As the holidays approach, many small businesses and teams in New York City are searching for ways to close the year with gratitude and connection. From shared meals in Queens to creative team workshops for small businesses in Brooklyn, holding meaningful winter team-building events in NYC offers a chance to reflect on what’s been accomplished, honor the people behind the work, and prepare for the year ahead. If you’re wondering how to plan a meaningful team event in NYC that builds unity, sparks joy, and strengthens your shared mission, this guide offers six practical ideas to help you lead well and finish strong.
And if you’re not in NYC, read along! Plenty of good ideas here no matter which region you represent.
Why Team Holiday Events Matter: Building Unity, Gratitude, and Momentum
Done well, team events are a rewarding and enjoyable way to celebrate your team and let them know you care about them as individuals, and not just as worker bees.
We’ve all been to holiday events that were either tremendously meaningful or less than inspiring.
Planning holiday events may feel like just another task for busy leaders to check off the list. However, visionary team leaders understand this is a key opportunity to create camaraderie and enthusiasm. Think of it as your chance to genuinely thank your team and rally them for the next year.
Six Steps to Planning Meaningful Team-Building Events in NYC
1. Clarify your objectives before you begin.
What do you hope to accomplish? Invite several teammates to help with the planning and spend a few minutes determining your goals and desired outcome.
Is it to recognize employees for their hard work?
Help colleagues get to know each other better?
Boost morale by building cohesion and vision for the team?
Just have fun?
List your three top objectives—defining them from the start will help you plan an event to achieve your goals.
2. Include something fun: Ideas that spark joy and connection.
When you are creating a team event at the holidays—or anytime—fun should be one of the primary factors! Whether a casual lunch or an hour of skill training, team events should feel like a break, not another day at work.
Playfulness and breaking up the schedule develops team spirit. It fills the team with creative energy that allows for greater productivity when they return to work.
Start with the question, “How will my team enjoy being together?” This varies greatly from team to team.
Here is a list of ideas to jumpstart your planning—
- Match your company culture. Is your company artistic, techie, foodie, outdoorsy, traditional, adventurous, community focused? Look for a venue, event, or gifts that build on your existing brand as a company.
- Consider your local area. Visit a new show, attraction, or escape room. Attend a concert. Go on a food tour (don’t miss Chai Bhai in our neighborhood of Jackson Heights). Tour a holiday light show (Dyker Heights Christmas Lights!) or outdoor market (Bryant Park’s Winter Village or Queens Night Market). Volunteer together at a local mission or relief organization.
- Choose a common hobby. Do your employees share any common hobbies? Hike or ice skate. Play laser tag or a game of golf. Visit an inspiring shop or museum. Paint pottery or landscapes.
- As the leader, agree to laugh at yourself. Your team will love it if you lead with warmth, openness, and a great sense of humor. Lighten up, wear your craziest socks and have some fun!
- Create friendly competition. Hold a cubicle decorating contest or a cookie bake-off. Team up employees for a scavenger hunt around the city. Get to know each other better!
- Give out prizes. Door prizes, gift cards, and raffles are always a winner. Give thoughtful, fun gifts your team will actually enjoy. (Not those dusty, branded coasters no one claimed the first time around!)
- Include a surprise or something unexpected. Schedule a food truck or local coffee cart to show up at lunch. Send the team home early with a small gift to add joy to their family celebrations. Donate to a cause your team supports in their honor!
3. Celebrate your team’s wins before the year ends!
Here at Team Verve, we’re big fans of celebrations. So often teams rush from project to project, not taking time to recognize what has been accomplished together. This can lead to team burnout.
However, team enthusiasm builds from reflecting on how they have won in the past year. As a leader, you see the big-picture wins, so make sure your whole team hears about them and celebrates!
- Reflect on your wins as a team. The leader’s attitude communicates exponentially here! Go for more than the bottom dollar or that your organization survived another year. Instead, create a list that covers the big picture and explains exactly how the team won in each area.
- Ask your team. Break out the whiteboard, smartboard, or those giant sticky notes. Ask your team to help fill out the wins and losses columns. Leaders, prepare to share first!
- Get out of the office. Break up with your conference room for a day and take your team somewhere inspiring to reflect on their success. Make the atmosphere celebratory and relaxing.
4. Learn something new: Workshops that equip and inspire.
Setting time aside for team learning shows your commitment to the team’s success. Invest wisely in a measurably beneficial—and still enjoyable—activity, workshop, or class that is fully useful to their work.
Learn about new technology, products, or design trends in your industry. Improve key skills like communication, empathy, customer service, or leadership. Empower your team to go further in a skill area, and everyone wins.
5. Build team vision and strategy for the year ahead.
When your team is gathered together and having fun, this is an excellent chance to create clarity around the big-picture goals, vision, and principles of the organization. Leaders must clearly communicate the WHY of what the team is doing with HOW they are getting there.
Questions every NYC team leader should ask:
- Does your team own the organization’s vision, mission, and direction for next year?
- Can your team clearly articulate the “why” behind their work—and how it connects to impact?
- Do employees know the part they play in helping the team win? Are they proud to be part of it?
- Are your core values known, lived out, and shaping daily decisions?
- What challenges or improvements should we tackle next year—and how can we proactively address them?
As you answer the questions above, it may become clearer where more communication is needed for your team. Reach out to discuss how to choose and facilitate activities that unleash the potential of your team!
6. Eat food, of course!
Does this one go without saying? Nearly all team events should include eating together. Serving food signals care! It lets the team relax and creates cross-team mingling that can be hard to achieve otherwise. Plan intentionally, order plenty to go around, account for dietary restrictions, and enjoy! Bonus points for sourcing your menu from a locally owned restaurant or caterer.
Ready to lead well and finish strong? Get started on your next meaningful team-building event in NYC!
Planning a meaningful team event doesn’t have to be overwhelming. No matter what type of team you lead, the goal is the same: Honor your people, reflect on the year, and prepare for what’s ahead with clarity and purpose. Start by identifying a few core objectives, then invite your team into the process. Enjoy the celebration!
NYC Team Event Support from Team Verve Co.
At Team Verve, we partner with leaders across NYC and beyond to design and facilitate team gatherings that build trust, spark creativity, and strengthen shared mission. We start by working with the leader to identify the needs of the team and create objectives for events. Then we plan and facilitate activities that will energize the team for the new year. Whether you’re looking for a simple workshop, a values-aligned retreat, or a seasonal celebration with purpose, we’re here to help you lead well and finish strong. Chat with Matt.
