When it comes to hosting a corporate internal anniversary event, it’s a great opportunity to boost company morale and create the chance for more meaningful connections. In addition, the importance of employee engagement in ESG strategies is gaining more attention. But, increased employee engagement can only happen if you and your team can plan an event that is perfect for your particular occasion.
Whether you need to find the ideal venue or need to find a palace that has the capacity to host a hybrid event, organizing and planning the gathering can bring some challenges. You want to host an event that encourages employees to feel connected to the company and its mission.
The details in event planning are extremely important to consider; this is where a professional event planner can lend a hand. Let’s look at everything that you need to know to plan the best anniversary work event.
Driving Employee Engagement
An anniversary event is a great opportunity for your employees to come together to celebrate a common interest. This can increase connectivity, spark new ideas and create a sense of community within the company.
But, how can your team host an event that drives engagement when the gathering is over?
It all starts in the planning phase. where you should consider all ideas and options before picking the ones that make the most sense for your end goal. The first step is actually understanding what you want to achieve from the event. While the obvious focus will revolve around the anniversary date, your team can use this as a jumping-off point for other activities. Keep in mind that most anniversary events are extremely well attended, so you have the chance to reach more employees in a different way than with other kinds of events.
Use social media and other online platforms to boost engagement and offer attendants a way to share their experiences. From hashtags to tagging the company account, the event can be a great way to record the occasion, but can also showcase the function to the public.
The pathways to increasing engagement have changed over the past five years, and your team should consider hybrid options as well.
Engagement not only needs to happen in the physical space, but those attending remotely should also have the opportunity to receive a rewarding experience as well. Ensure that there’s enough space for the in-person attendees and that the audio-visual quality is high for those tuning in remotely. Nothing kills engagement or inspiration like blurry image quality or the audio cutting in and out.
Your guest list is more important than you might believe. Take the time to consider who will be invited to the event. An anniversary event is the chance to showcase those who have performed exceptionally well during the year or quarter.
Think about branching out the guest list to include more than just those who go to similar gatherings. By adding some new people to the guest list, it could emphasize the event’s importance.
If possible, it may be a good idea to allow the attendees to bring a plus one so that they can share their experience with a loved one. You could even expand the guest list to include important investors, stakeholders and high-value customers. From interesting key speakers to rarely seen company leaders, the guest list can add an air of excitement to the event. This is your team’s chance to really show off the successful aspects of the business and employees.
The guest list can impact the anniversary event’s agenda, another important consideration when going through the planning process. The agenda should be thorough and take into account every circumstance. The attendees should always know where to go, when things are happening and exactly what to expect.
So, what should you include in an anniversary event agenda that will set it apart from other gatherings or meetings?
Key speakers are important in nearly every corporate event, but an anniversary offers the chance to invite unique types of lecturers. For example, consider inviting founders, generations of founders or other important figures to say some inspirational words. Think big! This is what will make the event memorable and something that attendees should look forward to. One example could be showing a mini-documentary that tugs at the heartstrings by showing the development of the company over the years, finally landing on the most recent anniversary.
As we previously mentioned, there are many moving parts when it comes to planning a successful — and memorable — anniversary event. Some of these special considerations may not be the first thing that you think about, but they are no less critical. For example, consider the best time of year to hold the event. If the gathering is going to be local, find out what time of year would be most pleasant for those coming from out of town.
Before planning the event, note whether it will mark the beginning or end of the anniversary. This could inform the agenda of the affair. Another important thing to evaluate is the safety of your event. From health precautions to other security threats, all attendees should feel secure when they come to have a good time.
We believe that improving employee engagement has the potential to increase corporate value over the medium to long term from an ESG perspective. It is time to consider the impact and value of your people.
In this article, we have explained internal anniversary events. We also offer external anniversary services for external parties such as customers, suppliers, and shareholders. To learn more about how to throw the best corporate anniversary party or event, reach out to the professionals at JTB today.