It’s that time again. The annual company conference is looming but this time it needs to be delivered with a difference.
How can you encourage maximum attendance and ensure each employee feels engaged and valued?
The key is activity. Team events bring a level of value and engagement to an otherwise mundane event, transforming corporate meetings into memorable experiences.
The question is, how do you create the right level of engagement when it comes to large events and conferences. Which team building activities work best for large groups with various ages, abilities and personalities? Especially when your corporate event includes between 400-2000 delegates.
How to Organise Team Building Events for Large Groups of Employees
The safest bet is to choose inclusive team building events that have a range of aspects to suit various abilities but still delivers positive results. Such activities may include a portion of physical activities with creative, cerebral, planning and skill aspects so that everyone is comfortable playing their part.
Here are some suggestions to achieve just that, as well as top tips on how these events can be run for groups of professionals.
Ideas for Team Building for Large Groups of Professionals
Bridge the Divide: for up to 500 peopleDescription:
A fun team activity where multiple groups collaborate to construct one large winding and quirky obstacle course bridge. Each team constructs a section and works to overcome challenges with other teams to fit the sections together. In the grand finale, teams race a robotic ball across the bridge and through the obstacles.
Why this activity? This activity doesn’t require strenuous physical activity so it’s great for everyone. Whether it’s delegating, negotiating with other teams, building, decorating or coming up with creative ideas, there really is something for everyone. Being held indoors you won’t even have to worry about the weather.
How it can be delivered: To ensure everyone can be involved, your colleagues will be split into groups to work on sections of the bridge. This can be done throughout the day or at one point in the morning or afternoon of your event.
Strict organisation will be needed to ensure there are enough materials for all delegates as well as set time limits to keep everything on track.
At the end of the day, time is allocated in your agenda for the finale, where delegates line up along the bridge racetrack to take part in the race and cheer the winners.
Results: Employees not only have fun, but they get to work with colleagues from other departments, fostering better communication as well as spending time enhancing problem-solving and time management skills.
Soapbox Derby Outdoors: for up to 2000 people
Description:
Highly competitive and action-packed, a soapbox derby activity is a great team building activity. Split into groups, teams work to construct their own human-powered car from flat pack materials and race them to determine the winning team.
Why this activity? Taking place outdoors for up to 2000 people or indoors for around 400 people (with the right space), this versatile team building activity is huge amounts of fun and ideal for creating a unique event. Each person taking part can choose how physically involved they wish to be, from design ideas, construction, and painting to physically racing and pushing the car around the track. The trick is for teams to identify the best person with the right skills for the job.
How it can be delivered: The larger overall audience is split into smaller working groups to create and race their cars in the soapbox derby. The whole process takes from around 2-4 hours, which allows it to take place in one afternoon following a morning meeting. Keep in mind that as an outdoor activity, so employees would need to dress appropriately to take part. For really large numbers of delegates, the car building can take place at different times throughout the day with one big fun race finale at the end of your event.
Results: As a friendly competition, this team activity for large groups sparks ambition and motivation, leaving everyone with fantastic memories of an amazing day and improved morale.
The Human Logo: for up to 2000 people
Description:
A difficult event to describe, this team building activity involves crowds of people joining together in synchronised formation to create an image or logo with coloured cards or outfits. The fascinating display is captured on video by a drone. Delivered outdoors on large open spaces and fields, every member of staff is brought together in one activity to create amazing crowd art.
Why this activity? For those team building activities where every single person can take part at the same time, the human logo is ideal. The activity is useful to fit in with a meeting agenda requiring only around 1-3 hours. A simple but enjoyable activity that builds camaraderie, this activity doesn’t require a huge amount of physical or mental exertion and results in a great marketing video for future promotions.
How it can be delivered: This team activity for large groups requires a decent amount of planning by a choreographer prior to the event, to determine where each person should stand and move. Then on the day, groups are taught specific positions and movements before the final crowd art piece is revealed and recorded by a drone videographer.
Results: A fun team activity for hundreds of people at a time, this is a great way to bring people together including remote workers to share in a memorable, different experience and provides the added bonus of a top-quality production video for business and marketing use.
Inflatable Games: for up to 500 people
Description:
Full of fun competitive inflatable games such as human table football, Gladiator-style jousting, bungee runs and It’s a Knockout obstacle course, these activities will ensure some serious belly laughs and a great day out of the office.
Why this activity? High energy and very physical, this team activity might not be ideal for every ability but it’s often just as hilarious to watch as it is to take part. With multiple inflatable games outside, this is a complete change from the office environment and is ideal for rewarding staff and boosting morale.
How it can be delivered: With multiple inflatable team activities set up, groups are provided with colour tabards and split to rotate around each activity, ensuring everyone can take part if they wish. This then requires some careful coordination and observation to note scores and determine the winning teams. Health and safety is paramount with strict equipment checks, risk assessments, appropriate insurance and safety instructions for all present. So, leave the alcohol for after!
Results: You would be hard-pressed to find a better way for employees to let loose and have an enjoyable, no… a hilarious experience. Perfect for breaking down barriers, this activity is great for bonding teams and having a break from those heavy corporate anxieties.
Samba Beats: for up to 400 people
Description:
An undeniably powerful and energetic experience, each employee will use samba drums to practice and learn rhythms with professional instruction. They then put their musical pieces together for one amazing team building experience.
Why this activity? Taking place indoors, this is a great team activity for large groups as part of a conference or meeting up to 400 people. This loud and energetic team building activity is perfect for reinvigorating all delegates making it an ideal icebreaker or breakout workshop. With very little physical activity or music skill required, this is a fun option for most people.
How it can be delivered: Easily delivered within your meeting venue a samba drumming activity takes around 1-2 hours. It can be delivered as an icebreaker activity to start your event off in style or as a workshop where groups move away to learn their own drumming music piece. At the end of your event, everyone then comes together to play in unison for a final breath-taking crescendo to the day.
Results: An amazing way to make sure your event is remembered; this experience falls into one of the best team building activities for large groups and is perfect for bigger conferences and meetings; refreshing and invigorating your team to boost mental energy.
Long gone are the days of dreary corporate conferences that fail to communicate key messages or motivate employees. Joe Garland, Managing Director of Eventurous, a specialist team building company advises: “Interactive events and team activities guarantee that each attendee remains engaged throughout a conference, allowing businesses to effectively communication their message and to show just how much they value their staff.”
So why not consider team activities for your next conference as an opportunity to create unforgettable experiences and to ignite some real enthusiasm.
