When you picture a corporate away day, it's easy to picture being stuck inside a stuffy meeting room all day followed by a cheap glass of wine in the nearest pub. But fear not! With a plethora of fun, engaging venue options across London and beyond, we're here to banish the boardroom boredom and inspire you to take your team away days to new heights.
Below we've listed our top 6 ways to jazz up any team away day, so buckle up and get your game faces on - let's get teams bonding!
1. Inject some fun into your discussions
Away days are all about strategising, brainstorming, and laying out company objectives. But that doesn't mean they have to be done in a boring setting! Holding an away day in a neutral (but inspirational) setting, i.e not a standard office meeting room, encourages employees to reflect and develop new ideas, as well as raise anything they maybe don't feel comfortable discussing in the office. Many activity venues offer spaces for this very purpose, so to inject some creativity give one a try. You never know what your team could come up with!
One of our favourites is high-tech Shoreditch venue Hijingo. Equipped with everything you need to run an engaging session, you'll have access to out-of-this-world tech, stadium-quality AV, and day delegate packages to boot. If you're after more of a sporty feel, try Bounce or Swingers for laid-back spaces with flair. Plus, once the day is finished, your team can let their hair down and enjoy the facilities!
Top Tip: If you want to liven up the content of your away day but aren't sure how, consider mixing up the day by running a fun teambuilding activity, or even inviting a performer to serenade your team during lunch! Bonus points for making the day hybrid so your virtual attendees can join in the fun.
2. Introduce some friendly competition
What better way to bond with your team than with a bit of healthy competition?! Games are a fantastic way to foster strong working relationships, and have some fun at the same time. Split people into groups, perhaps those who don't usually work together, and we guarantee your whole team will leave feeling closer and more motivated by the end of the day.
Some of our favourite sporting options include putting for glory at immersive mini-golf venue Puttshack, testing your batting skills at cricket venue Sixes, as well as more eclectic options such as Boom Battle Bar (axe-throwing, anyone?) or social darts spot Flight Club. For an easy virtual option, you could even try out an escape room to really get that teamwork flowing!
3. Get their tastebuds tingling with tantalising treats
Nothing pleases people more than fantastic food and drinks, so work with the venue you choose and discuss their catering options. Many venues have delicious offerings, such as All Star Lanes' Americana-inspired sharing platters, Flight Club's tasty gastro-pub bites, and TOCA Social's heavenly dessert room. Yes, you read that right!
For a taste of Italy, host your team away day at Pizza Pilgrims' 'Pizza Playground' - complete with craft beer, cocktails, arcade games, and even a sun-soaked terrace.
If your venue allows you to bring your own supplier, try Easy Gourmet for some delectable options or Sixth Sense to add a touch of magic to the occasion.
4. Take your away day to the rooftops
Rooftops inspire visions of hazy summer afternoons complemented by perfectly mixed cocktails and perhaps some light British sporting activity. So why not couple that with your team get-together? Skylight at Tobacco Dock is the perfect post-meeting backdrop - cocktails and a game of croquet is the ultimate sundowner following a busy day of strategising. Make sure to check out our other favourite rooftop venues as we head into the warmer weather (at long last!).
Or, if you wanted to be a bit closer to the ground, why not bring these activities to the garden? Simply order some retro garden games and plan a charming alfresco sports day at venues with outdoor space, such as 10-11 Carlton House Terrace.
If the weather isn't good enough to get outside, step into the virtual great outdoors instead, by trying your hand at Clays!
5. Give your team a wellbeing boost
No matter where you hold your away day, it's important to ensure that you factor decent breaks into the agenda. Not only will concentration dwindle, but people may start to feel overwhelmed and drained, especially if you're discussing important company objectives or directions.
Allow people enough time to grab a coffee, get some fresh air, chat with each other, and give their brains a break! You could consider bringing in a yoga instructor or massage therapist for a quick lunchtime escape, or leading a quick mindfulness session to help people decompress and revitalise for the rest of the day.
6. Get away for a luxury retreat
Speaking of wellbeing, nothing refreshes and revitalises teams more than a luxury retreat away! There are so many stunning venues across the UK that focus on bringing teams together for a few days of wellness activities, productive brainstorming, and, of course, plenty of delicious food and drinks!
One such venue is Birch, a charming Georgian mansion nestled in a sprawling countryside haven in rural Hertfordshire. Teams can relax and reset by visiting the farm, onsite interactive bakery, fitness and wellness studios, heated lido, pottery centre, and you can even try your hand at beekeeping! If you want to engage the team with some strategising or brainstorming sessions, there are also plenty of artistic spaces to get those creative juices flowing. For some healthy and delicious brainfood, there are also two restaurants with farm-sourced ingredients, open-flame cooking and plenty of delicious sustainable offerings.
The perfect spot for a few days away with the team!
We hope this inspires you to move towards a more engaging style of team away day! For some help finding the perfect venue for your brief, get in touch with our experts below, who will be happy to help.
Author
Izzie Lachecki
Izzie brings a deep understanding of the events world to Hire Space, and keeps busy by writing lots of Hire Space and EventLAB content and managing the Hire Space social media presence.
