Awkward to Awesome: How to Create a High-Impact Corporate Bonding Event

A corporate bonding event isn’t just about employees overcoming a given task, but about everyone overcoming the awkwardness that can come from a team activity. We’ve seen it all before - a reluctant icebreaker, a handful of people leaning back while the more confident personalities take the lead, or the awkward shuffle when no one quite knows what’s expected of them.

While great in principle, the difficulty lies in creating something that your workers will give their full attention. Developing skills and bonding in your team is paramount, but there is a world of teambuilding activities that inspire next to nothing from your team - dry, zestless exercises that can even diminish their faith in your leadership. Equally, there are plenty of fun activities that don’t bring any tangible benefits, and may not be accepted by your higher-ups. How can you ensure that everyone commits fully to your corporate bonding event?

There are a host of interesting, engaging and memorable corporate bonding events that are both beneficial to development and provide activities that your staff will look forward to, not dread. They involve all personality types and strengths, not just the more active social butterflies, and when planned into a full day of corporate team building facilitation, can multiply their effectiveness in building morale and unity. But what makes for a great corporate bonding event? Read on to find out more.

Why Invest in a Corporate Bonding Event?

A workplace which aspires to bring memories, laughter and shared triumphs to its employees is an increasing rarity. The job market is staunchly competitive, and in the UK, employee turnover is astronomical, rising to 35% in 2025 - that’s over a third of the entire working population changing jobs every year. Many companies don’t offer activity days for their employees, but those who see it as important will score higher in internal employee satisfaction surveys. Plus, it’s hard to walk away from a company that shows that it values employee happiness, and corporate events are one of the most effective ways to do so.

Breaking the Ice

Most corporate bonding events can be awkward affairs - small talk between departments, and the underlying urge to sneak out early. Shake off the stiffness of your average corporate bonding event with icebreaker activities such as the Haka Workshop, Egg Toss or 1-hour Treasure Hunt, all of which are involving enough to loosen up the team. If you’re planning a full day of activities, these will ensure it gets off to a good start.

Create Lasting Memories that Boost Morale

When the work days get tough, teams that share positive experiences away from the office can lean on those experiences. When workers can remember the fun times they’ve had together, they build a sense of belonging and can laugh with their team about it when things aren’t going the company’s way. That sense of shared history is more powerful than any motivational email or HR initiative.

Build Communication and Collaboration

Teambuilding activities can be an opportunity to develop the team’s skills. Effective communication and collaboration are critical components of any successful team, and there are plenty of challenge-based activities which can foster this in an environment away from the workplace. Our Crystal Challenge, which takes inspiration from the iconic Crystal Maze game show, thrives on clearly communicating with teammates to help them achieve the various physical and mental challenges. Once the games are over, your team will still have those experiences and improved skills with them.

Encourage Leadership Skills

As well as communication skills, teambuilding activities can help employees develop their leadership skills. In a different environment where individuals are asked to guide subteams towards a common goal, you may find that someone in the team steps up in a surprising way. Activities like our GPS Treasure Hunt positively apply pressure, bringing out unexpected leaders in a fun way to explore any location. Just as with communication skills, these experiences can transfer back into the workplace.

Create a Custom Day with Multiple Inclusive Activities

At The Teambuilding Company, we allow you to build a custom team day of multiple activities with ease, and the best part about these days is their inclusive nature. We help you build a day that allows every member to excel in their own way - puzzles for those who are logically sharp; sharpshooting for those who excel physically; and falconry for those who love the outdoors.

Activities such as these often bring quieter team members into the spotlight in a safe, encouraging way. Take our Ultimate Challenge Icebreaker, a whirlwind of mini-challenges that brings out the best in everyone. In just one hour, we whizz through enough mini-challenges to get everyone in a relaxed frame of mind, replacing the stiffness of traditional corporate events with laughter, confidence and camaraderie. Mix and match different activities from our selection for the ultimate inclusive day.

Host Your Next Corporate Event with the Teambuilding Company

If you’re looking for a short, sharp energiser, or a full outdoor day adventure designed around your team’s unique needs, we can help you get past awkward small talk and straight to the authentic connections. We’ve been delivering top-quality team events since 1989, and while technology and company culture have evolved massively since then, our focus is still the same: creating experiences that imprint themselves long in the memory of your team. Learn more about us or get in touch today to start planning your next corporate bonding event.