Let’s be honest – most people hear the words team building and immediately picture awkward icebreakers, lukewarm coffee, and someone trying to force “fun” in a windowless room. It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, a good corporate team building day can do wonders for morale, connection, and even productivity no matter what business or industry you’re involved in. The key? Planning something that fits your team, rather than something that ticks a generic HR box.
Here’s how to do it properly—no jargon, no gimmicks, just solid ideas and real-world advice.
Why Bother With A Team Building Day Anyway?
Since Covid and all the ensuing lockdowns, the world has changed. More people work from home, friendships have lapsed because people couldn’t meet up and many festivals and regular gatherings failed to recover from the impact and disappeared from the calendar. Skittles leagues have told us the number of teams now participating has inevitably fallen during those rocky times. But like many events in life, these things sometimes have a renaissance when new, younger members discover the fun of nine pins, an alley, a ball in one hand and a pint of beer in the other. And suddenly you’re building a new team.
Regular Teams don’t connect through spreadsheets and Slack messages. They connect by doing something together—something outside the normal day-to-day. A well-planned corporate team building day gives people a chance to break out of their roles, relax a bit, and build actual relationships. Does that sound suspiciously like a game of skittles? We think it does!
It’s not about forcing people to be friends. It’s about creating shared experiences that build trust, encourage collaboration, and remind everyone they’re part of something bigger than their to-do list.
What Makes A Team Building Day Work?
It’s not about reinventing the wheel. The best office team building ideas usually strike a balance between structured activity and time to just be people—not job titles.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Keep it inclusive. Not everyone loves sport. Not everyone loves improv.
- Give people space to chat. Don’t overfill the schedule.
- Make it fun, but don’t force it.
- Suggest a game of skittles – easy rules, accessible to all ages!
And for the love of Friday deadlines, don’t make everyone do trust falls. Who needs to get involved in risk assessments? And the fall-out if it all goes a bit wrong.
Top Office Team Building Ideas That Aren’t Boring
You don’t always have to leave the office to create a great team day. As well as the wonderful world of skittles, here are some low-key but high-reward ideas:
- Cook-Off Challenge: Pair up, pick a recipe, and see who can plate up the best lunch
- Creative Hour: Think paint, Lego, or even build-a-brand-from-scratch challenges.
- Desk Safari: Look it up. It’s ridiculous. And yes, it works
- Reverse Presentations: Let the interns teach the managers something for once.
The trick is to keep it light and optional. The best connections often happen during the laughs between tasks, not in the tasks themselves.
Ideas For Getting Out Of The Office
Sometimes, what your team really needs is a total change of scene. That’s where an offsite day—or better yet, a weekend—comes in. Whether you go full-on adventure or low-key coastal retreat, the chance to eat, drink, and laugh together outside of the office is gold dust.
Funnily enough that sounds like a weekend away with Serious About Events!
Sometimes, what your team really needs is to get out of the office altogether. A change of scene, a breath of fresh air, and a chance to just be people again—not job titles or meeting fatigue in human form.
At Serious About Events, that the best kind of team bonding doesn’t come from structured workshops or forced activities. It comes from laughter. From doing something a bit daft together. From playing games you haven’t touched since your school days—and realising they’re still just as fun now.
Skittles is a solid favourite. It’s nostalgic, easy to pick up, and completely levels the playing field. You don’t need skill, just a bit of enthusiasm. And somehow, someone always manages to throw it backwards. You’ll be an overnight success if you can demonstrate the Dorset flopper.
Darts is another go-to. Or quizzes, especially if you mix in some ridiculous rounds (name that 90s TV theme is a classic). There’s something about light competition that brings people together, especially when it’s low-stakes and half the points are made up anyway.
Those are the moments that stick. That become running jokes, in-jokes, or the kind of stories that people actually remember when they’re back at their desks or normality on Monday. And really, that’s the point.
How To Organise A Team Building Day Without Eye Rolls
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that trying to plan a group event without proper support is a shortcut to burnout. When it comes to how to plan a corporate team building day, here’s my honest advice:
- Ask the team what they want—but don’t over-democratise it.
- Pick something that works for the majority. You won’t please everyone, and that’s fine.
- Wrap everything into one plan—less stress, fewer loose ends.
- Trust a provider that actually gets group dynamics.
No one wants to feel like they’ve been dragged into something. But get the vibe right? People will be asking when the next one is.
Why Serious About Events Works For Corporate Groups
At Serious About Events, we’ve hosted groups of all shapes and sizes—teams from big corporates to small businesses, all looking for something relaxed, inclusive, and already planned.
We handle the lot. Comfortable coastal venues, great food, entertainment, optional games, and flexible travel options. No spreadsheets, no late-night logistics panics. And absolutely no death by Powerpoint. Just a ready-made team day (or weekend) that people actually look forward to.
We’ve seen first-hand what happens when you give people space to let their guard down. They laugh more. They listen more. And yep, they work better together afterwards.
Let’s Get Planning
So if you’ve been asked to sort the next corporate team building day, or you’re hunting for genuinely good office team building ideas, now’s the time to ditch the awkward stuff and plan something people will actually talk about—in a good way.
Want help pulling it off? We’ve got the venue, the food, the games, and the team to make it easy. Just say the word.
