Inclusive Team Lunches: Tips for Making Everyone Feel Welcome.

The office team lunch is a wonderful way of bringing workmates together to celebrate; be it for Christmas, a promotion, winning a big client or perhaps to celebrate a birthday. Whilst the reason is positive, these events can unintentionally leave some team members feeling excluded, especially those with disabilities.

Whether you’re hosting a lunch in the office or booking an external venue, inclusion should be front and centre. So, what should you ask, look out for, and plan to ensure everyone feels welcome?

Venue Checklist

The considerations for workplace and external venues are closely aligned. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Accessible Parking
  Is there designated accessible parking nearby? Is it clearly marked and close to the entrance?
• Entryways
  Can doors open wide enough for wheelchair access? Are they automatic or easy to open manually?
• Steps and Elevators
  Is there steps to access the building or different rooms? If so, is there a lift available for upper floors?
• Accessible Bathrooms
  Does the venue offer fully accessible bathrooms—not just ambulant toilets, which may not meet the needs of wheelchair users?
• Reachable Refreshments
  Are food, drinks, crockery, and cutlery placed within reach for everyone?
• Narrow Passageways
  Are hallways and dining areas wide enough for mobility aids to pass through comfortably?
• Table Access
  Can someone using a wheelchair sit comfortably at the table with their team?

These small details can make a big difference. Inclusion isn’t just about physical access; it’s about emotional and social belonging too.

Staff Checklist

What Makes You Feel Included or Excluded?

We develop and build both professional and personal relationships in one form or another and I think we would all agree that it is important for us all to feel valued, included, supported in our work environment. To make sure the whole team is comfortable, we suggest taking the first simple step of asking two simple questions:

• What helps you feel included at social events?
• What barriers have you faced in the past?

Creating space for these conversations helps build a culture of empathy and proactive inclusion. You may discover that a noisy location is not enjoyed by some, which could explain why they never join you at the local café. Inclusion is really all about behaviours, words, actions, considerations, and communications.​

Awareness Checklist

Whilst it’s easy to update the crew around the proverbial water cooler, it’s important to ensure you get the event details across to your team in the right format for them.

• Collaborative planning: Include employees with disabilities in the planning process to ensure their needs are met from the start.
• Group formation: When creating smaller groups for collaborative activities, consider how to group people so that everyone is comfortable and can access their accommodations easily.
• Information format: Provide safety information and event details in multiple formats to accommodate different needs. For example
  • Email
  • Face to Face conversation
  • Company Intranet
  • Reminders

The Cost of Exclusion

Failing to include people with disabilities in workplace social events can lead to:

1. Exclusion and Isolation
   Feeling left out of team bonding can lead to alienation and disengagement.
2. Perpetuating Bias
   Exclusion reinforces harmful stereotypes about capability and belonging.
3. Disrupted Team Dynamics
   Inclusion strengthens collaboration, exclusion weakens it.
4. Negative Organisational Culture
   A lack of inclusion affects morale, retention, and reputation.
5. Missed Learning Opportunities
   Diverse teams learn more from each other.
6. Legal and Ethical Risks
   Discrimination, intentional or not, can breach disability rights laws.
7. Lower Morale and Engagement
   Feeling excluded impacts motivation and participation.
8. Lost Innovation
   People with disabilities bring unique perspectives that drive creativity and problem-solving.

This Christmas / Birthday / Award Season / Team Lunch, let’s make inclusion the gift we give each other.

Whether you’re planning a lunch, a party, or a casual catch-up, make sure everyone can join in, fully and comfortably.