New Year Team Kick-Off Amsterdam: Ideas and Planning Tips

December is busy, and plenty of teams never quite get the celebration or the planning conversation they wanted. January gives you a second chance. Colleagues are back, the year is a blank page, and a good kick-off can set the tone for the next twelve months.

If you're planning a new year team kick-off Amsterdam colleagues will look forward to (you may also hear it called a kickoff, a January offsite or a start-of-year team day), this guide covers why January works, four formats to choose from, a sample half-day agenda and how to add a creative session without losing your agenda.

Why January works

• It's easier on venues and budgets. A Tripleseat survey of US venue managers found that most companies now wait until January for their holiday party, which can reduce catering costs and free up off-site venues. The same logic applies to team days: you are often competing with fewer groups than in December.

• It's a natural moment to plan. People are thinking about priorities, goals and what they'd like to do differently this year.

• It can be a delayed celebration. If December was too crowded, a January event lets you say thank you and look ahead in the same session.

• It welcomes new joiners. Anyone who started late in the year gets a proper introduction to the team.

Decide what the kick-off is for

Choose one or two goals, not five.

• Align: agree on priorities and how the team will work this year.

• Reconnect: bring together hybrid, international or newly merged colleagues who rarely share a room.

• Welcome: introduce new joiners to the team.

• Celebrate: close the previous year and mark what the team achieved.

The goal decides the balance between working sessions and social time.

Four kick-off formats

1. A half-day kick-off. A planning session, a creative activity and lunch. It's the easiest format to fit into a January calendar and works for groups of 8 to 60+. Best for: teams that want alignment and connection without losing a full working day.

2. A full-day offsite. Strategy blocks in the morning, a longer creative break at midday and a shared dinner. Best for: leadership teams and departments setting annual plans. Watch out for: energy dips after lunch, which a hands-on session can help with.

3. A kick-off lunch or dinner with an activity. Less work, more connection. Best for: teams that already know their priorities and want to reconnect.

4. An in-office kick-off afternoon. Low cost and easy for hybrid teams, because there's no travel. Bring in a hosted activity so it feels different from a regular meeting day.

A sample half-day agenda

Adapt the timings to your team. The shape is the point: work first, a creative break in the middle, then a shared meal.

1. 09:30 Arrival and coffee. Leave room for people to chat before anything formal.

2. 10:00 Look back (30 minutes). Wins, lessons and thank-yous from last year.

3. 10:30 Priorities for the year (60 minutes). Agree on three to five goals as a team.

4. 11:30 Break. A good moment for the room to be set up for the creative session. Our team needs access to the room 45 minutes to an hour beforehand, so a break or a different room for your group works well.

5. 11:45 Creative session (1.5 hours). Hands-on and low-pressure, so people mix across teams and talk without a script.

6. 13:15 Lunch. Photos, a short toast and an informal finish.

A planning guide from Gable recommends balancing structure with flexibility and leaving unstructured time for people to catch up, and that applies to a kick-off just as much as a party.

How a painting workshop fits a kick-off

Most of the teams we work with don't want a serious art class. They want a relaxed slot in a longer agenda, and a kick-off is exactly that. Because everyone's hands are busy, conversation flows and colleagues from different teams end up talking to each other. A few ways to use it:

• A custom piece around your theme. We can design a painting around your team's theme, colours, brand or goals for the year. For custom pieces we start with a short call and a few concept options before anything is final.

• Guided: everyone paints the same design step by step, so the team ends up with a matching set of finished pieces, which look good together in the office.

• Freestyle: each person makes their own interpretation, with guidance as needed. Good for teams that want more creative freedom.

• A shared piece: a Borrelplank painting is a collaborative piece the group builds together, which suits larger groups who want a collective result.

• International teams: Dutch Tile Painting is a popular add-on for colleagues who'd like an Amsterdam keepsake.

Everything is hosted: we bring the instructor, canvases, paints, brushes and easels, and handle setup and cleanup. No experience is needed. Afterwards you receive photos, video and a highlight aftermovie, usually within a few days, which makes it easy to share the day on Slack or LinkedIn. We work across Amsterdam, at your office, a hotel or another venue, and we can suggest a space if you don't have one.

What it costs. Prices start from EUR 33 to 45 per person, excl. VAT and excl. drinks, depending on group size. The rate for your group's size applies to everyone.

Tips for a kick-off people remember

• Set one outcome. For example: 'we leave with three shared priorities and a team that has talked outside work.'

• Keep the working part short. A focused 90 minutes beats a long day of slides.

• Include remote colleagues. For hybrid teams, choose a day when most people can be in the room, and give remote colleagues a way to take part, such as a shared photo folder.

• Mind language and culture. In a mixed team, choose activities that don't depend on a shared language or tradition.

• Follow up. Send the photos and the agreed priorities within a day or two.

When to book a January kick-off

Colleagues go on leave over the holidays, so settle your date before the end-of-year break. For our workshops we recommend 2 to 3 weeks' notice, and longer for groups over 20. If your kick-off is in early January, ask for a quote in November or early December. We send a clear written quote within 1 to 2 business days.

Plan your kick-off with us

Tell us your date, group size and venue, and we'll send a clear written quote. Get a quote for your team, or read more about corporate painting workshops, how it works and our FAQ. Still planning December? See our year-end team event ideas and our company holiday party planning guide.