How to organise a great company away day

Far from being a waste of time, company away days help to unite your business, motivate your employees and improve productivity across the board. Follow these four steps to organise a great day that benefits you and your workforce.

Consider your aims

Begin the planning process by considering your aims. These should dictate how you approach the venue, activities and who to invite.

Common reasons to have a company away day include boosting morale, strengthening in-team bonds and encouraging cross-department connection. You could also base it around building a particular skill such as public speaking, or simply do something special to show appreciation.

Prioritise location

Next, prioritise finding the right location for your away day. The venue will set the tone for the day and is often a make-or-break factor in employee enjoyment.

Consider factors such as the distance from your offices, accessibility and amenities, making sure that all employees will feel comfortable and cared for. Essentials include disabled access and toilets, on-site catering and a walkable journey from the nearest public transport links.

You should also choose a venue in line with your company culture to encourage the sense of camaraderie that you’re trying to foster.

Plan engaging activities

As the bulk of the day will be devoted to them, most of your attention should be spent on planning engaging activities. Focus on your reason for bringing everyone together and think of any factors that could limit your choice such as health and fitness restrictions.

If the weather allows, outdoor activities such as treasure hunts and sports day games are an excellent way to promote teamwork and bring different departments closer together. Remember to have a backup plan in case of inclement conditions.

Indoor activities that encourage bonding include educational workshops and brainstorming sessions or non-work-related endeavours like classic games like online bingo and collaborative logic puzzles. Always lead in with an ice-breaker and finish with a fun game to start and end on a high.

Encourage feedback

Finally, remember to encourage feedback from the team at the end of your away day. This will help you to optimise your plans in the future to ensure everyone gets the most out of this investment.

Give out physical feedback cards and nominate someone from HR to collect these at the end of the day, or email requesting responses the following day. A questionnaire with strategic questions in a clear structure will help you to get the most useful information from your feedback.