Every time the annual team building event rolls around, HR and admin managers tend to brace for a familiar headache. A group dinner? Everyone sits down and ends up scrolling on their phones — barely any interaction. Something more extreme and sporty? Then you worry that some people can't keep up or might get hurt, and the sign-up sheet comes back looking pretty thin. So this year, plenty of multinational companies have switched tack and turned to a sport almost anyone can step onto the court and play — pickleball.
1. You can break the ice even with zero sporting background
The best thing about pickleball is how genuinely inclusive it is. Colleagues who don't usually do much exercise can pick it up after a few minutes of coaching, so you avoid that awkward situation where a couple of people are playing while everyone else stands off to the side. And since it's most often played as doubles, the two players have to coordinate their movement and tactics, which means they naturally start talking.
Colleagues who normally sit a few departments apart and only ever deal with each other over email often find themselves chatting away once they're on court. For breaking down those invisible walls between teams, this works more naturally than any structured ice-breaker game.
2. Turning "we care about employee health" into something people can see
Putting sport into a company event does more than just give everyone a chance to unwind and let off steam. It quietly sends a message: the company actually cares about your physical and mental wellbeing, rather than only saying so.
A friendly pickleball match full of laughter and movement tends to do far more for team spirit than sitting through another dull meeting. What does a healthy company culture actually look like? Sometimes it's simply an afternoon where people are happy to work up a sweat alongside their colleagues.
3. Custom gear with your company logo on it
If you want the team building day to feel a bit more special, a set of dedicated gear is the key. Giving each employee a paddle printed with the company logo instantly changes the experience — everyone holding the same model, wearing the same badge as they step onto the court, and that "we're one team" feeling comes through on its own.
Once the event wraps up, the paddle can go home with them and keep getting used. It's a thoughtful keepsake that's actually practical, far more so than the kind of giveaway that gets shoved in a drawer the moment the day ends.
Custom Gear for Your Team
BESTGIFT specialises in high-quality corporate gift customisation, and team-building pickleball paddles are something we make a lot of. There are two options to choose from: a white fiberglass model that's springy and easy to power through shots, ideal for beginners; and a black carbon fiber model that offers precise control, suited to colleagues who want to play with a bit more finesse. Add your company logo, and your next team building event will stand out from the rest.
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