Taking a team out of the office for the day sounds simple in theory, but anyone who has organised a corporate away day knows there’s a lot riding on it. Get it right and people come back energised, better connected, and feeling positive about where they work. Get it wrong and it’s remembered as a wasted day out of the office. This guide covers how to plan an away day from the very first decision through to the agenda on the day itself, written for anyone doing this for the first time as well as those looking to improve on previous efforts.
What is a corporate away day?
Before getting into logistics, it helps to be clear on what a corporate away day is meant to achieve. At its core, it’s a planned event that takes a team away from their desks and daily routine, usually to a different location, with the goal of building relationships, aligning on goals, or simply resetting after a busy period. It isn’t the same as a purely social night out, and it isn’t a standard meeting moved to a nicer room. The best versions combine a clear purpose with enough informal time for people to talk to one another.
Research from HR data specialists CIPHR has found that around one in fourteen UK adults report feeling stressed every single day, and almost a quarter say work is a source of that stress. Structured time away from the office, built around connection rather than targets, has been repeatedly linked to improved morale and lower staff turnover, which is exactly why so many businesses continue to invest in these days.
How to plan an away day
Learning how to plan an away day usually starts with a single question: what does the team need right now? Some teams need to rebuild trust after a difficult period, others want to celebrate a milestone, and others simply need a change of scenery to think more creatively. Once that purpose is clear, decisions about venue, activities, and catering all become much easier to make.
How to plan a corporate away day step by step
Working out how to plan a corporate away day is easiest when broken into stages. Start by agreeing the objective and rough guest numbers, then set a date that avoids busy periods or major deadlines. From there, choose a venue that matches the tone of the day, whether that’s a quiet countryside setting or somewhere closer to the office with easy transport links. Booking catering, arranging any activities, and confirming a running order all follow once the venue is locked in.
Team away day planning starts with a clear goal
Planning for a good team away day or team building day rarely starts with a spreadsheet of activities. It starts with a conversation about what success looks like. A team recovering from a restructure will need a very different day to one simply celebrating hitting a target, so it’s worth resisting the urge to copy a generic template and instead building the day around the specific group attending.
A team away day checklist to keep everything on track
- Clear objective agreed with leadership or the wider team
- Date confirmed, avoiding known busy periods
- Venue booked with capacity and access confirmed
- Catering arranged, including dietary requirements
- Activities or workshops planned and timed
- Transport and parking details shared with attendees
- Weather contingency plan for any outdoor elements
- A named point of contact for the day itself
- Feedback method agreed for after the event
How to structure an away day agenda
Once the venue and purpose are settled, structuring your away day agenda becomes the next practical step. Most successful days follow a similar shape: an opening session to set context, a mix of structured activities or workshops through the middle of the day, proper breaks for food and informal conversation, and a closing session that ties everything back to the original purpose. Leaving unstructured time in the agenda matters just as much as the planned sessions, since some of the most valuable conversations happen during breaks rather than in formal sessions.
How long should a corporate away day be?
A common question when planning is how long a corporate away day should be. Most fall somewhere between a single half-day and a full day, with full-day sessions generally better suited to larger groups or more ambitious objectives, such as strategy planning or major team changes. Multi-day retreats exist but are far less common and tend to suit senior leadership groups rather than wider teams. A single well-organised day, run with a clear structure and enough breathing room, is usually enough to deliver a noticeable lift in morale without disrupting the working week too heavily.
What to include in a corporate away day
Deciding what to include in a corporate away day depends heavily on the goal, but most successful days include a mix of the following: a clear opening that explains why everyone is there, at least one collaborative or team-based activity, proper breaks with good food, and some form of informal social time. Avoiding a day packed wall-to-wall with formal sessions is important, since fatigue sets in quickly once people have been concentrating for several hours without a natural pause.
Corporate away day ideas and activities
There’s no shortage of corporate away day ideas out there, and the right choice depends on the team and the objective. Common formats include collaborative problem-solving challenges, outdoor team activities, workshops focused on strategy or communication, and simple social events built around shared food and conversation.
Popular away day activities
Some of the most consistently popular away day activities include escape-room style challenges, outdoor group tasks, and structured workshops that mix discussion with practical exercises. The common thread across the most successful options is that they require collaboration rather than passive participation, since this is what tends to build trust between colleagues.
Team building activities at a sports venue
For teams looking for something a little different, team building activities at a sports venue can offer a change of scenery that a standard meeting room simply can’t match. Grounds with generous outdoor space allow for group challenges and informal games, while indoor function areas can host workshops or presentations, meaning a single venue can support the whole day without a change of location.
Team building events with catering
Food matters more than people expect. Team building events with catering built into the package tend to run far more smoothly than those where lunch is an afterthought, since a properly timed meal gives natural structure to the day and a shared moment for people to relax and talk informally.
Away day ideas for remote teams
Distributed workforces bring their own challenges, and away day ideas for remote teams need to account for travel time and the fact that colleagues may not have met in person for months. Building extra time into the agenda for informal icebreakers, choosing a central, easy-to-reach location, and prioritising activities that don’t require prior familiarity all help remote teams get the most out of a rare day together.
What to look for in an away day venue
Knowing what to look for in an away day venue makes the search far quicker. Good access by road and rail, flexible indoor and outdoor spaces, reliable catering, and a point of difference from a standard office or hotel meeting room all matter. For teams based in or around the capital, options for away day venues with outdoor space in London are increasingly popular, since a change of scenery combined with room to move around outdoors tends to leave a stronger impression than an indoor-only setting.
What to look for in an away day venue
Knowing what to look for in an away day venue makes the search far quicker. Good access by road and rail, flexible indoor and outdoor spaces, reliable catering, and a point of difference from a standard office or hotel meeting room all matter. For teams based in or around the capital, options for away day venues with outdoor space in London are increasingly popular, since a change of scenery combined with room to move around outdoors tends to leave a stronger impression than an indoor-only setting.
Choosing somewhere with a bit of character
Plenty of teams now look beyond the standard hotel conference suite for something more memorable. Grounds such as the Kia Oval, home to Surrey County Cricket Club, offer flexible function spaces alongside outdoor areas and a strong sense of occasion, giving organisers a venue that can support both formal sessions and more relaxed activities within the same site. Options such as the Kia Oval reflect a broader shift towards venues that combine practical facilities with somewhere truly different to the usual office environment.
Bringing the day together
A successful away day comes down to clear planning rather than an elaborate budget. Agreeing the purpose early, working through a proper checklist, building a balanced agenda, and choosing a venue that suits both the group and the goal all combine to create a day people remember for the right reasons. Whether it’s a half-day workshop close to the office or a full day somewhere with more space to breathe, the away days that leave the biggest impression are almost always the ones planned thoughtfully rather than left to the last minute.
