The only thing more tedious than attending a corporate event is having to organize it. If you’re in charge of planning your company’s next event, then you’re familiar with that particular kind of headache. It’s not just the stress of having to juggle the numerous moving parts, like the budget, vendors, and venue. No, that’s actually the easy part. The underlying anxiety that attendees might disengage makes it a whole other undeniably daunting endeavor.
Believe it or not, however, that fear of people being bored can easily be solved. How? By letting go of the generic formula for corporate events. This means shifting the focus from the “sit-and-listen” routine to a more interactive experience. It also involves forgoing the standard ballroom presentations, trust falls, monotonous seminars, speakers, awkward icebreakers, and the forced, cheesy corporate games. Most importantly, you must get creative when it comes to entertainment.
Be it a party for a small department or a large corporate conference, you can make it a fun experience with the following tips. So, stop worrying, and instead, try your hand at something new so it feels like a blast. Watch attendee boredom become a thing of the past with these strategies.
Choose an Unexpected Venue
Take it out of the office and ditch the drab hotel conference rooms. While sometimes there’s definitely a time and place for these standard locations, not every instance calls for them. More times than not, your event would be perfectly held at an unconventional venue.
Inviting your team somewhere out of the ordinary sparks curiosity, but also makes them feel appreciated. A unique environment signals to employees that you care about curating a nice experience for them. Additionally, such a venue makes it feel less like a work obligation to be there. It makes the whole affair feel like a special occasion. And when organizing an event with VIPs and investors, a space that deviates from the typical can help your company stand out.
Some venues to consider include:
- Botanical gardens
- Local museum
- Interactive art space
- Loft space or a restored, historical warehouse
- A space with a lush, outdoor backdrop, like the zoo
- Lake house or beach house
- Scenic winery
- Rooftop with a view
- Boat or yacht
- Amusement park
Brainstorm Unique Corporate Event Ideas
Do you want your next event to truly be a hit among your employees? Is your goal to organize an event that doesn’t feel like an extension of the workday? Rethink the whole agenda to create a memorable experience that genuinely excites your staff. Some engaging concepts you can opt for are:
- Company-wide field day: Foster team bonding and friendly competition with lawn games, outdoor relays, and nostalgic childhood challenges.
- Sunset boat charter: Treat your staff to an evening of relaxation, connection, and scenic views out on the water.
- Beach or lake day: Let your employees know you care about their mental health by giving them a chance to unwind in the sun in a casual, laidback atmosphere.
- Food truck festival: Visit a food truck festival or create your own by bringing in a variety of incredible local flavors to the company parking lot.
- Attend a concert or sports game: A bit of shared entertainment and the thrill of a live crowd can energize your team and give them a chance to have fun.
- Potluck: Skip the standard catered lunch and invite employees to share their cultural backgrounds and favorite homemade dishes.
To keep engagement high, you should also ensure your guests are active participants rather than just passive observers. One way to do this is by sectioning off different “experience zones.” Think a game zone, a painting corner, silent disco space, relaxing nooks or lounges, a pampering area, and a wall for taking photos. Alternatively, you can base your next corporate event on the following interactive activities:
- Karaoke Night
- Talent show
- Murder mystery dinner
- Paint-and-sip
- Cooking class
- Build-your-own-cocktail happy hour
Make it a Theme
Give your company event or office party a clear identity to build anticipation. Themes get people excited and actually looking forward to attending. They also simplify planning, structuring everything from the decor to dress code. Here’s a list of exciting themes you can try:
- Casino Night: Transform your venue into a lively gaming floor where guests can try their luck at poker, blackjack, and roulette.
- Retro 80s or 90s Night: Hire a DJ to play iconic throwback playlists, while encouraging attendees to sport fashion from the selected decade.
- Carnival: Combine midway games, festive food, and carnival booths. Think machines for fresh popcorn, cotton candy, and snow cones. Don’t skip out on the funnel cakes and hot dogs.
- Themed Costume Party: Let your team’s creativity shine by hosting a spirited dress-up party, complete with a contest to win “The Most Original Costume.”
- Roaring Twenties Gala: Instead of the same ballroom routine, step back in time with a sophisticated Art Deco decor, jazz music, and vintage glamour.
- Masquerade: Add an air of mystery and elegance to the evening by inviting guests to wear decorative masks and formal attire.
- Winter Wonderland: Ditch the traditional Christmas party for a magical atmosphere using shimmering silver and white decor, faux snow, and cozy, festive lighting.
- Hollywood: Roll out the red carpet for your employees by treating them to an awards night complete with “paparazzi” and glamorous attire.
Get Creative With Team Building Exercises
Swap out the awkward icebreakers and the same old trust falls for collaborative, high-energy games. Stepping outside the box with team building exercises makes them feel more like a perk and less like a chore. Not to mention, it creates a fun, pressure-free environment. It’s a great way to help prevent burnout and cultivate genuine, lasting camaraderie among employees. Here are creative ways to upgrade your company’s team building:
- Scavenger Hunts: Divide employees into groups to solve clues across the city or around the office to promote team building.
- Office Olympics: Encourage competitive spirit through a series of lighthearted, customizable physical and mental challenges.
- Trivia Night: A Trivia Night can encourage lively debate and cross-department collaboration.
- Collaborative Mural: Make the company bond by painting a mural on a blank wall in your office. You can have an artist come up with the design beforehand and have your staff bring it to life.
- Signature Cocktail Contest: Task groups with mixing, naming, and pitching their own unique drinks to a panel of judges for a chance to win special prizes.
- Escape Room Challenge: Decoding clues and solving puzzles together before the clock runs out brings team members closer together.
- Top-Chef-Style Cookoff: Ignite some friendly culinary rivalry by providing teams with ingredients and a ticking timer to prepare the best dish.
Surprise Employees With Out-of-the-Box Entertainment
A DJ or live band is fun and all, and you can still have that. But bringing in unique entertainment makes it a special moment. It can also help boost morale and encourage colleagues to connect outside of office hours through shared experiences. Plus, it makes for the kind of fun that will have your company talking long after the event is over — and looking forward to the next. Here’s a small list of crowd-pleasing options to book for your next corporate event:
- Corporate comedian: Break the ice and get the whole team laughing with a corporate comedian who customizes their clean, relatable material specifically for your company culture.
- Hypnotist: Captivate your audience with an interactive hypnotist show that puts colleagues in the spotlight for a memorable main performance.
- Magician: Stun your guests with a close-up magician, or treat the whole room to a magic show that will leave everyone in awe.
- Celebrity Impersonator: Bring the Hollywood treatment to your venue with a celebrity impersonator who can act as a host, mingle with the crowd, or pose for photos.
- Circus Entertainers: Elevate the atmosphere with visually stunning circus entertainers like stilt walkers, aerialists, and jugglers.
- Caricuratist: Give your staff a personalized, humorous keepsake to take home by hiring a caricaturist to sketch quick, fun portraits throughout the evening.
Add a Couple of Finishing Touches
Want to take a fun corporate event to the next level? Give your staff a reason to share their experience on social media. This not only works as a treat for them, but it helps boost company culture. Set up a dedicated photo booth with fun props. Hire a local event designer to put up a vibrant floral wall or neon sign to serve as an eye-catching backdrop for pictures. Book a photographer to take pictures throughout the evening.
Finally, to demonstrate to your employees how much they’re valued as individuals, add personalized touches. Some ideas you can incorporate include swag bags upon arrival, name tags with fun personal facts, and handwriting a personal note to each attendee. You should also consider a dedicated awards segment that highlights the professional and personal milestones of everyone on your team.
With a few thoughtful details, a cool venue, and the right entertainment, you can rest assured your next corporate event will be anything but a snooze fest. It doesn’t have to be something obligatory, but an opportunity for everyone to have a lot of fun!