To plan a team building event, define the purpose first, then choose the format, budget, venue, activity, communications and safety checks around that purpose. The best events feel easy for staff to join because the organiser has already thought through timing, access, group dynamics and what success should look like.
This checklist and timeline is written for UK HR teams, office managers and team leaders planning away days, company events and team building activities. Use it to move from a rough idea to a confirmed event plan without leaving the important details until the week before.
Start with the purpose and the people
A good team building event starts with a specific reason for bringing people together. That reason should be plain enough to shape the activity, the venue, the budget and the tone of the day.
Examples include helping a newly merged team get to know each other, giving remote colleagues time together, thanking staff after a busy period, supporting leadership development, or adding energy to a conference agenda. Each purpose points to a different format.
If the aim is connection, choose activities that mix people naturally and leave room for conversation. If the aim is problem-solving, pick challenges with a proper debrief. If the aim is celebration, avoid making the day feel like compulsory training.
At this stage, define the audience as well as the outcome. Note the likely group size, locations people will travel from, seniority mix, physical requirements, dietary needs, accessibility needs, shift patterns and any employees who may be new, anxious or less familiar with the wider company.
Do not wait until the booking stage to think about inclusion. Ask early whether anyone needs adjustments to take part comfortably. This may affect venue access, activity intensity, transport, timings, quiet spaces, written instructions or how teams are formed.
Set the budget, format and date early
Once the purpose is clear, turn it into practical boundaries. Set a working budget, preferred date range, location, event length and format before you shortlist activities. This stops the planning drifting and helps suppliers give accurate recommendations.
Your budget should cover more than the headline activity cost. Allow for venue hire, catering, event staff, equipment, AV, transport, accommodation if needed, prizes, wet weather options, insurance requirements and any internal costs such as paid travel time.
Date choice matters more than many organisers expect. Avoid peak annual leave periods where possible, check major business deadlines, and consider whether the event needs to sit inside a conference, leadership meeting or company update. For large groups, popular venues and dates can disappear quickly.
For most workplace team building events, planning 8 to 12 weeks ahead gives you room to agree the brief, secure a suitable venue and communicate clearly with staff. Larger away days, summer events, Christmas events and multi-site programmes often need longer.
If the venue decision is still open, think about travel time before you fall in love with a location. A beautiful venue loses its appeal if half the group spends the day on the motorway. For more help on this part of the decision, NewWave Events has a practical guide to choosing team building venues.
Turn the brief into workable event options
If you have a date and rough numbers but no fixed format yet, NewWave Events can suggest practical activity options that fit your budget, venue and team profile.
Choose activities that fit the group
The right activity is not always the loudest, longest or most unusual option. It is the one that fits the people in the room and the job you want the event to do.
Start with the group profile. A senior leadership team may want a facilitated challenge with clear business links. A mixed company away day may need lighter activities that work across departments and confidence levels. A large group may need fast rotation, strong facilitation and a format that prevents long waits.
Be honest about physical intensity. Outdoor sports, inflatables and competitive challenges can work well for some teams, but they need alternatives or adaptations so people are not excluded. Indoor formats, problem-solving tasks, game-show sessions, creative challenges, charity builds, murder mysteries and casino-style entertainment can suit groups that need lower physical demands.
Also consider how competitive the event should feel. Some teams enjoy leaderboards and trophies. Others respond better to shared missions, charity outcomes or collaborative tasks. If the workplace has been through a stressful period, choose something that lets people relax rather than proving a point.
For inspiration, browse NewWave Events’ guide to team building activities, then filter ideas against your brief rather than choosing from a list at random.
Build the event plan and safety checks
With the activity and venue taking shape, build a written plan. It does not need to be complicated, but it should make responsibilities clear. Include timings, arrivals, room layouts, catering, activity zones, equipment, staffing, transport, first aid, accessibility arrangements, bad weather plans and emergency contacts.
Ask your venue and event provider what they need from you. For example, they may require floor plans, loading access, power, outdoor space dimensions, ceiling height, a wet weather room, parking details or a named contact who can make decisions on the day.
Risk should be handled early, not at the last minute. Check who is responsible for each part of the event, including setup and breakdown. For active events, outdoor events or events using temporary equipment, ask for relevant risk assessments, method statements and insurance details from suppliers. If technical setup is involved, such as lighting, staging, suspended equipment or work at height, use competent suppliers and agree safe access arrangements before the event day.
Accessibility belongs in the event plan too. Employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers and people with health conditions, so ask about needs in a respectful way and give people enough time to respond. Useful adjustments might include step-free access, seating options, accessible toilets, quiet space, larger-print instructions, flexible participation, shorter rotations or alternative roles within a challenge. The GOV.UK guidance on employing disabled people and people with health conditions gives broader employer guidance on this duty.
Finally, keep one live version of the plan. Too many copies cause confusion. Put the latest running order, contact list and decision log where the internal organiser, venue and event lead can all access it.
Keep the event plan manageable
NewWave Events can help coordinate activity plans, staffing, equipment and on-the-day delivery, so your internal team is not left managing every detail alone.
Communicate the details without overloading people
Staff should not have to guess what kind of day they are attending. Clear communication improves attendance, reduces anxiety and helps people arrive ready to take part.
Send a save-the-date once the main details are agreed. Follow with a fuller briefing when the activity, venue and timings are confirmed. Include the purpose of the day, start and finish times, travel information, dress code, food arrangements, accessibility contact, whether the activity is indoors or outdoors, and what happens if the weather changes.
For managers, provide a slightly different briefing. They need to know how teams will be formed, whether any pre-work is required, what behaviour is expected, and how the event links to wider team goals. If senior leaders are attending, agree their role in advance. A short welcome can help. A long speech before an active session usually cannot.
Do not oversell the event internally. If the day is mostly about connection, say so. If it includes structured team development, explain what that means. People are more likely to engage when the invitation is honest and practical.
Two or three days before the event, send a final reminder with arrival details, weather advice, clothing guidance and a named contact for last-minute issues. This is also the point to confirm final numbers with the venue and provider.
Review the event and record what to improve
The work is not finished when the last activity ends. A short review helps you understand whether the event achieved what it was meant to achieve and what should change next time.
Capture feedback while the experience is fresh. Keep it simple: ask what worked, what felt awkward, whether the activity suited the group, whether the venue and timings were right, and what people would improve. Give people a way to answer honestly, especially if the event was part of a wider engagement or culture plan.
Compare feedback with the original purpose. If the aim was to help new teams mix, look at whether people met colleagues they do not usually work with. If the aim was to thank staff, check whether the tone felt genuinely appreciative. If the aim was to support collaboration, ask managers what they noticed after the event.
Hold a short organiser debrief with your supplier and venue. Discuss timings, arrivals, room layout, activity flow, catering, accessibility, communication and any incidents or near misses. Record what you would repeat and what you would avoid.
If you are planning a wider programme of away days or staff events, use those notes to build a simple planning template. It will save time, protect the budget and help each event feel more relevant than the last. NewWave Events’ guide to common team building event mistakes is also useful when reviewing what to tighten up.
Team building event timeline
Use this as a working planning rhythm. Smaller in-office sessions may move faster, while large away days, seasonal events and multi-location programmes usually need more lead time.
8 to 12 weeks before: set the brief
Agree the purpose, likely numbers, budget range, preferred date, location and decision-maker. Ask about accessibility and participation needs before you shortlist activities.
6 to 8 weeks before: confirm the format
Choose the activity style, secure the venue or event space, check travel, and ask suppliers what they need for setup, staffing, power, access and room layout.
4 weeks before: lock the details
Build the running order, confirm catering, collect dietary requirements, review accessibility needs, check safety documents and decide how teams will be grouped.
2 weeks before: communicate clearly
Send the staff briefing, confirm final numbers, agree the wet weather plan if relevant, check signage, transport, equipment and who can make decisions on the day.
Event week: deliver and review
Reconfirm the running order, share contact details, arrive early for setup checks, brief managers and facilitators, then collect feedback before the event fades from memory.
Plan a team building event that fits your team
If you are planning a team building event and want help turning the brief into a workable day, NewWave Events can design and deliver activities across the UK. Share your numbers, goals, location and timescale, and the team will recommend options that fit the people attending.
