Taking Business Meetings To The Extreme | Who says a company meeting has to be boring?
Do you have the task of planning an offsite meeting for your company? Want to inspire your employees and spark creativity? Scratch the idea of traditional venues and plan a corporate outing that is both memorable and energizing to your employees.
Offsite meetings offer a great reason to leave the confines of office walls and approach business in a new environment. Many employees find that by working in a different context, they can brainstorm more freely, focus on strategy, and think bigger picture.
Managers and human resources teams are catching onto this, finding that employees really connect in a fun environment where there is an opportunity to relax and possibly partake in team-building activities. Selecting venues that mix business and pleasure is an effective way of getting work done while also strengthening the bonds of your group.
While traditional spaces like hotels and conference centers are still popular, one of the five venues listed below could help make your next offsite meeting stand out. Whether your goal is brainstorming, strategizing, or team building, most of these unconventional spaces accommodate the necessary seating, presentation space, and audio-visual equipment required to accomplish your goals.
Improvisational Theater
Infuse creativity and spontaneity into your next corporate outing by hosting your event at a local improvisational theater. Improv theaters provide comfortable seating as well as a stage area that is ideal for presentations and discussions. Have an improv facilitator on-hand from the theater to lead your group in role-playing exercises or simply to conjure up laughs from your coworkers.
Local Park with Activities “Camp”
Bring employees out of the office and into the great outdoors. Find a local park or recreation area equipped with picnic tables and preferably a shelter in case of rain. For most, an outdoor change of scenery is enough of a break from the office. However, you can cap off the day with activities like tug of war and kickball. To tie everything together, incorporate the camp theme into gear such as water bottles or T-shirts to distribute to employees.
Art Museum
Why sit in a hotel conference room when you can meet among masterpieces? An art museum provides a convenient and aesthetically pleasing setting for your next meeting. Many museums have classrooms available for meeting spaces. You can also arrange a tour of a specific wing of the museum as a nice break from business. Conclude your day with a mixer in one of the galleries if it is allowed. The art will provide a nice conversation piece while your attendees network.
Movie Theater
Make your meeting a matinee and hold your offsite at a movie theater. You can take advantage of comfortable seating and hold your meeting in the actual theater, or utilize one of the party rooms available at most large theaters. Serve movie theater staples like popcorn and candy during the meeting. If time allows, reward your attendees with a screening of a current movie after a day of hard work.
Minor League Baseball Park
Take your employees to the ballpark for a twist on traditional offsite meetings. Many minor league baseball teams host corporate events on non-game days. Hold your meeting in one of the meeting rooms in the ballpark, or take your employees outside to meet in the stands. Once your meeting is adjourned, arrange a tour of the park for your employees. You can also divide colleagues into teams and play a game of softball on the field. Serve crackerjacks and print hats for each of the opposing teams.
Stephanie Fader is a manager at MyPunchBowl.com, a Framingham-based firm that offers online event planning, advice and management.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments