Fast growth is a good problem to have, until people stop feeling like one team.
That was the challenge facing CBRE Global Workplace Solutions. The team had expanded quickly, bringing new people, new working groups and new demands. On paper, everything was moving in the right direction. In practice, people were becoming more settled in their own circles.
CBRE wanted a Business Unit Day that did more than fill a diary slot. The goal was clear: improve communication, lift morale and help people connect beyond their usual teams.
The challenge: break down silos without forcing it
Kevin Reaney, Business Development Director for Major Accounts at CBRE Global Workplace Solutions, explained that the team had grown rapidly. People were working hard, but often within their own groups. As Kevin put it, the team wanted to “shake things up a bit”.
- Better communication: more chances to talk to colleagues outside their usual circle
- Stronger morale: a day that felt positive, refreshing and worthwhile
- More collaboration across groups: mixing people in a way that felt easy, inclusive and enjoyable
We started with the people, not the format
A team day can fail when the activity is chosen before the objective is clear. For CBRE, we took the opposite approach. The first conversations focused on what the team actually needed, and the brief called for an event that would:
- Mix people carefully across teams
- Encourage conversation through shared activity
- Give everyone a role, not just the loudest people
- Keep the mood upbeat and accessible
- Support the wider aim of team connection
Practical, social and purposeful
Mixed teams created new conversations and meant people had to work with different styles, personalities and perspectives. The activities gave people different ways to contribute - some take the lead, others spot details, keep time, solve puzzles or calm the group - so the most confident voices didn’t dominate.
What changed after the event
| Before the event | After the event |
|---|---|
| Teams were growing quickly, but becoming more separated | Colleagues had a shared experience across different groups |
| Communication often stayed within familiar circles | People had new reasons to speak and collaborate |
| Morale needed a lift after a busy period | The day created energy, enjoyment and a sense of connection |
| Collaboration across teams needed encouragement | Mixed activities helped people work outside their usual bubbles |
The takeaway
The strongest team events do not try to manufacture connection. They create the right conditions for it to happen. CBRE’s day did exactly that.
