17 Creative Corporate Event Ideas + Tips to Maximise Engagement

Organising a corporate event can be a daunting task. Whether it’s a company picnic, a holiday party, or a team building retreat, ensuring that your event is engaging and memorable requires careful planning and preparation. In this blog post, we’ll explore what a corporate event is, the benefits of organising a corporate event, the various types of corporate events and creative ideas and tips for maximising engagement at your next event.

🤓 What is a corporate event?

So, before we get any further, let’s cover the basics of exactly what a corporate event entails. A corporate event is an event that is organised for the purpose of promoting a company’s products, services, or brand at the same time as positively impacting the company's culture, employee morale, brand identity, and customer relationships. They are typically designed to accomplish a specific goal or objective, whether it be to build relationships with clients, boost employee morale or even just show appreciation to team members for all their hard work. A corporate event can range from large-scale events such as conferences and conventions to smaller-scale events such as team-building exercises or company lunches.

When planning a corporate event, it’s important to consider the target audience and the goals of the event. For example, if the goal is to promote a new product or service, the event should focus specifically on that. Whereas, if the goal is to foster team spirit and build relationships, the event should be designed to encourage camaraderie and collaboration.

So, keep that in mind when planning any event, that the theme, activities and overall message are in keeping with the goal at hand.

💪 Benefits of organising a corporate event

Why should you go to the time and effort of organising a corporate event that could potentially be quite costly? Well, organising a corporate event has a whole host of benefits for a company or organisation.

• Holding a corporate event can help to create a stronger sense of community within the company. By bringing employees together in a social setting, it can help to foster relationships and increase collaboration between teammates. Remember: a happy workforce is a productive workforce!
• Corporate events can be used to reward employees for their hard work and dedication. Your staff members are the key to a business’s success so it’s always important to show them that their work is valued and appreciated.
• Corporate events can be used to build relationships with customers or external partners. Engaging customers and partners in a social setting can help to create a deeper connection and increase loyalty.
• Events like these can also be used to launch a new product or service. Engaging customers and partners in the launch can help to create excitement and generate interest in the new offering, which ultimately leads to increased sales. 
• Connecting businesses with potential clients and new partnerships leads to great networking opportunities inside and out of the business.
• Increase the public’s exposure to the companies brand image. When your employee’s are posting on social and working out in the community, your business gets seen.
• Organising corporate events can help educate attendees about a specific topic, which can increase your credibility and establish your brand as a thought leader in the industry.
• Use corporate event to educate and develop employees as well, enhancing their skills and contributing to their overall growth.
• It’s common to incorporate charitable elements at company events so companies can not only make a positive impact on their communities but also boost employee morale and enhance the brand reputation.

🎯 7 ‘DOs’ for corporate event planning success

1. Define your goals

Know what the goal of your event is, define those goals and stick to them! It’s easy to get caught up in the organisation of an event and go off track. By all team members understanding your vision and goals for the event, you will keep your event on track for success.

2. Set a budget and stick to it

This is a no-brainer across the board for event success. Know your budget and don’t be tempted to splurge on unnecessary extras.

3. Choose a theme to build excitement and bring energy to your event

Choosing and sticking to a theme makes all aspects of the event planning process easier from planning entertainment, to food, decor and anything in between. Not to mention, helping to build ‘hype’ around the event in the lead up.

4. Find the right venue that suits your event 

Following on from choosing a theme, find a venue that suits your theme and event. This is a simple but effective way for attendees to have a great time and for you to not get bogged down on the day with administrational issues such as tech and catering issues.

7 Steps to Find an Event Venue [Ultimate Guide]

Unlock the secrets to finding your dream event venue in this extensive go-to guide. I'll walk you through everything you need to know, from the vibe you're after to the practical stuff like location or amenities. No more stress, let's make your event a universal success.

Viktorie Motlochova

March 18, 2024

5. Create a time schedule

Consider using an event management app like Eventee where organisers can create and share the event's agenda in minutes so attendees have the schedule in the palms of their hands all the time. 

6. Work hard to make the event interactive and engaging 

If you are going to put on a corporate event in the first place, be sure to put in the time and effort to make it count! Effective planning and execution to make the event interactive and engaging for all guarantees event success.

7. Feedback

Don’t forget feedback! Getting feedback from attendees is a vital part of event planning at all levels and leaving this out can mean you miss out on nuggets of gold when it comes to planning your next corporate event.

💡 Creative ideas for corporate events

Now for the exciting part – deciding on a unique and engaging event or activity for your corporate event. When planning any corporate event, it’s important to think outside the box and come up with creative ideas that will engage and excite participants. 

We’ve collated some even more creative ideas for you to consider for your next corporate event:

Outdoor Activities

Outdoor activities, such as scavenger hunts, raft building, hiking or even a team camping trip can be a great way to encourage team-building and collaboration outside of an office setting.

Escape rooms

Escape rooms provide an engaging and immersive experience that can help to bring teams together through the shared goal of puzzle solving. Plus, they’re a lot of fun!

Office contests

Introducing a little bit of healthy competition is great for bringing your team together. You could host a cooking competition, talent show or even a costume competition for a dress-up day in the office! 

Sports events

Some companies even enter a team sports event and bring their employees along for the ride. Building relationships all whilst keeping fit.

Movie screenings

Movie screenings are a great way to bring everyone together and enjoy a movie in a relaxed setting.

Trivia events

Trivia events are a fun way to test attendees’ knowledge and challenge them to think outside the box.

Get crafty

Arts and crafts activities are a fun way to get attendees engaged and creative. Things like pottery making, mural painting, art workshops or even a photography challenge would get the creative juices flowing. 

Appreciation event

Host an appreciation dinner, cocktail party or gala to highlight team accomplishments. 

Training and development event

Fine-tuning your employees’ skills will not only help your business bloom, but it will also bring the teammates closer together.

Office warming party

Relocating premises? An office warming party is the perfect way to settle into your new base and inviting employees and clients is an opportunity you won’t want to miss to get everyone together. 

Volunteering and community projects

Bringing your attendees together for a good cause helps to boost team spirit as well as give back to the community. 

Diversity activities

Showing diversity in the workplace is one of the best things you can do to create a sense of inclusion and team awareness. Hosting a cultural exchange, cultural theme day or inviting guest speakers will help raise awareness and inclusivity.

1:1 Meetings

Don’t underestimate the power of a 1:1 meeting. Take your employees out for lunch or a coffee where you can have an informal catch-up outside of the office. 

Ice Breakers

Being a new employee can often be a daunting prospect. So, it’s best to engage in some kind of icebreaker early into their employment to help them get involved.

Corporate hackathons

If you’re a particularly tech-savvy company, your employees will love a corporate hackathon to help boost innovation.

Board games night

Get together and let your team’s true colours show over board games night. No cheating kids!

Holiday-themed parties

The scope here is wild, everyone likes taking part in their favourite holiday traditions so why not host a fabulous Christmas party, St Paddy’s day or halloween themed dress up or a valentines day gift exchange to get the team talking. Events like these can be as small or large as you want but always help with making the company feel more aligned.

These are just some of the many creative ideas for corporate events. With a little bit of imagination and creativity, you can come up with unique ideas that will engage and excite your participants.

🚀 Tips for maximising engagement at a corporate event

Once you’ve come up with creative ideas for your corporate event, it’s important to consider how you can maximise engagement. 

When it comes to organising a corporate event, it's not just about having a bunch of people show up and sit through a presentation. If you want to create a truly memorable experience, you need to make sure that it's dynamic and engaging. That's where using an event app like Eventee comes in. By creating an interactive environment that encourages participation and collaboration, you can draw attendees in and keep them invested in what's happening. It's not just about delivering information, it's about fostering a sense of community and connection. So, if you're looking to host an event that really stands out, make sure to prioritise engagement and interaction - because that's what it's all about.

Planning and managing an event can be a real headache, especially when you're trying to coordinate with multiple departments and keep track of all the moving parts. That's where using an event management app can be a game-changer. Not only does it make the whole process much more streamlined and efficient, but it also creates a positive environment that's conducive to action, collaboration, and productivity. With features like real-time messaging an event management app can help you stay organised and focused, while also empowering your team to work together seamlessly.

When it comes to hosting an event, it's not just about the immediate impact - it's also about the long-term benefits for your brand. A positive perception of your brand can lead to increased employee loyalty, which in turn can drive positive word-of-mouth and ultimately result in a better ROI for your event. 

Here are some tips for maximising engagement at a corporate event: 

Set a theme

Choose a theme that is relevant to the audience and the purpose of the event. This will build excitement for the event and make the experience memorable.

Utilise an event app

Technology such as Eventee’s App can be a great tool for engaging participants and creating a more interactive event. You can use it to share schedules, speaker bios, live polls, and facilitate networking opportunities. An event app can also help you with keeping attendees informed about last-minute changes, unique opportunities, or important announcements.

Go hybrid

Consider using video conferencing, virtual reality, or live streaming technology to add an extra layer of engagement.

Provide interactive activities

Provide activities that require attendees to interact with one another. This could include team-building exercises, trivia games, or arts and crafts activities.

Make it personal

Create activities tailored to the interests of the attendees to personalize the event. This could include introducing team-building activities that reflect the company’s mission and values.

Encourage participation

Encourage participation by providing incentives or prizes for those who take part in activities. This could include gift cards, vouchers, or even a recognition ceremony.

Make sharing experiences easy

Provide options that allow attendees to share their event experiences. A Social wall is a perfect tool for that. Attendees can post pictures, GIFs, or simple text and interact with like or dislike buttons. Simply put, you will have your own social network!

Eventee 2.13: Welcome Social Wall! 🎉

Major release – Social wall and other significant updates we introduced with the latest Eventee version.

Hai Yen Luong

December 6, 2022

Use hashtags

Share your unique event hashtags and encourage attendees to include them on their social media posts. This is a proven way to create buzz around the event and increase engagement.

Get feedback

After the event, make sure to follow up with participants to thank them for attending the event.  This is also the perfect time to ask for their feedback. This will help you to gauge the success of the event and learn what you can do to improve in the future.

✍️ In conclusion

Organising a successful corporate event is no easy task. But with the right planning and preparation, you can ensure that your event is a success and maximise that all-important engagement. We hope this blog has provided you with some useful ideas as well as tips you can integrate into your next event. Don’t forget to check out Eventee’s other blog posts to get more useful hints and tips when it comes to event planning.