Many employees dread attending corporate events, viewing them as boring and unnecessary. However, there are ways to turn these perceptions around while keeping employees engaged. Just check out the following tips on how to plan a fun and memorable corporate event.
Short and Sweet
Keep your corporate events short and sweet to maximize employee satisfaction. One of the problems associated with corporate trade shows is the length. It’s not uncommon for trade shows to last for 6+ hours — or even multiple days in some cases. Long, drawn-out events such as these often yield a low guest satisfaction. To prevent this from happening with your corporate event, keep it short by limiting it to just a few hours.
Professional Entertainment
You can’t expect employees to enjoy the event unless there’s some type of entertainment. Whether it’s a disc jockey, live band or even a magician, you should schedule professional entertainment for your event. A highly rated entertainer can turn an otherwise boring and traditional corporate event into a fun-fulled party that employees remember for years to come.
Encourage Interaction
A corporate event shouldn’t focus on one-way conversations. If there’s a keynote speaker, for instance, he or she should actively engage with the audience. This boosts employee interaction and engagement, which usually translates into a higher level of satisfaction
Casual Dress Code
Let’s face it, employees prefer casual wear over formal attire. Therefore, it’s a good idea to plan your corporate event with a casual dress code, allowing employees to wear whatever — or almost whatever — they please.
Plan Ahead
Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your corporate event. If you want to employees to enjoy the experience, you’ll need to plan ahead of time. Trying to find vendors the day before the event, for instance, could leave you without entertainment or caterers. And even if a vendor agrees to service your event at the last minute, you’ll have limited options at best.
Leave Work at the Office
Employees shouldn’t have to worry about their day-to-day job duties or responsibilities while attending a corporate event. Rather, they should be able to enjoy the event without worrying about these things. The only exception is when there’s a professionally driven motive for the event, such as an employee meeting, announcing performance metrics, reviewing workplace policies, etc. Even then, however, it’s best to leave employees’ work at the office so they can focus on the event.