Why Fun isn't Fluffy - Teams who Laugh Together, Deliver Together

Picture this.

You walk into a room with 100 people. Most of them you’ve never met. There’s been no warm-up act, no casual catch-up, no idea who’s who, or what anyone actually does.

And then someone says:

“You’re now one team. Collaborate. Deliver. Go!”

Sure. No pressure.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen this setup more times than I can count. It’s become the norm - thanks to:

• Post-COVID work habits, where new starters were onboarded via email and locked in their spare bedrooms with questionable Wi-Fi.
• Hybrid working patterns that killed spontaneous “fancy a quick coffee?” moments.
• Cameras-off Zoom calls where everyone sounds like they’re talking into a bucket.
• Online directories that give you zero clues - no bios, no context, sometimes not even a pixelated photo.
• Company socials with lower turnout than a Monday morning Pilates class… unless it’s mandatory.

So what do you get? A “team” that doesn’t know each other.

And here’s the truth: you can’t build trust with strangers. Not real trust.

And without trust, you don’t get performance - you get polite silos and cautious emails.

No Trust? No Team.

Policies won’t build trust. Processes won’t build trust.

And spoiler alert: neither will another 87-slide deck on “Our Strategic Priorities”.

People trust people they feel they know. And the fastest way to build that kind of connection?

The answer = A really good offsite.

But not the kind where you’re herded through a jam-packed agenda of back-to-back workshops with all the joy of a soggy sandwich.

I’m talking about offsites that let people be themselves. Where there’s laughter, honesty, shared experience - and no one’s clinging to their job title like it’s a flotation device.

People don’t trust each other because they’re told to work together. They trust each other because they’ve seen each other be real.

So if you want a high-performing team, you need to give them a safe reason to believe they’re actually in it together.

And that starts by creating shared experiences, with fun and laughter - on purpose.

Why Fun Isn’t Fluffy

Let’s get one thing straight:

Fun is not the opposite of serious work. Fun is the gateway to trust.

When people let their guard down - even for a day - it creates:

• Psychological safety (the real kind, where people don’t need to act to belong)
• Empathy (“I get where you’re coming from - even if I’ve never done your job”)
• Shared stories (“Remember when…?” moments that fuel connection)

These are the ingredients that glue teams together - especially when the pressure’s on.

That Time the Wheel Literally Came Off The Bus

Let me tell you about one of my favourite offsites. I was in South Africa with a team I barely knew. We’d just been quad biking through the bush (as you do). Spirits were high.

Then on the drive back to base, the wheel came off our minibus. I’m not kidding - it bounced down the road in front of us like a rogue pastry in a Bake Off blooper reel.

We were fine, but the doors had jammed. So we had to climb out the back of the bus - only to discover we were a team of 'shorties'. Zero leg length. Maximum chaos. It took teamwork, laughter, and some very creative exits to get us all out.

To this day, that group still laughs about “the great bus escape” - even though over intervening years, we’ve all moved on to different roles and companies. That offsite created something real (despite the fact that the organisers hadn't planned for the wheel coming off the bus!)

Here’s How to Make Fun Work for You

If you want an offsite that actually builds trust - not just ticks a box - here’s what works:

🧩 1. Ditch the Job Titles at the Door

For one day, everyone’s just them. No “Head of This” or “Director of That”. Just first names, real conversations, and no hierarchy hiding behind long-winded intros.

🏕️ 2. Curate Experiences, Not Agendas

Design the day like a mini festival, not a corporate boot-camp. Ask yourself:

• “What will they still be laughing about in 6 months?”
• “Where’s the joy coming from?”
• “When will people feel relaxed enough to be themselves?”
• And yes - plan the coffee breaks like they matter. Because they do.

🗣️ 3. Prompt Personal Stories

Keep it quick and real. Try:

• “Who was your super hero when you were 7?”
• “What was your first-ever job - and what did it teach you?”

You’ll hear surprising, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving stories. That’s what creates connection. That’s what sticks.

🎭 4. Make It Safe to Be Silly

We’ve done scavenger hunts, jive dance lessons, off-grid weekends, doughnut making sessions and gingerbread house competitions - all carefully designed to subtly promote connection, bring values to life and promote new ways of thinking and operating.

It’s amazing how quickly the corporate cool disappears when someone’s wrestling a candy cane into place and declaring their gingerbread chimney “structurally sound”.

That’s the magic - shared awkwardness creates instant connection and memorable moments.

🔁 5. Keep the Momentum Going

The offsite is just the start. Follow up with:

• A “Remember When…” WhatsApp channel
• A photo collage from the day (build taking pics into the offsite)
• A shared superpower (collaboration) grid
• One to one coaching
• Team drinks or lunch 6 weeks later
• Accountability partners for professional or wellbeing goals

People don’t bond just because they sat in a room together. They bond because they experienced something together - and you kept it alive.

To trust doesn't happen over night, it takes time to build.

The ROI? Real Trust. Real Results.

Teams that know and trust each other:

• Ask for help sooner
• Speak up more
• Solve problems faster
• Cut the passive-aggressive back-and-forth
• Actually enjoy working together

More energy. More empathy. More momentum. And yes - the work gets done. Better, faster, and with less faff.

Final Thought

If you’re leading a team and trust is on your radar - don’t default to another check-in or status report.

Design a day that makes people feel something real, where there's an opportunity to laugh and share.

Because the team that laughs together? Delivers together.

💬 Over to you: What’s the most memorable offsite you’ve ever attended - and why has it stuck with you?

📩 Planning an offsite soon? Want to bounce ideas? Drop me a note at annette@careersUnpacked.com

Let’s make it an offsite that your team actually remembers (without the wheel coming off the bus!).