Corporate events are important. Not only are they a chance for team members to get together (either physically or online), but they’re also one of the basic building blocks of company culture.
Here’s the issue: Organizing a company event is hard. Whether you’re trying to raise team spirit or celebrate a big industry win, your gathering needs to be fun, engaging, and memorable. As an event planner, that responsibility falls on your shoulders.
If that sounds like a lot of pressure, don’t worry—you’re not alone! We’re here to help. In this guide, you’ll find 20 corporate event ideas that are sure to impress your employees and take your corporate party planning to the next level.
Corporate Team Building Event Ideas
Importance of Team Building
Team building is an essential part of any successful business. Highly engaged team members are 23% more profitable and 18% more productive than those who aren’t engaged (or even completely disengaged), according to Gallup. That’s where a team building event comes into play. Hosting this type of gathering is a great way to improve cohesion, break down barriers, and increase team spirit.
Not sure where to start? Here are five of the best corporate event ideas that encourage teamwork:
1. Host a Professional Development Workshop
What better way to re-engage your employees than by challenging them to learn something new? A professional development workshop does exactly that.
Invite your guests to sign up for the workshop of their choice during your corporate event. This gives them the freedom to expand their horizons on their own terms while also keeping them engaged with an equally educational and fun activity. Topics can vary depending on the scope of your business, but what’s important is that they encourage everyone’s participation.
2. Put Your Heads Together During an Escape Room
An escape room is a fun task that challenges participants to collect clues, solve puzzles, and work toward a common goal. No wonder why it’s such a popular team building activity!
Whether it’s at your event space or an off-site location, an escape room is a great way to get team members collaborating and thinking critically. You can even tailor the activity’s theme to your liking, namely something relevant to your business or employees’ area of interest.
Better yet, challenge attendees to complete the escape room as quickly as possible. Then, hand out prizes to the winning team as a reward for their effort. After all, who doesn’t love a good prize?
3. Start a Friendly Scavenger Hunt
Hosting a friendly competition like a scavenger hunt is a great way to gamify your team building event and take excitement to a whole new level.
Plus, this corporate event idea is easy to plan. Simply task your attendees with retrieving certain items around your event space (either individually, in pairs, or as a team). As participants progress through their hunt, you can showcase their points on a leaderboard for all to see. In the end, reward the winner(s) with something worthy of their hard work. Gift cards are all well and good, but how about a more creative idea?
4. Run the Tables on Casino Night
Flip your event space into a casino—at least for one night—and invite your guests to play their favorite games. From roulette to blackjack and everything in between, casino night is a chance for everyone to put on their best poker face and have some fun.
You can play for real prizes, charity, or just for fun. Either way, it’s a creative idea that turns your company event into an unforgettable experience.
5. Get Artistic with a Paint and Sip
Sometimes event planning is all about knowing how to break the ice, especially when you’re organizing a team building activity. One simple solution? A nice, relaxing paint and sip.
A paint and sip is a fun activity wherein participants try their hand at painting while enjoying some tasty drinks. This is great for two reasons: First, it’s an easy way to let loose and reduce the anxiety of meeting your colleagues outside the office. Second, it’s an educational session that invites participants to step outside their comfort zone and try something new.
Corporate Holiday Party Ideas
Return of In-Person Holiday Parties
With many people returning to in-person events in 2023, office holiday parties are poised for a major comeback. Once a staple of corporate company culture, the holiday party is a great chance for team members to get festive and spread some seasonal cheer.
Need a little inspiration? Here are five holiday party ideas that will rock your next holiday season:
1. Hand Out Holiday Gift Bags
Did you know that 79% of people who quit their jobs cite a lack of employee appreciation as their reason for leaving? In other words, recognizing employees for their hard work is a critical part of a positive company culture. What better time to show your thanks than the season of giving?
Here’s an idea: Hand out a small token of appreciation to your team members during your next holiday party. The possibilities are endless, but a gift bag is a foolproof way to express gratitude and get your corporate event started on the right foot. From company swag and gift cards to bonuses and more, gifting can have a significant positive impact on the overall event experience.
2. Spread Some Cheer on Holiday Karaoke Night
Take a break from training sessions and workshops and loosen up that singing voice. Hosting a karaoke night at the end of a long day is a fun corporate event idea that gets people out of their comfort zone, especially during the holidays.
Participants can get together to sing their favorite classics and share a few drinks. If you have the budget, you can go the extra mile and hire a live band to play the music. Social Media Marketing World, for instance, includes a live karaoke night on the final day of its annual corporate event.
3. Host a Secret Gift Exchange
Whether you call it Secret Santa or not, an anonymous gift exchange is an exciting tradition that doubles as a team building activity. Why? Because it invites your guests to think long and hard about what type of gift might wow their fellow employee.
Have your team members randomly select a colleague, then ask them to shop for a gift within a certain price range. If you have the budget, you can even give every employee a small stipend to spend on their peers. During the event, you can hold a big reveal where everyone unwraps their present with the rest of the team.
4. Treat Yourself at a Holiday Baking Contest
Up for a little competition? The holiday season may be about coming together, but nothing gets people excited quite like a friendly contest.
One creative idea is to host a holiday bakeoff during your company event. Participants can spend time baking their favorite holiday goodies before the showdown. Then, a panel of judges (i.e., your team members) get to taste-test the results and crown a champion. The contest is fun in and of itself, but the baked goods? That’s icing on the cake.
5. Giving is Receiving at a Holiday Charity Event
The holidays are an opportunity to help those in need, give back to the community, and demonstrate your company’s commitment to charity. According to research from America’s Charities, 71% of employees think it’s important to work for a business that supports giving back and volunteering in the community.
Organizing a special event is exactly what your team needs to scratch that charitable itch. The beauty of this idea is that there’s almost no limit to what you can do. Whether it be a fundraiser, auction, giveaway, or toy drive, you’re motivating the whole team to work together toward a good cause.
Corporate Event Entertainment Ideas
Importance of Entertainment at Corporate Events
Let’s face it: Corporate events can get boring. Lectures, keynote speakers, and sales kickoffs may be important, but nobody wants to sit through an entire day’s worth of work-related activities.
If you want a successful corporate event where everyone stays engaged, you’ll need to spice things up with a little corporate entertainment. Here are five corporate event entertainment ideas that can add some fun to your next company event:
1. Hit the Stage with Live Music
Some ideas never go out of style. Music, for instance, is something that everybody can appreciate. Book a live band or singer to play at your next corporate event. If you have the budget for a big name artist, why not make a splash? Popular musicians are sure to get your audience excited.
That said, it’s easy to find a great local artist that won’t break your budget. Pro tip: You may even have a few talented people on staff ready to take the stage.
2. Step into a Virtual Reality
Event planners are always looking for fresh ways to deliver immersive experiences, especially at corporate events. Virtual and augmented reality are the perfect solution.
These technologies give attendees the chance to get on their feet and engage with your content rather than just sitting and listening to it in an auditorium. Virtual reality can take the form of anything from custom training sessions and workshops to fun scavenger hunts and adventures. No matter the route you choose, hands-on experiences are a creative way to keep attendees entertained throughout your event.
3. Host a Happy Hour Mixology Class
Corporate events have a certain ebb and flow to them. It’s an event planner’s duty to find those special opportunities to inject a bit more energy into the crowd. And one of the first places they look? Happy hour.
This is a great idea because it’s classic. Almost everyone can appreciate a good drink after a long day’s work (or work-related team building activities). A creative way to level-up your happy hour is to pair it with a hands-on mixology class. All participants can learn how to mix up their favorite cocktails while they network with their fellow team members.
4. Laugh Out Loud at a Comedy Show
Comedians are great at corporate events because they help attendees relax and share a laugh. Laughter is not only good for the soul but also great for bringing people together.
Hire a professional comedian to perform at your next corporate event. While there are many comedians to choose from, be sure to find one that understands how to cater to a corporate audience. After all, you want everyone to feel comfortable and engaged while they enjoy the show.
5. Snap Some Shots at a Photo Booth
Photo booths are fun, and they’re also very popular right now. This is one of those corporate event ideas that kills two birds with one stone. First, a photo booth helps attendees capture the moment and have some fun at the same time. Second, it helps create user-generated content for your company’s social media channels.
A photo booth is a win-win for everyone. Participants get to walk away with some great keepsakes, and you get to show off your fun side with some curated social media posts. Consider booking a photo booth vendor for your next corporate event.
Creative Corporate Event Ideas for Virtual Attendees
Rise of Hybrid and Virtual Events
Hybrid and virtual events are great because they enable people to participate, no matter where they are in the world. As we navigate the transition back to in-person gatherings, it’s important to make sure your virtual attendees feel included.
Here are five corporate event ideas that will keep your virtual guests just as engaged as those who attend in-person:
1. Challenge Everyone to a Game of Virtual Trivia
Trivia is a fun, competitive way to engage with remote attendees. There are many ways to host a virtual trivia session, from full-scale trivia games to individual quizzes.
It’s easy to participate from the comfort of one’s home, too. All participants need is an internet connection and a competitive spirit. You can even give out prizes to the winning team for some added incentive.
2. Sip and Savor During a Virtual Wine Tasting
If you have a large group of remote attendees, wine tasting is a great way to bring everyone together.
Here’s how it works: Simply send out a bottle of wine (or a few different types) to each of your virtual guests. During the event, you can guide them through the wine tasting experience, complete with descriptions of each wine and what makes them unique. Set up some breakout rooms to keep the conversation going, and you’ll have a fun virtual event that everyone will love.
3. Shine the Spotlight with a Virtual Awards Ceremony
Just because your employees are working remotely doesn’t mean their hard work goes unrecognized. A virtual awards ceremony is a great way to give thanks to your remote team members.
Host a live-streamed event where you hand out awards and celebrate your team’s accomplishments. It’s a glamorous idea that can be both interactive and engaging. Consider incorporating some of the other virtual event ideas on this list to make your ceremony even more memorable.
4. Get Creative with a Virtual Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is fun in-person, but it’s also an exciting activity for virtual attendees.
Create a list of items for your remote participants to find around their house. Then, give them a set amount of time to locate the items and submit their findings. You can even showcase the winners and their discoveries on a live feed for the rest of the event attendees to see.
5. Build Connections with a Social Wall
Social walls are live content feeds that enable event participants to interact with each other in real time. In other words, they’re perfect for hybrid events.
Create a social wall where all your attendees can post photos, videos, and comments about the event. This way, your in-person and virtual guests can connect and share their experiences, creating a more inclusive event environment.
Conclusion
Corporate event planning may be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to get creative and have some fun. With these 20 ideas, you’re well on your way to planning a corporate event that your employees will remember for years to come.
Next Steps: Enhance Your Corporate Event with an Event Management Platform
To take your event planning to the next level, consider using an event management platform like Taggbox. These platforms offer a variety of tools and features to help you plan, manage, and execute successful corporate events from start to finish. Whether you’re organizing a team building activity, a holiday party, or a virtual event, the right platform can make all the difference.
