How We Measure the Impact of Our Events

Not all team-building events are designed to achieve the same thing. 

Some activities are highly competitive and physical. Others challenge teams to think strategically, solve complex problems or work creatively under pressure. Some are primarily designed to bring people together and have fun, while others are specifically structured to create meaningful business outcomes. 

So how do you decide which corporate team building event is right for your organisation? 

At EML, we use a five-attribute scoring matrix to assess our events. Each activity is scored from 1 to 5 across five agreed attributes: 

• Teamwork 

• Mental 

• Physical 

• Entertainment 

• Business Impact 

The purpose isn’t to identify a single “best” event. Instead, the matrix helps us understand what each activity is designed to deliver and allows us to match the right experience to the client’s objectives. 

Why Use a Team Building Scoring Matrix? 

Choosing a team-building activity based purely on whether it looks entertaining can be a mistake. 

An activity that works brilliantly for a summer celebration might not be the right choice for a leadership development programme. Similarly, an event that provides an excellent opportunity for strategic thinking might not be the best fit if the primary objective is to build comradery between teams or integrate new hires. 

Our scoring matrix provides a straightforward way of looking beyond the activity itself. 

It helps answer questions such as: 

Does this event require genuine teamwork? 

How mentally challenging is it? 

How physically demanding will participants find it? 

Is it primarily designed for entertainment? 

And, most importantly, can it create a meaningful business impact? 

By considering all five areas, clients can make a more informed decision about which event is right for their people and their objectives. 

The Five EML Scoring Attributes

Teamwork

Score: 1–5 

Our Teamwork score measures the extent to which an activity tests communication, collaboration and the behaviours associated with high-performing teams. 

A lower score doesn’t mean an activity has no teamwork involved. It simply means that participants can potentially complete the activity with less reliance on one another. 

A high Teamwork score indicates that success depends heavily on participants working together. 

This might involve: 

• Sharing information 

• Delegating responsibilities 

• Listening to different perspectives 

• Coordinating activities 

• Building trust 

• Managing different strengths 

• Working towards a shared objective 

High-scoring activities are particularly useful when an organisation wants to explore how teams operate together rather than simply provide an entertaining experience. 

For example, an activity where every participant has an individual task but the final result depends on combining those contributions such as Big Picture can provide a valuable demonstration of how individual performance contributes to wider team success. 

 Mental

Score: 1–5 

The Mental score looks at how cerebral and intellectually demanding an activity is. 

This includes the level of reasoning, analysis and problem-solving required to complete the challenge. 

High-scoring mental activities might require teams to: 

• Analyse information 

• Identify patterns 

• Solve complex puzzles 

• Develop strategies 

• Make decisions with incomplete information 

• Think critically 

• Adapt their approach when something doesn’t work 

This category is particularly relevant for organisations looking to develop problem-solving, strategic thinking, decision-making and critical thinking. 

It can also reveal how teams behave when faced with uncertainty or time pressure. 

Do they rush into action? Do they stop and analyse the situation? Do they listen to different ideas? Do they develop a strategy before committing resources? 

These behaviours can provide useful insight into how people approach challenges in the workplace. Events like Escape room game encompass this metric perfectly.

Physical

Score: 1–5 

The Physical score represents the level of physicality required to participate in the activity. 

This can range from activities requiring very little physical movement through to high-energy challenges involving running, construction, coordination or physical tasks. 

A physical score can be useful when considering: 

• Accessibility 

• Fitness levels 

• Age ranges 

• Venue suitability 

• Inclusivity 

• Health and safety requirements 

A high physical score isn’t necessarily better than a low one. 

The important question is whether the level of physicality is appropriate for the group. 

For example, an organisation may want an energetic outdoor event that gets everyone moving, while another client may require an activity suitable for a conference audience wearing business attire. 

The scoring matrix helps make that distinction clear. For an event to get your moving, check out our Crystal challenge!

Entertainment

Score: 1–5 

Not every event needs to have a significant learning or development objective. 

Sometimes the primary purpose of an event is to celebrate, reward, energise or entertain employees. 

That’s where the Entertainment score comes in. 

This measures how suitable an activity is for a purely social or celebratory application. 

High-scoring entertainment activities typically provide: 

• Fun 

• Energy 

• Humour 

• Spectacle 

• Memorable experiences 

• Opportunities for social interaction 

This makes the category particularly useful when planning: 

• Summer parties 

• Christmas events 

• Company celebrations 

• Employee rewards 

• Team away days 

Again, a high Entertainment score doesn’t mean an activity lacks business value. Many highly entertaining activities also develop important workplace skills. 

Events like Taskmasters simply recognise that enjoyment and engagement can be the primary purpose. 

Business Impact

Score: 1–5 

Business Impact is perhaps the most important, and most distinctive, part of our scoring matrix. 

This score considers how realistically an activity can boost performance or “move the needle” within the client’s organisation. 

Rather than simply asking whether participants had a good time, we consider whether the activity has the potential to create meaningful learning, behavioural change or insight that can transfer back into the workplace. 

This could involve developing: 

• Leadership 

• Decision-making 

• Resource management 

• Strategic thinking 

• Adaptability 

• Creativity 

• Planning 

• Problem-solving 

• Risk awareness 

• Delegation 

 

A high Business Impact score doesn’t necessarily mean the activity feels like training. 

In fact, some of the most effective learning happens when participants are immersed in an engaging challenge rather than sitting through a presentation. 

The difference is what happens around the activity. 

This is where facilitation, reflection and Team Building Plus can make a significant difference, helping participants connect what happened during the event with the behaviours, challenges and objectives they face in their working lives. 

Why the Five Attributes Matter Together 

The real value of the scoring matrix comes from looking at the five attributes together. 

Imagine two activities: 

Activity A might score highly for Entertainment and Physical, making it ideal for a celebration or summer social. 

Activity B might score highly for Mental, Teamwork and Business Impact, making it more appropriate for a leadership programme or development-focused conference. 

Neither activity is necessarily better. 

They’re simply designed to achieve different outcomes. 

That’s why we don’t believe in recommending an activity based solely on popularity. 

Instead, we consider what the client actually wants to achieve. The matrix gives clients a framework for making those decisions. 

It’s Not About Getting Five 5s 

One of the most important things to understand about the EML scoring matrix is that we’re not trying to make every event score 5/5 across every category. 

That wouldn’t be realistic. 

An event designed primarily as a social celebration shouldn’t necessarily be judged negatively because it has a lower Business Impact score. 

Equally, a highly challenging development activity shouldn’t be considered unsuccessful because it isn’t the most physically demanding or entertaining experience available. 

Different events have different purposes. 

The goal is to find the right balance for the client. 

How EML Uses the Matrix 

Our scoring matrix helps us have better conversations with clients. 

Rather than simply asking, “Which activity would you like?”, we can ask: 

“What are you trying to achieve?” 

From there, we can identify which attributes matter most and recommend activities accordingly. 

It also helps clients understand why two seemingly similar events may produce very different outcomes. 

Ultimately, the matrix supports a more considered approach to corporate team building events, ensuring that the experience matches the people, the occasion and the desired outcome. 

At EML, we believe team building should have a purpose. 

Because the best team-building event isn’t necessarily the biggest, fastest or most entertaining.