Activities conducted with the workplace team beyond the workplace can be extremely powerful; it is not only a way to unwind and have fun but also a way to enhance workplace camaraderie, which will, in turn, develop relationships and boost workplace cooperation. However, to ensure your team’s get-together is effective, it is imperative that it is planned effectively, otherwise, it may turn out to be an unproductive meeting and a waste of time. This is why the specialists at our Philadelphia ground transportation company have decided to come up with a clear guideline on how to effectively plan your company’s get-together for this summer.
We would also like to recommend contracting the services of our limo service in Philadelphia for all your transportation needs during your get-together. Not only does this guarantee that the team arrives at the venue on time but it also allows the guys a little extra time to bond and guarantees safety on the way back, in case you will be partaking in a little of the devil’s nectar.
Let our professionally trained chauffeurs take the wheel as you all focus your attention on each other and get to know each other better on the ride to and from the venue. Now, without further ado, let us have a look at some of the measures you can take to guarantee that your company’s summer getaway is a success.
Recruit a Planning Committee
Before anything, put together a planning committee for your event. This committee will not only include those planning the get-away but also those who will be in attendance. This ensures that everyone is satisfied; if the attendees feel that they had a say in the kind of get-away they would like and that they influenced major decisions, they will be more likely to be engaged during the actual get-away, which is a necessary ingredient for the event’s overall success.
Top Management/Executives
In order to guarantee that the get-away is successful, it is important to involve the company’s management and top executives. While these individuals may not be in the actual planning committee, they are highly influential and their presence, however passive, will undoubtedly create stronger motivation for the rest of the employees to engage themselves. A getaway that only involves junior employees may not be taken seriously and the junior employees may end up being passive towards the getaway themselves.
Agenda
Prepare an agenda that allows everyone to understand what the getaway is actually about. However, ensure that the agenda or agendas are flexible just in case some of them require more time, or other agendas pop up during the planning process. As much as this is a summer get-away, this is also an opportunity to address workplace issues in an open, non-intimidating environment.
Consider the Company Size
For example, if you are a small company of about 10 people, you are better off organizing a simple get-away such as a camping trip, a retreat at a beach/mountain house, or any other get-away that would be suited for a family retreat. As a small business you should be considering the finances of the company; you don’t want to have a hard time when you’re back because you splurged on a tropical getaway. If you are a large, established company with numerous employees, however, you can go for a vacation-type getaway.
Budget
Expounding on the above point, you should always consider the budget of the get-away carefully. A vacation doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive or held at a faraway destination. After all, the whole point of the getaway is to strengthen the team and enhance workplace cohesiveness. Whatever kind of budget is appropriate for your company, whether it’s just enough for lunch and beverages in the course of a day, or enough to fly the team out to an exotic destination, stay within your financial boundaries to avoid constraints later.
Competitive Activities
Encourage competitive activities during your getaway in order to boost interaction. It may be something as simple as paintball, football, baseball, you name it. A little friendly competition adds fun to the get-away and forces people to actually interact. Do not allow people of the same department to gang up into teams. Mix and match participants; people who would have likely never interacted will use this opportunity to do so, which will, in the grand scheme, enhance inter-departmental relations. To make things a little more interesting have a price in place for the winning teams. For example, dinner coupons for each of the team players to a fancy restaurant with their families.
Food
This may sound trivial or obvious but never underestimate the importance of food. Ensure there is sufficient, quality food at the venue, otherwise, at some point, people will be looking for the exit to go grab bites. If you have to shave a cost from your budget for whatever reason, do not let it be the nutrition aspect. With good food around, however, suddenly everyone is happy to be there. Good food always yields good results.
Celebrate
Most importantly, ensure that the get-away is more about fun and socializing more than it is about work. Summer retreats are a great way to remind the team of all your achievements during the first half of the year. It’s an opportunity to remind the team just how much you value them and all the effort and sacrifices they offer the company. If you go to the getaway and spend half of the time in the conference room your employees will not recognize the difference between the getaway and work; you might as well have continued with work as you were.
Whether you choose to host your getaway at a local park or your back yard, at a swanky venue or in the Bahamas, it is imperative that your employees feel that it is indeed a getaway, which will encourage them to actually participate in the activities you have planned for the team and guarantee the success of the get-away as a whole.
When it comes to business travel, Philadelphia Executive Limousine is equipped to exceed your highest expectations. We know that every corporate trip comes with a new set of challenges, and transportation is one of them. You can always trust Philly Limo – we have the best solutions crafted to meet the highest expectations of corporate travelers.
