What is a corporate event? A lot of things! A corporate event, though it has many definitions, is most often thought of to be a private event put on by a business for staff and stakeholders. These events can range from appreciation events to holiday parties, from incentive trips to conferences. There’s really no limit to the type of event. When it comes to planning an event, the key thing to remember is that these events are generally held to break down barriers and allow staff to bond. We’ve compiled some popular ideas for a corporate event.
Ideas for a Corporate Event
Charitable
Donate your time to a local organization. What charity does your company believe in? Spend the day at a food bank or cleaning up a park. There are charities for nearly anything you could imagine. If your company doesn’t have a primary charity they support, choose one and make the corporate event an annual one where you give back to the community. 
Culinary
Want to get people in a new environment and eat something delicious? Cooking classes can be a great way to build comradery. You can even partake in an iron chef style event and throw a little competition into the mix.
Paint and Sip
Have a large group and one core idea to implement? Do a paint and sip event! They allow you to sit and relax, chat, and paint one common image that could be related to the organization or key messaging.
Throwback Activities
Throw it all the way back to when you were a kid. Bowling, laser tag, and paintball are activities that loosen people up, bring out competitiveness, and get people out of the typical office environment. Use the events as a metaphor to whatever company point you’re trying to bring home. 
Improv Class
Does your team need to collaborate and listen more? An improv class will do all that and make them say ‘yes, and.’ Get the creative juices flowing and get your team communicating more clearly.
Escape Room
Get stuck with your coworkers – literally. What’s more fun than coming together to solve the greatest challenge of all, escaping a locked room! 
Scavenger Hunt
Did you know that you can now do city-wide scavenger hunts? If you have to plan an event around a new office location, this would be a great one! You get to know the city, allow staff to be competitive, and tie in the purpose of the event.
Axe Throwing
We all have some aggression hiding behind our normally calm work smiles. Let your staff release some of it in a safe, fun environment. If you work in an intense environment, this might be a great option for your staff.
Other Types of Corporate Events
Corporate events can be almost anything, but the main goal is to foster connections between employees and the organization. Sometimes, these events include attendees who aren’t part of the company. For any type of corporate event that you’re hosting, you need to prepare with a good attendee engagement strategy. The ideas for corporate events listed above can be incorporated into many different types of events. Here are a few possible corporate events that are more than just teambuilding.
- Sales Kickoffs
- Companywide Events
- Appreciation Events
- Awards and Promotion Ceremonies
- Holiday Parties
- Product Launches
- Business Dinners
- Conferences
- Executive Retreats and Incentive Trips
- Charity Events
- Board Meetings
- Trainings
Balancing Corporate Events and Cost Savings
We know these events are cost drivers, but the results can be well worth it. Corporate events can be used to recruit, train, and engage employees, causing them to have a higher work ethic and increased desire to stay. With so many people continuing to work remotely, these events are even more important to build bonds. Whether it’s in-person or virtual, making those connections is vital for success. Check out The Ultimate Guide to Internal Events so that you have the information you need to accomplish these goals.
Conclusion
When deciding on what type of corporate event to attend, as always, keep your attendees in mind. Do they hate singing? Don’t do karaoke. Do they complain about everything? Take a survey of their interests so you can get a little buy-in from the start. Struggling to come up with an event theme? Check out 10 Terrific Themes for Corporate Events.
