Workplace activities intended to support team cohesion may exclude significant groups of employees, according to new research.
A survey of more than 1,000 UK office-based workers, carried out by corporate events specialist Team Tactics, found that only half of employees felt their most recent team building or social event catered to neurodivergent colleagues. Just 53% said their event considered the needs of employees with physical disabilities and the same proportion felt that religious beliefs were accounted for.
Only three in five participants believed the last team activity they attended catered for employees from ethnic minority backgrounds. Almost half of respondents felt event organisers could have made more careful and considered choices, indicating concern about the inclusivity of workplace social planning.
The research also found that team building activities are often organised through a top-down approach. Two in five respondents said management arranged the last event they attended, while more participatory models were far less common. Only 17% said employees take turns planning events and 15% said options are put to a staff vote.
Despite this, many employees are reluctant to take on organising responsibilities themselves. Thirty per cent said they would struggle to find an activity that everyone would enjoy. A further 26% felt they would struggle to identify something suitable and accessible for the whole team, suggesting that employees are aware of the complexities involved in inclusive planning.
Limited Resources and Competing Pressures
Practical constraints also deter employees from taking an active role in event planning. Twenty nine per cent of respondents said a limited budget would put them off organising a team event. Twenty seven per cent said the process takes too long and 22% reported they do not have the time to commit outside their day-to-day role.
Concerns about engagement create additional challenges. Twenty four per cent said they would lack buy-in from colleagues and almost one in five expressed the same concern about management support. These findings suggest that both resource pressures and uncertainty about participation hamper efforts to create more inclusive and collaborative decision-making around team activities.
Tina Benson, founder and managing director at Team Tactics, said, “Our research shows that many well-intentioned events are missing the mark when it comes to true inclusivity. We’ve seen just how powerful team building can be, with links to long term improvements in communication and collaboration, but these activities will only reach their potential if they engage and meet the needs of the diverse workforce.”
Rethinking Team Events to Support Inclusion
Benson added that organisations have an opportunity to reshape how they approach workplace events.
“If team building is to truly build stronger teams, it must start by respecting and representing the full spectrum of employees’ identities and values. There’s a real opportunity here for organisations to reframe how they approach team events – not as one-size-fits-all, but as carefully considered experiences shaped by input from across the business,” she said.
“Ultimately, inclusive planning is essential for fostering stronger, more connected teams where everyone feels seen and valued.”