Team Building Events
What makes a good team building event, and how do you plan one?
A team building event is time set aside for a group of colleagues to work, play or learn together, so they trust each other and collaborate more easily afterwards. It can be a workshop, a game, a volunteer day, an offsite or a short activity inside a meeting. What matters is that people do something together instead of sitting through a presentation.
Many team building events disappoint because they are chosen for the organizer's taste and not the team's. This guide helps you start from the goal and the group, pick a format that fits, plan it step by step, and ask afterwards whether it worked. It gives no results figures: whether an event helps depends on the team and what happens after it.
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Start with the goal, then pick the event
Different problems need different events. Decide what you want to be better afterwards, then use the table to find a format:
| Goal | Formats that fit | Works in person | Works remotely |
|---|---|---|---|
| New teammates get to know each other | Icebreaker rounds, speed networking, shared lunch | Yes | Yes |
| Build trust | Volunteer day, shared challenge, offsite | Yes | Partly |
| Improve communication | Skills workshop, problem-solving game, retrospective | Yes | Yes |
| Reward and recognize | Celebration, awards night, team dinner | Yes | Yes |
| Connect departments | Cross-team trivia, innovation day, speed networking | Yes | Yes |
| Plan together | Offsite workshop, strategy day, hackathon | Yes | Partly |
Team building event ideas
Choose from these, and adjust the length and difficulty to the group:
Trivia with a leaderboard
Mixed teams answer questions on their phones while a leaderboard updates. Writes its own competition, and mixes departments.
Trivia and leaderboardsCross-team speed networking
Short timed conversations with a prompt for each round, so new hires, remote staff and other departments meet people they would not otherwise talk to.
Speed networkingVolunteer day
A day with a charity the team picks. Shared work for a cause is a gentler way to build trust than a competitive game.
Escape room or puzzle hunt
Small teams solve puzzles under a time limit. Keep groups to a size where everyone has something to do.
Cooking or craft workshop
A hands-on session led by an instructor, in person or by video with ingredients or materials sent in advance.
Innovation day or hackathon
Small teams spend a day on a real problem and present to leadership. Commit beforehand to acting on at least one idea.
Walking meeting or outdoor day
A low-cost option: a walk, a picnic or a park day with no agenda beyond talking.
Remote and hybrid activities
Online trivia, virtual roundtables, shared playlists, show-and-tell or a quiz run across offices at the same time.
Virtual event ideas
How to plan a team building event, step by step
A simple team event can be planned in two to four weeks; an offsite needs two to three months.
Define the goal and the group
Write one sentence: who attends and what should be different afterwards. Note how many people, where they are and any needs the event must respect.
Ask the team
A short poll on the kind of activity people would enjoy, and what they dislike, avoids choosing something that excludes people.
Set the date, the length and the budget
Hold it in work time when you can. Avoid peak delivery weeks, and check holidays and time zones.
Choose an inclusive format
Check for physical ability, dietary needs, religion, caring duties and people who prefer quiet. Offer a way to take part at each person's comfort level.
Book the venue, platform or provider
Confirm the space, the equipment, the facilitator and the accessibility details. Have a wet-weather or technical backup.
Invite and register people
Send a clear invitation with the purpose, the time, what to wear or bring and how to opt out of any part.
Run it
Welcome people, explain the activity, mix the groups on purpose, keep time and stay out of the way once it is moving.
Follow up
Ask for feedback within a day or two, share a few photos or highlights, and act on at least one thing you heard.
Team building event budget lines
List costs next to the headcount so you can compare options. Enter your own quotes; the lines below are what to ask each provider about.
| Line | What it covers | Ask the provider |
|---|---|---|
| Venue or platform | A room, an outdoor space or the online tool | Capacity, access, what is included |
| Facilitator or activity provider | An instructor, host or game operator | Group size, duration, what they bring |
| Food and drink | Meals, snacks, dietary options | Per-head cost and dietary choices |
| Materials and kits | Supplies, shipped kits for remote staff | Lead time and delivery to each location |
| Transport | Travel to a venue or an offsite | Group transport and accessibility |
| Prizes or gifts | Small recognition for winners or all | Keep it modest and optional |
| Contingency | Anything that goes wrong | Hold some budget back |
A feedback form you can copy
Send it the day after the event and keep it short. Ask what to repeat as well as what to change, and let people answer anonymously.
Team event feedback form
TEAM EVENT FEEDBACK Event: [name and date] 1. How did you feel about taking part? (Very comfortable / Comfortable / Neutral / Uncomfortable) 2. Did the event make it easier to talk to people you do not usually work with? (Yes / A little / No) 3. What was the best part? 4. What would you change? 5. Was there anything that made it hard for you to take part (timing, location, activity, food, access)? 6. What kind of event would you like next? (Active / Creative / Learning / Social / Volunteering / Other) 7. Anything else you would like us to know? The answers are anonymous. We will share what we heard and what we will change.
What Eventdex does and does not do for team events
Eventdex is not a team-building platform: it does not supply activities, facilitators or team-bonding programs. Its pages describe event management software, and several parts of it are useful when a team event is organized as a real event with registration and sessions.
Registration and invitations
A branded registration page with questions such as dietary needs, confirmation emails and guest lists, for company events of any size.
Event registration softwareTrivia and leaderboards
In-app trivia, points and a live leaderboard, which organizers can use at a company event or a conference.
Trivia and leaderboardsSpeed networking
Short matched conversation rounds online, which suit connecting people across teams and offices.
Speed networkingSurveys afterwards
Collect feedback after the event and use it to plan the next one.
Event survey softwareCorporate events
How Eventdex is used for company meetings, conferences and corporate events.
Corporate events
The Eventdex platform
Run team events as organized events
- Registration and invitationsBranded pages, questions and confirmations.Learn more about Registration and invitations
- Trivia and leaderboardsQuizzes and live rankings.Learn more about Trivia and leaderboards
- Speed networkingShort matched rounds online.Learn more about Speed networking
- Surveys and feedbackPost-event feedback in one place.Learn more about Surveys and feedback
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University at Buffalo
Eversource Energy
Georgia Tech
Influence Communications
FAQ
Team Building Events: common questions
What counts as a team building event?
Any planned activity where colleagues do something together to build trust or communication: a game, a workshop, a volunteer day, an offsite or a short activity at the start of a meeting.
How long should a team building event be?
As long as the goal needs. A short icebreaker takes ten minutes, a workshop or game one to three hours, and an offsite a day or more. Shorter and well run beats longer and tiring.
How do you run team building for a remote team?
Use activities designed for video: trivia, show-and-tell, roundtables, shared challenges or a workshop with kits sent in advance. Keep sessions short and give everyone a way to speak.
Should team building events be mandatory?
Hold them in work time and let people opt out of any part they are uncomfortable with. Pressure to join an activity outside work hours tends to lower trust, not raise it.
Does Eventdex offer team building activities?
No. Eventdex is event management software. It can handle registration, trivia and leaderboards, speed networking and surveys for a team event, but it does not provide facilitators or activity programs.
Organize your next company event on Eventdex
Start with a free interactive floor plan, or talk to an event specialist on +1 (866) 434-5088.