How to organise a corporate treasure hunt for effective team building

Organising a corporate treasure hunt is one of the most engaging and effective ways to strengthen team spirit, boost collaboration, and spark creativity among colleagues working together every day.

Offering a playful and strategic activity like this allows your team to break out of routine and build authentic workplace connections.

But how do you plan a truly successful company treasure hunt? And which tools or branded items can make it unforgettable?

Planning the event: objectives and theme

Every great corporate treasure hunt starts with a clear idea. First, ask yourself: what’s the main goal? Is it a team-building event, a training day, or a fun company activity celebrating a special occasion such as an anniversary or conference?

Once the goal is defined, it’s time to choose the theme. It might reflect your company values, follow a symbolic mission, or tell an adventurous story that encourages intuition, cooperation and creativity. Some companies opt for a “detective challenge”, others for a cinema or art-inspired theme, while some prefer “green” or digital scenarios aligned with their brand identity.

A useful tip is to create a coherent narrative with checkpoints and clues that tell a story — the more engaging the storyline, the more participants will feel part of the adventure. At this stage, it’s also wise to plan the branded merchandise that will accompany the event — such as custom t-shirts, reusable bottles or other corporate gifts featuring your company logo, which teams can wear or use throughout the day.

Choosing the location and forming teams

The venue plays a key role. A treasure hunt can take place outdoors in a park, garden or corporate villa, or indoors across office spaces or a conference centre. What matters most is that the location is safe, easy to manage and suited to the number of participants.

To make it more dynamic, teams can be formed by mixing departments and roles, helping people who don’t normally work together to interact and collaborate.

Each team can have its own name, colour or emblem — that’s where branded items come in. Think of custom caps, wristbands, bandanas or drawstring bags in the team’s colour, all printed with the company logo. These items not only make the activity more fun, but also build a stronger sense of belonging.

Clues and challenges: creativity meets teamwork

The heart of a corporate treasure hunt lies in the clues and challenges. They should be stimulating but achievable, encouraging participants to work together. You can mix logic puzzles, physical challenges, company quizzes and creative tasks. For example, one clue might require taking a team photo with a specific object, solving a riddle about company values, or creating a short video.

To make the activities even more engaging, integrate custom branded items into the gameplay — pens, notebooks, keyrings or custom mugs can become part of the mission. These branded giveaways also remain as memorable keepsakes of the day, strengthening the emotional link with your brand.

Another creative option is to design a “digital treasure hunt” using QR codes printed on personalised signage or gadgets — each code can reveal a clue or hidden message to be scanned via smartphone.

Engaging everyone: from briefing to celebration

To make the day truly effective, start with an inspiring kick-off briefing explaining the rules, goals and timeline. A motivating tone helps set the right atmosphere.

Throughout the game, it’s useful to have facilitators or coordinators ensuring smooth flow and full engagement. More reserved participants can take on strategic roles (for instance, as “clue keepers”), while more outgoing ones can lead group tasks.

Finally, the closing ceremony is essential — it’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate everyone’s participation and recognise teamwork achievements.

The role of branded merchandise in team building

A successful company treasure hunt isn’t just about fun — it’s about how well it reinforces company culture. Branded merchandise plays a strategic role here, turning simple objects into symbols of identity. A wristband, a bottle or a t-shirt with the logo become tangible signs of belonging, reminding everyone of the value of teamwork and shared success.

You can even consider branded gadgets for remote teams, so that employees can have their own team kit even when working from home.

On Shop for Shop, you’ll find hundreds of fully customisable products perfect for these activities — from eco-friendly corporate gifts for sustainability-focused companies to creative accessories for indoor or outdoor events. Each item can be personalised with print or engraving, helping you express your brand identity in a consistent and engaging way.

Seasonal ideas: Christmas treasure hunt at work

The Christmas season is a perfect time to organise a corporate treasure hunt — the festive atmosphere naturally inspires sharing and joy. The storyline could revolve around themes like “Finding Santa’s Missing Gift” or “The Mystery of the Lost Elf”.

The office can be transformed into a magical route filled with clues, decorations and small gifts. You can hide personalised Christmas gadgets such as mugs with festive messages, logo ornaments or branded sweet treats to discover at each step.

Each team can receive a Christmas kit with matching accessories — Santa hats, logo pins or personalised shopping bags — to make the game even more colourful and photo-worthy. This type of activity not only entertains but also strengthens gratitude and belonging, ending the year with a shared positive experience.

Photos, videos and branded items from the event can then be shared on corporate social media or internal channels, extending the value and visibility of your initiative over time.

Whether it’s a summer team-building event or a Christmas edition, the goal is to create an experience that truly stands out — one that reminds everyone, day after day, of the power of teamwork and the joy of achieving goals together.