A friend of mine told me a story about a great company picnic she was part of, and I’d like to share it with you. She works for a moderately large corporation, and she and her co-workers are inside an office most of the time. Due to the loads of work and pressure everyone is under, they really don’t know each other very well. But since the wonderful company picnic, things are changing for her a little, and in a great way!
My friend – let’s call her “Lisa”, since that’s actually her name – was a bit hesitant about even going to the company picnic, since she didn’t know who she was going to talk to or sit with. But she had such a great time! They scheduled in during a work day, and it wasn’t required for anyone to even go. But about 80-100 fellow workers showed up. It was at the park, and it was a beautiful sunny day.
Her employers were there, dressed casually – not in their typical suits and ties. That was certainly a refreshing look for them. Instead of the dreaded “company speech”, they hired a comedian to entertain them while they ate. They also gave everyone a personalized picnic tote that they has customized by Picnic Supply World. Did I mention the food? The food was catered from three different restaurants in the area, so they had diverse menus to choose from. And of course, there was beer and wine.
All of those things combined made for a lovely day, Lisa said, and she actually got to know a few really neat people from the office.
I think what employers can learn from Lisa’s experience is to try and give the employees what they want when throwing a company picnic. Work is work, of course. But there are times to let loose a little and enjoy each other’s company. It can only make the office more tolerable and even enjoyable!