Corporate Team Building: How to Choose the Right Activity for Your Team

Choosing the right corporate team-building activity isn’t always as simple as picking the event that looks the most fun. 

With hundreds of activities available, businesses need to consider what their goal for the event is. The best team-building event should suit your people, your objectives, your venue and the experience you want to create. 

Using our brand new Event finder you can narrow down your event goal and find the perfect event for you, choosing between Teamwork, Mental, Physical, Entertainment and Business impact. 

At EML, we believe there isn’t one “best” corporate team building activity. There is only the right activity for your team and your objectives. 

So, where should you start? 

1.Think About the Skills You Want to Develop

Corporate team building can provide an opportunity to develop a wide range of workplace skills. 

Consider which areas are most relevant to your organisation. 

Leadership 

Look for activities that require participants to take responsibility, delegate tasks and make decisions. 

Creativity 

Creative challenges can encourage teams to experiment, generate ideas and approach problems differently. 

Problem-Solving 

Puzzle-based and strategy activities can test reasoning, analysis and the ability to find solutions under pressure. 

Resource Management 

Construction and business simulation activities can require teams to work within limited budgets, materials or resources. 

Adaptability 

Activities that introduce unexpected changes can demonstrate how teams respond when their original plan no longer works. 

Resilience 

Competitive challenges can put participants under pressure and reveal how individuals and teams respond to setbacks. 

The most effective activities often develop several of these skills at once. 

2.Consider Your Team’s Size

Group size can have a significant impact on which corporate team building activity will work best. 

An activity that works brilliantly for 20 people may need a completely different format for 200. 

For larger groups, consider whether the event allows everyone to participate meaningfully rather than having some people waiting around. 

Activities can often be structured into smaller teams, allowing multiple groups to compete simultaneously while working towards an overall result. 

For example, EML regularly delivers events for large groups, including bespoke experiences and activities designed specifically to accommodate hundreds of participants. 

When choosing an event, don’t just ask: 

“Can it accommodate our numbers?” 

Ask: 

“Can it keep everyone engaged?” 

3. Decide How Physical You Want the Event to Be

Not every team wants an obstacle course. 

Equally, not every team wants to sit around solving puzzles. 

Consider the physical requirements of your group and the type of experience you want to create. 

Some activities are highly physical, while others are predominantly mental or creative. 

This is particularly important when considering: 

• Accessibility  

• Fitness levels  

• Age ranges  

• Injuries or physical limitations  

• Clothing requirements  

• Venue restrictions  

• Employee preferences  

A successful corporate team building event should challenge people appropriately without creating unnecessary barriers to participation. 

4. Indoor or Outdoor?

Your venue and the time of year can influence your decision. 

Indoor Team Building 

Indoor activities provide greater protection from the British weather and can be particularly effective for conferences, winter events and venues with limited outdoor space. 

Outdoor Team Building 

Outdoor activities can provide a greater sense of adventure and are ideal for organisations wanting employees to get outside, move around and experience something different. 

Depending on the activity, outdoor events can develop: 

Neither is inherently better. 

The right choice depends on your objectives, participants and circumstances. 

5. Don’t Forget the Venue

Your venue needs to work for both your team and your chosen activity. 

Before booking, consider: 

• Available space  

• Room layout  

• Accessibility  

• Parking  

• Catering  

• AV facilities  

• Breakout spaces  

• Noise restrictions  

• Setup and breakdown requirements  

If you’re already working with a venue, an experienced team building provider can help determine which activities are suitable for the available space. 

6. Consider Your Audience

A team building event should feel appropriate for the people taking part. 

Think about whether your employees are likely to respond well to: 

• Competition  

• Physical challenges  

• Creative activities  

• Puzzles  

• Strategy  

• Performance  

• Outdoor adventure  

• Novel or unusual tasks  

It’s also worth considering whether the participants already know one another. 

An event for a newly formed team may have different requirements from an established department that has worked together for years. 

7. Don’t Be Afraid to Go Bespoke

Sometimes an existing activity simply isn’t the right fit. 

That’s where a bespoke corporate team building event can provide an alternative. 

Instead of taking a standard activity and trying to make it fit, the event can be designed around your organisation. 

This could involve: 

• Your industry  

• Your business objectives  

• Your company values  

• A particular theme  

• A workplace challenge  

• A specific skill set  

• Your conference content  

EML has created bespoke experiences specifically around individual client requirements. 

For example, when Nordex approached EML wanting an activity focused on health and safety within the context of turbine manufacturing, EML created a bespoke event called Turbine Trouble around those requirements. 

This is a great example of how corporate team building can be tailored rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. 

8. Think About the Overall Event Experience

The activity is only one part of the day. 

Think about how it fits into the wider event. 

For a conference, you might use a shorter activity to break up presentations and re-energise delegates. 

For an away day, you might build the entire day around a team building challenge. 

For a company celebration, the activity could sit alongside food, entertainment and awards. 

The best format depends on what you’re trying to achieve. 

So, Which Corporate Team Building Activity Is Right for You? 

There isn’t a universal answer. 

The right corporate team building activity depends on a combination of factors: 

Your objective. 

Your people. 

Your group size. 

Your venue. 

Your desired level of physicality. 

The skills you want to develop. 

Your budget. 

And the overall experience you want to create. 

Rather than choosing an activity simply because it looks entertaining, start by deciding what you want your team to experience and achieve. 

From there, you can find an activity that delivers against those requirements. 

Choose Corporate Team Building With Purpose 

At EML, we offer a wide range of corporate team building activities and events, from competitive challenges and creative experiences to indoor and outdoor events and completely bespoke programmes. 

Our five-attribute scoring matrix helps clients understand the strengths of different activities across Teamwork, Mental, Physical, Entertainment and Business Impact. 

That means we can help you choose an event based on what you actually want to achieve. 

Because the best corporate team building event isn’t necessarily the biggest, most expensive or most popular activity. 

It’s the one that’s right for your team. 

Check out our brand new event finder tool, and find the right event for you. 

Need something specific? Get in touch, and let’s plan something bespoke to your team!