Purpose of company picnics

Company picnics bring everyone together in a relaxed environment. They can help you show appreciation for your employees by providing them with food and entertainment. Employees might feel more connected and have a boost in morale and satisfaction. 

It also offers a chance for employees to mingle with colleagues they might not normally interact with as much. For instance, it could bring together people from different departments who don’t have many work-related reasons to collaborate during the workday. 

Planning your company picnic

Breaking down the planning process makes your company picnic easier to manage. These steps help you work through the details logically. 

1. Set your budget

Like all business decisions, your company picnic is heavily influenced by money. Starting with your budget makes it easier to plan the details. If you’re on a tight budget, you might decide to host the event at your workplace instead of a separate venue, or you might realize you need to scale back on the food and entertainment. Things you might need to budget for typically include:

• Venue rental fees

• Catering services

• Decorations

• Signs

• Rentals, such as tents or picnic tables

• Fees to hire entertainers

• Activity items, such as bounce houses or volleyballs

• Swag items or prizes

• Event staff, such as servers

• Tickets or entrance fees if you host at an entertainment venue

What you decide to include in your event will determine your budget areas. Start with your overall budget and allocate those funds as you make planning decisions about the picnic.

2. Make the guest list

Company picnics should include all your employees to make it feel inclusive. It’s also common to invite family members to company picnics, especially when they’re on the weekend. This move shows that you value a work-life balance and understand that families are important to your employees. If you have any temp employees, contractors or freelance workers that handle work for you regularly, decide if you want to include them on the guest list. 

Your guest list also helps you plan activities and food options. If you know the guest list includes lots of young kids, you’ll need safe, easy activities that they can enjoy. If several of your employees have teens, you might need to include some activities that older kids will enjoy. 

3. Choose a location

Picnics are typically held outdoors, so you need a space that’s large enough for everyone and can accommodate entertainment. If your business has lots of outdoor space, you can hold it there, but sometimes a change of scenery can make the event more enjoyable and relaxing. Some other options include:

• Public parks. They often have picnic areas you can reserve along with things like baseball fields or sand volleyball courts that you can use for entertainment. 

• Lakes. If your area has a popular lake, consider hosting the picnic there. You can often do activities like boating, fishing or swimming depending on the amenities at the lake.

• Sporting events. Consider hosting the picnic at a sporting event, such as a baseball game. You can pay for tickets and food vouchers for everyone, and the entertainment is built in. 

• Amusement parks. Another option for built-in entertainment is hosting the event at a nearby theme park. They often have picnic areas you can rent, so everyone can meet for a meal. For the rest of the day, everyone can enjoy the rides and entertainment. 

• Outdoor festivals. Summer is a popular time for cities and organizations to hold outdoor festivals. You can plan to meet up at the festival and provide food from festival vendors for your company picnic. Guests can enjoy the festival entertainment after they eat. 

4. Select the date and time

The timing often depends on your work schedule. If you run an office that’s open on weekdays during normal business hours, you might schedule a weekend picnic. Or you can give your employees some bonus time off by holding the picnic on a work day. Choose at least one rain date in case the weather doesn’t cooperate on your original date. Consider things like busy seasonal times or quarterly reports that are due that you want to avoid. Choosing a slower time for the picnic makes it easier to plan and more enjoyable.

Decide how long you want the picnic to last. A good time frame is about three to four hours. This gives everyone plenty of time to eat, chat and participate in the entertainment options. 

5. Choose a theme

Picnic themes can make the event more enjoyable, and they can help you choose the decorations, food and other elements. Some themes naturally lend themselves well to specific activities. Some ideas include:

• Luau

• Beach party

• Wild West

• Circus

• Olympics

• Mardi Gras

6. Plan the menu

Food is a central part of any company picnic. You typically have two options: host a potluck picnic or cater all the food. Potlucks typically work better for small companies. Plan to provide the main dish, which might include grilling hamburgers and hot dogs or providing sub sandwiches. It’s a good idea to offer some meat-free options as well for people who are vegan or vegetarian. Everyone can bring a side dish to share to round out the meal. 

Hiring a caterer is a more expensive option, but it can result in a more carefree event. It feels more like a treat when your employees don’t have to bring food. If you choose a picnic theme, this can help you choose the catering menu. For instance, if you choose a luau theme, you might choose pork as the main dish and tropical options for the sides. 

Beverages are also important to consider. Some companies offer alcoholic beverages, but this can come with a lot of liability for your company. Decide whether you want to allow alcohol, and let employees know to avoid them bringing adult beverages if you want to avoid them. If you choose to offer alcohol, hiring a bartending service can make it easier to ensure the drinks are served responsibly. Some venues might not allow alcohol, so keep this in mind if you’re considering it. 

7. Organize activities

Eating isn’t the only thing your employees want to do at the company picnic. Plan entertainment options based on who’ll be there, your budget and the available space at the venue. If you’re inviting families, include kid-friendly activities, such as games, bouncy houses and face painting. Friendly competitions with things like softball, volleyball, basketball and badminton can keep guests of all ages entertained. Live music is another popular option. 

Tips for a successful picnic

The following tips can help you make your company picnic even more successful:

• Form a planning committee. Having one person handle all of the planning can be overwhelming. A committee helps divide the work and lets other employees share their ideas for company picnics to make them more enjoyable. 

• Ask for feedback. Listening to what your employees like and suggestions to make the company picnic better can help you improve the next one. 

• Skip business talk. Company picnics should be fun and relaxing. Don’t make a speech about work or incorporate work talk in any way. Let your employees enjoy one another without the stresses of business. 

• Offer protection options. Being outdoors means dealing with things like bugs and sunburns. Grab several bottles of sunscreen and bug spray for picnic guests to use. Setting up a few tents offers shade. If the location has electrical outlets, you might bring some industrial-style fans to help people stay cool. 

• Give out prizes or favors. Getting something for free makes every event extra fun. Consider having company swag for everyone, such as branded sunglasses or insulated water bottles. You can also offer a few bigger prizes, which you can give away via raffle or award to winners of competitions you hold at the picnic. 

• Include everyone. The guest list for most company picnics includes a wide range of people of varying ages and ability levels. It also spans different interests and preferences. Choose food, activities and other elements that work for a broad range of people. For instance, avoid games that are highly skilled or require a lot of physical ability. Offering alternatives, such as vegetarian or allergen-free menu items, can also help everyone feel included. 

• Have a cleanup plan. The picnic is the fun part, but you also need a plan for cleaning up after yourselves. Ideally, your employees will clean up after themselves when it comes to things like trash. However, you also need people ready to take down decorations and other things you bring to the picnic. If you don’t plan for the cleanup, you could get stuck doing it all yourself.

With ample planning, company picnics can be fun team-building activities for your work crew. Start planning early to work out the details.