HOW TO TAILOR TEAM ACTIVITIES TO FIT YOUR COMPANY

Designing team activities can encourage creativity, initiate collaboration, and strengthen connections across your company. However, generic, one-size-fits-all solutions don’t always work. After all, some people don’t enjoy awkward trust falls or “fun” icebreakers where you share your most embarrassing moments. Tailoring team activities to fit your company’s needs ensures these events feel relevant and meaningful to your team. Here’s how to customize them.

Understand Your Team’s Preferences and Needs

Tailoring activities starts with understanding your team. When you know what motivates them and what they enjoy, you can plan an activity that feels exciting rather than obligatory. The key here is simple: listen and observe. What lights people up? Do they prefer rolling up their sleeves for a hands-on task, or do they lean toward problem-solving and strategy? These preferences help you design activities that people actually want to join.

The easiest way to gain insights into your team’s interests is to ask. You can go about this casually or formally. Some leaders use polls or quick surveys, while others prefer longer questionnaires to dig into favorite pastimes and potential deal-breakers.

During all-hands meetings or one-on-ones, ask open-ended questions like, “What types of team activities do you enjoy?” or “What would you like to try?” You might learn that someone on the team loves trivia nights, while another person thrives during group creative projects.

Stay Inclusive of Different Needs

Every workplace involves a mix of personalities, comfort zones, and accessibility needs. While some employees may be in their element in high-energy group settings, others could value smaller, low-pressure formats more.

If you have a mix of outgoing extroverts and quieter, detail-oriented introverts, think about offering parallel activities or blending the best of both worlds. It’s also worth considering cultural sensitivities and dietary restrictions so everyone feels included.

Consider Remote and Hybrid Dynamics

Virtual team-building activities can be just as fun and engaging for remote and hybrid teams as in-person team builders if the virtual event focuses on interaction. Go beyond webinars or passive presentations and pick something that actively involves participants.

For instance, Food Craft NYC offers Crispy Dumplings workshop or Hawaiian Cocktail and Mocktail mixology workshop. You can also seek other fun options, including interactive trivia, online escape rooms, or virtual tastings. If your team includes in-person and remote employees alike, look into hybrid activities where everyone can participate simultaneously.

Tie Activities to Company Culture

Team building works best when it mirrors your company’s identity. Whether your culture is all about collaboration, sustainability, creativity, or something entirely different, the right activities can reinforce your values. It’s worth identifying traits that define your workplace culture.

For example, if your team thrives on collaboration, activities like Chili Garlic Oil or Mindful Doodling can highlight that strength. A company focused on sustainability might enjoy eco-friendly DIY projects or volunteering for environmental causes. For a culture centered on creativity, hands-on workshops like painting or crafting can work.

Beyond company culture, team-building activities can complement your company’s broader objectives. If you’re working toward better communication, for instance, activities that require verbal collaboration, like team debates or communication games, should take center stage. If wellness is a top priority for the year, mindfulness sessions or gardening workshops can bridge the gap between work and well-being.

Align With Your Approach to Fun

Your company’s personality should also influence the tone of the event, whether it’s laid-back and relaxed or competitive and high-energy. If your brand leans into humor, playful activities like costume-themed challenges or adventure-based scavenger hunts could be a perfect fit.

Alternatively, sophisticated brands may resonate more with Bubble Tea Tasting or Sip and Latin Rhythm workshops. Matching an activity’s tone with the energy of your company ensures it feels natural and authentic to those participating.

Align Activities With Team Skill Levels

People enjoy activities more when they feel comfortably challenged. You can tailor team activities to fit your company by finding things that suit different skill levels within your team. Striking this balance avoids frustration for less experienced participants while still engaging those who crave something a little more advanced.

For teams with mixed backgrounds, stick to options with clear instructions and manageable steps. For example, choose straightforward Sumi-e Painting or a Churro Making virtual events. For teams with strong talents or shared enthusiasm for a particular skill, you can introduce an extra layer of difficulty.

Advanced puzzles, strategy games, or goal-oriented creative projects turn up the excitement for individuals who crave a challenge. For example, strategic escape rooms or group art competitions incorporate complexity while encouraging collaboration. These activities allow participants to shine while still being part of a team effort.

Consider Group Size and Logistics

Customizing team activities means considering logistical details. In particular, the group size, available space, and the amount of time people can commit all impact the success of an event. Larger groups might prefer structured formats like trivia competitions, scavenger hunts, or team relays.

For smaller teams, focus on more intimate experiences that offer hands-on interaction, like creative workshops such as Piñata Making. If pairing off or creating subgroups is necessary, activities should allow for smooth transitions and equal participation.

Keep Location Options Practical

On-site activities within your workspace are budget-friendly but can limit creativity or space for moving around. Off-site events, whether at a nearby venue or rented space, provide an opportunity to break away from the typical work environment and energize your team. For remote teams, adapting activities to online platforms, like facilitated games or interactive virtual experiences, means everyone can join in comfortably.

Work Around Existing Schedules

Balancing participation with existing schedules is best so your team-building activity doesn’t feel like an additional burden. If time is tight, try shorter, high-energy events that fit naturally between work commitments, such as a lunchtime session or an end-of-day activity. For flexible teams, half- or full-day experiences allow deeper engagement and a break from daily routines.

For remote or hybrid teams spread across time zones, consider activities that accommodate different working hours. Rotate session times to respect inclusivity or choose something that spans time zones, like asynchronous challenges.

Consider Tailoring to the Season or Occasion

Seasonal themes and milestone occasions bring a personalized, timely twist to team-building activities. Use seasonal ingredients, decor, or themes to augment an activity and make it feel fresh and relevant. For instance, springtime activities could involve gardening. Perhaps employees plant their own herb pots to take home.

Summer lends itself to fun, team activities like lawn games or picnic gatherings. Meanwhile, fall events can revolve around cozy workshops, like a Paint and Meet Llamas. Winter naturally aligns with events like painting ornaments or hosting a gingerbread house contest.

Company milestones can also tie into activities. For example, celebrating an anniversary could involve creating a collaborative art piece, like a mural that represents the company’s journey. Reaching a major goal might call for a team time capsule, where employees contribute items or notes reflecting their achievements and aspirations. These milestone-focused activities mark the occasion and strengthen the team’s connection to shared successes.

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At Kits by Food Craft, we provide innovative and engaging virtual teambuilding experiences. We've helped over 1000+ dream teams globally foster stronger connections and boost morale through our unique virtual events. 

As an AAPI woman-owned small business, Kits by Food Craft is passionate about promoting cultural awareness and diversity through food, drink, and craft experiences. We believe that shared experiences bring people together, making workplace celebrations more meaningful and inclusive. Learn more about our story here.

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