Hosting a corporate event for your company is exciting. The process can also become daunting. Gathering your team is an opportunity to further professional connections and help everyone learn new skills to improve the company. Continue reading to learn how to make an upcoming event better than ever.

Provide Great Food

There is one thing that every corporate event needs and that is great food. Contract with well-reviewed catering for corporate events to ensure the food is always delicious and prepared just right. 

Talk with your attendees about any allergies or dietary restrictions during the sign-up process so you can relay the information to the caterer beforehand. Select healthy and nutritious foods that taste great along with options for decadent snacks and desserts to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth throughout the day. Remember to ask for a full beverage selection, including coffee, a variety of teas, soft drinks, and water.

Book a Charismatic Speaker

If your corporate event spans multiple days, consider booking a different keynote speaker for each day of the conference. The most important thing is that your speakers need to be charismatic. They should have the ability to command an audience and hold their attention through the art of storytelling. If you find someone well-known, your attendance and the excitement around the conference will be more electric and buzz-worthy.

At least one of your speakers should be someone who has had experience and success in your company’s main field of business. Another speaker might be the consummate entrepreneur who has tips and tricks along with stories of pulling themselves up by their proverbial bootstraps to achieve success. A different speaker might be an expert in mindfulness, positive workplace dynamics, or effective leadership skills. Find topics that will have broad appeal beyond your company’s business niche.

If all else fails or you have some time in between sessions, put on a video of a motivational speaker or two, such as the following thought leader.

Manage the Logistics

When your team comes together for a corporate event, whether it is at a local venue or an out-of-town locale, you need to manage the logistics to create a seamless experience for everyone. Your team is there to learn, bond, and reset before returning to work to implement the new strategies and content you gained from the event.

Have one of your event staff or someone in the Human Resources department at the helm of any corporate event logistics. Task them with everything from transportation to and from the conference destination to transportation within the city for every attendee. They should book hotel rooms and specific accommodations for each person based on different abilities or food allergies, for example, all the way through to securing the entertainment tickets. When one person is in charge, then everyone else will have a clear schedule and timeline of what they need to do and where they need to be to avoid any confusion or problems throughout the event.

Schedule Entertainment

If your corporate event is in the same city where your employees live and work, make it a point to have your logistics personnel schedule at least one after-hours event for everyone to come together outside of work without thinking about work. This should be an opportunity to have fun together. Since you will be in town, it is easier to only schedule one activity after the end of the daily conference since many people will still have family responsibilities to return to at the end of the day.

Should you have arranged an out-of-town event, the options become more exciting as the attendees will have taken care of child, pet, and elder care needs at home and are now free to relax and enjoy their evenings in a different capacity than if they were at home. Plan one activity for each day of the conference, except for the last day when everyone will depart. 

Some fun ideas may include:

• A local sightseeing tour.
• A wine-tasting tour. Offer an alternative for those not interested.
• Take in a professional sporting event.
• Purchase tickets for a popular concert or play.
• Book a karaoke venue for the night.
• Schedule a cooking class where the participants learn how to make dinner from a master chef.

Bring your team together for an innovative and memorable corporate event. Nourish them with delicious food, find impactful speakers, and work on team-building and networking throughout the conference. Everyone will leave feeling fulfilled and ready to get back to work.