Why a staff outing does more than you think

Organising a staff outing begins with choosing the right format. That choice depends on two things: the culture of your team and the goal of the day.

For informal connection, choose a drinks reception, a shared meal or a city tour. Approachable and accessible, including for people who are not usually fans of group activities.

For energy and movement, choose something active. Cooking, climbing, bowling, paintball or an escape room. Physical activities provide a boost and break the work routine in a way that drinks cannot.

For a special experience there are other options. Think of a behind-the-scenes tour at a theatre, a wine tasting or a cookery workshop with a real chef. Those are outings people enthusiastically talk about when they get home.

Active outing: this type is sporty and energetic. Think of climbing, water sports, karting or a sporty city adventure. It works well for larger groups operating in subgroups.

Creative outing: this type is hands-on and relaxing. Think of painting, cooking, making music or pottery. It is ideal for teams that work with their head all day; getting your hands dirty is sometimes exactly what is needed.

Cultural outing: this type is relaxed and inspiring. Think of theatre, a museum, a backstage visit or a city walk. It is good for teams that prefer relaxed connection over sweating.

Culinary outing: this type is timeless and accessible for every age and fitness level. Think of a restaurant, a cookery workshop, a food tour or wine tasting.

Choose the format based on your team, not based on what is popular. A group of thirty-somethings works differently from a mixed team with a wide age range.

A good venue for a staff outing has three characteristics. It is away from the office, it fits the format and everyone can get there.

Away from the office is non-negotiable. Employees need to feel this is a different day. On the office grounds or in the immediate vicinity works less well. The context pulls people back into work patterns. Halfway through, they still sneak a glance at their email.

Accessibility is concrete. Does everyone have a car? Fine, then choose somewhere outside the city with parking. With a mixed audience including public-transport users, choose a venue close to a station, or arrange a coach service.

Popular venues for a staff outing are city centres with restaurants, escape rooms and food halls, recreation sites with climbing parks and karting tracks, farmhouses and country estates for relaxed outings and industrial locations such as ateliers and breweries for creative formats.

When choosing a venue, also consider capacity and group structure. Do you want to be together as a whole group, or do you work better in subgroups? A cookery studio for 20 people is a different choice from an outdoor site for 200.

Read more about finding the right venue in our article on the perfect event venue →

A staff outing does not need a rigid run sheet. But a good structure makes the difference between a loose afternoon and a day that stays with you.

Start with a smooth arrival. No mandatory activity straight away. Give people time to land, grab a drink and catch up. The first 20 minutes set the tone for the rest of the day.

Then plan the main activity. This is the heart of the staff outing. Give it the space it deserves, but keep it tight enough to keep the energy high. An activity that drags on loses its power.

Build in space for informal moments: a shared lunch, a walk between activities or a closing drinks moment. That is where the conversations you do not normally have at the office happen: not about projects or deadlines, but about people.

Close the day deliberately. Think of a brief thank-you, a group photo or one more drink together. A deliberate close gives the whole thing meaning, even when the day itself was already perfect.

A pitfall is over-scheduling. A staff outing is also allowed to amble. Teams that work in a high-intensity environment sometimes get more from a relaxed afternoon than from a tight programme.

A corporate event costs approximately €200 to €500+ per person ex. VAT for 250 to 500 guests. For 500 to 1,000 guests, expect approximately €150 to €400+ per person. For 1,000 to 2,000 guests, approximately €125 to €350+ per person. For more than 2,000 guests, approximately €100 to €300+ per person. All amounts exclusive of VAT, including venue, catering, entertainment and production.

The exact budget depends on the type, the venue and the programme. The brackets above indicate the range for an average corporate event.

For a staff outing of 15 to 20 people you can get on with it yourself. But as the team grows, the organisational load quickly increases.

From 50 employees onwards it pays to bring in professional help. It saves time. And it raises the quality of the result. An agency that does this every day knows the pitfalls and has the contacts. And thinks along about details you would not spot yourself.

Besides: if you organise the outing, on the day itself you are busy arranging. That is a shame. Your presence as a colleague, not as an organiser, is exactly what makes the outing better for everyone.

At Live Impact we arrange staff outings of every size. We think along about the format that fits your team. We arrange the venue, coordinate the activities and are there on the day. So you can join in.

We work fast. For a simple outing we sometimes need just 2 to 3 weeks. For a bigger day programme, expect 6 to 10 weeks. Read more about our approach in our article on hiring an events agency →

A staff outing does not have to be big or expensive to have an effect. It has to be good. Fitting your team, fitting the moment and well organised. So everyone can be there, including the people who would normally drop out of group outings.

At Live Impact we help you organise that. From the first idea to the last activity.

Get in touch via the brief page or email us directly at hello@live-impact.nl.

Seriously fun.