Choosing the right outdoor team building event can make all the difference to your company’s away day or corporate event. The right activity will bring people together, strengthen workplace relationships and leave employees feeling motivated long after the day is over.
However, with so many options available, it’s important to select an event that aligns with your objectives rather than simply choosing the most popular activity.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to choose the perfect outdoor team-building event for your business and highlight the factors that should influence your decision.
Start with Your Objectives
Before choosing an activity, ask yourself one simple question:
What do we want our team to gain from this experience?
Common objectives include:
- Improving soft skills
- Building trust
- Developing leadership skills
- Rewarding employees
- Supporting graduate development
- Bringing together hybrid teams
- Celebrating company success
Having a clear objective will help narrow down the most suitable activities.
Consider Your Group Size
Some events are designed for smaller leadership teams, while others work best with hundreds of participants.
Large conferences often benefit from activities such as:
Smaller teams may prefer more intimate problem-solving or creative challenges.
Choosing an activity that suits your numbers helps ensure everyone stays engaged.
Think About Your Venue
Your venue will influence which activities are available.
Open spaces are ideal for large-scale outdoor events, while city centres lend themselves perfectly to scavenger hunts and Race Across the World experiences.
If you’re planning a conference, consider activities that can take place directly outside the venue to maximise convenience.
Match the Activity to Your Team
No two teams are the same.
Some groups thrive on physical challenges, while others prefer creative or strategic activities.
A balanced event allows different personalities and skill sets to shine, ensuring everyone can contribute regardless of experience or ability.
Inclusive events generally produce the strongest outcomes.
Plan for the British Weather
Outdoor events don’t need to stop because of the weather.
Working with an experienced provider means contingency plans can be put in place if conditions change, allowing the event to continue safely and successfully.
Flexibility is an important part of successful event planning.
Consider Your Budget
A successful event isn’t necessarily the most expensive one.
Instead, focus on choosing an activity that delivers value by supporting your wider business objectives.
An engaging event that improves communication, collaboration and employee engagement often provides long-term benefits that far outweigh the initial investment.
Should You Choose a Bespoke Event?
Sometimes an off-the-shelf activity isn’t enough.
Bespoke outdoor team-building events allow businesses to tailor the experience around their industry, company values or organisational challenges.
Whether you’re reinforcing leadership, promoting sustainability or supporting organisational change, a bespoke event creates a more meaningful experience for participants.
Popular Outdoor Team Building Events
Some of EML’s most popular outdoor experiences include:
- Squad Games – Based on the hit TV show, you’ll work your way through a series of reimagined school yard classics
- Scrapheap Challenge – Team up and build a working catapult, and shoot your way to victory!
- Soapbox Derby – Design, build and race your own soapbox while developing communication and creativity.
- Scavenger Hunt – Interactive exploration that encourages problem-solving and local discovery.
- Bee Hotels – A sustainability-focused activity where teams create habitats for pollinators while supporting CSR goals.
Each activity develops different workplace skills, making it important to choose one that supports your organisation’s objectives.
Why Work with EML?
At EML, we know that every organisation is different.
That’s why we take the time to understand your goals before recommending an activity. Whether you’re planning a company away day, annual conference or employee celebration, we deliver outdoor team-building events that are engaging, inclusive and tailored to your business.
Our experienced facilitators ensure every event runs smoothly, allowing your team to focus on enjoying the experience and developing valuable workplace skills.
Pick your Outdoor Event
The best outdoor team-building event isn’t simply the most exciting one, it’s the one that helps your people achieve meaningful outcomes.
By considering your objectives, group size, venue and business goals, you can choose an event that strengthens relationships, improves communication and creates a memorable experience for everyone involved.
If you’re planning your next corporate event, EML can help you find the perfect outdoor team-building activity to suit your team, your budget and your objectives.
With over two decades in corporate team building, I’m Co-founder and Lead Facilitator at EML Team Building. We help organisations strengthen collaboration through innovative, engaging, and outcome-driven experiences.
Since 2000, I’ve worked with 6,000+ teams from globally recognised organisations—including American Express, Deloitte, and Danone—designing and delivering tailored events that build trust, improve communication, and elevate performance.
I believe in collaboration that works—sessions designed to be business-relevant, energising, and immediately useful back at the desk.
