics of financial work. Participants must:
- Make fast decisions under pressure
- Manage limited time and incomplete information
- Shift leadership roles based on context
- Communicate clearly without assumptions
This is not just a sightseeing game. Saigon City Quest helps finance professionals sharpen the same skills they use at the office, but in a new environment where collaboration is tested and growth becomes visible.
Why Saigon City Quest works so well for finance teams
Saigon City Quest is more than a creative outing. It is a structured challenge that reflects the way finance teams think, communicate, and collaborate. Here is why it fits especially well:
- Solve like analysts
The activity is built around multi-layered, logic-based tasks. Teams must analyze, prioritize, and adapt in real time. It mirrors the kind of structured thinking finance teams already use daily, but in a more human and fast-paced environment. - Build trust through pressure
In finance roles, pressure often isolates individuals. In this activity, it encourages teamwork. Teams must divide tasks, rotate leadership, and make quick decisions without full information. These shared high-pressure moments lead to meaningful collaboration. - Flatten hierarchy and unlock new dynamics
When a CFO and a junior team member solve the same puzzle together, without relying on titles, traditional roles fade. The experience naturally creates space for new voices and healthier team dynamics. - Bridge strategy and human experience
Finance work is centered on numbers, but those numbers impact real people. By interacting with locals, solving cultural clues, and navigating unfamiliar streets, finance professionals reconnect strategy with empathy and real-world understanding.
This is finance team building that reflects real challenges, rewards strategic thinking, and encourages the human connection behind every number.
Finance teams that have chosen Saigon City Quest
Some of leading finance teams in Vietnam have already chosen Saigon City Quest as their go-to finance team building activity in Ho Chi Minh City. This is more than just a fun day out. It strengthens essential finance skills such as strategic thinking, collaboration under pressure, and cross-functional communication.
- January Capital
January Capital, a venture capital firm, selected Saigon City Quest to push their finance team through real-time decision-making. The activity promoted fast thinking, role flexibility, and communication beyond job titles. These are core abilities their team uses when evaluating investments.
- PwC Vietnam
PwC Vietnam experienced a customized program that blended Saigon City Quest with Jackfruit’s Impact Race. Their team tackled logic-based urban challenges and completed socially driven missions. This format reflected both their analytical mindset and their commitment to purpose-driven work.
Whether your team works in accounting, auditing, or corporate finance, Saigon City Quest offers a finance team building experience that mirrors the complexity and pace of real financial environments.
Measurable results from finance team building (without a spreadsheet)
Not every outcome from a finance team building activity needs to be tracked in numbers. But the impact of Saigon City Quest is clear. After joining, teams often return to the office with stronger trust, faster decision-making, and improved collaboration under pressure.
- Teams respond more quickly in uncertain situations
- Junior members speak up with greater confidence
- Silos between departments start to break down
- Shared leadership becomes more natural at every level
One participant described it as “deadline training disguised as an adventure.” The pressure feels real, and so does the growth. Finance professionals walk away with more than just a fun memory. They return with better habits that carry into every project, meeting, and financial report.
How to plan your finance team building day in Ho Chi Minh City
Planning a finance team building activity requires balancing engagement with schedule flexibility. Saigon City Quest is designed with this in mind. It fits groups from 15 to 250 people, runs between three to six hours, and requires no advance preparation from your team.
To avoid disruption, plan outside peak periods such as month-end close or audit weeks. Mid-quarter dates or Friday afternoons are often the most effective times, giving the team space to reconnect and recharge.
Jackfruit Adventure manages the entire experience. This includes:
- Bilingual facilitators and trained local guides
- All game props and materials
- Customizable start and end locations
- Prizes, food and drinks, and full insurance
If your team needs something different, Jackfruit also offers other finance team building formats. Impact Race focuses on social impact missions and problem solving. Castaway Island provides an off-site retreat with physical teamwork by the water. Or choose a customised team building experience to your department’s unique structure and goals.
More ideas are available in our full corporate team building activities guide.
Ready to rethink finance team building?
The strongest finance teams are not just accurate. They are adaptable, communicative, and united under pressure. Saigon City Quest brings all of that into one experience. Your team will think on their feet, shift roles naturally, and solve challenges that reflect real workplace dynamics. It is not just about bonding. It is about building the kind of trust and rhythm that lasts far beyond one afternoon.
If you are ready to move beyond generic icebreakers and give your finance team a challenge that actually matters, we are here to help.
