An engaging, immersive, and hands-on away-day
Delivery: 150 HR professionals, in-person event
Industry: Global financial institution
The project
During a period of rapid expansion through both organic growth and M&A, the HR function of a global financial institution found itself at a critical juncture. As the organisation scaled, regional and divisional silos began to form, creating pockets of innovation that were not being shared across the wider function. Despite the collective talent within HR, the pace of change risked entrenching a “group-think” mindset – where established processes and familiar relationships limited creativity, cross-functional collaboration, and adaptability.
The HR Director and senior HR leadership team recognised the need to bring the function together – to re-establish HR’s pivotal role in enabling organisational growth. They sought an away day that would bring their 150 HR professionals together, reinforce key messages, encourage collaboration and change, and spark a shift toward more innovative, inclusive thinking. Crucially, the event needed to balance serious business objectives with fun and energy – creating a memorable experience that inspired people to look forward with confidence and shared purpose.
Our solution
We designed and delivered ‘The Filmmaking Challenge’ – an immersive, hands-on experiential activity that blended creativity, commercial insight, and behavioural learning. This dynamic event challenged participants to manage change, embrace diversity of thought, and move from traditional group-think towards innovative, agile collaboration.
Our solution delivered a number of outcomes…
Participants were organised into mixed teams drawn from different business divisions, as well as HR disciplines – Generalists, Business Partners, Talent, Reward, Recruitment, and L&D – to ensure maximum diversity of perspective and experience. Each team was tasked with producing a short film that captured what collaboration, leadership, and innovation meant for the future of HR – but within the context of the strategic pillars. Guided by our 4D Framework – Design, Distil, Delegate, and Deliver – teams had to design purposeful messages, distil complex organisational ideas into creative narratives, delegate and utilise skills and capabilities across their teams, and deliver a insightful film in time and on spec.
As the challenge unfolded, participants quickly discovered that success depended on their ability to adapt, communicate, and manage change collectively. The filmmaking process acted as a powerful metaphor for leading transformation in a fast-moving organisation – requiring clarity of vision, creative thinking, trust across teams, and a willingness to challenge assumptions. Facilitators drew out key themes around leadership agility, inclusion, and the value of harnessing different viewpoints to fuel innovation.
By bringing together people who wouldn’t normally work side by side, the activity broke down barriers and encouraged participants to value diversity of thought as a business asset. The creative nature of the task pushed teams beyond comfort zones and into fresh ways of thinking – shifting the collective mindset from “this is how we’ve always done it” to “what if we tried this?”
When the films were screened, the energy in the room was palpable. Teams that had started out as strangers were united in shared laughter, pride, and accomplishment. Each film became a tangible symbol of collaboration, change, and innovation – and a reflection of how HR could operate when silos gave way to partnership, creativity and shared ownership.
The impact
The event marked a genuine transformation in mindset and connection across the HR function. Participants left with a deeper appreciation for the value of diverse thinking, the importance of adaptability, and the power of collective creativity. The filmmaking experience provided a safe yet challenging environment for exploring what effective collaboration looks like in times of change – helping individuals see how different perspectives drive stronger, more innovative outcomes. Participants also developed practical leadership and communication skills, from managing projects and people to influencing across boundaries. Perhaps most importantly, they left with a renewed sense of shared identity and deeper connections across the business.
The HR Director described the event as “a turning point for our function – it brought our people together in a way that no presentation ever could.” The experience not only reinforced the importance of breaking down silos but also instilled a forward-thinking culture built on curiosity, creativity, and collective accountability.
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