Why Corporate Events Are Important
The meaning of corporate events are to allow your team of employees to get to know each other and their company outside of a strictly business-oriented office space. While the workday at an office is filled with tasks and meetings, business events are for fun activities that build the relationship between your employees and getting to know your team personally, as well as professionally. This creates a more comfortable work environment for your employees for a better work ethic. What are the types of company events that businesses have for their employees?
Here are 15 examples of common corporate events that businesses hold.
1. Business Conferences & Seminars
Presenting information relevant to your business or industry doesn’t have to be done in a usual meeting. Make a whole event for sharing what your company or industry holds in the future by having conferences or seminars. These are like meetings, except they can last longer, sometimes for even a few days. Rather than having one person discussing business, seminars typically have several speakers or meetings. Most of these events are held in large venues or hotels, allowing employees to leave the confines of an office. These also make great virtual corporate events.
2. Employee Appreciation
Let your employees know that you appreciate their work by holding a special company event for them. This doesn’t have to be business oriented; an employee appreciation event can be anything from a box at a sports game to a special dinner paid for by the company. These events are to congratulate and reward employees for their hard work, so they should be held in informal or non-work-related places. You don’t just have to hold these types of events for your employees, clients can also have appreciation parties thanking them for their business.
3. Corporate Retreats
Combine business and pleasure by holding an executive retreat for your corporate employees. Retreats require a group of people to go to a new location for a few days to do leisure activities, as well as discuss business. There are some places that deal directly with these types of getaways, so it’s important to find the perfect location for holding this business event so that you everyone can have fun in both professional and personal environments. Retreats also typically have you pay per person, so that’s why choosing a select group of people rather than a whole company is a good idea.
4. Golfing and Other Sporting Events
While the most popular sport for business events is golf, don’t limit yourself to just the one activity. Just make sure it’s a relaxing environment rather than competitive. Golfing also doesn’t have to just be an event for your employees. Many businesses golf with clients when they are trying to make a sale or a deal, because it’s a more friendly environment. While these corporate events might just seem like fun little outings, they build relationships and teamwork between employees.
5. Industry Trade Shows
Easily one of the most popular ways for building relationships between other businesses and clients in your industry is by attending a trade show. These are business events where companies decorate a booth to attract attention to their company and spread their brand awareness to clients. Trade shows involve meetings with customers and marketing to new clients. It’s also a great way to get your team of employees to work together by creating a booth representative of your brand.
6. Exercises Incorporating Team Building
Host an event that brings your employees closer together by coming up with team building exercises. These get togethers can be held indoors and outdoors. Look up a company that specializes in these types of occasions and schedule a corporate event with them. These exercises include escape rooms, physical obstacle courses, and more serious sensitivity training. Holding these types of social events allows your employees to bond outside of the office for better work relationships.
7. Shareholders and Board Member Gathering
You don’t always have to spotlight your corporate employees, sometimes holding an event for shareholders and board members of your business is just as important. Give your shareholders and board members a chance to learn about your business by sharing reviews and statistics from your company and any goals or plans you have for the future. Rather than just doing this in a typical meeting held in a boardroom, make a company event out if it so that it’s more interesting.
8. New Product Launches
Show off your new line of products in a memorable environment by turning your product launch into a party. Create buzz and excitement for your latest line of products by hosting a celebration attended by employees, executives, local press, and other guests of honor. Provide entertainment and serve dinner for your attendees, but make sure you keep everything professional. Think about how big, luxury companies introduce their new products to people and try to tweak that for your industry.
9. Accomplishments and Milestone Celebrations
Is it the important anniversary of your company or a grand opening? Did you reach an important goal that you set? Has your business been recognized with an award? If so, celebrate it by holding a party for your employees, executives, vendors, and other guests. Think of a fun venue to hold this party, such as a restaurant or a theater, and who you would like to invite to make it more memorable. Make sure you have enough space and food for the number of people you plan on having.
10. Business Dinners
What better way of getting people’s attention than with food? A business meeting doesn’t just have to be a boring gathering held in a plain office. It can be something more exciting, such as offering a prospective client or your executives free food at a restaurant or party venue. Having a business dinner instead of an office meeting creates a more informal, relaxed environment for your guests and makes them more comfortable. It’s also a great way to get to know your clients or employees.
11. Incentive Programs
Motivate your employees to reach a quota or sales goal by offering incentives, such as a company retreat or party. Set a goal that you want your business to reach and introduce a corporate event as the prize for reaching it. Having incentives for your employees lets them know that they are appreciated and holding an event is something that everyone can enjoy. Look into retreat companies nearby your business to see what a good incentive would be to offer your workers.
12. Charity Auctions and Fundraisers
Turn your business event into a way to give back to your community. Is there a charity that your business does a lot of work for? Is there one that is close to your employees? Hold a charity event for your staff to attend to raise awareness and money for your cause. Charity events include offering services or products as part of a fundraiser, a casino night, or cool prizes in silent or public auctions. Do something special for your employees while also giving back.
13. Holiday and Birthday Parties
Business events don’t just have to celebrate company related achievements, they can also be held for special holidays and birthdays. Give your employees a party before their Christmas vacation, have everyone give presents to a birthday boy/girl, ring in the new year, dress up for Halloween, or commemorate any other nationally recognized occasion. Festive parties show your staff how much their work is appreciated and gives your employees a chance to connect outside of a professional work office.
14. Employee Workshops
Teach your employees a new task or something about your company by turning it into a business event. For example, introduce your employees to a new computer program that they will be working with. Bring everyone together or separate them into groups for workshops where they learn a skill that will help them with their work. Not only does this type of social event build the relationship of your employees, but it also helps your business by making your workplace more efficient.
15. Networking with Clients
While it’s important to build the relationships between your employees, it’s just as important for you to have a working relationship with your clients. How can you bring your clients and employees together so that they connect? Hold networking events for your staff and customers. Have parties, retreats, and workshops where you invite both groups and have them mingle with each other and discuss more than just business. Give your employees a place to talk to their clients outside of work to improve client relations.
The Bottom Line
Corporate events allow your company’s employees and customer base to socialize outside of work so that your work environment is friendlier and more efficient. Think about what kind of company event would suit your staff and your industry and start planning your next gathering. Create a list of important clients and corporate executives or employees you want to invite and consider what kind of activity best suits your group. Hold different types of events throughout the year to build better working relationships between your workers and your customers.