Annual corporate family fun days are pretty typical, and if you have been planning one, you may be wondering how you can make it different from previous ones. It’s not to say that the previous ones were not good – on the contrary, they may have been excellent – but if you’d like something more unique compared to previous events, then there are plenty of things you can do. The goal is, of course, to give everyone a fun and entertaining day so you can show them how much you appreciate their work and effort. But what can you realistically do to make your upcoming family day a more memorable affair? Here’s your essential guide to proper planning and organizing for your corporate family fun day.
Determine your objectives for the event
First things first – before you even begin thinking about the preparations – it’s essential to consider your objectives. Aside from thanking everyone and showing them your appreciation, is your family fun day also geared towards long-term development and growth? Or is it simply to reward your staff and employees for a job well done? It could very well be both. The thing is, when you show your employees that you recognize their work by having a family day, this can be excellent for everyone’s morale. Whilst they’re having fun in that casual setting, you’re hitting two birds with one stone as well because they can also build bonds and better communication with each other. Once you determine your objectives for the event, it will be easier to plan and organize it.
Reasons for corporate family days
Many companies celebrate family days for one reason or another; it could be due to the success and growth of the business in the past year, for instance. It could also be because of the completion of a big project or an expansion. Another excellent reason to hold a family day is to reward particular employees for exemplary performance, and you can also use it to welcome new staff members. It could also be just a big “thank you” for everyone’s hard work, and it could serve as a team-building exercise as well. No doubt, a family fun day is set to boost everyone’s morale and keep them motivated, and it can also help you reinforce the values of your company.
The top 5 aspects you should always remember
1. Practical requirements that often tend to be forgotten
Whilst everyone is busy arranging and booking the venue and entertainment, some practical requirements are often forgotten. It’s crucial to consider these requirements as they could have a tremendous impact on the success of your family day. For one, whilst checking the venue, think about access. The venue must be accessible to vendors and suppliers, especially if hiring rides and other attractions. Another aspect is the access to power – if you are providing the electrical connection, your vendors should reach it from their setting-up point.
2. The relevance of proper catering based on company size
The catering for your event isn’t just a one-size-fits-all element – it should fit the size of your company. One case in point, for example, is a small business. If you are running a small business and you have fewer than 40 staff members, you could have a sit-down meal and make it a point to seat those who don’t know each other together. A better option would be a buffet-style setup, and you can serve finger food (but try to make it more interesting than simple carrot and celery sticks – you can serve Mexican food or sushi, for example).
If you’re a small-to-medium-sized enterprise with 50 to 250 staff members, you could go with a buffet as a standard, but why not go with something more unique, like a massive paella or a hog roast? This food would often be prepared and cooked right at the venue, so it smells great and is fantastic as a conversation starter and feature for the event.
For large-sized businesses that have more than 250 staff, you can opt for mobile food trucks or booths serving burgers, pizza, fish and chips, and so on. You can make it more unique with vegan choices and shellfish or tapas vans or stalls, too!
You can also make everyone happy with crepe stalls or ice cream trucks, candy booths, and mobile coffee stations and bars.
3. Decide on the best entertainment
Entertainment is one key element for any corporate family fun day. If you want to keep everyone entertained it’s a good idea to get some performers, be it clowns, magicians, face painters, and balloon makers or live bands. Bands and comedians are a brilliant choice if your family day runs into the nighttime. But make sure to think about your audience and find something that suits everyone. A few fairground rides can seal the deal, and setting up the rides and attractions is easy if you partner with an experienced and reliable fairground hire firm who can even set up the best food booths with fairground favorites like candy floss, burgers, and hot dogs such as https://www.wearetricycle.co.uk/.
You can make it more spectacular with inflatables, and bouncy castles are now essential for any successful family day. You can add more exciting attractions as well, such as mobile climbing walls, bungee trampolines, and ghost trains and fun houses!
4. Consider having a tent or marquee
If you’re holding your family fun day outdoors, it would be wise to set up a tent or marquee as well. Your staff can then decide to stay inside and relax if it gets too hot (or cold) outside, and you can put up picnic benches and couches inside the tent or marquee where people can lounge around and have a good chat.
5. Think of a theme
A theme will undoubtedly make your family fun day even more special, and it can get everyone excited when they can dress up according to your theme. You can go for a nautical-themed event, for example, or you can have something in line with your entertainment elements, like a festival or carnival theme. You can also get inspired by the season, whether it’s springtime, Halloween, summer, and so on.
