Indoor or Outdoor Team Building? The Meeting Planner’s Dilemma

For many meeting and event planners, choosing between indoor and outdoor team building can feel like a genuine conundrum.

On one hand, outdoor team building activities are appealing, especially for office-based teams craving fresh air, movement, and a break from the dreaded screens. On the other, Australia’s increasingly unpredictable weather is making that choice a little more complex than it once was.

Heatwaves, sudden storms, high UV levels and humidity all bring real WHS considerations that simply can’t be ignored. What begins as a well-intentioned outdoor experience can quickly become uncomfortable, or even unsafe, if conditions change. In these situations, the safest option is often an indoor program where temperature, surfaces and logistics are all easily controlled.  At the very least, have a great indoor Plan B up the sleeve for if the weather turns nasty.

That being said, indoor doesn’t have to mean dull. Well-designed indoor experiences can be just as energetic, engaging and impactful as their outdoor counterparts, sometimes even more so, particularly when learning outcomes and participation are key priorities.

The real sweet spot lies in flexibility. At Sabre we help planners keep their options open by designing outdoor and indoor options and can have programs with a strong Plan B (and even Plan C) contingencies. Whether indoors, outdoors, or seamlessly switching between the two, teams still get a high-quality experience without compromising safety, comfort, or outcomes.

It’s about being prepared.