A step-by-step guide to designing team time that’s energising, inclusive, and worth the calendar space

Let’s talk about away days

Away days can be brilliant or baffling. Done well, they create space for connection, reflection, and fresh thinking. Done poorly, they feel like forced fun or a day of PowerPoint in a different postcode (if you’re lucky).

This guide helps you design or participate in away days with more clarity and care. Whether you’re planning one, attending one, or wondering if they’re worth it, here’s how to make the most of the time.

Clarify the Purpose

Before booking a venue (and it’s best off-site) or brainstorming activities, ask: Why are we doing this?

☑ Common goals might include:

• Strengthening team relationships
• Reflecting on strategy or values
• Celebrating milestones
• Surfacing challenges or tensions
• Creating space for creativity or rest

✍ The purpose of this away day is to ____________________________
and we hope people leave feeling ____________________________.

Design for Inclusion

Not everyone experiences away days the same way. Consider access, comfort, and agency.

☑ Ask yourself:

• Is the venue physically accessible?
• Are activities inclusive of different energy levels, personalities, and needs?
• Is there space for quiet reflection as well as group interaction?

✍ To make this day more inclusive, I’ll ____________________________.

Balance Structure and Flexibility

Too much structure can feel rigid. Too little can feel chaotic.

☑ Try this rhythm:

• Opening: Set tone and purpose
• Middle: Mix of structured sessions and informal time
• Closing: Reflect, gather insights, and name next steps

✍ One moment I want to build in is ____________________________
because it might create space for ____________________________.

Choose Activities That Match the Mood

Not every away day needs a scavenger hunt. Choose formats that serve your goals.

☑ Consider:

• Story circles or reflective writing
• Collaborative problem-solving
• Creative workshops or skill-sharing
• Playful team-building (with opt-outs!)
• Quiet walks or solo thinking time

✍ An activity that might support our purpose is ____________________________.

Make the Invisible Visible

Away days often surface unspoken dynamics. That’s not a flaw, it’s a feature.

☑ Create space to notice:

• Who speaks and who doesn’t
• What tensions or patterns emerge
• What’s being said between the lines

✍ One way I’ll support psychological safety is by ____________________________.

Follow Through

The day doesn’t end when the snacks (if you’re lucky) run out. What happens next matters.

☑ Plan for:

• Sharing outcomes or insights
• Following up on ideas or actions
• Checking in on how people felt

✍ One commitment I’ll make after the away day is to ____________________________.

Final Reflection: What Are We Really Stepping Away From?

An away day isn’t just a change of scenery; it’s a chance to pause, reframe, and reconnect. What would it mean to treat this time as a form of care, not just coordination?

✍ If I could redesign the away day from scratch, I’d make it more about ____________________________
and less about ____________________________.

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