Summer is always one of the busiest periods when it comes to corporate events. This year was no exception – we had the opportunity to organise a wide range of events, from classic summer days to one-day team events taking place in the city.
But when we look back at the summer as a whole, a few key themes emerged from our project managers’ experiences – themes that reflect what companies are looking for from their events today.
Doing things together is still what matters most
One thing hasn’t changed – people want to do things together.
According to our project managers, shared activities continue to be one of the most requested elements of corporate events. Whether it’s a competition, a creative challenge, a team game or something completely different, it’s not necessarily the format that matters most, but the opportunity to experience something together.
Simply spending time together has value, too. In today’s working environment, where people may work from different locations, on different projects, and sometimes remotely, spending time together in person can no longer be taken for granted.
That’s why summer days are about much more than simply having a fun day away from the office.
More and more summer events are taking place in the city and lasting just one day
One of the clearest trends we noticed this summer was the growing number of one-day events taking place in urban settings.
In many cases, the traditional summer day involving a trip out of the city and an overnight stay has been replaced by a one-day event in the city. At the same time, more and more exciting new venues are emerging that can accommodate larger groups. But with smart planning and a creative approach, even familiar venues can be transformed to create a completely different atmosphere.
Holding an event in the city can offer participants greater flexibility and also makes it easier to combine the event with other work-related activities.
Summer events are increasingly combined with learning and training
Another interesting trend we noticed was the desire to combine a summer event with meaningful training or learning within the same day.
For example, the day might begin with a seminar-style training session, followed by activities where participants can put what they have learned into practice or work together as a team. Examples include the military-inspired Combat Ready team training or a more playful team training programme by adventure company 360 KRAADI.
This kind of format creates a natural connection between professional development and entertainment. One doesn’t have to exclude the other – in fact, they can work very well together!
Team events play an important role in internal communication
As an event marketing agency, we are pleased to see that companies continue to value their events and recognise their important role in internal communication, building team culture and bringing people together.
This summer, more than 6,500 people took part in events organised by us. The feedback we received from our clients reflects the value they place on having a trusted partner who can share the responsibility of organising an event and provide the confidence that the investment in bringing people together was worthwhile.
What should you measure to understand the impact of a corporate event? We explored this topic in more detail in our article, “How to Measure the Success of an Event? Tips for HR Managers.”
A big thank you to all our clients, partners, and, of course, our project managers who made these events happen. Our summer was filled with meeting some truly great people, being inspired by new ideas, taking on challenges and, of course, spending plenty of time doing things together as our own small team.
Shall we start planning your next summer event? 🙂
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