How to Plan an Unforgettable Company Picnic

It’s officially summer, and you’re in charge of planning the company picnic. But who wants to hang out with the boss on their day off?

Never fear… we’ll show you how to plan an unforgettable Company Picnic that everyone will want to attend!

REASONS FOR A COMPANY PICNIC

First thing’s first, it’s important to remember “why” you’re planning a company outing to begin with. Without fully understanding the benefits, you may miss out on important opportunities like strengthening company morale and team building. There are several compelling reasons for throwing a Company Picnic, like:

To cultivate a family atmosphere and boost company morale
An opportunity to meet and greet with employee spouses and family members
Seeing co-workers in a casual setting helps to “humanize” each other and strengthens working relationships.
Associating fun activities with the workplace creates a positive impression and strengthens loyalty
It’s an opportunity for team building
Rewarding your employees for their hard work
Recognizing outstanding performance by high achievers
Meet and greet with loyal customers and vendors too!

Write out a list of goals you’d like to meet, and plan your event around those goals.

PICK A THEME

Great company events start with a unique Theme. It can be as simple as a BBQ Beach Party or Softball Match, but the key is to give your employees a memorable theme to associate the event with, and generate excitement! A few unique themes might be:

Classic Picnic
Country Western BBQ
Tailgate Party
Beach Party
Casino Royale Gamblin’ themed Party
Wet ‘n Wild Water themed Picnic
Hawaiian Luau or Mexican Fiesta
Christmas in July – silly yes, but have fun with it!
Make something up!

Get a feeling for what employees are receptive to… consider an anonymous “idea box” to generate the best theme ideas. That way more people will “buy-in” to the event, and hopefully help with the setup!

DECIDE ON LOCATION

Once you’ve picked your theme, it’s only natural to decide on location. Beach Volleyball should probably be at the beach (duh!), so your theme may dictate the location of your event. Consider the following locations for medium sized groups of people:

Public Park or Beach
Company Campus
Private Residence – as a last resort.
Rent a Space – if it’s within budget!

Do some research to make sure your location is feasible, and weather permits – and reserve a spot whenever possible!

INVITATIONS ARE IMPORTANT

Sounds like a no-brainer, but your invitation is the first notification for the fun ahead – so make an impression! Don’t just email your invite – Have fun with the announcement, and consider a small keepsake that goes with your theme. It not only serves as a tangible reminder, but starts to generate excitement around your theme! For example:

Classic Picnic: Custom Embroidered Picnic Blanket
Beach Theme: Custom Imprinted Beach Ball or Sunglasses
Luau Theme: Leigh Necklace or Pineapple Stress Ball
Casino Theme: Custom Imprinted Poker Chips or “Poker Chip” Mouse Pad
Country Western BBQ Theme: Screen Printed Bandanna or Apron
Tailgate Theme: Custom Imprinted Mini-Football or Can Cooler

Encourage employees to dress the part; Favorite Team Jerseys, Cowboy Hats, Beachwear etc.

PLANNING FOOD AND DRINK

Again, food and drink may greatly depend on the theme of your event, which makes it that much easier to decide on! Will you be serving alcohol? Or is it BYOB? Is a Potluck-style menu more practical, or will this be a catered event? Stick to the theme, and have fun with your menu ideas – the more authentic it is, the better!

Classic Picnic: Hot Dogs and Hamburgers – Can’t go wrong with the classics!
Country Western BBQ: BBQ Ribs, Beef Brisket, Chili
Tailgate Food: Beer Brats, Chips & Dips, Chicken Wings, Beer
Fiesta Food: Chips & Salsa, Enchiladas, Taco Bar, Margaritas

SET-UP AND DECOR

Be prepared with all the basic utensils and serving containers… Will there be tables and chairs? What about Music? Walk through the experience in your mind – running through all 5 Senses – so you don’t miss a single detail. Enlist volunteers to help with any heavy lifting!

Decor can really make your theme come to life, so put a lot of thought into the details of your decor. Try “List-Storming” words that associate with your theme. This stream-of-thought method will help you identify tangible objects that can be used to decorate and enhance your theme. For example, when you think of the Beach, some words that come to mind are:

Sand
Water
Surf Board
Beach Ball
Sunglasses
Bikinis and Board Shorts
Sun
Beach Towel
Sand Castle
and so on!

Exhaust as many keywords as you can, and pick a number of these objects to be used to support your theme. You can then use these items for Decor, Games and Party Gifts. Consider a limited Color Scheme to strengthen the theme as well.

GAMES AND TEAM BUILDING

Food and Drink won’t be enough to create an unforgettable experience. But activities will definitely stimulate a good time! Again, stick to your theme whenever possible:

Classic Picnic: Badminton or Bocce
Country Western BBQ: Horseshoes anyone?
Beach Party Theme: Beach Volleyball or Ultimate Frisbee
Casino Royale: Poker, BlackJack
Wet ‘n Wild: Water Balloon Toss
Tailgate Party: Flag Football or the ever-popular Cornhole

Consider unique Team Building Activities that are challenging and fun:

Classic Picnic: Frisbee Bridge Toss
Country Western BBQ: Tug O’ War, Broom-Stick Horse Relay Race
Beach Party Theme: Sand Castle Competition
Casino Royale: House of Cards Competition
Wet ‘n Wild: Water Bucket Derby Relay Race
Tailgate Party: Football Relay Competition

Award prizes to the winning teams that go with your theme – Hmmm…. I sense a theme developing here!

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

In addition to prizes, Company Picnics are a great opportunity to recognize those outstanding performers and leaders in your organization. Recognition not only makes recipients feel good about their accomplishments, but motivates others to perform at a higher level. Consider a special gift for these exceptional employees, like tickets for a Cruise for Two, or Commemorative Plaque.

PARTY GIFTS

Don’t forget picnic party gifts for your guests… Not only can they be incorporated with the fun at your event, they are the perfect way to send people away with a lasting impression of the experience. And of course, always stick to your theme:

Classic Picnic: Picnic Blanket, Picnic Basket, Flying Discs or Wine Totes – more ideas
Country Western BBQ: Cowboy Hats, Cowboy Boot Bottle Opener, BBQ Accessories – more ideas
Tailgate Party: Mini Footballs, Custom Jerseys, Ball Caps, Can Coolers – more ideas
Beach Party: Beach Balls, Sunglasses, Sunscreen Kit, Beach Tote – more ideas
Casino Royale: Poker chips, Fedora Caps, Poker/Card Sets, Casino Chip Mousepad – more ideas
Wet ‘n Wild: Water Themed Stress-Reliever, Beach Towels, Squirt Guns – more ideas
Hawaiian Luau: Leigh Necklace, Hawaiian Shirts, Gardenia Scented Candle – more ideas

Brand your gifts with your Company Logo and message to commemorate the event!

These gifts will be kept long after your Company Picnic, serving as a lasting reminder of the fun time they had with their boss and co-workers… and making it a truly unforgettable experience!