What is a company outing?
A company outing is more than simply after-work socialising. It’s a fun event designed to encourage employees to get to know each other and bond over shared activities. Company outings are varied and can reflect a wide range of personal interests, such as sports, comedy, art, food or puzzle-solving.
Why are company outings important for employee experience?
Company outings are designed to enhance the employee experience and create valuable team-building opportunities. They can also strengthen connections between teams in different regions or help remote workers build relationships with in-office colleagues.
Engaging in completely different activities generally unrelated to work can help employees learn more about each other, including aspects of their colleagues’ personalities they may not have known before.
Well-organised and engaging company outings can give employees a chance to relax and unwind after a busy or stressful day. Being able to connect informally with colleagues can help strengthen relationships, contributing to a more positive and enjoyable work environment. In turn, this can improve employee wellbeing, boost productivity and support higher retention rates.
Group activities for work outings
Company outings offer employees fun activities after work, helping them relax and build connections outside of the regular work environment. Regardless of the specific activity, the goal of a company outing is to encourage engagement, strengthen team connections and support a positive work culture. Below are a few ideas that may help inspire your planning:
- Karaoke
- Cooking or arts and crafts classes
- Beer or wine tasting classes
- Pub quizzes
- Escape or games rooms
- Rounders, cricket or football matches
- Go-kart racing
- Film nights
- Theatre, comedy or concert trips
- BBQs
- Trips to the coast, the city or the countryside (depending on where offices are based)
- Trips to meet a department based abroad
With this in mind, let’s look at some best practices to ensure your outings are inclusive and accessible for all employees.
Corporate family day ideas and fun activities after work
In addition to group activities for work outings, many organisations also arrange corporate family day ideas to help employees include their families in company events. These gatherings can strengthen the sense of community and promote inclusion across the workplace. Family days might include outdoor BBQs, sports tournaments, scavenger hunts or fun activities after work that allow employees to relax, connect and enjoy time with both colleagues and loved ones.
By creating these shared experiences, businesses can foster stronger employee loyalty, allowing families to come together around their professional experiences.
Outings and inclusion and belonging
As described in our guide to belonging in the workplace, a culture of belonging is one where your employees feel safe to express themselves and can speak up without fear of discrimination. This goes hand-in-hand with a culture of inclusion, where all employees feel confident, involved and valued at work. Fostering belonging and inclusion can also help attract a wider, more diverse talent pool from a broader range of backgrounds. A culture of belonging and inclusion extends to every aspect of your business, including company outings.
Inclusive outings help people from diverse backgrounds feel supported and safe. They also demonstrate that you recognise and respect individual needs and preferences. This in turn can make your workplace a more positive place and welcoming environment. Our guide to inclusion in the workplace highlights that inclusion:
- Improves job satisfaction, engagement and motivation
- Employee wellbeing
- Employee retention
- Can attract quality candidates
Because employees may have different social responsibilities, interests or accessibility requirements, it’s important to carefully consider how inclusive your company outings are.
Before you choose ideas, review both your own budget and that of your employees. Will you cover costs such as food and transport? Outings are more inclusive if everyone can afford to participate. Not all employees will share the same interests, so consider organising a variety of outings throughout the year to ensure there’s something for everyone.
Offering a range of activities helps ensure everyone has the chance to connect with colleagues in a fun setting outside of work. You can further support inclusion by:
- Checking the accessibility of the venues company outings are held at
- Arranging transport for employees
- Ensuring someone with first aid training is present
- Covering outing costs where possible, to reflect the current cost of living
- Confirm the dietary needs or preferences of your employees if having food during an outing
- Providing childcare options where feasible
- Ensuring that alcohol-free or low-alcohol options are available during social events
- Scheduling some quieter or less stimulating activities to accommodate employees with anxiety or neurodivergence
- Having someone present to welcome attendees and introduce them to others
Inclusive and varied company outings can have a positive impact on employee wellbeing. Regardless of your employees’ interests and hobbies, there are always options, from pub quizzes and go-kart racing to film nights. Ask employees what they would most enjoy and plan outings around the most popular choices. The most important thing is to ensure no one feels excluded.
FAQ
How do you announce a team outing?
Send an email announcement inviting employees to the team outing. Include key details such as the date, time, location, accessibility, transport arrangements and any other relevant information. Include a call to action asking employees to RSVP and share any dietary or accessibility needs, so you can make the necessary arrangements.
What is the difference between team building exercises and a team outing?
Team building exercises are usually based around a particular task, such acquiring new skills or experience. Team outings are less structured, with an emphasis around providing bonding time for your employees. Outings are not designed to achieve any particular results and can be an opportunity for employees to learn more about each other.
