How To

How to Plan a Company Picnic

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(15 Ratings)

Company picnics are more fun to attend than to plan, but turning
down the assignment to organize one is rarely a good career move. If
the task falls on your shoulders, make the process relatively painless
by starting early, staying on top of the details, and having a backup
plan in case the rain gods let loose with a deluge on the big day.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Read 2 Set Priorities and 3 Write an Effective To-Do List.

  2. Step 2

    Determine whom to invite: employees only, spouses and significant others, children and/or clients. Dozens of subsequent decisions-- from location to menu, entertainment to favors--stem from this first one.

  3. Step 3

    Select the date. Avoid days near the beginning or end of a company holiday period, as many people may be out of town. Choose a weekday so employees are not forced to give up their personal commitments to attend a work function.

  4. Step 4

    Establish a budget. Take advantage of the fact that unlike most business-related meals (which are only 50 percent tax deductible), costs for food, beverages and entertainment for a companywide picnic are fully deductible.

  5. Step 5

    Recruit a committee for each major component, including site selection, food and entertainment. (Remember, a task delegated is a task escaped.) Have committee members gather feedback about the pluses and minuses of previous years' picnics. Read 373 Plan an Organizational Meeting.

  6. Step 6

    Research locations, taking into consideration the travel time from employees' homes or the office.

  7. Step 7

    Plan the menu with the venue and attendees in mind. If at all possible, have your committee sample the fare ahead of time. Good-quality ice cream bars trump stale cupcakes. Should the proposed baked desserts taste like cardboard, you may be able to arrange for a more palatable alternative from another source. Make sure the menu offers vegetarian options. Too often picnic fare features only hot dogs, hamburgers, fried chicken or barbecued meats. See 331 Hire a Caterer.

  8. Step 8

    Decide on the entertainment, making sure you have activities that appeal to everyone who will be attending. If you can persuade managers to take turns in a carnival dunk tank, you'll have at least one guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

  9. Step 9

    Order any party favors well in advance. Special logo T-shirts or baseball caps are always popular, but also consider Frisbees, water bottles, tote bags and beach balls.

  10. Step 10

    Create and distribute catchy invitations. A well-planned picnic deserves finer fanfare than a companywide e-mail message. Have the invitation blown up to poster size and displayed prominently around the workplace.

  11. Step 11

    Set up a Web site about the party and list its URL on the invitations. You can post updates, driving directions and answers to frequently asked questions here, saving the organizing committee a lot of effort.

  12. Step 12

    Print out a schedule of events and important reminders to hand out to attendees as they arrive at the picnic site.

  13. Step 13

    Keep a detailed notebook containing all contracts, menus, publicity material, favor choices, entertainment ideas and any other significant decisions and resources. This will give you an overview of planning--and it will provide an immense aid to the person who handles this job next year.

Tips & Warnings
  • When estimating the amount of food needed, err on the side of too much rather than too little. Late arrivals should not go hungry.
  • There are a number of event directories, often found in wedding guides, such as HereComesTheGuide.com. Type "event venues" into a search engine. Find out if any special insurance or permit is required for your size group. Once you've selected a venue, book your reservation as early as possible.

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