Team outings in 2026 — what works, what doesn't and why everyone does it anyway

They were still talking about it months later. Not about the escape room — that was forgotten within a week. They were talking about the conversation afterwards, in the pub, when the director told them for the first time why he had joined the organisation fifteen years ago. Nobody had ever heard that story before.

"The team outing was the excuse," says the HR manager. "The real value was in what came after."

The team-building market

Team outings are the most frequently organised activity in corporate Netherlands. Budget: an average of €80–180 per person per outing. Frequency: most organisations arrange one to two team outings per year.

The most booked activities in 2026: escape rooms, cookery classes, city-wide games, outdoor adventures and creative workshops. All focused on collaboration, communication and fun.

What the research says about team building

The research is less enthusiastic than the industry would suggest. A meta-analysis of team-building interventions shows that activities focused on social bonding — experiencing something together — have little measurable effect on work performance. Activities focused on work-related skills — communication training, conflict resolution, giving feedback — do show measurable results.

The escape room is enjoyable. It probably won't make your team more effective.

But — and this is the nuance — sharing an enjoyable experience does have an effect on psychological safety. Colleagues who have laughed together are willing to take greater risks in their day-to-day work. The causality is indirect, but it is there.

When a team outing does work

When it addresses a genuine, existing problem. A team that communicates poorly doesn't need an escape room — it needs communication training. But a well-functioning team that wants to get to know one another better can genuinely benefit from an informal activity.

When there is space for real conversation. The best team outings are those with unstructured time built in. Not every moment is scheduled. People can talk in small groups, without an agenda.

When managers genuinely take part. A team outing where the manager spends the entire afternoon checking their phone communicates more than they realise.

When there is follow-up. A team outing without a debrief is entertainment. With a debrief — what did we learn, what would we do differently — it becomes an intervention.

The formats that deliver more than they cost

A joint visit to a client or partner. Employees see the context of their work, build relationships beyond their own team, and gain a better understanding of the organisation.

An internal knowledge-sharing day where employees present to one another. Cost: zero. Return: visibility of expertise that would otherwise remain hidden.

A volunteering day for a local initiative. Cost: low. Effect on team spirit: high. Side effect: positive for employer branding.

The honest conclusion

A team outing doesn't need to "work" to be worth the money. Enjoyment has intrinsic value. But if you expect an escape room to improve collaboration, you are likely to be disappointed.

If you expect your team to have a pleasant afternoon and afterwards feel a little more at ease with one another — then the escape room is perfectly fine.

The HR manager is organising a cookery class this year. "Not because it improves collaboration. Because my team deserves to have a fun afternoon." That is also a legitimate goal. Perhaps the most legitimate of all.