Sharing the love: how corporate events can give back
Every February 14th, millions of people around the world take the day to celebrate all the love in their lives, from spouses and significant others, to family, friends, and even pets! The VDay vibes are so fun, you may even be wondering how to bring that energy to your corporate events all year round.
Good news! You don’t need to stock up on heart balloons or gallons of eco-friendly pink confetti (but the team at FCM Meetings & Events can find all of that and more for you, if you wish 😉). Instead, you can follow FCM M&E’s top 3 feel-good tips to take your events from heartbreaking to heartwarming, any time, any day of the year!
Giving back to your employees
You may feel that only grandiose gestures make employees feel appreciated, but in fact, most times the smaller, more thoughtful gestures make employees feel just as loved and motivated. So while you should definitely leave incentive trips on the table as the ultimate prize, here are other ways to make a positive impact on your employees:
Staycations aren’t just for couches! Turn your office into a mini retreat for the day by hiring massage therapists, meditation leaders, relaxation experts, and more. You can also consider taking a day trip somewhere local! This gives your teams time to hang out, explore something new, and stretch their legs. Bonus points if your day trip helps give back to the community, such as volunteering at an animal shelter. All of this contributes to teambuilding at work.
Set up an employee recognition program! While management should always make sure to show appreciation for employees’ hard work, there are ways corporate events can get even more involved. Set up an employee recognition site via your Intranet or company social network that lets employees shout out each other’s contributions. Keep your eyes on what’s posted (and whose names come up the most) and reward highly-valued employees with a Friday off, gift cards, experiences, and more. Make sure to compile all the lovely things their coworkers share about them so they can read their comments later!
Giving back to your clients
Too often, client-supplier relationships become overly transactional and impersonal. We should never forget that business is about people, so make sure to share the love with the clients that support your business and charitable endeavors! Here is how:
Switch it up and hold a client family and friends’ fun day! Invite your clients’ spouses, children, and immediate family and/or loved ones to an interactive day with activities, performances, and tasty food. This flips the script on the typical client appreciation dinner and will show you can go the extra mile.
Support what your clients support! Every organization has a foundation or charity they prefer to work with. Next time you organize an event for a client, ask what charitable groups they like to partner with, and surprise them with a donation post-event. This adds a really nice personal touch to an otherwise business-as-usual situation.
Giving back to the environment
We only have one planet Earth, so we need make sure to show her some love as well! The best way you can help your corporate events give back to the planet is by making sure it’s as sustainable and ecofriendly as possible. Here’s how to think beyond just reusable cups at your next event:
Add a charity element! Encourage attendees to bring donatable items, such as clothing, canned food, or toiletries for a local charity or foundation. Make it a friendly competition between different departments or groups at the event, and make sure to report back on your impact after the event.
Instead of the typical goodie bag filled with pens and notebooks, give out veggie or flower seeds! Challenge attendees to plant their seeds ASAP and document their progress. Whoever’s plant thrives the best wins a prize. This way, you aren’t adding any waste to your event, but you’re definitely adding some beauty to the planet.
Clean up your community! Organize a park clean up and invite clients, vendors, and employees. Make a fun day out of it and provide picnic-style food. Hold a friendly competition to see who can fill the most bags of leaves, trash, and more. You’ll help improve your neighborhood, while also promoting exercise, fresh air, and teamwork.
Ready to for your corporate meetings and events to give back? Reach out to FCM Meetings & Events and learn how to share the love at your next business get-together.
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