Whether at the end of the year, as a motivational boost during the summer or as a prelude to the new business year – a company outing can not only improve team dynamics and increase the “we-feeling”, but is also the perfect way to say thank you to your own employees. But which kind of company outing is really worthwhile? Which company outing ideas will create enthusiasm and remain in good memory for a long time? In this article, we reveal the top company outing ideas for 2021.
Why is a company outing worthwhile at all?
A lot of effort for nothing? Quite the opposite! A company outing can support team building, create space for new ideas and help your employees get to know and appreciate each other better beyond the daily office routine. In addition, a change of scenery – even if only for a few hours – provides new wind in the sails. Your team recharges its batteries, ideally gets new motivation and (hopefully) stays with your company for a long time to come.
Where should the journey go?
There is usually hardly a shortage of ideas. Instead, with the enormous range of destinations and activities on offer, it’s rather difficult to decide on a company outing idea. From an exciting Escape Room to a classic visit to the local Christmas market to an upscale wine tasting or the tried-and-true Secret Santa in a special location – which company outing idea is right for your company depends not only on your budget, but also on your employees.
For example, how young is (or feels) your team? The answer to this question alone can literally throw a wrench in some possible outing ideas. How athletic do you think your employees are and what results do you hope to achieve with the company outing? Is it just a matter of ending the business year with a relaxed drink in a convivial atmosphere or do you want to improve the group dynamics in the long term? Do you want your employees to get to know each other better or are you also satisfied with an outing where mainly already known groups form?
So before you decide on an event, you should take a close look at your company outing ideas! Pay attention to the following aspects in detail:
- Which goal are you pursuing with the planned company outing?
- Does the planned company outing suit your employees and your company?
- What is your budget?
The top 10 ideas for your company outing
Below, we present the top company outing ideas for 2021. Whether virtual or face-to-face, for active team building or for leisurely enjoyment, here, you can find out which outing is suitable for which purpose.
Idea 1: CHristmas market
| Ideal for | Convivial Events |
| Number of participants | > 80 |
| Required time | 2 – 4 hours |
| Costs per person | from 80 Euro |
This classic may simply not be missing in the cold season. How many group disagreements could already be clarified over a glass of warm apple punch? And even a large group does not have to do without the perfect Christmas world. Because nowadays, the Christmas market is also available as a mobile event. From a mulled wine stand to Christmas treats, you can transform your company premises in no time at all.
Idea 2: Escape Room
| Ideal for | Team Building Events, Creativity |
| Number of participants | > 20 |
| Required time | 2,5 hours |
| Cost per person | from 40 Euro |
Whether as an indoor or outdoor event, the Escape Room is a challenge for many teams. Either you send your employees into a room from which they have to find their way out together or you assign a black box that has to be opened. By means of various riddles, codes and tasks your employees have to prove their skills in small groups within a certain time.
To make the whole thing even more exciting, you can put together several teams that compete against each other. Under time pressure, unknown tasks must now be solved. This does not only promote teamwork and communication, but also helps your team to get to know and appreciate each other better beyond the daily office routine. Thus, by far not everything revolves around performance here. Fun and team building are the real goals.
Idea 3: Cooking event
| Ideal for | Team Building Events, Communication |
| Number of participants | > 5 |
| Required time | 7 – 24 hours |
| Cost per person | from 60 Euro |
Online, in a shared professional kitchen, with local delicacies or as a culinary journey under the guidance of an experienced chef – the knives are definitely sharpened at the team cooking event. So instead of just sitting down at the set table and feasting during a company outing, your employees have to do the cooking themselves.
Appetizer, main course and dessert are prepared with creativity and commitment over a full-bodied glass of wine or a cool beer. After all, the end result should not only look good, but also taste good. So regardless of whether there is an ambitious amateur chef among your staff or not, this company outing will involve busy cutting, simmering, roasting and baking. At the same time, your team will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, get to know each other better and, of course, to taste the food.
Idea 4: Marble Track
| Ideal for | Team Building Events, Creativity |
| Number of participants | 6 – 500 |
| Required time | 2 hours |
| Cost per person | from 35 Euro |
Why not combine fun, creativity and team building? How that may work? For example, with the help of a special task. Let your team get active in small groups and build a marble track.
Equipped with the necessary building materials and detailed construction instructions, the team will then have a go at it themselves. While each team builds only a part of the overall track, at the end of the up to two-hour building and tinkering phase, all the individual parts are connected to create a joint marble run.
What is reminiscent of a classic production chain playfully promotes joint working and communication between team members (or departments). Because the ball literally only starts rolling when all the individual parts have been created faithfully according to the instructions and then precisely connected together.
Idea 5: Criminal Dinner
| Ideal for | Convivial Events, Team Building Events, Communication |
| Number of participants | 10 – 100 |
| Required time | 4 hours |
| Cost per person | from 33 Euro |
With this company outing, you lure your employees out of the daily grind and into an exciting mystery dinner. Not only is physical well-being taken care of, but there is also no space for boredom. While your team is enjoying a delicious meal, they have to solve a complicated murder case between the courses. Participation and puzzling are not only allowed, but desired!
Together with an experienced investigator, the team goes in search of clues. Suspects must be interrogated and evidence examined. Depending on the size of the group, you can form different investigative teams to examine the facts with ingenuity, logic and creativity. Without question, team spirit and communication skills are paramount in this event.
Idea 6: Wine tasting
| Ideal for | Convivial Events, also possible virtually |
| Number of participants | > 5 |
| Required time | 2 – 4 hours |
| Cost per person | from 50 Euro |
Whether comfortably together or individually on different screens, a (virtual) wine tasting attracts almost everyone. In addition, tasting with an expert winemaker not only provides plenty of conversation and entertainment, but also offers space to enjoy and learn.
Meanwhile, those who invite their team to a virtual wine tasting first order a tasting package with selected wines. Each employee must then chill the different wines to taste at home according to the winemaker’s instructions. On the agreed date, everyone can make themselves comfortable at home in front of their notebook, tablet or smartphone with a wine glass and bottle. The only prerequisites for a successful event are a webcam and, of course, the desire to taste.
Idea 7: Parcours Training
| Ideal for | Team Building Events, Sporty |
| Number of participants | 10 – 30 |
| Required time | 4 hours |
| Cost per person | from 50 Euro |
On your mark, get set, go! Heat up your team with different tasks and promote team building as well as emotional employee loyalty to your company.
With a company outing to a training course, you are opting for an offer that can be individually tailored to the needs of your team. Experienced experiential educators and trainers will guide your employees through a variety of tasks, the accomplishment of which will be a plus for all the work still to be done in the company.
Idea 8: Geocaching
| Ideal for | Convivial Events, Team Building Events, Sporty, Creativity |
| Number of participants | > 10 |
| Required time | 2 – 4 hours |
| Cost per person | from 50 Euro |
Scavenger hunt was yesterday. But the principle is the same with geocaching. Send your team on a modern scavenger hunt through woods and meadows. Equipped with GPS devices, your employees have to get creative, discover and combine clues together and, last but not least, rely on their intuition.
As a unique activity in the fresh air, geocaching not only promotes team building, but also shows new ways of working and finding solutions. This way, not only your employees will benefit from an active company outing, but you will also bring a breath of fresh air and new ideas into the company.
Idea 9: Casino Evening
| Ideal for | Convivial Events, Entertainment |
| Number of participants | 10 – 400 |
| Required time | 4 hours |
| Cost per person | from 19 Euro |
A casino evening can provide a lot of adrenaline and entertainment – but only with play money, of course. If you want to offer your employees something really special, you can make this company outing even more attractive with a suitable theme. How about the Golden Twenties, for example?
Let your team gamble in an incomparable ambience and discover new sides of your colleagues. Depending on the budget, this company outing idea can even be combined with a joint dinner. Your employees will surely remember the exuberant mood, variety and an environment far away from the daily office routine with pleasure.
Idea 10: Trampoline park
| Ideal for | Convivial Events, Team Building Event, Sporty |
| Number of participants | > 5 |
| Required time | 2 – 4 hours |
| Cost per person | from 20 Euro |
Instead of just dragging yourself from your office chair to a bar stool or a table in a restaurant, the motto of this company outing is: move! Instead of relaxed toasts and chats, you can jump and skip to your heart’s content. You’re sure to leave the stress of work behind you. And yet, a visit to a trampoline park not only trains your (laughing) muscles, but also promotes community. So don’t hesitate to offer your staff something completely new with this active excursion idea.
Conclusion
A company outing doesn’t have to be boring! In order to avoid your employees rolling their eyes when you announce the next company outing, you can get creative with the planning. Use one of the fantastic company outing ideas from this article or let your own ideas and desires run wild!
Offer your team something special, surprise them and promote aspects that will benefit your company long after the event is over. For communication skills, teamwork, creativity and much more can be promoted playfully with a suitable company outing idea. So, what are you waiting for?