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Combat work blues before burnout strikes by treating your team to team building activities in San Francisco. If you’re looking for a way to boost morale, foster team connection, and increase productivity, sign up for one of these creative workshops where your team can unwind and connect.
Learning new skills and engaging in hands-on activities can help reduce stress, and giving your team a mental break for a few hours will help in the long run! A happy and healthy workspace starts at the top, so encourage positive habits and help them reset by planning feel-good team building exercises. They’ll feel appreciated and supported, which will increase their motivation, creativity, and collaboration!
The best part is these team building workshops in San Francisco cater to beginners, so your team can focus on having fun and enjoying the moment. You’ll learn new skills in an easy-going and interactive environment, the ideal space for comfort and connection outside of the workplace. These fun group activities are taught by professionals in their trade who will help you create something truly unique!
From cooking classes to craft workshops, there are so many group wellness activities that can help give your team the boost they need. Keep reading to discover some of the best burnout activities for employees in 2026 that your colleagues will actually want to attend!
Refresh your office space with DIY terrariums
Looking at a screen all day can be draining. On top of Zoom fatigue and daily tasks, your eyes and mind need a break. That’s where adding a little greenery to your workspace for a breath of fresh air comes in. If your office is lacking plant life, sign your team up for a terrarium building workshop in the Bay Area and let it double as a fun team-building activity!
In a closed terrarium making class with Mr. Scientist in Embarcadero, you will create your own terrarium full of low-maintenance plants. You will learn how to design your terrarium, choose plants and decor to match the office vibe, and learn a few easy plant care tips from your knowledgeable instructor. By the end of class, you’ll have a beautiful plant display that showcases a little bit of your brand and team’s personality. Now, whenever you feel the brain fog begin to roll in, take a few seconds to enjoy the miniature garden in your office.
These team building exercises also suit all personalities. No artistic or gardening experience necessary! Pro tip: Create a Slack channel to share updates on your terrariums’ progress. You can even exchange tips and tricks on plant care. It’s a team bonding experience that will continue long after class ends.
Hear it from our creative community
“Kadir led us in a teambuilding event for 22 people. He has a lot of knowledge and a friendly, easy-going nature that makes the experience fun for all. Our group tends to be fairly quiet, but this event had everyone talking, asking questions, and interacting with one another. We had a great time…” - Wendy Blumenschein
Cocktail classes that get teams talking
Swap after-work drinks for a cocktail making class and let your team connect with some delicious boozy beverages. If your team already enjoys a work happy hour for team building workshops, this is a more interactive alternative that will foster collaboration and connection. These cocktail making classes will allow your coworkers to interact in a comfortable and familiar environment while also having a hands-on activity to keep them entertained.
Try a mixology 101 class with Manhattan Zodiac in Nob Hill. In DACHA Bar and Kitchen, you’ll enjoy a playful lesson learning how to make drinks with your bartender. You’ll also have cocktail recipes to take home with you and try again at your next work event. Your bartender can also provide mocktail options so everyone can participate in whichever way they feel comfortable.
Hear it from our creative community
“Ivanna was fantastic! She answered all of our questions and made the whole class fun. We loved every minute. I highly recommend this class to anyone looking for something fun to do in San Francisco!” - Janet Birt
Find a new relaxing hobby in pottery classes
If you’re looking for something especially relaxing, try pottery classes in the Bay Area for one of your next wellness team activities. As long as you’re not afraid to get your hands a little dirty, your team will love this SF experience. With a creative and tactile craft, your team will appreciate some time away from screens, ringing phones, and long meetings to unwind. In a fast-paced SF workspace, it’s important to remind your team to find ways to slow down with a hands-on activity.
Plus, pottery can be very therapeutic, giving your team a chance to slow down, work with their hands, and create something meaningful from clay. Guided by an expert local ceramicist, everyone will leave feeling accomplished with handmade pottery they’ll be proud to take home.Learn to make mugs with Antonia Lara Sanchez in Uptown. She can even bring the class to you within 20 miles, so you can host a workplace team building workshop in your own space if preferred. Imagine a breakroom full of handmade mugs made by the entire team! It’ll brighten your team’s day every time they pour a cup of coffee.
After a taste of one of these classes, your team might want to sign up as a regular at the local Bay Area pottery studios to release some stress after work. Learning new skills and hobbies is a great way to practice self-care, exercise your mind, and support your well-being. A hobby, such as pottery, is the perfect blend of accessible, immersive, and fun!
Hear it from our creative community
“The class was a great group activity for 20 people. Antonia was really helpful in showing us some techniques to get started but also gave us plenty of time to chat and explore making different items. It was a fun time – would do it again!” - Daniel Alpert
Create a peaceful workspace with homemade candles
Candle making is an easy craft that anyone can try! We recommend these classes for team building workshops because of their low-pressure and collaborative setting. As you create a custom fragrance for your candle, you can swap ideas with your colleagues, exchange fragrance test strips, and see each person’s personality shine through their scent. We recommend this candle making class with Oiishi Organics in Fremont, where you’ll learn about fragrances to make a custom soy candle. It will be exciting to see what everyone comes up with!
In these craft classes, you can create homemade aromatherapy with your favorite scents to create a more zen ambiance in your workspace. Having a clean and peaceful workspace will reduce anxiety, so it’s important to create a desk area that makes you feel comfortable.
With a few simple steps and guidance from an expert, you’ll learn how to make a candle with ease. As you’re relaxing by melting and pouring your candle wax, you’ll have time to chat and get to know your coworkers better. With a hands-on activity, you don’t need to worry about your coworkers feeling bored or awkward. By the end of class, you’ll have a beautiful candle to take home or gift to a friend or loved one.
Runs regularly
SoMa
1 to 120 guests
$108 - $118
18k followers
9 years in business
Hear it from our creative community
“We had a great time with Leesa! She arrived at our office super prepared with cute little kits that made the process of candle creation easy, and had also prepared a helpful presentation. We had about 20 people join the event, and everyone was impressed by the quality of the candles and had a great time customizing their fragrances and decorations…” - Vivian Zhao
Find a new way to destress with cooking classes
There is no better way to build community and connections than over a delicious home-cooked meal! Instead of taking your team out to dinner or getting lunch catered to the office, try an interactive San Francisco cooking class instead. In San Francisco’s tech-driven work culture, it’s important to find ways to connect outside of tasks and meetings. This will help your team build important skills that will translate to the workplace, such as teamwork, camaraderie, listening, and creativity. You will also learn new techniques and tips you can take back to your own kitchen to improve your home cooking.
Find out what cuisine your team likes best before booking your workshop to help build anticipation for the event. One of our favorite options for team building is paella classes in Haight Ashbury, where everyone can gather around one giant pan to chop, stir, and share the final feast together.
Pasta and sushi making classes are also popular picks thanks to their hands-on and interactive format. These lively cooking classes create space for people to genuinely connect outside of meetings, inboxes, or Slack channels. You might even find teammates who rarely work together bonding over a glass of wine and a bowl of homemade paella.
Don’t worry about your cooking skills, either; you’ll learn from an experienced chef, so you can cook something guaranteed to be delicious. At the end of class, you can all sit down and enjoy the amazing meal you cooked together!
Hear it from our creative community
“We learned how to cook paella with James for our team offsite, and it was a great experience! The atmosphere was casual and welcoming… I would definitely recommend this experience with others who are looking for an interactive way to spend time with a group of people.” - Johna Seo
