Improve Business With A Company Picnic
With the summer weather upon us, plans for the traditional company picnics are already in full swing for many organizations. If your company has not committed to the idea of a summer employee event, there are reasons a picnic makes good business sense and can boost your overall productivity.
Show Appreciation
A company picnic offers a token of appreciation for employees. Many companies use the summer picnic as a way to say thank you to employees who work hard throughout the year. Studies have shown that workers who feel appreciated typically feel motivated to work harder for an employer. So while hotdogs and a game of bean bag toss may not seem like much, it can create the opportunity to say thanks to employees in a memorable way.
Support Families
The subject on the minds of many people in the modern workforce is how to achieve a more meaningful work-life balance. A company picnic is an opportunity to demonstrate to employees that their families are important and a welcome part of the culture. Add games, crafts and activities geared towards children in the picnic planning to ensure families feel welcome and appreciated at the event.
Connect Departments
Companies of all sizes benefit when departments that do not typically interact have the opportunity to connect. These connections strengthen an organization to allow for improved collaboration on projects to meet the goals of the company. A little camaraderie over how the potato salad tastes can go a long way to create bonds between individuals on different teams.
Build Teamwork
Tug of war or three-legged race, anyone? Traditional picnic games double as team building activities when employees have to work together to compete in fun challenges. Games that promote teamwork translate from the picnic back to friendships at the office. Studies point out that friendships at work boost productivity, so break out the egg and spoon relay race at the next summer celebration.
Boost Morale
A successful picnic will not only be fun on the day of the event, but the good feelings will carry over back at the office. The elements of connecting departments, team building and showing support for families will boost overall employee morale. Research done by Gallup has shown 70 percent of workers are not engaged in the workplace. Employees who are not enthusiastic about their company leads to less productivity, which is harmful to the entire organization. By demonstrating appreciation for your team and offering opportunities to strengthen work relationships, the summer gathering can lead to a more engaged workforce.
Are you interested in adding more team members to your organization this summer? Contact an account manager at Drake & Company Staffing Solutions to learn how we can help you expand your team by calling (608) 257-2411.
Stephanie Beirne Leuer is the Marketing Coordinator at Drake & Company Staffing Solutions, a staffing firm based in Madison, Wisconsin. Drake & Company specializes in temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct hire administrative, clerical and legal placements. Since 1978, Drake has reached beyond skills and qualifications to match candidate personalities with a company’s culture. You can connect with Stephanie by , and you can find Drake & Company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest.