The folded arms, the raised eyebrow, the quiet comment of “Is this really necessary?” – most organisers have seen it. Learning how to engage sceptical teams is not about persuading everyone to become the loudest person in the room. It is about creating an experience that feels worthwhile, well judged and easy to join in with, even for people who would never volunteer for a team activity.
Scepticism is not always a problem to solve. Often, it is useful feedback. Your team may have had awkward away days before, feel stretched by workload, dislike being put on the spot or simply want to know why they are being asked to give up part of their day. Treat those concerns with respect and you are already in a much stronger position to bring people with you.
Why teams become sceptical in the first place
People rarely object to fun itself. They object to activities that feel childish, compulsory, irrelevant or uncomfortable. A sales team asked to build a tower from paper cups at the end of a demanding quarter may wonder what it has to do with the pressures they are facing. A hybrid team may be weary of another online session that requires them to perform enthusiasm through a webcam.
There can also be a trust issue. If team building is announced after difficult organisational change, redundancies or a tense period, employees may read too much into it. They may assume the event is a distraction from the real conversation. In that situation, no amount of bunting or upbeat music will fix the underlying concern.
The answer is not to abandon the event. It is to be clear about its purpose and choose an activity that matches the moment. A celebratory summer event needs a different energy from a leadership away day designed to improve communication. When the format fits the objective, people can see the point more quickly.
How to engage sceptical teams before the event
The first few minutes of an event matter, but engagement begins much earlier. The invitation, the framing and the practical details all signal whether this will be a well-run experience or an awkward interruption.
Give people a credible reason to attend
Avoid vague announcements about “boosting engagement”. Tell colleagues what the session is for in plain English. Perhaps the team has grown quickly and needs time to build relationships beyond day-to-day meetings. Perhaps colleagues in different offices need a shared experience. Perhaps you want to mark a milestone and give everyone a chance to switch off together.
Be honest about the intended outcome, but do not oversell it. A ninety-minute creative workshop will not transform a difficult culture overnight. It can, however, create new conversations, reveal different strengths and give people a positive reference point to build on afterwards. That is a valuable result.
Make participation feel safe, not performative
Sceptical participants often worry that they will be made to sing alone, share something deeply personal or compete in a way that leaves them exposed. Explain the nature of the activity in advance, including what people can expect physically and socially.
Choice helps too. An event with varied roles gives confident talkers, practical thinkers, observers and quieter contributors all a genuine way to take part. In a treasure hunt, for example, one person may navigate, another may solve clues and another may spot details everyone else has missed. That is far more inclusive than rewarding only the quickest or most extroverted person.
Practical considerations deserve the same care. Ask about accessibility, dietary requirements, travel constraints and anyone who may be uncomfortable with highly physical activities. Good planning does not make a fuss of individuals. It makes it easier for everyone to take part with confidence.
Choose an activity with a low awkwardness factor
The best option depends on your group, venue, timetable and aims. A team that enjoys friendly competition may thrive on an outdoor challenge or fast-paced game. A mixed-age group with varied confidence levels may prefer a cooking experience, creative workshop or collaborative indoor challenge where conversation grows naturally.
For remote teams, keep the technology simple and the pace purposeful. Virtual sessions work best when they are actively facilitated, structured in short sections and designed for real interaction rather than long periods of watching a screen. People will forgive a little silliness when the experience is polished, inclusive and not overlong.
Win the room in the first ten minutes
A sceptical group will make a quick judgement about whether the session is worth their energy. This is where skilled facilitation makes a noticeable difference. The opening should be warm and lively, but never fake. Acknowledge that people may not know what to expect, explain how the activity works and get them doing something straightforward quickly.
Avoid beginning with a long speech about the benefits of collaboration. Let the team experience collaboration instead. A simple, shared task with a clear goal creates momentum faster than a lecture ever could.
The facilitator’s job is not to drag reluctant people into the spotlight. It is to read the room, set the right pace and create enough structure that nobody feels abandoned or embarrassed. Gentle encouragement works. Public pressure usually does not.
Humour has a role here, especially when it is inclusive rather than directed at someone. A little laughter lowers the stakes. Once people realise they are not being judged, they are far more likely to contribute an idea, take a creative risk or simply enjoy themselves.
Build activities around genuine collaboration
If your aim is stronger working relationships, do not select an event purely because it looks entertaining in photographs. Fun matters, but the mechanics of the activity matter too.
Look for experiences that require teams to share information, make decisions and use different skills. These are the moments where colleagues see each other in a fresh light. The quiet analyst who notices the pattern, the new starter who keeps the group organised and the senior manager who rolls up their sleeves can all change the group dynamic.
Competition can be brilliant for energy, but it needs handling carefully. For some teams, a clear winner and a little friendly rivalry will lift the room. For others, especially where there are existing tensions, cooperative challenges are a better fit. You can still create excitement without turning every task into a contest.
It also helps to keep teams mixed. Ask people to work with colleagues they do not normally sit with or speak to. The point is not to force networking. It is to create a relaxed reason for different parts of the business to interact, laugh and recognise one another as people rather than job titles.
Do not mistake quiet engagement for failure
Not everyone will cheer, volunteer or post about the event afterwards. That does not mean they did not value it. Some of the most sceptical participants are the ones who later say they were pleasantly surprised, often because nobody tried too hard to win them over.
Watch for more meaningful signals. Are people talking to colleagues they would not usually approach? Are teams staying involved rather than checking their phones? Is there a sense of shared concentration, followed by laughter or conversation during breaks? These are signs that the event has created a connection.
A quick follow-up can help organisers understand what landed. Ask one or two simple questions: what did people enjoy, and what would make the next experience even better? Keep it light. The goal is to learn, not to turn a social event into a lengthy evaluation exercise.
Give the experience a life beyond the day
The strongest team experiences do not end when the last activity finishes. Reference a funny moment in a team meeting. Share a photograph internally, where appropriate. Thank people for giving the session a go, particularly if the group was initially hesitant.
If the activity surfaced a useful behaviour, carry it into everyday work. Perhaps teams discovered they make better decisions when they pause to hear quieter voices. Perhaps colleagues from different departments found an easier way to ask for help. These small changes are where a well-designed event earns its place.
For busy organisers, the practical load matters as much as the creative idea. An experienced provider such as White Rhino can tailor the format, manage the detail and facilitate the room, leaving you free to take part rather than troubleshoot. That calm, organised delivery is especially valuable when your audience needs a little reassurance before they commit.
The most effective event for a sceptical team is rarely the biggest or loudest. It is the one that respects people’s time, gives everyone a comfortable route into participation and leaves the room lighter than it found it. Get that balance right, and even the folded arms may gradually unfold.