“In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” ― Leo Tolstoy
Summer is here: nights are getting shorter, whilst long days at the office just seem to be getting longer. You may have noticed that your employees have been looking a little distracted lately, or maybe they are sending out subtle holiday vibes by choosing a Caribbean beach as their desktop background and listening to Spotify playlists like “Tropical morning” and “Soak up the sun”.
So what can you do to maximise productivity and get your team’s mojo back?
Maintaining (or increasing) your levels of employee engagement is paramount: according to the Workplace Research Foundation, increasing engagement investments by 10% can increase profits by $2,400 per employee, every year. Keeping your people happy and satisfied can also lead them to increase their productivity by 38%. It’s also important to nurture your team’s social bonds. The majority of employees spend more time with their colleagues than with their own family (30-50 hrs/week); 73% of them regularly laugh with their co-workers, and 63% of them have even cried on their supportive shoulders.
So how can you capitalise on these important office social ties to boost productivity? Organise a company day out to help build team relationships and boost productivity back at the office. Here are some corporate day out tips to make sure your next corporate event goes off with a bang.
Keep it simple & enjoy the great outdoors
Avoid too formal locations and strict dress codes so that everyone feels free and relaxed, but make the day feel special by branching out from your local watering hole. People love to be surrounded by natural beauty so venture out into the Great British outdoors. Unique and impressive natural surroundings, parklands and open spaces provide the perfect backdrop for a remarkable corporate fun day.
Sports activities are a good way to promote team building, but remember that some people may not be able to fully enjoy them, so make sure there’s plenty of scenery for gentle strolling. If it’s possible, try to provide some space for your employees’ children. In a few words: make everyone feel welcomed, wanted and accepted at your party!
Mix things up & get active
Pick and organise a bunch of different activities: even if it’s almost impossible to cater to absolutely everyone’s tastes, a sporty outdoor pursuit or a live band will put a smile on most people’s faces. Food wise, you can treat your guests with menus designed by expert chefs or enjoy the summer day out with a big old BBQ. If games are on the menu, create teams by mixing up people from different departments, especially if they don’t usually interact or communicate. Get rid of office chairs and promote activities that encourage people to move around, interact and have fun with each other!
Work-related speeches? It’s a party!
Avoid the temptation to get up and give a long, celebratory speech about the company. This day is all about your people: let them enjoy themselves and their co-workers; take it easy and use this time to relax and get to know a little bit more about your employees. Most of all, remember to have fun with them: after all, this is a fun day for you too!
Share the joy & get social
Corporate fun days and informal events are also a great way to increase brand awareness, share insights about your company culture and highlight employees’ personalities. Create a unique hashtag and use it on all your social media channels, create a Facebook event, live tweet the funniest moments, and ask your youngest employees to introduce you to the fabulous world of Snapchat (don’t worry, every snap will disappear in no more than 24 hours). You can also make a quick video about your big day out and include it in your next internal newsletter. Capitalise on the day’s success and create a lasting impression by documenting the event.
Don’t forget to ask for feedback from your attendees and thank them for the amazing time you spent together! Find out how you can organise a great corporate day out with our Leigh Court corporate hire here.
About the Author
GWS Media provide digital marketing, app development and web design in Bristol. We offer one hour free consultations to anyone interested in capitalising on their digital presence- just get in touch to book yours. Not ready to meet us just yet? Follow us on Twitter @gwsmedia for marketing insights (and more)!