DOES A GOOD TEAM BUILDING EVENT NEED VALUABLE PRIZES?
TLDR: Expensive prizes turn team-building into high-pressure competition that damages relationships. Moderate rewards and recognition keep competition healthy, focusing on fun, collaboration, and lasting positive experiences.
Short answer: no.
Picture this. You arrive at a team-building activity feeling excited and ready to get involved. The whole office has been buzzing about it all day, and your team is known for being playfully competitive. It’s shaping up to be a fun break from the usual work routine.
Then your boss makes an announcement:
“The winning team will each receive an iPad… or a trip to Paris… or £1,000!”
At first, there’s shock. Excitement. Who wouldn’t want to win something like that?
But almost instantly, the mood shifts.
Suddenly, the pressure is on. The nerves kick in. What was meant to be a relaxed and enjoyable day turns into an intense competition where losing feels unacceptable. Arguments start. Frustration builds. You find yourself getting irritated with that teammate who just can’t keep up.
And the other team? Well, clearly they don’t deserve the prize as much as you do. They wouldn’t enjoy Paris like you would anyway. You have to beat them.
So… what just happened?
When Big Prizes Create Big Problems
This is exactly why we don’t give away high-value prizes at our scavenger hunt team-building events.
Large prizes raise the stakes too high. Instead of bringing people together, they can create tension, resentment, and unhealthy competition. One team walks away as winners, while everyone else feels disappointed – or worse, annoyed with their colleagues. Rather than strengthening relationships, the experience can actually damage them.
The higher the reward, the more pressure people feel. And pressure is the opposite of what a team-building event should create.
Healthy Competition vs. Unhealthy Competition
At Big Smoke Events, we believe in healthy competition. A bit of rivalry can be motivating and has been proven to increase engagement and productivity. But when luxury prizes enter the picture, that healthy balance can tip very quickly into something negative.
Team-building should be about collaboration, connection, and enjoyment – not stress and conflict.
By keeping prizes moderate, everyone can focus on what really matters: having fun together.
And when people have fun together, they naturally:
Build stronger relationships
Enjoy their work more
Communicate better
Become more productive
What We Believe In
We absolutely still celebrate the winners – recognition is important. But our prizes are designed to complement the experience, not overshadow it. That way, everyone leaves feeling positive, included, and energised.
Most importantly, people remember the experience itself, not just what they might have won at the end of the day.
And that, in our opinion, is what great team building is all about.