The Six Biggest Team Building Mistakes You Can Make

Whether you’ve planned dozens of events and activities, or none at all, these are the biggest team building mistakes you could be making.

You’re hard at work, when an email comes into your inbox. It’s from your boss. The subject line?

“Please Plan a Team Building Event.”

No matter if you’re new to planning corporate events for your team, or you’re a seasoned pro, this can be a daunting request.

What if everyone hates the activity you choose? What if you forget to plan a few key details? What if the whole thing is one big flop?

It can seem like there are many pitfalls when it comes to planning an event for work. And when your boss asks you to put something together, the last thing you want to do is fail.

So, what are the biggest mistakes to watch out for when planning your next activity?

The Top Six Mistakes You Can Make with Team Building

1. Not Asking Enough Questions

Discussing a few key details with your boss before you begin planning can help you figure out where to start. For example, by simply asking what activities the company has done in the past, you can benchmark cost and expectations.

2. Not Giving Yourself Enough Time

Tight timelines are sometimes unavoidable. However, do your best to be proactive – get a handle on all of the moving parts of your event to avoid rushed decisions and disappointment.

3. Not Having a Budget

When you know how much you can spend, you can work out guidelines for your expenses. This can help you choose things, such as your activity, venue, and transportation, that much faster.

4. Not Having a Goal or Purpose

You can help your team feel more engaged during the activity if they understand the purpose of your event – even if your goal is to just have fun and burn off steam.

5. Not Checking In

Did your colleagues have fun? You can find out if employees enjoyed the activity – and if it’s something that’s worth doing again – by collecting feedback right after the event.

6. Not Doing More Team Building

People tend to think that one activity will fix all their problems. Planning follow up activities can help your team continue to strengthen their relationships outside of the office and improve long-term morale.

How Can You Avoid These Team Building Mistakes?

Bryan McWilliams, an Account Manager at Outback Team Building & Training, recently sat down with our team to discuss the top mistakes people make when planning a team building activity, and how to avoid them. “Try not to repeat events. Do your research… When you get asked to plan a team building activity, stop for a second and ask a few questions. That question of, ‘What have we done in the past?’ is a really helpful one.— Bryan McWilliams (Account Manager, Outback Team Building & Training)

Listen to this 17-minute podcast episode of “Outback Team Building & Training Tips” to hear more from Bryan on how you can avoid the biggest team building mistakes:

Planning a team building activity but not sure how to get the ball rolling? Find out how you can partner with our team by getting in touch with us at 1-800-565-8735 , or requesting a free consultation: