3 Steps to Choose the Best Corporate Team Building Event

When people hear the phrase “corporate team building event”, they usually think of outdated or awkward activities. Maybe it’s trust falls, a pizza party, or that cringeworthy moment when everyone shares “something interesting about themselves.” In other words, not exactly exciting.

But team building doesn’t have to be cheesy. They can be fun. They can be powerful. And most importantly, they can make a real difference in how your team members work together.

At The Leaders Institute®, we’ve helped thousands of organizations design corporate team-building experiences that actually work. Whether you lead small groups, larger groups, or remote teams across time zones, we can help you identify the best event to fit your goals, time, and group size.

Choosing the right event is easier than you might think. You just need to follow a simple, three-step framework.

Step 1: Before Choosing a Corporate Team Activity, Identify the Result You Want.

Before you book any corporate team-building event, stop and ask yourself: “Why are we doing this?”

That question changes everything. A team-building event without a purpose is just a break from work. But when you know your goal, the right event becomes a tool to strengthen company culture and boost morale.

So, what are you hoping to accomplish?

• Are you trying to reward your team for hitting a big milestone?
• Do you want to add some fun or energy to an otherwise dry or technical meeting?
• Are you looking for a high-energy activity to start a meeting or as a show-stopping ending to a meeting?
• Is your group coming together from remote locations or multiple offices? If so, is the goal for them to network face-to-face?
• Are you planning a kickoff meeting and want to energize the entire group with fun competition?
• Is your team going through a major change (merger or change in leadership)?
• Is your team experiencing challenges in the workplace that you are looking for a solution to?

Each scenario requires a different approach. If your goal is to just add some fun to your meeting or reward your team, any fun activity will likely work. However, as you move down the list of questions, your options become more limited.

For instance, people may resist a forced networking activity. Activities like Coworker Bingo or Human Knot may not be a good choice if you are looking for a show-stopper. A charity team activity would be a better fit.

However, if your organization is having challenges, a charity team activity may actually cause more problems.

The point is, don’t just pick a team activity because it sounds fun. You may end up with a different outcome than you were expecting.

Step 2: Consider the Size of Your Group.

Group size is the biggest factor that determines the success of a corporate team-building event. Some team activities are fantastic for small groups but absolutely fail with big groups. And what works perfectly for a big, buzzing ballroom might feel awkward or forced in a smaller, quiet team meeting.

The team experience has to fit the size of the group — otherwise, the value gets lost. When the activity matches the group size, three important things happen:

• Everyone participates. Smaller groups give every team member a chance to contribute. Larger groups need structure to ensure people aren’t left on the sidelines.
• The energy feels right. A high-energy event for a large group can feel overwhelming in a smaller setting, while a subtle, discussion-based activity might fall flat in a big room.
• The message sticks. When a team-building activity is scaled correctly, your team walks away with a shared experience—and a clear takeaway that applies back at work.

If your group is too large for the activity, people check out. And if you try to get a smaller group to participate in a big group team activity, the ending may be lackluster. That’s why optimizing the format and structure based on your headcount is so important.

By the way, the smaller the group, the easier it is for you to do the activity without a professional facilitator. You probably don’t need to hire a professional team-building facilitator if you just want a fun experience for 20 people. I took my office team ax-throwing a few months ago. We had a blast, and there was no facilitator.

On the other hand, keeping 50, 100, or 1000 people active at the same time is very, very challenging. Hiring a good team building company is worth the extra expense.

Step 3: The Budget You Have Available Will Greatly Determine Your Corporate Team Building Options.

The last major thing that you want to consider before organizing a corporate team-building activity is your total budget for the event. Obviously, the higher your budget, the more options you have. But even if you have a tight budget, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have fantastic options.

For example, one of our clients is an event planner who organizes big annual meetings for her clients. The first event she hired us to do was for a huge company that wanted to do something memorable. They had 400 people and wanted a way to end their meeting on an emotional crescendo. We recommended a 50-bike Build-A-Bike ® activity.

The event planner asked, “Can we do 200 bikes?” And, of course, we could. Increasing the donation just made the event more emotional. Since the company had a higher budget, they could absorb the higher costs.

Keep in mind, though, that when you increase the donation size, other costs can increase too. The shipping to get all the items to the venue will go up. And some venues charge fees for storage and moving items for you.

That same event planner called us later, but this client had a tighter budget. We recommended an Amazing Builders activity this time. Instead of building bikes, they donated backpacks full of school supplies. The completely full backpacks cost way less than a bike. And all the materials fit into fewer (and lighter) boxes. So, the shipping costs were also much lower. This group still got the emotional ending of donating items to kids in the community, though.

If your team is having challenges and needs training, you can start with a shorter in-person session. Then, add virtual follow-up sessions over time. So you always have options.

Final Thoughts: To Help You Choose the Best Corporate Team Building Event.

Team building isn’t fluff. It’s foundational. It teaches leadership skills, strengthens team spirit, and reinforces your company’s values.

The best team building events:

• Fit your team’s size and dynamics
• Encourage participation from all group members
• Reinforce your message and goals
• Create stronger connections between departments
• Leave your team energized and motivated

Whether you’re looking for a classic game to kick off your retreat or planning a full day of team-building activities with event coordinators, the goal is the same: help your people grow together.

You don’t need a new set of buzzwords. You need real connection, practical activities, and a plan that works.

Let us help you find the best team-building solution for your team—so you can build something that lasts a long time.

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About Doug Staneart

Doug Staneart is president of The Leader's Institute ® based in the Dallas, Texas. He specializes in creating and delivering fantastic corporate team building activities. He is also the host of the High Impact Leaders podcast.

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