Photo courtesy of Simplyelegantcorp.com
Company picnics can play a vital role in showing employee appreciation, strengthening workplace bonds, and boosting morale.
While picnics tend to be a more casual affair, there are still a lot of things to consider during the planning stages. Here are some company picnic ideas to get you started.
Budget
Create a realistic budget allowing for venue, food, games, entertainment, activities, and door prizes. Though company picnics are laid back, you should not use this as an excuse to cheap out. If you want your guests to leave feeling motivated and loyal to your company, it’s going to take more than a pop up tent and hot dogs!
Date
Believe it or not, choosing a great date is one of the most important steps when planning a company picnic. Since they tend to be outdoors, avoid summer and winter months for obvious reasons. Take care not to choose a date during peak vacation season and of course not during major holidays. For better attendance, weekdays are best since many employees may not want to give up their free days.
Invitations
This is the first step in setting the mood for your event. While traditional invitations can be spiced up by incorporating your theme, consider trying something new. Take advantage of social media and create an event page on Facebook. Employees can use it to RSVP and connect with each other before the picnic even begins. Another unique idea is delivering candy bars with the invitation printed on the wrapper.
Guest List
Of course all employees will be invited to your company picnic. Think about whether you will extend the invitation to spouses and children. Keep in mind, attendance will be higher if you involve family and you will also reap more benefits in the way of loyalty and appreciation.
Venue
A park is always available and is a budget friendly choice. To mix things up consider holding your company picnic in an unexpected place. Some alternate ideas include the beach, a lake, a community center, a ballfield, zoo, or even a campground. Just be sure to choose a place with plenty of parking.
Theme
This is a perfect way to make an event feel new and different every year. Themes can be especially important if your company picnic tends to be in the same location each year. Themes are a lot of fun and can be incorporated into the invitations, decor, and even the menu.
Some theme ideas to consider: oktoberfest, circus, western, safari, state fair, luau, mardi gras, pirate…the company picnic ideas are endless.
Menu
Decide if you want to pull out a grill and make burgers and hotdogs or get the picnic catered. They each have their benefits. While grilling can save the company money, catering allows everyone to sit back and enjoy the event. Remember to include vegetarian and kid friendly options.
Activities
Company picnics are the perfect opportunity to incorporate team building activities. This can be anything from field day type activities like tug of war to team sports like volleyball. Many times the venues have activities that go hand in hand, such as fishing on the lake or swimming at the beach. Also consider less physical activities like scavenger hunts, trivia contests, and bingo. If your event is themed, you can easily base activities around it with things like hula lessons at a luau or midway games at a fair themed picnic. Don’t forget to have kid friendly activities planned, as well.
Giveaways
Raffling off door prizes is one portion of the day that everyone looks forward to! Go for quality over quantity. Having a few amazing door prizes beats having tons of item no one wants. Consider items like televisions, gift cards, blu-ray players, theme park passes, the possibilities are endless.
Entertainment
Booking great entertainment has the power to leave a lasting impression on your employees. The entertainment will most likely be the highlight of your event, so choose wisely. Find an act that people will be excited and talking about long after the event ends. Though the children will most likely be too busy running around to watch the entertainment, be sure the act is family friendly because little ears hear everything! Look into hiring speed painter Tim Decker. His high impact, fast paced speed painting show will get employees pumped and the finished pieces can even be raffled with the door prizes!
Hopefully these company picnic ideas will send you on your way to planning an awesome corporate picnic. Above all else, just be sure to plan a company picnic that people can’t wait to attend!
