Planning any type of corporate event is far from easy. Did you know people are returning to the in-person circuit for corporate events? Just like your clients, your employees also need events dedicated to their engagement.
It doesn’t have to be formal every time. Your team will appreciate opportunities to wear relaxed pieces like a flowy women’s skirt, loafers, jeans, or even a Wrangler men’s denim jacket.
Even if you go formal, avoid the typical attire by adding a bit of glam and pizzazz. In any case, the aim is to help your team bond better. This can seem tricky because outfits don’t tell the whole story.
So, here are four top-notch ways to spice up your in-house business culture. This article will discuss both formal and casual events where the food, decor, and activities will all promote team engagement, creativity, and trust.
Game Day
Do you believe that beer and nachos have the power to bond people? Add an anticipated game day to the mix, and watch your employees’ faces light up.
According to the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Super Bowl Monday has no national day status, but employees would love for it to have one. How about you join the fun by organizing a game day to watch the sport together?
If possible, everyone can visit a local sporting event to enjoy a whole day off. A third exciting option is a mini golf tournament, either in a local spot or within your office premises!
Food: You cannot afford to miss the famous game day snacks, such as nachos, fries, chicken wings, and ice cream.
Beverages: As mentioned previously, this is all about the beer. Give your team a well-rounded beer list. You can include cider for members looking for gluten-free options. If needed, a few wine options would also be great.
Decor: If being held within the company premises, consider using elements from the chosen sport. An example would be goal posts from a football game along with the team colors.
Themed Parties
Every company needs at least one top-class annual bash to start or end the year on a high note. Such an event can even be organized midway through the year to foster stronger relationships and boost employee morale.
If it seems like a tall order, consider following a specific theme. You can also use the party for brand recognition. One trending themed party option is the Wild West. It’s usually marked by features like rustic aesthetics, immersive experiences, and bespoke props. Think about classic cowboys of the West with their barn dances, stunts, and lasso performances.
Your attendees can dress their best for the occasion with cowboy jackets, boots, hats, and whatnot. Such a theme is an inviting twist on the typical ‘Winter Wonderland.’ As Starr Western Wear points out, a cowboy jacket can keep toasty, be it day or night.
Other themed party options include ‘Hollywood’ where everyone gets to represent their favorite celebrity. You can even encourage your attendees to dance the night away through the decades. Everyone gets to dress according to their favorite era!
Setting: Depending on the selected theme, you may have to rent a movie theatre, a local ranch, or a gala space.
Food: Keep theme-based snacking options. For instance, the Wild West will call for old-fashioned BBQ and some peach cobblers. Similarly, Hollywood calls for decadent options like steak and lobster.
Beverages: Again, you get to pick from iced tea and beer to luxurious champagnes and wines. Let your theme decide which it will be!
Decor: If hay bales and horseshoes make the West what it is, Hollywood thrives on plenty of glam and glitter (you get the drift!).
Fun Tidy-Up Day
Are there any secret Marie Kondos in your team? Well, you may never know unless you organize a fun tidy-up day. Were you aware that there is already a day dedicated to cleaning off office desks? Yes, it also falls on a Monday, the second Monday of January to be precise.
How about getting everyone motivated to start afresh with a clean workspace? You can allow your employees to work their own Marie Kondo magic. Just start the session with an episode or two of Netflix’s Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. Based on that, you can have all attendees give their workspaces a makeover the KonMari way.
Food: Marie Kondo works her organizational magic wand in incredible ways. This is why marshmallow bars and cupcakes are ideal for this event.
Beverages: Since this event can be organized even during a work day, you cannot do without some classic coffee and tea. They will provide a little energy boost as and when needed.
Decor: You won’t require a lot for this event’s decor. However, it’s possible to bring in some fun supplies in the form of drawer organizers and storage bins.
Superlative Red Carpet
Perhaps one event that will not only work in bringing your teammates close but also reveal how close they already are is a superlative red carpet. After all, every workplace has colleagues who love to pick on each other.
Give them an event where they get to pick out awards and titles. You can have the audience vote and award teammates for both funny and serious titles. They can range from the “Top Performer Award” to the “Most Likely to Run Five Minutes Behind” title.
For formals, your attendees can wear crisp clothes. This means the ladies would wear cocktail dresses, whereas the gentlemen would reach for a well-fitted suit. The award ceremony and ramp walk can be closely followed by dancing and refreshments.
Food: Formal dining is usually the norm for most award presentations. Just have a poll to see which type of foods your team members would love the most.
Beverages: Since it will be a formal to semi-formal event, wine and cocktails are recommended.
Decor: This event, following the pattern of awards shows, calls for classy decor, including a red carpet, dramatic fabric drapings, and pure linen table runners or napkins.
So, which event resonated with you the most? Why you can note down all four for the due season!
Companies need such ideas now more than ever. A recent study disclosed that US employee engagement reached its lowest level in a decade: Only 31% of employees felt engaged at their workplace. One powerful way to turn things around is by using a platform like Able Recognition, which helps teams celebrate individual contributions in a meaningful, consistent way.
Engagement is a result of many factors, a major one of which this article has addressed. Make haste and organize a fun team-building event for your employees to enjoy!
