enterprise Picnic Ideas and Planning Tips

The business picnic is a favorite tradition at many firms.

It's an occasion for employees to mingle and "let down their hair."

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A well organized business picnic with planned activities can help merge employees with each other. This is particularly foremost if the business has undergone new reorganization. As such it functions as a "team bonding" mechanism.

A business picnic can be held for an entire firm of thousands or for a particular department of 30.

In my role of party entertainer (and prior to that corporate employee), I have attended countless such events. Here are some observations, tips, and ideas I picked up along the way.

General Considerations

Like any other type of event, you need to decide what you want your picnic to be like and how much you want to spend.

As with any event, it is foremost to keep the needs and tastes of your attendees paramount.

Allow yourself enough time to book your venue if the picnic is offsite. Inquire for some venues is at a excellent during peak periods. It is not uncommon to make reservations several months or more in progress of a given date.

You'll need to plan food and beverages, and activities and entertainment and, in some cases, communication to the picnic site.

Allow enough time so you can give your employees enough progress observation to include the picnic into their plans. This is especially foremost if you'll be spirited house members or if it is held on a weekend.

Company picnics and business picnic ideas can range from the very easy to a pull-out-all-stops extravaganza. My observation is that habitancy have a good time at both.

Do you want to have a theme? A theme is fun! Plus it makes it easier to produce food and activities.

When do you want to hold you company's picnic?

Here, in the Philadelphia area, companies hold their picnics starting in June straight through early October.

Considerations such as your company's workflow, availability of a desired venue, etc., will help you decide the date. Employees are less apt to be away on vacation in June or September, but they will precisely enjoy the occasion to kick back in July or August.

There are pros and cons to weekday picnics versus weekend picnics.

Company picnics held during a workday will ensure a greater attendance for employees when they would regularly be in the office. And, they don't cut into high-priced personal time.

But spouses and children are ordinarily more available for a weekend date.

Whom do you want to invite?

Staff only? Members of the employee's immediate family? What about indispensable others, friends? decide where to draw the line.

Family picnics are a great way for employees to meet co-workers' families. It humanizes co-workers by allowing them to relax their at-work personas.

On the other hand, particular or divorced employees can feel like the odd wheel at a very house oriented event. That can be overcome by planning activities favorable for habitancy of all ages.

Activities that want participants to form groups can help merge the attendees. And it keeps your guests occupied.

Where do you want to have your business picnic?

While many picnics take place under a tent in the company's parking lot, offsite venues can make habitancy feel more relaxed. If you're on a definite budget, one selection is a nearby state park. Many have large pavilions ideally excellent for such events.

I've also been to business picnics given at the home of the firm's Ceo or owner. This kind of setting adds a homey touch to the festivities. In some instances, facilities were set up so that the guests attend to their needs without entering the host's hidden home.

An exquisite selection to reconsider is a venue that is set up especially for hosting the business picnic. ordinarily these picnic parks come perfect with in-house catering and lots of games and activities for kids both big and small. Some day camps rent out their facilities on weekends when they are otherwise not in use.

Amusement parks and river cruises are other options.

Tip: Have a Plan B in the case of rain.

Some Plan B options include:
o A tent with walls or entrance to an on-site building
o Event assurance
o A rain date

Keep in mind that if you opt for a rain date, your vendors and entertainers may want supplementary payment to retain the second date. That is because they have to turn down other clients during the busy summer season to keep that time open for you.

Food and Beverages

If you pick to have the food catered, you don't have to worry about preparation or cleanup. Many venues such as picnic parks have in-house catering. And many caterers specialize in handling business picnics.

The best part of picnic fare is that it is easy and satisfying. Hot dogs and hamburgers are very favorite at picnics. But they are not compulsory and caterers will cater to your every whim.

Keep the menu flexible enough to accommodate those with special needs and preferences. These days you'll find many meat eaters and vegans, not to mention devotees of Atkins, South Beach, and other diets. Muslims and Jews may not wish to eat pork.

So having at least one non-pork and non-meat selection is an exquisite idea. If your picnic has a theme, your menu can reflect that.

Decide whether you want to permit alcoholic beverages. If so, make sure there is a way to ensure that anything who drinks a bit too much makes it home safely.

Have age thorough activities and games

Some venues such as picnic parks make it a point to contribute many activities. Nonetheless, you may want to supplement them. Entertainers such as Djs, caricature artists, Tarot card readers, magicians, face painters, clowns are some favorite additions.

Door prizes are a cherished business picnic idea at many firms. Door prizes work both as employee appreciation and an incentive for the employees to linger.

Examples of some prizes I've seen include certificate good for a supper for two at a local restaurant, gift certificate at a local department store, a day off with pay, even a free vacation perfect with round trip airline tickets.

These are some business picnic ideas and planning tips to get you started.

But the most foremost tip is the one I save for last. After you've worked so hard to produce and plan your event, be sure to go and enjoy the festivities yourself!

enterprise Picnic Ideas and Planning Tips