5 Keys to Successful Onsite Corporate Entertainment Events
You’ve been tasked with throwing an event onsite at the company office. Perhaps it’s an employee recognition and reward party, a loyalty event for your top clients, or a bonding event for your interns. Whatever the cause for celebration, you’re faced with the challenge of creating SOMETHING fun and enjoyable, in the less-than-thrilling environs of the workplace.
Where do you begin?
I’ve been producing and hosting corporate trivia events onsite at offices throughout the country for over fifteen years. I know what works to help make your event a success – and what doesn’t. This is especially important now, given the renewed push to get employees back to the office. To get you started, here are 5 critical elements of a successful event that’s being held onsite.
Pick the Right Venue for the Occasion
When planning an entertainment event onsite at the office, there’s usually a “go-to” space that’s used for these sorts of functions, such as a multipurpose room or large conference room. But that might not be the only space at your disposal, or the right place to hold your particular event. Have you got a cafeteria or lobby that’s underutilized? How about a patio, or a roof deck? Is there some other spot in your office that people wouldn’t think would be a place to hold an event, but could be PERFECT for whatever you’ve got planned? Keep an open mind—be creative!
Make the Space Festive
No matter what the occasion or how happy you and your colleagues are to be celebrating, there’s no avoiding the fact that you’re still in the office. You can help nullify this dreary reality by putting some effort into your event space. Spruce it up, make it festive! Transform that drab area into something spectacular. It’ll go a long way towards setting the mood, and transporting your guests away from feeling like they’re at work (even though they are).
Schedule the Event to Maximize Attendance
There’s no sense putting all the thought and effort into creating an event, if no one can go. When planning the gig, take into account the calendar. Is there a certain time of year when folks tend to be out of the office? Is there another big event coming up that you don’t want to conflict with? What else is happening at work? Is there a huge deadline looming? How about weather – are you planning your event during peak hurricane, blizzard or brush fire season? Also, be sure you provide people with adequate lead time, so that they can put your event on their calendar.
For more, visit What Time of Year Should You Hold a Corporate Team Building Activity? – TrivWorks™
Hire a Vendor Appropriate for the Space/Function
You know your office layout. What does it lend itself to, and what wouldn’t work? Is it worth hiring a DJ, if there’s no room for a dance floor? Will an illusionist be a good fit, if not everyone will be able to have line of sight? Will the vendor be turnkey/low-maintenance, or are you going to have to bring in other things like staging, lighting, AV etc. to make it work? Think also about the function, and what kind of corporate entertainer would be relevant/appropriate. Would the vendor you brought in for the holiday party really be appropriate for the retirement party? These are the types of questions you should be asking yourself, BEFORE you book your performer – because not every vendor is a good fit for every function.
Bring Food
Nothing helps guarantee attendance and happy faces like food. If you want people to come (and stay) at your event, it always helps to feed them. It can be a full meal, or snacks, or dessert—heck, even bags of potato chips. So long as people have something to enjoy munching on, they will be in a better mood from the jump. Click here for another post on serving food & beverage at corporate events.
Conclusion
Planning an event for the office is fun, but it can also be challenging, time-consuming and stressful. You want to ensure all that effort you’ve expended results in a positive experience for those attending. If you start with the above five tips, I guarantee you are well on your way to creating a fantastic event for your guests!
For a related article, check out “7 Benefits of Holding an Office Entertainment or Team Building Event Onsite“