Remember the time when companies used to arrange a picnic for their employees every year during the summer months? Families of employees would come together for a few hours, have fun and engage in entertaining activities. That was the kind of culture that separated average companies from the great ones.
Through regular and fun bonding exercises such as day trips and picnics, companies showed their employees that they are invested in creating a better environment in the company. We always feel that a company picnic was the best way to unite staff and management and improve the company culture.
Fun is an essential element of company culture. Company picnics provided the much-needed fun. Moreover, picnics induced feelings of togetherness which can improve teamwork and collaboration among employees allowing them to work more efficiently. Recently, a few companies have stopped organizing company picnics for their employees. Why is that so?
Why Companies Aren’t Organizing Picnics Like They Used To
One of the reasons why companies don’t organize picnics like they used to is because the turn out in these events has decreased lately. Companies themselves are to blame for a decreased turn out at company picnics. Employees don’t attend picnics because companies don’t make them fun and engaging for them. For example, they take them to the same place e.g. the beach or local park and arrange boring activities like volleyball. Turnout can be increased by organizing fun and engaging company picnics at unique locations. Companies shouldn’t stop hosting picnics just because a few of their employees don’t attend them. Rather, they should host more appealing company picnics to increase turn out.
Another major reason companies aren’t organizing picnics for their employees is because they think that it is an unnecessary expense. They believe that organizing company picnics can prove to be costly for them as they have to book a venue, arrange the food and drinks, send invitations and plan entertainment activities for the evening. The mistake here is that companies are only looking at the upfront costs of organizing a company picnic without considering their benefits.
Organizing events like company picnics can certainly prove to be an expensive endeavor. However, the cost of organizing a company picnic is insignificant when compared it with the value it can add to the bottom line of your business. The benefits a company picnic can provide to a business are worth the cost. We believe that company picnics still matter and their value hasn’t diminished. Here’s why.
Encouraging Teamwork
Normally, the only time employees would engage effectively in teamwork is when they are required to work together on a group project. During a picnic, employees can interact with one another through teambuilding games, contest and other group activities. This allows them to get familiar with one another and interact more openly to eliminate communication barriers. The next time you want them to work in the team; they’ll be able to collaborate more effectively and communicate openly to guarantee successful completion of the project.
Boosting Morale
Company picnics are great for boosting morale of employees. It allows you to honor or recognize your employees for all their achievements and hard work. In the picnic, you can show appreciation for the value employees provide to your company and reward them for their work.
Bonding
When employees are trapped inside the boundaries of the office, they don’t get many opportunities to interact with others. A company picnic provides a lighthearted and fun environment to your employees. In such an environment, they may break from their shells to communicate and engage with other personnel.
Networking
If your organization is large and offices are dispersed in different regions, colleagues in various regions may not be able to connect with one another. A company picnic allows employees who’re dispersed in different regions to formally meet and come together to learn about each other. They can connect with junior associates or senior managers and communicate with them in an open and neutral environment. This can prove to be advantageous when you sent your employees to another region and they are required to work with the personnel employed there. Since they would have already interacted with them at the company picnic, they won’t have a hard time communicating and collaborating with them at the new place.
Change of Scenery
Employees can get tired of seeing the office walls day after day. They need a change of scenery to freshen themselves. Companies who don’t organize a picnic for their employees can’t provide them with a change of scenery which affects their performance. If you want to ensure that your employees work at the best of their abilities, you should organize a company picnic to offer them a change of scenery. There are a variety of venues where you can take your employees for a fun company picnic. For example, you can organize a picnic at a park, take your employees for hiking, book an escape room for a unique picnic or plan a scavenger hunt to take the fun to the next level. A picnic can allow your employees to break free from their routine and refresh their mind. This can help improve their performance and boost their morale.
Stress Reduction
Jobs of your employees can be very stressful. Tight deadlines, negative feedbacks from client and high-value projects can add to their stress. A company picnic can be organized in a time of the year when there’s less workload. Your employees can relax and reduce their stress by engaging in fun activities during a company picnic. Some of the activities you can organize to reduce the stress of your employees include a water wars, bungee jumping, bungee run, bouncy boxing, bounce houses, and sumo wrestling.
Improve Motivation
When employees are happy, they stay motivated to work. Therefore, their productivity increases. Productive teams are essential for success in the business and that is why you shouldn’t hesitate to organize a company picnic for your employees.
When do you feel most motivated? When you’re assigned many tasks and you have no time to relax or when you enjoy a well deserved break and come back to work with full concentration? Company picnics can provide a break to your employees and help improve motivation. They can rejuvenate your employees allowing them to work with increased motivation to give their 100 percent.
Family Support
Organizing a company picnic can show to your employees that you value their families and have interest in their personal lives. Spouses and children are a very important part of a person’s life and hosting a company picnic that encourages your employees to bring them along can show to them that you’re interested in what matters to them. They’ll feel that your value their happiness and are willing to incur an extra expense just for their sake.
In a nutshell, company picnics can boost the morale of your employees, improve motivation, reduce stress, encourage teamwork, and increase collaboration. Company picnics still hold the same value as they held years ago. The benefits a company picnic can provide to your business haven’t changed, so you shouldn’t stop organizing them for your employees. Companies that aren’t organizing a picnic for their employees are doing themselves a huge disfavor. Their employees are more likely to experience stress and other workplace related issues. They should consider the benefits of company picnics and start organizing them for their employees to boost their motivation and improve teamwork.
If you too haven’t organized a company picnic for your employees in a while, it is time to plan one now. Organizing a picnic doesn’t have to break your bank. There are many budget-friendly ideas for a company picnic that can help you organize a quality picnic without putting a dent in your wallet.
If you need help in organizing a fun and engaging company picnic for your employees, hire a professional picnic planner. A professional planner can select the venue, arrange food and drinks and organize entertainment activities for a company picnic. They have partnerships with caterers and entertainers which allows them to get you a good discount on arrangements. If you wish to hire a professional picnic planner, contact Bay Area Picnic Planners.
At Bay Area Picnic Planners, we offer exclusive picnic packages for corporations. You can select a picnic package for 100 to 150 guests or the one for 351 to 2000 and more guests. Play-zones, food and drinks, team-building activities and extra entertainment options are all available in our picnic packages. Our professional picnic planner can work with you to determine the kind of picnic you wish to plan and make all the arrangements accordingly. Feel free to contact us when you need a professional’s help to organize a successful company picnic.
