Corporate Summer Parties featuring Team Building Activities can improve teamwork and build morale.
Summer is the perfect time for companies to show appreciation for their employees’ hard work and dedication by organising corporate summer parties. These events, to which families are often invited as well, offer a welcome break from the routine of every day working life, and provide a range of benefits, including enhancing team spirit through fun outdoor team building activities, boosting morale and showcasing the company’s culture and values.
In this article, we’ll start off by exploring these 3 key benefits of hosting corporate summer parties and go on to summarise the 5 key steps to planning successful corporate summer parties.
The three main benefits of Corporate Summer Parties
- Enhancing Team Spirit through team building activities
Corporate summer parties provide an excellent opportunity for all employees to meet together in a relaxed and informal setting. By participating in fun team building activities and games, employees can bond with their colleagues, which delivers a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. With the emphasis very much on fun and enjoyment, these parties away from the office/normal place of work can help strengthen working relationships and improve collaboration and teamwork within the organisation.
- Boosting Morale
Acknowledging employees’ hard work and dedication throughout the year with a summer party can significantly help to boost morale. It demonstrates that the company values its employees and their well-being, which in turn can increase job satisfaction and overall happiness within the workplace. Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their roles, leading to improved teamwork, increased productivity and a positive work environment.
- Showcasing a Company’s Culture and Values
Corporate summer parties provide a platform to showcase a company’s culture and values as well as its commitment to its employees’ well-being. By organising relaxed and enjoyable events that are inclusive and accessible for all and enhance team building, companies can also communicate their appreciation for diversity and create an environment where all employees feel valued and respected. This can help create a good reputation for the company and also play a part in attracting and retaining top talent.
5 Key Steps to Planning Successful Corporate Summer Parties
- Choice of Venue
Selecting the right venue is crucial for the success of a corporate summer party. Whether it’s the grounds of a hotel or conference centre, a bespoke outdoor event space a park, garden or even a beach, garden, the venue should offer ample space for a range of activities and provide a relaxed and festival-like atmosphere and an enjoyable environment that is ideal for summer parties. In addition, whilst the main activity might be outdoors during the daytime, there might also be evening entertainment indoors, so the venue needs to be able to accommodate that, too,
Finding the right venue can be difficult, which is why we offer a free venue finding service. We have working partnerships with hundreds of venues across the UK, all of whom we know and trust, which makes the entire process much easier.
- Theme Selection
Choosing a captivating theme for the summer party adds an element of excitement and fun to the event. Themes such as a beach party, circus/funfair or a jungle/tropical setting can create a vibrant and engaging atmosphere. Encouraging employees to dress-up in the style of the theme further builds the positive ambiance and encourages participation, creating lasting memories for everyone involved.
We offer a wide range of themes for corporate summer parties, all of which feature wet weather contingencies, should the British weather intervene.
- Activities Planning – what fun and/or team building activities to choose?
When planning activities for the corporate summer party, it is important to consider the diverse interests and preferences of the attendees. Incorporating a variety of activities, such as team sports, relay races, water games, or team building activities, ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Additionally, incorporating icebreaker activities – from drumming to the Haka (find out more about the origins of the Haka here) – can help employees from different departments or locations interact and bond in a relaxed setting.
Our event planning team is on hand to help you decide exactly what you want, before going on to manage the while process for you.
- Catering Arrangements
The catering for a corporate summer party should reflect the chosen summer theme and also offer a tempting and diverse menu, which suits all dietary considerations and accommodates allergies, too. Options such as a barbecue, picnic-style buffet, or a tropical-themed menu can add to the overall ambiance of the event.
The range of options should include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free choices, as required, ensuring that all employees can fully participate in and enjoy the food on offer.
- Choice of Entertainment
Selecting appropriate entertainment options, such as live music, interactive games or performances, can further enhance the summer party experience. Entertainment that encourages participation can facilitate collaboration and laughter among employees who may not typically get the chance to engage during regular work hours. This can help break down communication barriers and strengthen relationships across different teams and departments.
Our entertainment offerings range from a Live Music Quiz to a Wine Tasting Challenge and Alternative Outdoor Olympic Games, and we’re always coming up with new ones, too. We’ve got something for everyone, and we’ll even work up bespoke idea as well.
Talk to us about your next Corporate Summer Party
Corporate summer parties offer a range of benefits to companies that go beyond just providing a fun and exciting day out for employees. Using fun filled and team building activities that develop team spirit, boost morale and showcase a company’s culture and values, these events can contribute to a more positive and inclusive working environment.
In the current marketplace, the emphasis is on ever greater creativity and innovation to ensure that the summer party is a memorable, enjoyable and inclusive experience for all attendees, from the theme and the entertainment to the venue and the food. Get the 5 steps above right and you’ll go a long way towards running successful summer parties that leave a lasting and positive impression on employees and the company as a whole.