How to Plan a Corporate Summer Event

Your company could sponsor a summer picnic as an employee event.

Your company's summer event can be a refreshing way to interact with the people you work with. Whether its over an ice-cold beer in the park, or cruising on-board a luxury yacht, a company summer event is the place to unwind with your colleagues. If you've been given the task of planning this event there are several important aspects that must be considered. Fortunately, with a little hard work and some careful planning, there are steps you can take to make the next corporate summer event one that is sure to please your co-workers and impress your bosses.

Instructions

1. Determine your budget. You won't be able to make a meaningful decision unless you know the amount of money available to spend. Contact your company's finance manager, accountant or bookkeeper to determine what budget you will have for the event. If this is not the first summer event for your company, obtain an itemized breakdown of what was spent on events over the past few years.

2. Identify your company audience. Determine the types of interests that appeal to the people who will attend. Is the summer event exclusive to high-rolling executives or is it open to all levels of staff? Are there a significant number of employees with families who would enjoy an afternoon event that their children can attend, or is the staff mostly single people who would prefer nighttime activity for adults only? Take a poll of the employee interests to gauge what might be most appealing. Send out an e-mail survey or use paper surveys in employee mailboxes. Ask for volunteers to be a part of the corporate summer event committee.

3. Scout out venues. Use your budget information and employee interests to choose a location. Contact locations in advance and arrange a tour of their facilities. Take advantage of the summer season and look for spaces that have open air access. A boat ride, a city park or a beachfront restaurant are all interesting options. Ask if they have experience with corporate events and what amenities are available to your group. Negotiate a rate that is within your budget and see if the venue is willing to throw in freebies (e.g., extra open bar time, free valet service). If the planning committee agrees on a location, book immediately. Venues are sometimes booked a year or two in advance. Have a backup plan in case of inclement weather (e.g., secure a tent or a rain date if it's in a park).

4. Secure vendors. Determine what "extras" your event will require. Hire a vendor that can emboss T-shirts, water bottles or wine glasses with the company logo and the date of your summer event. Secure a caterer to provide tasty food and drinks. Hire photographers and videographers to record the memories. Enlist a security team that will know how to handle party-crashers. If it's a family-friendly event, determine what entertainment might work (cotton candy machines, clowns, carnival rides). If it's an adult affair, consider a DJ, karaoke machine or a live band.

5. Send out notices. Once your venue has been booked, send out a save the date e-mail to your staff. If you do this months in advance, people can consider it when planning their summer vacations. As the months draw closer, send out invitations to the staff. Include the event parameters on the invite (e.g., families are welcome, RSVP necessary by a certain date, vegetarian or kosher meal requests).

6. Determine your program of events. A few weeks before the event, sit down with your committee and plan out how the day should go. Secure an upper-level executive who will be willing to say a few words about the company and about the summer event. Tally up the RSVPs to see how many people will be coming. Contact the vendors to let them know what time they should be at the event. Determine if there will be team-building activities like a softball game or a staff appreciation moment like an award ceremony. Perhaps you will choose for the event to be completely free-flowing, allowing people to mingle and socialize. Consider hiring an event planner who will help coordinate the day, or designate committee members to be in charge. Keep a clipboard or notebook of items handy on the event day so that they can be referred to if necessary.

References

• University of Michigan: Staff Recognition Program
• WCF Corporate Events: Tips For Planning Your Summer Outing

Resources

• NYTimes: Oh, No! I Did What at the Company Picnic?