What is a team away day / company away day?
A team away day is a day planned by event management experts, that allows your employees to get away from their day to day tasks and environment to socialise and partake in team building activities. The team building activities within your away day can consist of either indoor or outdoor games and challenges that not only allow teams to build on their relationships but to develop key professional skills such as good communication, collaborative working and strategic thinking.
What are the benefits of a team away day / company away day?
Most forward-thinking, people focused businesses hold at least one team away day a year, large brands with multiple departments have been known to hold up to 20 a year. Internal events play a vital role in staying ahead of the curve and being a better more effective business. Outdoor company away days have become increasingly popular since the pandemic, in fact, the demand since 2022 has increased by 50%, according to our event sales team. Studies also show that 85% of people in the UK said that being outdoors helps boost their mood and mental wellbeing.
Your organisation and its employees can enjoy the many benefits of a team away day:
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- Improved employee wellbeing and mood
- Increased employee productivity and satisfaction
- A positive internal culture
- Enhanced collaborative working
- Higher energy and motivation levels
Where can you hold an away day for your team in the UK?
You can hold a team or company away day in pretty much any location and any venue, if it works in relation to attendee travel, budget and the activities you choose. If you wouldn’t know where to start, our free venue finding service can handle this for you.
Five most popular locations for team building away days in the UK include cities such as:
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Leeds and many more!
Where you choose to host your team away day will also depend on the objectives of your event. For instance, if you are looking for an outdoor company fun day you may want to head to somewhere more rural to get access to large outdoor spaces, fields and venues such as tipis and marquees.
On the other hand, if you are looking for indoor, tabletop-based team building, that fits easily around a conference or meeting, then you may wish to head into a city that has access to a plethora of hotels with meeting spaces and accommodation.
Why hire an event management company plan your office away day?
There is a lot do to behind the scenes when planning an away day for your colleagues. Although it may sound like fun, it can feel like a full time job when trying to find a location and activity, all within budget and whilst trying to meet so many different deadlines. So why work with an event management company to plan and manage your team away day?
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Save time and money by working with experts in events, like Eventurous, who can bring you a proposal within 24 hours.
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Ensure the highest health and safety standards, without having to worry about paperwork such as risk assessments.
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Save conversing with multiple suppliers. Work with one effective full-service event management agency, like us, who can handle the event from start to finish.
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Secure the best rates! We work hard on our industry relationships to ensure we can provide the best value solutions for your event, we’ve done the hard bit, all you need to do is call us and we will get started preparing the best value team building solutions for you.
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Run eco-friendly team building days with a sustainably accredited event agency overseeing the event planning process. We are one of only two in person Team Building companies that can proudly say they are award winning in sustainability and ECOsmart accredited.
Here are our top 10 most inspiring ideas for a team away day in the UK.
Company Fun Days or otherwise known as Family Fun Days are a favourite type of outdoor Away Day or Summer Party. Fun Days allow you to thank not only your employees but their loving and supportive families too and they are a great solution for large groups of people. Fun days also have the ability to be super inclusive, with typical games including fun for all ages and abilities. From fairground rides for the thrill seekers, to fete stalls for the family, garden games for the grandparents and circus shows for the children, you have something for everyone and you can work with us to bespoke your day to the demographic of your team.
The recent and increasing trend of Corporate Festivals stems from the unique benefits that come with this exciting style of outdoor event. A Company Festival can be super bespoke to your audience, culture, and brand. They essentially provide a blank canvas, which you can use as a base to create a memorable away day with colourful theming, bold branding and personalisation.
The benefits of holding a corporate festival include:
- Eye-catching branding opportunities
- High energy fun
- Inclusive team activities and entertainment
- A new and unique experience
- A varied agenda running from day into night if required
- Promotes employee wellbeing outdoors
- Helps retain top talent
- Helps build strong bonds within the team
- Great for medium to large teams of 50 – 1000+
It’s a Knockout is a best selling team activity for summer away days and one that has been proven to work for many years. This energetic event allows teams to get outdoors in the fresh air, move their bodies and take part in some fun and competitive inflatable games.
The activities in this adrenaline-fueled team experience offer something for all abilities and preferences, so choose wisely and play on your team member’s strengths in each round.
With over 8 games to choose from, from The Gladiator Joust to The Tyre Run, it’s a frenzy of fun and engagement remains high at all times.
4. Escape to the Countryside With Country Pursuits
Are you looking for a team away day that gives employees the opportunity to try something mildly active in a refreshing outdoor environment? Blow off the dust and cobwebs with Country Pursuits and Motorsports Day out – perfect for small to medium sized groups of 20 -250. Studies show there are real benefits to employee productivity and mood when they are exposed to green outdoor spaces. Those who work outdoors have shown to have up to 15% better well-being, be 6% more productive, and 15% more creative.
Including Country Pursuits or Motor Sports in your team away day, maybe at a countryside location, can allowing your teams to feel motivated and positive whilst having fun and building comradery. See the competitive spirit soar with entertaining activities such as Archery, Axe Throwing, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Rifle Shooting, Mini Tractors and event Duck Herding!
5. Mind Blowing Multi-Activity Days
The great thing about working with a team building provider to organise your company away days is that you can request a bespoke service. Multi-activity days are an ideal solution for those looking to create their own personalised team experience.
Why choose a multi activity day for your next company away day?
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Offers more variety for guests
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Keeps things exciting
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Engages employees for longer
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Supports inclusivity
What kind of activities can I include in a multi-activity away day?
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Country Pursuits
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Inflatable games
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Team building classics – Crystal Challenge and Soap Box Derby
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TV inspired team building – Gladiator Challenge and Squad Games
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Sporting events – Olympic Games and Retro Sports Day
Indoor team away days are usually sought after during the winter months and are vital in deterring the effects of the winter blues within your team. Giving your team a break from the day to day to get away can help lift their mood particularly during dark cold days and keep employees motivated.
6. Uncover the Lost Pages
New for 2023 the Lost Pages is an activity unique to Eventurous, developed completely in house for maximum engagement. This quality immersive experience was developed using no single use materials or paper, instead it uses iPads charged with solar power, making it kind on the environment and helping you support your green goals.
Explore lost cities, hidden chambers and forbidden forests as you go in pursuit of solving cryptic riddles from the lost pages of an explorer’s journal. Channel your inner Indiana Jones with our problem-solving props and fancy dress. This easy set-up, tabletop team activity can fit easily around a conference or meeting should this form part of your team away day.
7. Pull Off the Ultimate Team Heist
Our most popular indoor team building event, the Diamond Heist is another simple tabletop format that can be held pretty much anywhere. This high intensity team challenge requires groups to go against the clock and each other to solve clues, codes and locks, working through each level of the tabletop escape room, to eventually find and steal the famous Maltese diamond, all before the police catch up with them.
This event is the perfect combination of fast paced fun and strategy. You can rely on your event manager to keep the crowd entertained with the help of unique theming, immersive video and characters that help set the scene. The Diamond Heist Escape Room Boxes are made in our in house prop workshop, another way to reduce carbon emissions helping you achieve eco-friendly team building days.
One for those who think outside the box! Newly launched in 2024, this modern tabletop team building activity embraces quirky team challenges, some that require a hands-on approach and others that require mental skill, but they all require participants to think a little differently. As a new team building activity, Think Outside the Box has been developed with the environment at the forefront and includes no tasks that are made from single use materials. Take on weird and wonderful tasks such as our Bell Ringing challenge “Acabella” or our Plate Spinning Challenge and enjoy a few laughs along the way!
9. Battle Against Colleagues in the Game Zone
Test how well your team collaborates when the stakes are high! Increase engagement and interaction between all attending your away day, conference or meeting with our wide range of free play games. Our range covers both indoor and outdoor games that your employees can enjoy playing at their own pace. The game zone can work best as additional entertainment or as the main theme, should you turn it into a tournament or a form of office Olympics.
Choose from retro games such as:
- PacMan
- Mario Cart
- Street Fighter
Try your hand at arcade games such as:
- Batak
- The Light Chaser
Create gaming tournaments with:
- Table football
- F1 simulators
- Air Hocky
10. Work Together as a Team to Impress the Master of Tasks
This intense and banterous indoor team building activity is in high demand. Inspired but in no way affiliated with the hit TV show. Take on wacky challenges within the short time given. In the chaos don’t forget to inject creativity and entertainment factor before presenting your final offering to the Master. Be prepared to think on your feet.
To discuss your team building away day needs speak to our award-winning event management team on 01827 215 200 or visit the contact us page.
