Raise your hand if you look forward to your company’s outing or picnic every year? Us too! Summer picnics have always been a great way to show your staff some well-deserved appreciation and give them something to enjoy together as a team outside of the office.
This year, with the effects of COVID-19 still looming over us, your traditional company summer gathering may look differently. Depending on your community regulations and standards in place, you may want to consider hosting your summer picnic virtually. We know that it’s not the same as soaking up some sunshine together with a lei around your neck, but its a great alternative to canceling your event altogether!
We’ve put together a few simple steps on how you can pull off the ultimate virtual summer picnic.
How to Host a Virtual Summer Picnic
Get the People Excited for It
The first step in planning is to send out invitations to your teams and guests! Just like in-person events, details will need to be communicated, making an invitation necessary. Be sure to include the following details in your invite:
- Date and time of the event
- Event theme
- Hosting platform being used
- Any necessary special instructions
Create the buzz around your virtual event by sending your invites virtually as well. There are some great free and low-cost options at Paperless Post, Evite, and Minted. You can also always design your own in Canva and send it out in your next company update.
Once the invitations are sent out, don’t forget to follow up with your attendees with detailed instructions on how to access the virtual event and what to expect at the celebration. This will all feel new and a little weird, so it’s important to keep your party people informed!
Get Your Technology Figured Out
Since tech is a key player in all of this, make sure you have the platform you want to host your event on figured out ahead of time. We recommend the below platforms for your virtual event. You can read more about which one is best for you here.
Plan Your Activities
Though virtual events limit what you can do for your summer picnic, it doesn’t mean you can’t do anything fun. Here are a few ideas you can do for your virtual company event.
Game Night
Have your employees get together over a Zoom call and play some games! Houseparty and Jackbox Games are made for the virtual gatherings, each offering a variety of different games that is sure to spark some laugh. Find more video call game ideas here.
Movie Night
Pick a family-fun movie and have your guests login to Netflix Party and you can all watch the video together! Note: employees would need to have a Netflix subscription for this to work. Send a Visa gift card with the amount of a month’s worth subscription of Netflix and some goodies to cover the cost of the fun night!
Virtual Wine Tasting
Host a private wine tasting from your homes! Companies like Graped Out and Raise A Glass Wine Tours offer virtual tastings, complete with wine, charcuterie, and a Sommelier.
Backyard Summer Fun
Set your employees up with a night of family fun! Instead of celebrating all together virtually, have the CEO send out a video message with the sentiments they’d like to express along with a delivered basket of backyard happiness. This can include the makings for s’mores, yard dice, bubbles, custom drinkware, and local-made treats!
Send Your Virtual Attendees a Little Something
Since you may not be able to be together in person for your summer event this year, we suggest you send a little something to your employees’ homes in addition to your virtual event. This can be a personalized gift made for them, a box of goodies they can enjoy during your virtual event, or a small gift of appreciation reminding them they’re valued!
Most importantly, this is all about creating a fun and positive experience for your teams. 2020 has been a rough year for most businesses and most people. We could all use a little something bright in our lives and something worth looking forward to! For more ideas on how to continue #makingworkhappy and navigate managing your team in uncertain times, visit our Work From Home blog hub!
