Inclusive Team Building Activities: Making Sure Everyone Can Revel

At Revel & Co. ensuring our guests all feel equally welcomed and included during our events and workshops is at the core of our ethos. Because team building should be for everyone!

Whether it's accessibility needs, different communication styles, dietary requirements or simply making sure remote colleagues don't feel left out, creating an inclusive team experience means thinking about everyone from the very beginning.

Where the "default" team social goes wrong

Most exclusion at team socials isn't dramatic. Nobody sets out to leave anyone out. It happens because the default format, drinks after work somewhere loud with something competitive thrown in, quietly assumes everyone drinks, everyone's free in the evening, everyone likes noise and everyone wants to win. That rules out non-drinkers, colleagues with childcare or caring responsibilities, anyone who finds a loud room exhausting, and a fair few people who would simply rather not be shouted at over a quiz buzzer. Add those up and you've often lost a third of the team before the invite has gone out.

And when everyone feels comfortable, valued and able to take part, teams are more likely to connect, collaborate and have fun together. The result? Stronger relationships, better communication and a team where everyone feels like they belong.

A quick checklist for an inclusive team social

So, when planning your next team social, why not ask yourself: Can everyone access it? Can everyone participate? Can everyone feel comfortable? Can everyone connect? Here's what each one looks like in practice:

• Access: a step-free venue, a daytime or early-evening slot, and somewhere people can actually get to

• Participation: an activity that works seated or standing, at any pace, needs no experience, and doesn't hinge on drinking

• Comfort: ask about dietary, sensory and access needs when you send the invite, not on the day, and make "I'd rather not" a normal thing to say

• Connection: small groups and something to do with your hands beat big-room icebreakers every time

If the answer to all four is yes, you're already on the right track!

How we do it at Revel & Co.

At Revel & Co. we believe that connection, creativity and collaboration are at the heart of every successful team. That's why our experiences are designed to give everyone the opportunity to get involved, get creative and enjoy the process together. In practice, that means:

• We ask about access, dietary and participation needs before the day, so nobody has to raise it in front of colleagues

• Everything can be done seated, at your own pace, and no one is put on the spot

• Alcohol-free options available, with drinks as an optional extra rather than the point of the evening

• Dietary requirements and allergies handled in advance for anything edible

• Materials adapted where needed, for example large-print instructions, or low-scent options in the fragrance workshop

  
  

National Inclusion Week

UK National Inclusion Week, run by Inclusive Employers, is the perfect reminder to think about how we can make our workplaces more inclusive, not just during the working day, but when we're socialising and connecting too.

Because creating an inclusive team isn't about making sure everyone fits in. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels they belong. And that's something worth celebrating.

So whether you're planning a National Inclusion Week activity, a team social or simply looking for a new way to bring your people together, we'd love to help. Browse our team workshops, or tell us about your team and we'll suggest something that works for everyone in it.

Because when everyone can Revel, everyone can be part of the fun!

Questions we're often asked

What makes a team-building activity inclusive?

One that doesn't assume anything about who's in the room: no drinking required, no physical demands, no pressure to perform, a time people can actually make, and needs asked about in advance rather than on the day.

Do you cater for dietary requirements and allergies?

We can cater to most allergies and dietary requirements as long as we know in advance.

Til next time,

Team Revel & Co x