Team Building Activities for Corporate Events: UK Guide

Finding an activity that works for your whole team, not just the keenest few, is often the trickiest part of planning a corporate event. The best team building activities for corporate events come down to four things: group size, space, energy level and the mix of people attending.

Below are the formats we run across the UK, with group sizes and space needs, so you can shortlist before you talk to anyone.

How do you choose a team building activity?

Start with group size and space, then check the activity suits everyone attending. The table uses the capabilities we state for each format; confirm the details for your venue when you enquire.

Indoor team building activities

Indoor formats suit winter dates, unpredictable weather and venues without grounds. The VR Escape Room, for example, needs only about a table’s worth of space per team.

VR Escape Room

Teams of 4 to 10 solve puzzles together in virtual reality, with up to 500 participants in total. Each team needs about 2 x 2 m, which is roughly a table. No VR experience is needed, so it suits groups where half the room has never worn a headset. Because teams solve it together, everyone has a part to play.

AI Robot Wars

Teams of 6 to 12 compete in AI Robot Wars, with up to 500 participants. We tailor it to the space, from a giant race track to a small arena. No AI, robotics, coding or VR experience is needed. It is one of our more competitive options, so it suits groups who enjoy a bit of friendly rivalry.

CSI Investigation, Paint Pad Pro and Escape Room in a Box

These sit under indoor team building, alongside arcade stations, and run from 10 to 100+ people. CSI Investigation and Escape Room in a Box are puzzle-led and suit analytical teams. Paint Pad Pro is creative. Ask us about the space each one needs for your venue.

AI & Metaverse arcade

An arcade of 1 to 50 VR headsets for groups of 10 to 1,000. Activities include Robot Wars, Metaverse Sports and Reaction Machines, and it is beginner friendly. With multiple activities on offer, it suits groups who want something to dip into rather than one fixed session.

Outdoor team building activities for corporate events

Outdoor formats give people room to move and are a good reset from a day of meetings. Always have a wet-weather plan.

Sports-day classics and Wipeout-style inflatables

Our outdoor team building includes sports-day classics such as the sack race and tug of war, plus Wipeout-style inflatables. They are familiar games that need little explanation, which makes them a good fit for mixed ages. Check the format against your group’s fitness and mobility.

Crystal Maze- and Squid Game-style challenges

These are Crystal Maze-style puzzles and Squid Game-inspired challenges, themed on the TV shows. They suit competitive groups who like a theme.

Tablet treasure hunt

Teams complete outdoor, geotagged challenges on tablets, with prizes for the winning team. It gets people walking and talking in small teams.

Archery, axe throwing and laser shooting

We also run archery, axe throwing, laser shooting and crossbow. These involve equipment, so check requirements with your supplier before booking, including age limits, supervision and insurance. Keep alcohol out of the session and serve it afterwards.

TV-style team building formats

These borrow familiar shows, so there is no rule book to learn from scratch.

The Betrayers

Inspired by the TV show The Traitors, The Betrayers is adapted to the space and group size, from a boardroom to a conference hall. A professional presenter and all AV are included. Bluffing and deduction create plenty of conversation, so it works well as an evening social.

Game shows and quizzes

Taskmaster-style challenges, Cube challenges, quizzes and bingo (see our game shows and quizzes), with company-themed customisation and setup included. They suit post-conference or end-of-day socials, and they are easy to follow for anyone in the room.

Team building for small groups and large groups

For small groups of 10 to 20, choose formats that start from 10 people (ask us to confirm space for your venue): Escape Room in a Box, CSI Investigation, Paint Pad Pro or a boardroom Betrayers game. Everyone gets involved, so nobody can hide at the back.

For 100 or more, pick formats that run in parallel, such as the VR Escape Room (up to 500 people across many teams), AI Robot Wars, or the AI & Metaverse arcade for up to 1,000. We deliver corporate events for “20 people or 2000”, so the constraints to plan around are space and timing.

Making team building work for everyone

Choose at least one option that does not rely on fitness, alcohol or speaking in front of the room. Practical points:

• Non-drinkers: hold activities before the bar opens, or make the activity the main event.
• Mixed abilities and mobility: ask which formats are seated or low-movement (quizzes and the indoor puzzle formats are good places to start), and ask the supplier about access to the venue.
• Neurodiversity: give a clear brief in advance, avoid forced public performance, and offer a quieter role. Tell your supplier about sensory needs.
• Hybrid teams: check whether remote colleagues can take part before you pick a format.

Accessibility and dietary needs vary by venue and format, so confirm them with your supplier.

What goes wrong and how to avoid it

• Not enough space. Ask for the footprint in advance. The VR Escape Room needs about 2 x 2 m per team, so count tables, not heads.
• Timing slips. Allow setup before guests arrive and a buffer between sessions. Reliable setup is the supplier’s job; Howdens said “Gold Tier arrived at the exact time they said they would, they set everything up ready for the start of our event.”
• Quiet people disengage. Prefer team formats with defined roles over individual contests.
• Weather. For outdoor days, agree an indoor fallback.
• Too many agenda items. One strong activity beats three rushed ones.

What is included when we run it

For corporate events we provide full planning and coordination, setup, breakdown and all equipment, professional hosts, and a free venue finding service as standard. Custom branding and theming are available. See our corporate events and team building pages for the full picture.

FAQs

What are the best team building activities for corporate events?

It depends on your group. For mixed groups of up to 500, AI Robot Wars and the VR Escape Room need no prior experience. For a social finish to a conference, game shows and quizzes work well. For a day outside, a tablet treasure hunt or sports-day classics suit most people. Use the table above to match size, space and setting.

What are some quick team building activities for adults?

For short slots, pick formats that need little explanation: a quiz, a bingo round, or free-flow arcade games such as air hockey, table football and darts, where people drop in and out. These suit the gap before dinner or the end of a conference day, and nobody has to commit to a long session.

What is the 20 questions game for team building?

One person thinks of an object, person or place. The rest of the group asks yes-or-no questions to work out what it is, with a limit of 20 questions. It works as a quick icebreaker because players build on each other’s questions rather than guessing alone.

Can team building activities work for small groups?

Yes. Indoor formats such as CSI Investigation, Paint Pad Pro and Escape Room in a Box run from 10 people upwards. The Betrayers can also be adapted to the space and group size, from a boardroom to a conference hall, so a small team does not need a large venue.

Tell us about your event and we’ll put together a tailored proposal. Enquire here.