Planning a Company Party? Don’t Make It Feel Like Another Day at Work
Company parties are supposed to give people a chance to get away from the normal routine, spend time together and actually enjoy themselves.
So why do so many corporate events end up feeling like another meeting?
A private room. A few tables. Food arrives. Everyone talks to the same people they already know. Someone gives a quick speech. A couple of hours later, everyone heads home.
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that — but if you’re going to bring the entire team together, why not make it something people actually look forward to?
At Kudos The GOAT in Taylor, Michigan, a company outing can be much more than dinner away from the office. With food, drinks, private event options and an entire venue filled with activities, companies can give their employees a chance to relax, compete, laugh and spend time together outside of their normal work environment. Kudos specifically accommodates corporate gatherings ranging from team bonding and staff appreciation to meetings, networking, retirement parties and award ceremonies.
Give People Something to Do Together
One of the hardest parts about planning a company party is finding something that works for different personalities.
Not everyone wants to stand around making small talk for three hours.
That’s where an activity-based company event can completely change the atmosphere.
At Kudos, groups can get into friendly competition with activities such as cornhole, football bowling, axe and star throwing, pool, ping pong, arcade games, pickleball and a golf and sports simulator.
Instead of trying to manufacture interaction, you give people something to do.
Coworkers who might not normally spend much time together can end up on opposite sides of a cornhole match. Departments can challenge each other. Someone who barely talks during meetings might suddenly become the most competitive person in the building.
Those are the moments people remember.
Team Building Doesn’t Have to Feel Like “Team Building”
Mention a mandatory team-building exercise and you can almost hear the collective groan.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Some of the best opportunities for coworkers to connect happen naturally when people are outside their usual environment. Friendly competition, shared experiences, food and conversation can create interaction without making the night feel like another company exercise.
That’s especially important because employee engagement goes beyond simply whether employees are satisfied with their jobs. Gallup describes engagement as the involvement and enthusiasm employees have toward their work and workplace.
A company party isn’t going to create an engaged workforce by itself. But giving employees opportunities to interact, celebrate accomplishments and enjoy time together can be one piece of building a stronger workplace culture.
Celebrate More Than the Holidays
The annual holiday party may be the obvious company event, but it certainly isn’t the only reason to get everyone together.
Businesses can create events around employee appreciation, company milestones, sales achievements, retirement celebrations, award ceremonies, department outings, networking events or simply a chance to thank the team after a busy season.
Kudos also offers options for meetings, seminars and other corporate gatherings, which means an event doesn’t necessarily have to be entirely work or entirely play.
A company could handle the business portion first and then transition into food, drinks and activities afterward.
That makes the event feel less like everyone simply moved the meeting from the office to another room.
Food and Drinks Matter Too
Activities may get everyone interacting, but a great company event still needs good food and drinks.
Kudos combines its entertainment environment with food, craft beer, cocktails and group catering options. Its corporate event offerings include full catering and beverage service, while private-event packages provide additional food and bar options depending on the type of event.
That gives companies the ability to build an event around their particular group instead of trying to force every company into the same format.
Some teams may want dinner and a few games.
Others may want a private area, drinks and several hours of competition.
And for a much larger organization, the event might require significantly more space.
Planning Something Big? Kudos Has Room for That Too
One of the biggest challenges when organizing a company party is simply finding somewhere that can accommodate everyone.
Kudos isn’t limited to small office outings.
Its corporate event options include private rental rooms, A/V capabilities and full-facility/buyout options, with the venue advertising capacity for groups of up to 500 people.
Kudos’ private-event options also include a full-facility package intended for corporate events or parties of 150 or more guests, subject to availability and applicable package requirements.
That opens the door for larger company celebrations, employee appreciation events, organization-wide gatherings and other events where a traditional restaurant table simply isn’t enough.
Make the Company Party Something People Talk About the Next Day
A successful company party shouldn’t feel like an obligation.
People should leave talking about who dominated football bowling, who unexpectedly nailed the axe-throwing target, which department took cornhole way too seriously, and what everyone wants to do the next time the company gets together.
That’s the difference between simply hosting an event and creating an experience.
When people spend most of their week working together, getting them outside of the normal environment can give everyone a chance to see another side of the people they work with every day.
And that is exactly what a company party should accomplish.
Plan Your Next Company Event at Kudos The GOAT
Whether you’re planning a company party, employee appreciation event, team-building outing, holiday celebration, networking event or a larger corporate gathering, Kudos The GOAT offers the space, food, drinks and activities to turn it into something your team can actually enjoy.
Contact Kudos The GOAT today to start planning your next company event in Taylor, Michigan, and give your team a reason to get out of the office and have some fun.