Ideas For Successful Company Picnic Planning

Company picnic planning is not for the faint of heart. Coming up with innovative ideas to keep your coworkers and employees entertained year after year takes imagination and hard work. Planning a company picnic that your employees will look forward to instead of dread requires a few fresh ideas each year. Here are a few basic tips for planning a successful company picnic.

1. Always vary the location of the company picnic and select a site other than your place of business.

2. Consider incorporating your employee’s family members into the picnic planning process. Send out questionnaires or let employees vote on a set of options presented each year.

3. Provide activities for children or provide childcare services so the adults can enjoy the picnic without the worries of childcare.

4. Do not discuss workplace issues during the picnic. This is not the time for mini-seminars, inservices or pep talks. Allow your employees to relax and spend time bonding over recreational activities and food.

5. Do not skimp on the food. If you are operating on a budget, food is not the place to cut costs. Poorly prepared food or worse yet, not enough food to feed everyone, will make your company picnic a flop.

6. Vary the activities offered. Not everyone will enjoy reading beside a placid lake filled with gliding ducks. Nor will everyone enjoy riding an ATV through an obstacle course. Offering options at varying activity levels provides enjoyment for each employee. Inflatable games, clowns, and obstacle courses are popular choices for company picnic activities.

7. If you are planning an outdoor picnic, provide an alternate arrangement in case of inclement weather.

8. Complete as many activities as you can in advance. The day of the company picnic will be busy with activity and can become overwhelming and chaotic if careful planning in not used.

9. Enlist some help. Do not try to do everything yourself. Delegate a few tasks to reliable employees.

10.Promote your company picnic. Turn up the hype leading up to the date to build excitement and interest in the event. Pass out flyer sand talk up the event. Enlist the help of optimistic and energetic employees to help you promote the picnic.

11.Offer special door prizes and incentives for those who attend. Select quality incentives such as tasty treats, clothing, gas cards, lottery tickets, or special office privileges such as lunch out with the boss or fresh flowers in the office for a week.

12.If planning an indoor company picnic, provide live entertainment. Comedians, live bands, and theatrical performances, such as professional clowns, are all good options. Be sure to take into consideration the personal preferences of your employees. If 90% of the employees attending listen to country music, booking a heavy metal band is not a good idea.

13.Have employees sign an RSVP attendance sheet to help plan for food and entertainment.

Successful company picnic planning is possible when you get employees involved. Provide great tasting food, fun activities and worthwhile incentives for attending.