How to Prepare Your Team Before a Team Building Activity So It Actually Works

One of the most common complaints about team building activities has nothing to do with the activity itself, but with how it was communicated. "We were told on Friday that Monday is a mandatory team day" is a phrase that comes up far too often in internal workplace climate surveys, and it's usually followed by forced participation, crossed arms, and a wish for it to be over as soon as possible. Learning how to prepare your team for a team building activity is probably the single biggest factor in whether the day is remembered as something valuable or as time wasted dressed up as a benefit.

Why preparation matters as much as the activity itself

The best activity in the world can fail if people arrive without knowing why they're there, feeling it's just one more obligation in an already packed schedule, or suspecting there's a hidden agenda to evaluate them. Conversely, a simple activity can have a big impact if the team arrives in the right frame of mind. The difference isn't just about budget or how original the challenge is, but about the invisible groundwork done beforehand: communicating well, building genuine anticipation, and giving each person their own reason to get involved.

The problem with forced participation

When an activity is presented as mandatory with no further explanation, the brain processes it just like any other imposed task: it gets done, but without real energy. People take part just enough not to stand out for their lack of involvement, but they don't allow themselves to enjoy it or let their guard down — which is exactly what these dynamics need in order to work. The result is a day that costs time and money but leaves no mark on how the team works afterwards.

Communicating the "why," not just the "what"

The first step, and probably the most important one, is explaining the reason for the activity, not just the logistics. Sending an email with the time and meeting point is not the same as explaining, even in a couple of sentences, what the day is meant to achieve: celebrating the end of a tough year, welcoming new hires, taking a breather after a demanding project, or simply setting aside time to get to know each other outside daily tasks. When people understand the purpose, they stop seeing it as an HR whim and start seeing it as something that responds to a real need within the team.

Give notice, don't spring surprises

Announcing the activity with enough lead time — ideally several weeks, not a couple of days — lets each person plan around it, both at work and personally, and reduces the sense of last-minute imposition. It also gives time to answer practical questions before the day itself: what to wear, whether there will be physical activity, whether any physical or dietary limitations need to be flagged, or whether partial participation is possible if needed.

Building anticipation without overpromising

Sharing a few details about the activity — without giving everything away, to keep some of the surprise — helps build genuine curiosity. Sharing the name of the activity, a short description of what it involves, or a photo from a previous edition, usually sparks more enthusiasm than a plain "team activity" on the calendar. That said, it's important to be honest about what's actually going to happen: promising a relaxed day and then springing a demanding physical challenge, or vice versa, breeds distrust in exactly the area you're trying to build it.

Involving the team in the choice when possible

Asking, even through a short survey, which type of activity the team would prefer among a few options greatly increases people's sense of ownership over the final day. There's no need to turn it into a complex open vote: offering two or three options already shortlisted by the organisers is enough to make people feel their opinion counted in the decision.

• Explain the reason for the activity, not just the logistics.
• Give enough notice to avoid the feeling of imposition.
• Be honest about the level of physical demand or public exposure involved.
• Offer alternative ways to take part for anyone with limitations.
• Involve the team in the choice whenever it's feasible.
• Make clear what's expected afterwards: a group debrief, a report, or simply the shared memory.

The role of middle managers

The attitude of each team's direct managers has a huge influence on how the invitation is received. If a manager announces the activity half-heartedly, as just one more box to tick, that same reluctance gets passed on to the team. Conversely, when a manager is genuinely engaged, shares why they think it's a good idea, and actively takes part on the day, the rest of the team tends to follow that same lead. Preparing middle managers before announcing the activity to everyone else is, therefore, a step worth not skipping.

Looking after those who feel uncomfortable with this kind of activity

Not everyone enjoys public exposure, physical contact, or highly outgoing dynamics in the same way. Ignoring this reality, or worse, mocking anyone who shows reluctance, is a sure way to make that person experience the day as a negative one. Offering alternative roles within the same activity — organising instead of performing, documenting instead of competing — lets everyone take part from a place they're comfortable with, without being singled out for it.

Choosing the right activity is also part of the preparation

Part of preparing the team well is choosing a dynamic that fits its actual situation. A team that's very disconnected due to remote work may need something lighter and more conversational before tackling physically demanding challenges, while an already cohesive team may enjoy more intense proposals, like a virtual escape room or a set of mini Olympics with several team challenges. Discussing the group's characteristics with the provider — ages, physical condition, how well colleagues already know each other — is as much a part of preparation as giving advance notice of the date.

Sorting out logistics without killing the surprise

Much of the anxiety a team building activity generates has a very practical source: not knowing what to wear, not knowing how much movement will be involved, not knowing how long the day will last, or whether it clashes with other commitments. Resolving these questions in advance, through a clear email or a short briefing, frees people from unnecessary mental load and lets them focus on what really matters: enjoying and taking part. There's no need to reveal the exact content of every challenge to provide this basic information — the surprise of the challenge itself can be kept intact while all the practical questions around the day are answered.

Coordinating logistics with the provider in advance

Preparing the team also means getting the relationship with whoever organises the activity right. Sharing relevant information about the group with the provider — size, ages, physical condition, any limitations, working language if there are international staff — allows the proposal to be adjusted before the day arrives, instead of discovering on the spot that the activity doesn't really fit the team's actual characteristics. This upfront communication avoids unpleasant surprises and helps ensure the experience is genuinely designed for the people who will live it.

Adapting the preparation to the size and type of team

Preparing a small team that knows each other well is not the same as preparing a large workforce spread across different sites or with a high proportion of remote work. In large teams, it helps to rely on the heads of each area to pass on the information personally, rather than depending solely on mass communications that come across as impersonal. In teams with a lot of remote work, it can help to create some point of contact before the day, even a virtual one, so the in-person activity isn't the first time certain people interact with each other.

• In large teams, rely on middle managers to personalise the communication.
• In teams with a high proportion of remote work, create a point of contact ahead of the in-person day.
• In teams with a lot of recent turnover, spend extra time introducing new hires before the day of the activity.

After the day: closing the loop

Preparation doesn't end when the activity begins. Taking a moment afterwards, even a brief one, to share what happened — a group photo, a thank-you message, a comment at the next team meeting — helps cement the positive memory and means the next invitation is received with even more enthusiasm than the last. That closing step, simple as it seems, is what makes the difference between a one-off event with no follow-through and a team culture built activity by activity.

If you need help choosing and planning an activity tailored to your team's specific characteristics, get in touch and we can advise you from the very first step. And in our team building FAQ section, you'll find answers to the most common questions that usually come up before organising a day like this.