Team building can be a creative way to incorporate training, team development, and fun into a single energizing event that brings everyone in your organization together. If you anticipate that a team building exercise is in your future, you can use these tips as a guide to organizing the most successful event possible.

Determine the purpose for your team building event

The most constructive way for you to begin is by asking which problem or problems you are trying to solve with your event. Often, team building events are held for a particular purpose and it can be critical to keep your event’s purpose at the front of your mind throughout the planning stage. If you’ve been tasked with organizing the event but were not told the ‘why,’ then now is the time to ask. It will make your job more enjoyable as well as considerably easier.

What kind of budget do you have to work with?

These types of events can rarely be done on the cheap, so setting a realistic budget is key. Things to consider when planning a budget:

• Will you be outsourcing to an event planner?
• Equipment suppliers
• Event staff
• Venue fees
• Catering and refreshments
• Transportation
• Insurance

Plan on being up front and clear with your event organizer regarding your budget. This can save you massive headaches later on, as well as a nasty shock when an invoice arrives that’s twice the amount you hoped to spend. A good place to begin your search for professional help is a website like Gumtree.

How flexible are your dates for the event?

The costs of renting venues for your event can vary wildly depending on date. Knowing the specific dates you want will help you get a more accurate quote, but don’t be afraid to ask if there are any discounts available for certain days.

How many people will be participating in your event?

Naturally, having an accurate head count is important. Costs associated with the size of the venue, catering, transportation, and accommodation will all depend on how many participants you have to account for.

It is also helpful to be aware of the different ages of the participants and whether anyone in the group has limitations or special needs. If you have wheelchair bound participants, for example, scheduling a foot race won’t exactly bring your team together.

A handy tip to know if you have to book accommodations for your group but you are concerned that people may cancel at the last minute: find a venue that can handle your full group, then estimate how many cancellations you are likely to have. Then only book for the reduced number. This way, if everyone ends up turning up for the event, the hotel will be able to handle the extra rooms. This will save you from having to swallow the cost of the cancellation fees later on.

Scheduling the day’s activities

There are no set rules when it comes to the types of activities that are appropriate for team building events. In fact, the more active and outgoing the participants, the more possibilities you have to work with.

Consider bookending your event with an ice breaker at the beginning so that everyone can relax and get comfortable, and then a debriefing session at the end. This will give you a chance to wrap everything up in a nice package for all the participants, extracting any critical lessons and giving people a chance to add any feedback of their own.

No matter which types of activities you decide to hold, be sure to let the participants in on the purpose to the games. You want everyone to have fun and enjoy themselves, but you also want them to be aware of any deeper meaning the activities might hold.