The average American spends an estimated 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime. That’s roughly a third of their lives.
When your employees are dedicating that much time to helping your company succeed, you want to do everything to make the workplace an interesting one. One way to do so is by organizing corporate events that help spice up the workplace.
But planning a successful corporate event is no walk in the park. Many turn out bland and boring. It’s no wonder many employees find all manner of excuses to avoid attending them.
But if your company is to reap the full benefits of corporate events, you can’t have three-quarters of your staff absent. You need to make each event irresistible to your staff. Here are five easy ways to do just that.
Create An Event People Want To Attend
A sure way to create the best corporate event ever is to come up with compelling and engaging corporate event ideas. It’s an uphill task to convince employees to attend an event that they think will be arduous and boring. No matter how much savvy marketing you do for the event, you’ll still end up with lots of empty seats.
Take the time to research interesting event types you can hold. Even better, conduct a survey among your employees to find out what kinds of events they’d love to attend. What activities do they enjoy?
Find out what their favorite meals are, as well as how they like to connect with their colleagues at work. This is also the time to find out whether any of your employees have any limitations, such as food allergies or activity restrictions.
Once you’re through gathering all this information, use it to create a corporate event experience that surpasses everyone’s expectations. Your goal should always be to come up with something that’s different from the typical workday.
If this is an event that you hold regularly, find a way to make each occasion unique. For instance, you can use a different corporate event space than you used last time, create a unique menu, or incorporate new activities.
Avoid Making Your Events Mandatory
Sure, you’ve done everything you needed to make sure that your next event will blow the minds of attendees. But if you force people to attend, it’ll create a negative perception in their minds. Many will dread the event, no matter how fun and engaging you’ve set it up to be.
Nobody likes the notion that they have to be there for an event. Forcing people to attend the event only ruins it for them.
Respect the fact that some of your employees will resist attending your functions on principle. It could be that they don’t feel comfortable interacting with their colleagues outside of work. That should be okay with you.
Note that it’s impossible to force people to have a good time. If they don’t feel like attending, make sure they know it’s fine. If you force them to attend, they might end up ruining the event’s positive energy.
Find A Venue Outside Of Your Offices
No matter how fancy your conference room is or how trendy your workplace cafeteria seems, don’t choose them for your corporate events. A corporate event venue different from the workplace gives people new scenery and keeps them engaged. Enquire around for the best corporate event locations near you.
Some popular picks for hosting corporate events include bars and restaurants. However, it’s always better to go for non-traditional venues, such as mansions, vineyards, or even boats. These venues offer employees a new experience and make the event more memorable.
Use Work Hours For Hosting the Event
People like to use their free time for personal things, so avoid hosting your corporate events during such times. Many of your workers may not be willing to attend your event if it coincides with their personal time. Most will already have other things planned.
One way to encourage people to attend is to have the event during work hours. Consider the event one of the costs of doing business.
Of course, there are certain events that won’t be appropriate to host during work hours. For instance, if the event you have in mind brings together your employees and their families, then it’s best to host it on the weekend.
Plan The Food Carefully
Any seasoned corporate event planner will tell you that, besides the venue, food is the most important element of an event. Good meals bring people together, while bad ones give your family a bad rap.
Don’t simply choose simple dishes that everyone prepares at home. Take the time to plan a unique and exciting menu. For instance, you can opt for a Mediterranean menu during your next event or something exquisite from your local culture.
While planning the food, remember to take any dietary restrictions of your attendees into account. Don’t forget to ensure there are some vegetarian and gluten-free foods so that everyone at the event has a dish they’re comfortable with.
Make Your Next Corporate Event A Successful One!
Corporate events are an excellent way to help your team members bond and get to know each other more outside of the office. But planning a corporate event everyone will enjoy is not always easy. With the tips we’ve shared in this guide, you can start to host events that everyone in your company looks forward to attending.
Are you interested in a top-notch venue for your event? Get in touch with us today and check out what we offer.