Why a team day is more than a day out of the office

Every team is different. A sales team has different needs from an IT department. A team that's just been put together calls for a different approach from one that's worked together for years.

Choose a concept that fits your culture and your aim. That can range from adventurous and physical to creative and reflective. From an outdoor activity to a cookery session, from an improvisation workshop to a strategy session with a twist.

Most important: make sure the programme moves people out of their comfort zone, but not so far that it becomes uncomfortable. The best team days combine fun with depth.

A strong team programme alternates active moments with reflection and conversation. Activities alone are fun but shallow. Conversation alone is valuable but boring.

There are plenty of popular programme elements. Think of team challenges that require collaboration, creative workshops (making music, cooking, building) or outdoor activities with a team component. Content sessions on collaboration or communication work well. And shared meals are a connecting moment.

Also build free moments into the schedule deliberately. Sometimes the best conversations happen during the walk to the next activity. With large groups (50 or more), you work with sub-groups that rotate.

Away from the office: that's the first rule. A different environment breaks patterns and opens people up. There are plenty of popular team-day venues. Think of a country estate in nature, a creative workshop in the city, a beach pavilion, a farmhouse, or an event venue with outdoor space.

When choosing, watch for these points. Does the venue match the type of activities? And how does it look on indoor and outdoor space, catering and accessibility?

At Live Impact, we recommend venues that match your concept and your budget. We know the hidden gems that will surprise your team.

A corporate event costs around €200 to €500+ per person ex VAT for 250 to 500 guests. For 500 to 1,000 guests, count on around €150 to €400+ per person. For 1,000 to 2,000 guests, around €125 to €350+ per person. For more than 2,000 guests, around €100 to €300+ per person. All figures exclude VAT and include venue, catering, entertainment and production.

The exact budget depends on the type, the location and the programme. The brackets above show the breadth for an average corporate event.

You can organise a team day yourself, but there are good reasons to outsource it. An events agency brings creative ideas, a network of venues and activities, and experience with group dynamics.

And there's this: if you're the one organising the team day, on the day itself you're busy sorting things instead of taking part. That's a shame, because it's exactly your presence as a colleague that makes the team day more valuable.

At Live Impact, we take the whole process off your hands. From concept and venue through to programme and on-the-day facilitation. So everyone takes part. Including the organiser.

A team day is an investment in your team. At Live Impact, we help organisations turn a team day into an experience that connects and gives energy.

Call us on 085 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl.

Seriously fun.