How to plan a team-building event

You've taken it upon yourself (or have been "volunteered") to organize a social event for your team. You're enthusiastic but also a bit anxious. Where do you start? Will the team like what you come up with? Will they show up?

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After organizing 200+ events, I found a "planning flow." When you get the most important stuff done (secure your budget and pick an experience), everything else will follow. I hope my checklist will help erase some of your event-planning anxiety.

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Step 1. Secure your budget

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Once you and your team decide that you “should get together one day,” many things will be up in the air for a while. It’ll take some time to figure out what kind of event your team prefers and who’ll attend. You can’t control everyone’s schedules. So, forget about them for now. Instead, secure your total event budget.

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Why start with the total budget?

It’s in your control.
It limits the options you’ll run by your team.
It helps you find and negotiate a better experience.

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No budget is too small. You can start with zero. Based on my past events, here is an estimate I recommend for activities:

If you want a fancier team-building event, add 50% to your budget. Keep ~10% of your budget for last-minute expenses like insurance. Set aside $25 for a meal at the office and at least $60 at the restaurant.

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If you don’t know your group size, estimate on the higher end. If you underestimate, you will end up renegotiating per-person prices with vendors. If you overestimate, you will afford a better experience or keep the extra money for your next event.

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A common mistake is securing your total budget only after you know your date and guest count. These details are not important because they can be adjusted later. But the longer you wait to get the budget, the later you’ll book, the fewer choices you’ll have, and the more messages you’ll have to exchange with your event vendors.

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Step 2. Inspire your team

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Equipped with your total budget, you can shop around. You may still not know your date or group size, and that’s okay. Inspire your team with exciting ideas, and they will commit faster!

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How do you come up with novel team-building ideas, especially when you want your entire team to like the event? Google or ChatGPT won’t give you creative ideas because they don’t know where to look. This is where Spaciously comes in handy.

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Get inspired on Spaciously

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Browse hundreds of experiences on Spaciously for extraordinary event ideas for your team. You can filter by city to see what’s available in your location. However, I recommend not using filters. This will allow you to see all team-building experiences. Some might not be available in your city yet, but I’m happy to add them if you ask me through our chat or email me at hanna@spaciously.io. If you love an idea, I will make it available to your team.

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Pick 5 experiences that fit your budget

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List 5 experiences that fit your budget and present them to your team. Go for a variety to inspire your team and understand what they like. For example:

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Sumi-e Painting Class (a relaxing experience you can enjoy at an artist’s studio)
Kayaking Lesson and Tour (an active, outdoorsy experience)
Kimchi Making (learn a new practical skill)
Traditional Tea Ceremony (bring it to your office)
Local Scavenger Hunt (get to know your neighborhood and get some steps in)

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An excited team is a committed team! When you pick an experience everyone loves, book it on Spaciously. The earlier you book, the more options you’ll have!

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For straightforward, tactical advice, also read:

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Step 3. Commit (sort of)

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Can you book if your date and group size are still up in the air? You can and should. Your team’s plans may change, but you shouldn’t worry about that.

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Don’t worry about a date change

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When you book on Spaciously, you can cancel up to 7 days before the event and receive a full refund. Even though we can’t guarantee your money back after the cancelation period, we’ve consistently helped clients deal with last-minute changes. We can do this easily because we work with small business owners who control their schedules.

Some real-life examples:

You decide to take your team out for lunch before your activity, and now you are worried that you will be 30 minutes late. Just let us know, and 99% of the time, we’ll adjust the time of your activity.
You booked an event at your office, and your building announces that it has bed bugs (yes, this happened). We will help you move your event elsewhere or work with your instructor to push you to a different date.

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Don’t worry about your group size

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Some people may decide to join at the last minute, and some might not show up. With Spaciously, you can add up to 5 people to your event up to 3 days before the event date. If your total budget is limited, book for fewer people just in case and add up to 5 people later. And if even more people sign up, just let us know. So far, we’ve accommodated all clients with bigger groups.

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Step 4. Agree on the logistics

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If you are going to your host's location, you don't need to worry about any extra logistical details! Just arrive with your group.

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If you are bringing an experience to your office, you have a few final details to sort out:

Equipment: Get a list of required equipment from your host. Equipment requirements are usually simple and common sense. For example, if you are booking a cooking class, you need to have a fridge, a stove, and counter space. A shared checklist will keep you and your host on the same page.
Insurance: Check your building’s insurance requirements. 99% of office buildings require a certificate of insurance (COI). Most hosts have COI with the coverage you need for your event. However, they must add your building as an “additional insured” to their policy. Depending on the broker, it takes up to 2 weeks. In addition, some buildings require COI that cover cases that have nothing to do with events. In 80% of cases, buildings have adjusted their requirements and accepted the hosts’ COI. If the building insists on extra coverage, you may need to get a one-off event insurance, which may cost up to $150.
Contact information: Exchange contact details with your host. You’ll need them on the day of your event.
Building access: Share detailed parking and building access information.

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When you book with Spaciously, we coordinate these details.

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Team socials can be nerve-racking because there are so many details to focus on. All you need to know before booking an event is your total budget. Everything else will fall into place as you start collaborating with your host. If you have questions about team-building events, chat with our team or email me at hanna@spaciously.io

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How to plan a team-building event

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