After more than 20 years working within immersive murder mystery experiences, I’ve become fascinated by a recurring workplace challenge: why some team events feel engaging almost instantly, while others quietly lose momentum before they’ve properly begun.
This isn’t usually because people dislike team-building. In fact, most organisers put considerable thought into selecting experiences that will bring people together, encourage interaction, and provide value for the time and money invested. Yet despite those good intentions, many workplace events encounter the same problem: participation becomes uneven surprisingly quickly.
One reason for this is that many activities unintentionally place people under what I call “spotlight pressure”. A classic example is asking groups to discuss something before inviting a volunteer to report back to the room. On the surface, this seems harmless enough. In practice, however, it often creates a subtle shift in behaviour. The more confident personalities step forward while others become increasingly self-conscious about participating publicly.
What’s particularly interesting is that this is often interpreted as a confidence issue. We assume some people are naturally willing to contribute while others simply prefer to remain quiet. My experience suggests the reality is more nuanced. Participation is often less about personality and more about design.
Over the years, I have watched thousands of people take part in immersive experiences. One of the most consistent observations is that people engage differently when they feel comfortable. When participation is structured and expectations are clear, involvement becomes significantly more balanced. People who might never volunteer to speak in front of a room will happily contribute ideas, ask questions, and drive discussions when the environment feels less exposing.
This is one of the reasons our immersive murder mystery experiences work so well with mixed groups. Contrary to popular belief, guests are not expected to perform. The actors handle the performance elements, while participants work together to investigate, discuss clues, question suspects, and solve the mystery. What frequently surprises organisers is not whether people engage, but who engages. Some of the most valuable contributions often come from individuals who would traditionally be described as quiet.
Why that happens is one of the questions that first led me to explore what I now call spotlight pressure. Once you understand what’s happening, you begin to see the same pattern repeated in meetings, workshops, conferences, training sessions, and workplace events of all kinds.
This becomes even more relevant in modern workplaces. Many organisations are dealing with hybrid working, tighter schedules, operational pressures, and the challenge of bringing people together without significantly disrupting the business. While traditional offsites still have their place, they can be difficult to justify from a logistical perspective.
As a result, I believe the future of workplace engagement may not necessarily be bigger events. It may be better-designed ones: experiences that fit around the working day, reduce organiser risk, and make participation feel comfortable for a broader range of people.
Ultimately, the goal of a team event should not be to make people louder. It should be to create an environment where more people feel comfortable contributing in their own way. In my experience, that’s where the most memorable conversations, strongest connections, and most successful workplace experiences begin.
Find out more on one of our free webinars:
The Safest Way to Run a Team Event
We’ll be exploring spotlight pressure, participation design, workplace engagement, and practical ways to create team experiences that work for a wider range of people.
Attend a webinar before the end of August and you’ll discover something special involving a live murder mystery experience.
