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For an employee of a company hosting a corporate event, the prospect of attending a programmed event with bosses and co-workers isn’t always the most exciting. We don’t blame them! What’s the fun in working 8:00 to 5:00 and then schlepping over to a dingy event ballroom in semi-formal attire? The draw just isn’t there.
There are issues on the other end too.
Event planners feel the pressure. They want to plan a great event for employees who would probably rather be somewhere else, and despite their best efforts, the events just aren’t that great.
Thankfully, there’s a solution that is sure to make event attendees excited and lighten the load off the shoulders of planners.
In this post, we’re going to share the secret recipe for success in corporate events.
Drumroll, please . . .
Seriously—that’s the secret, but you’re going to want to keep reading, because our definition of “active entertainment” and “creative food and beverage offerings” is crucial to your success in planning the perfect event.
We would define active entertainment as any group activity that gets the blood pumping. It’s something you probably wouldn’t want to do in a suit and tie or cocktail dress, although we suppose you’re welcome to. We’ll provide some examples later on.
We would define creative food and beverage offerings as anything that’s either higher quality or more original than the average food and drink you would get at a corporate event.
People like fun activities and exciting, different food more than they like sitting in a chair for two hours and munching on grilled chicken and mashed potatoes (nothing against chicken and mashed potatoes, but come on, live a little!).
But there are a variety of specific benefits inherent in this formula. Let’s go over some of the most important ones:
This one is pretty simple: different is good—especially to an employee who spends the whole day in the office. If a corporate event feels even remotely similar to what an employee experiences day-in and day out at the office, it will be a major dud.
Think about creating an event that would be difficult if not impossible to replicate on-site at the office, and avoid the classic sales meeting-style event at all costs. Nobody wants to be crammed into a ballroom where the most active activity is passing the basket of dinner rolls around the table.
Fun events with great food get people talking. Employees will talk in the lead-up to the event (yes, they’ll actually be excited about it) and after the event at work over the days that follow
Pictures will be posted on social media, depicting your workplace as a great place for people to work. People at other companies will think to themselves “Man, I wish my company hosted cool events like that,” when Janice from accounting asks them to pass the dinner rolls.
This leads us to our next point:
People like working at companies that make them feel welcome and valued. One of the best ways for corporate event planners to show that they value a company’s employees is by hosting an event they know those employees will love.
Yes, believe it or not, a fun, adrenaline-pumping activity is more effective at team-building than “two truths and a lie” or “spend 30 seconds learning about the person beside you.”
Real, effective team building puts people in fun situations where they have to work as a team to overcome obstacles, or at the very least, they can enjoy an exhilarating experience together.Active Entertainment Ideas for Corporate Events
At Big Thrill Factory, we just so happen to have plenty of both. Let’s check out a few types of entertainment you can incorporate into your next event!
We can promise you that an axe throwing outing will be a more exciting topic of conversation in the days after your event than a dinner party in a ballroom. Not to mention your employees will be chomping at the bit to attend the special event you planned for them.
Our Trained Axeperts will make sure your employees are following safety precautions and will provide training on how to throw. Whether your employees hit the bullseye or not, we can promise your event won’t miss the mark.
Learn more about Axe Throwing here!
A classic that will never go out of style, Laser Tag is a combination of blood-pumping action and healthy competition. Best of all, it’s so fun that your employees will seamlessly bond as a team while they play!
If you want your event to hold a team-building focus, what could be better than our ropes course?
Challenge your employees to get through the course and watch as they cheer each other on through a challenging experience. The relationships built during activities like this transfer to the workplace and create stronger teams.
Looking for something more sedentary but still exciting and interactive? Big Thrill Factory has live, interactive entertainment!
Ditch the power points and the company motivational videos and do something your employees will actually love!
Click here to check out our upcoming live entertainment!
At Big Thrill Factory, we pride ourselves on having amazing attractions and live entertainment ideal for corporate events. But we also serve amazing food and beverages, and these are certainly not an afterthought.
Big Thrill Factory actually received a shout-out from Food Service News for our chef-crafted menu. So no, you’re not sacrificing food quality one bit by choosing a venue with active entertainment. As we’ve discussed so far in this post, every great corporate event needs to have both, and we intend to deliver!
While Big Thrill Factory’s chef-crafted menu provides delicious takes on the classics, like hand-tossed pizzas with dough sourced from a local bakery, and mouth-watering wings, we have plenty of options for groups looking for elevated cuisine or something off-the-wall creative.
If you plan to have alcohol at your event, your guests will be able to choose from a vast array of craft beers and wines.
At Big Thrill Factory, we like to think outside the box. With fun and delicious treats like mini donuts and multiple flavors of cotton candy, your employees will be licking their chops!
For groups seeking elevated cuisine from one of Minnesota’s best caterers, we have good news!
Big Thrill Factory is all about providing the best experience possible to groups large and small. As a result, we’ve partnered with local Twin Cities catering leaders, D’Amico Catering. Big Thrill Factory is now a preferred venue for D’Amico Catering.
Contact us at 952-698-7715 or D’Amico at 612-238-4444 to get started on planning your catered event at Big Thrill Factory!
Really, there are only two key ingredients in the perfect corporate party. Many event venues in Minneapolis and St. Paul provide excel at one of these ingredients, but very few are great at both.
At Big Thrill Factory, we pride ourselves on being the ideal venue in Minnesota for corporate events.
By providing exciting activities and entertainment, and pairing that with creative food and a wide selection of drinks, we have everything you need for the corporate event of the century (or of the year, because you’re going to want to come back next year).
Best of all, booking a corporate event at Big Thrill Factory is easy. Our dedicated event planners will take the burden of planning off of your company staff, and take care of everything for you!
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