The benefits of planning fun events for your employees

Great employees can be worth their weight in gold. It's up to your company to make sure these dependable staff members know they're valued.

There are plenty of ways to demonstrate appreciation for your employees, from providing opportunities for professional development to raises and promotions. Casual and fun events are another option that bring some unique benefits along with them.

"Office events are great for morale and allowing companies to acknowledge that every employee's well-being is valued," notes Amy Torigian, Events Manager for Beacon Hill Staffing Group. "Beyond contributing to employee engagement, holding corporate events also has a strategic business component – helping team members get to know each other. For example: 'Pam from Accounting may not know that Jim from Sales has an extensive knowledge of the NBA, which could help Pam build a relationship with her client.'"

Let's look at the advantages of hosting these gatherings, both for your company and your staff.

How fun events can benefit your employees and your business

Helping staff relax and get to know each other

Fostering communication and creating opportunities for your employees to bond with each other is perhaps the most basic benefit of hosting a casual event or fun gathering. Everyone in an office is on a schedule. They have some downtime here and there, but their work is their first priority. Blocking time off for an employee appreciation event lets everyone know that it's OK to set aside their responsibilities and enjoy the company of their co-workers.

The bonds that emerge from this unstructured time help your staff get to know each other better. This can help them communicate more effectively in the workplace, too. Teams that know each other well can have more empathy and better understand one another.

Boosting morale and engagement

A fun event is a reward, whether at the end of a specific, successful project or in general recognition of the daily effort put in by your staff. A trip to a local restaurant for a meal paid for by your company or an outing to a bowling alley, driving range or escape room is a clear sign that their employer values them.

The Houston Chronicle explained that employees with high morale are less likely to seek out other opportunities, and have a greater chance of working efficiently. The events also serve as a reminder going forward that your company cares about its workers. This can be especially helpful as employees occasionally encounter difficult tasks or have to make sure they hit an important deadline. The knowledge that they're valued can go a long way.

Offering a chance to recognize everyone

There is plenty that goes into planning a successful event for employees, as Inc. Magazine pointed out. It's important to not get so caught up in the strategy and execution that company leaders forget the purpose of a fun event: appreciating the worth of all staff members, or at least a significant group of them.

We pointed out earlier that there are many ways to show appreciation when it comes to your workforce. But few of them are as wide-reaching and inclusive as company events. Not everyone can frequently be promoted or receive a substantial raise, even when they're valuable team members. However, events offer a chance for everyone involved to feel a sense of recognition. This kind of wide-ranging approach makes sure everyone is included and promotes widespread recognition of employee achievements.

Fun events are an important part of a broader employee engagement and appreciation strategy. By regularly planning events based on common staff interests and allowing everyone to participate, you can make sure all employees know they're valued - and give them a chance to relax as well.

Having top-flight employees creates an environment that's conducive to showing appreciation for employees. Learn more about how Beacon Hill can help you find the best candidates - get in touch with us today.

This content is brought to you by the Marketing Team at Beacon Hill Staffing Group.