– by Ainsley Lawrence

– Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer with an interest in the way business, technology, and education intersect with the personal. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a good book.

The best way to build employee morale is to have several employee events throughout the year. You can have team-building exercises, holiday parties, or fun but simple outdoor picnics, but they must be appropriately planned and executed. Start with these tips.

Know Why You’re Doing It

Before you dive too deep into the planning phase, you need to know why you’re having these events in the first place. No matter what type of gathering you have, if it’s done right, you’re taking a significant step towards improving dynamics in the workplace. Events are a great way to contribute to clan company culture, where the emphasis is placed on employee happiness and wellness. This can have benefits for your workplace too. When your employees feel like part of a cohesive unit, they will be happier at work, you’ll have lower employee turnover, and their productivity could skyrocket.

That’s why unique team-building exercises outside the office are so popular. Events like an outdoor scavenger hunt or a long hike can encourage your employees to work together. They’ll also learn each other’s strengths, and they’ll carry that knowledge back to the office.

If for no other reason, hosting an employee event can do wonders to lower the stress around your organization. When there’s a lot of work and tight deadlines, it can be a bit of a powder keg in the office, so getting out and trying something new can create relief. Plus, simply being outside, breathing fresh air, and soaking in the sun is great for everyone’s physical and mental health.

What To Do at the Party

While management may have a few ideas for specific-team building ideas they want to try, when you go beyond those, it’s essential to ask for suggestions from the staff. You don’t have to use all their recommendations, but see what you can do to accommodate their requests.

With that settled, try to inject a little healthy competition. Put together a game where the rules aren’t too complicated, and everyone on the staff has a fair shot to win. Make the winning person or team a trophy and present it at the end, and then make this a yearly tradition so you can create some excitement around the office.

It’s also important to ensure that everyone will feel included in the event or party, and you can start by planning it on a day when everyone is in the office. It’s also essential to ensure that the event will be accessible to all employees so someone in a wheelchair or with a hearing or visual impairment won’t feel left out.

Finally, if you have the ability to and choose to serve alcohol, be smart, and do so responsibly. Alcohol may be appropriate for some events, but it can have an impact on company culture. Excessive alcohol can negatively impact an employee’s health in numerous ways, from affecting the renal system and kidneys to weakening the immune system, which can cause your employees to get sick more often. Long story short, be cautious and serve in moderation.

Be Generous

Management can really do wonders during an event by showing their team that they’re truly appreciated. No matter what type of event it is, take some time to give employee recognition rewards for jobs well done. Public recognition can do wonders for worker morale, and other employees will want to do their best work to win them next year.

You can make everyone feel appreciated by surprising them with fun and creative employee recognition gifts, of which there are many options. Promotional products with the company logo are great, and so are mugs that either have a general design or are personalized for the employee.

These are just a few guidelines to follow when planning an employee event for your dedicated team. Do it right and create a new annual tradition.