Outdoor Corporate Events Deliver Stronger Wellbeing and Business Benefits, Study Finds

Center Parcs Conferences & Events has published new research showing that work events held in natural environments can significantly outperform indoor alternatives across key business and wellbeing metrics. The findings, released to coincide with Stress Awareness Month, suggest that outdoor settings contribute to greater employee positivity, improved workplace relations, and increased productivity.

The survey, conducted by an independent research company on behalf of Center Parcs, gathered insight from UK HR decision-makers on the impact of events such as away days, conferences, and training sessions. While 94% of respondents agreed that work events benefit employees overall, the data points to outdoor events as particularly effective.

When asked about post-event attitudes, 53% of businesses said employees felt more positive following corporate events, rising to 63% for events held in natural settings. Likewise, while 80% believed that events improve employee satisfaction generally, that figure increased to 86% when considering outdoor environments.

Productivity saw a similar trend, with three-quarters of companies reporting that events boost employee output—rising to 84% when the events took place outdoors. The benefits extended to employee relations, with 85% noting improved workplace dynamics after events in natural surroundings, compared to 75% across all formats.

Additional findings highlighted how outdoor events foster relaxation and creativity. Over half of respondents said employees felt more relaxed (56%) and more likely to bring fresh ideas to work (54%) after participating in events held in nature.

The business benefits went beyond morale. A total of 69% of companies agreed that corporate events contribute to revenue generation, but 81% saw a direct link between outdoor events and financial outcomes.

Julia Green, Head of Corporate Events at Center Parcs, said:
“That events held outdoors are especially effective at boosting morale, helping colleagues connect, and driving business is certainly not a surprise to us, but it’s encouraging to see this backed up by hard data.
“Center Parcs has always championed the power of nature and we’ve continued to leverage the rich forest surroundings of our venues in Sherwood and Woburn to create relaxing and revitalising corporate experiences that help employees refocus and stay motivated, adding tree-top saunas and forest gong baths to our already diverse offering.”

She added: “Stress Awareness Month serves as an important reminder to reflect on the stressors within our lives, which left unchecked can easily build up and lead to burnout, particularly for workers in intense corporate environments.”

The research also showed that over half (52%) of companies had already hosted at least one outdoor corporate event, with a further 8% planning to do so in 2025.

The findings come on the back of a record year for Center Parcs’ corporate bookings in 2024 and the release of its first white paper, The Value of Corporate Events, which explores the strategic role of such functions in supporting business goals.