When teams lose energy or collaboration slows down, a team-building day can seem like the perfect fix. But here’s the truth: many classic team-building activities do more harm than good.
At Let’s Talk Talent, we’ve organised hundreds of team away days and seen first-hand what works – and what doesn’t. The problem isn’t the idea of team building itself, but the assumption that one-size-fits-all activities can transform any group. Every team has its own dynamic, preferences, and boundaries. Ignoring those realities can turn good intentions into awkward, even damaging experiences.
This guide explores the top 10 worst team-building activities, why they fail, and what to do instead so you can design away days that bring your team together, not push them apart.
Find out why the following team-building activities should be avoided:
The Top 10 Worst Activities
1. Trust Falls
Once a staple of corporate retreats, the trust fall has (thankfully) fallen out of fashion. Beyond the obvious safety hazards, this outdated exercise doesn’t actually build trust; it tests it. Absolute trust develops gradually through consistent, dependable behaviour at work, not a single dramatic stunt.
Physical contact in professional environments can also make people feel uncomfortable, undermining inclusivity and safety.
Better alternative: Create opportunities for trust to grow naturally through collaborative projects or effective team performance strategies that strengthen real-world relationships.
2. Corporate Boardroom Presentations
Team building should engage people, not send them into a state of PowerPoint fatigue. Long presentations with one-way communication are the opposite of participation. Keeping everyone in the office only reinforces hierarchy and distraction – hardly the setting for genuine connection.
Better alternative: Use interactive workshops, breakout discussions, or team performance workshops where everyone contributes ideas and energy.
3. Food and Alcohol-Centred Events
Team lunches and drinks sound inclusive, but only if everyone can participate comfortably. Dietary restrictions, allergies, religious beliefs and personal choices around alcohol can easily turn social sessions into alienating ones. No one should feel compelled to explain their lifestyle to fit in.
Better alternative: Ask about preferences upfront and offer appealing non-alcoholic and dietary-inclusive options. Food and drink should complement your day, not define it.
4. Bowling
Bowling seems social on the surface, but it rarely fosters meaningful conversation. Players spend most of the time taking turns rather than connecting, resulting in stop-start interactions that don’t help colleagues bond beyond polite small talk.
Better alternative: Choose inclusive group activities that keep everyone engaged together, such as creative collaboration challenges or walking discussions.
5. Overnight Stays
Mandatory overnight stays often exclude employees with families, caring responsibilities, or simple preferences for privacy. Sharing accommodation can feel intrusive and uncomfortable, especially when work boundaries should remain professional.
Better alternative: Offer optional stays or design daytime sessions followed by a relaxed dinner. People engage best when they have a genuine choice.
6. Forced Organised Fun
The traditional approach – meetings followed by an escape room or cocktail class – fails more often than not. Different personalities and lifestyles mean not everyone will find these enjoyable. Forced participation breeds resentment, not camaraderie.
Better alternative: Survey your team about activities they’d genuinely enjoy. Create flexible, inclusive options that respect personal comfort levels.
7. Paintball and Assault Courses
Highly competitive or physically demanding activities can quickly go wrong. Some people love the adrenaline rush, while others feel excluded or unsafe. Overcompetitive behaviour can spill over into conflict, undermining trust rather than building it.
Better alternative: Opt for collaboration-based experiences. Focus your team away days on strategic team goals or creative problem-solving that everyone can join in.
8. Role Play and Corporate Reenactments
Acting out fake business scenarios rarely feels natural. Many participants find it awkward or infantilising, especially when asked to ‘pretend’ enthusiasm. The discomfort outweighs any learning benefit.
Better alternative: Use real workplace case studies or facilitated discussions relevant to your team’s challenges. Authentic problem-solving always lands better than scripted performance.
9. Two Truths and a Lie
This long-standing icebreaker can easily backfire. Putting people on the spot encourages personal disclosures that not everyone is comfortable sharing. The game’s competitive element can also feel childish in professional settings.
Better alternative: Try structured introductions or conversation prompts that help build rapport without pressure or oversharing.
10. High-Energy Icebreakers
Jumping, shouting, and dancing can feel forced, especially first thing in the morning or among colleagues who don’t naturally click. High-energy activities can alienate introverts or employees who feel anxious about participation.
Better alternative: Start with gentle, low-pressure exercises that allow energy to build naturally. Warm up the group gradually and match the tone to your team’s comfort level.
What NOT to Do for a Team Away Day
Even with the right activities, inevitable planning mistakes can derail results. Avoid the following pitfalls:
- Ignoring inclusivity and accessibility needs
- Overlooking safety and risk management
- Making participation mandatory
- Focusing events around alcohol
- Overpacking the schedule with no downtime
- Running the day in your usual office space
- Assuming one event will fix long-term issues
- Skipping pre- and post-event feedback
- Allowing cliques or favouritism to dominate
- Treating fun as the objective rather than the outcome
Remember: the best team away days allow space for authentic conversation and connection, not just scheduled entertainment.
Team Away Day Alternatives and LTT’s Approach
The modern workplace has evolved. Employees no longer want staged bonding. They want purposeful experiences that improve collaboration, confidence and wellbeing.
At Let’s Talk Talent, our team performance solutions are designed around your team’s needs – not generic formulae. Each experience is:
- Tailored to your objectives and team dynamics
- Built around real work challenges
- Inclusive for all abilities and preferences
- Flexible, combining structure with open time
- Rooted in psychological safety and trust
Our approach emphasises choice and autonomy so that every participant can engage comfortably. Whether through coaching walks, facilitated feedback sessions, or creative problem-solving workshops, we design events that build genuine connection and measurable improvement.
One of our clients, King’s College London, saw striking results after a bespoke away day focused on authenticity and collaboration – not forced fun. The outcome was renewed energy, clarity, and alignment across the team.
FAQs
What makes an activity bad for team-building events?
An activity becomes ineffective when it excludes participants, causes discomfort, or feels forced. Physical risk, one-size-fits-all formats, and lack of relevance to real work challenges also make outcomes short-lived.
What issues can arise from ‘organised fun’?
Mandatory fun can alienate introverted or disengaged staff and accentuate existing divides. When people feel pressured to participate, trust erodes rather than grows.
Should team-building events involve alcohol or food?
They can, if handled thoughtfully. Food and drink should support, not define, the event. Continually gather information on dietary needs and make sure non-alcoholic options are fair, attractive, and plentiful.
Ready to Plan a Team Away Day That Works?
Avoid the pitfalls of traditional activities with bespoke team away day planning from Let’s Talk Talent. We’ll help you create inclusive, practical experiences that build performance and trust, not awkwardness or fatigue.
Whether you’re looking to reset team dynamics, solve real challenges, or boost morale, our experts can help design a day that actually delivers impact.
Get in touch today to find out the best way to organise a team building event your people will value – and share this guide with colleagues planning their next away day.
