How to Plan an Internal Company Event

Corporate life has changed in a few key ways in recent years, not the least of which is an increase in remote work. Many companies now have at least some mix of in-office and at-home employees, which can lead to the unfortunate consequence of team members feeling increasingly disconnected. A popular solution? Holding fun company events.

As the person running the show, the burden is likely on you (or your events committee) to iron out all the details. When planning your corporate calendar for the year, determine the scope of each event by asking yourself the classic five W questions.

Who?

The guests are the most important part of any event, so knowing your audience is paramount. Will you be inviting the entire company, or will it be a departmental gig? And then there’s the inevitable follow-up question—can they bring guests? If the event calls for a special performer or speaker, you should also brainstorm who would be ideal for your group. Furthermore, will someone from HR or the executive team serve as the point person, host, or emcee? Much like with any form of entertaining, settling on who will be involved can serve as a springboard for all other aspects of your planning.

What?

Once you have a general idea of the guest count, you can determine your “what” answers. The first is what type of event it will be, whether a full-scale party in the company cafeteria, a virtual escape room challenge, or a night of bowling. Decide if the shindig will have a theme (as is often the case for holiday parties in particular) and what the expectations should be regarding etiquette and dress.

When it comes to the budget, take into consideration the usual costs, such as food, drinks, and party favors, along with items that may not necessarily be top of mind, like special event insurance. (If a team member breaks a leg on the dance floor—or the dance floor itself—at your event, you don’t want to be left scrambling after the fact wondering if the company is liable.)

When?

This is the perfect time of year to contemplate the frequency of your fun events. Would it work best to have them quarterly or, because of logistics, put all your eggs in one basket for an annual event? As you make your decisions, don’t forget to also consider the season; during summer or the holidays, your event might have a smaller turnout if it’s not held during the week. And, yes, you can plan a company get-together during the week—shutting down work early on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend for a company picnic, for instance, would likely engender employee appreciation.

Where?

One of your key decisions will be whether to hold your event on company grounds or offsite. Planning your locale can get a bit tricky if you have a hybrid staff, especially if some employees live out of state. While those who work in the building would appreciate gathering off-site and local remote employees might like an opportunity to see the office again, any team members living outside the area may not find it feasible to travel to the event. It’s all about knowing your team’s makeup and planning around it.

Why?

Whether it’s on the macro level (your company’s overarching mission statement) or the micro level (internal events), you never want to forget your “why”—the most essential element of any business’s success. When planning an event, always remember why you’re holding it in the first place. A handy and fun technique to use is mind mapping, where you write your event in a circle and branch out other related ideas around it. Whichever way you go about it, though, keep your primary objectives top of mind, whether it’s team building, culture improvement, or just a great big thank-you for a successful year. Any event should be beneficial to both the company and its employees.

The H question

Additionally, you may want to consider answering the frequent add-on to the W questions: How? Determine how your employees will work around their schedules and, if it’s an off-site shindig, how they will get there. Also falling under this category would be the invitations: how to announce the event, either via email or formal invite, and whether you want to make a big surprise announcement about it.

It’s been said that you can’t please everyone, but with internal corporate get-togethers, you’d ideally like to get as close as possible. By answering these basic questions, you’ll equip yourself with effective planning ideas that are sure to make your events the talk of the office.

TAKE ACTION:
Brainstorm for ten minutes to answer these vital questions and hone the details for your first company event of 2024.