A team building event is a company gathering that aims to improve relationships among workers and define the roles of each member of the team. It can be packed with games and other activities that can boost collaborative effort across the company while providing employees with a way to blow off steam and alleviate their stress from work.
While it may be an internal occasion, team building events are also considered corporate events that require thorough planning and preparation. This means you also need to pick the right party hall or event venue for the occasion to ensure that the specific goals are achieved, and that the whole endeavor is a success.
To help you make the right choice, you must first learn about the seven important factors to consider when choosing an appropriate team building event venue, as listed below.
1. Company Size and Venue Capacity
Like any other event, team building events require the right sized venue for the expected number of attendees. This means you need to determine how many employees would attend the gathering first before you can create a list of potential event venues that can accommodate your company’s requirements.
Doing so will help you prevent high event overhead costs from picking a place that’s too big for your team. It also averts the potential disaster of cramming too many people in a small space or splitting the company into different areas, which would defeat the very purpose why you’re bringing all the employees together in the first place.
2. Event Goals
Your decision on a venue for the company team building should also be based on the event’s specific goals. Whether the goal is to build camaraderie among the employees or to allow them to see each other in a different light, it is best to ditch the more formal long-table function rooms for a more relaxed environment.
3. Theme or Nature of the Event
After deciding the goals of the event, you also need to pick a specific theme for the team building. This will help narrow down your list of potential venues and play a big role when preparing activities for the occasion.
For instance, if you are planning to have a morale-building event, you can choose a retreat center where employees can perform activities that can establish their confidence in their own skills and those of their colleagues. Contests and games are also commonplace in team building events, so make sure to pick a venue with ample space for such activities.
4. Venue Location
To make sure that you get perfect employee attendance at the team building event, you should go the extra mile and make it more convenient for people to attend. Choose a location that is accessible to public transportation while also offering enough parking space for those with private vehicles. Doing this will help you save on company-shouldered transport costs.
5. Catering
Food is an important part of socialization as, even at home, sharing meals is considered a great way for people to talk and share their thoughts and concerns. This can also apply to company team building events, so be sure to select a venue with stellar food and catering services.
If you decide to create an entire team building activity out of the catering via culinary contests, picking a vendor who can assist you well is also a lifesaver.
6. Venue Amenities
When planning a team building event, you are bound to have tons of ideas for games and activities for everyone to participate in, so you have to make sure that the contests and games you wish to prepare can safely and comfortably take place in your chosen venue. Again, this boils down to the goal and theme of the gathering.
List down all the available amenities that certain venues can offer and pick the one that can accommodate most of your planned activities for the team building. It is also best to make final preparations for the team building activities until after you choose a venue to make sure that everything you need is readily available, when you need them.
7. Accommodation
Team building events are most effective when they aren’t rushed. This means that you should also consider hiring a hotel with the best rooms where the people participating in the event can spend the night, or even a few days. You might need to rent out an entire hotel to make sure that everyone gets to enjoy the event, as well as a little R&R.
Getting the Company Together
Internal corporate events require as much planning as any other business-related gathering. To make sure your team building preparation is off to a good start, keep the factors mentioned in this article in mind when choosing a venue for the occasion.
AUTHOR BIO
Habib Khan is a seasoned Hotelier, currently the CEO of Planet Hospitality and General Manager of Arabian Courtyard Hotel and Spa. Khan has more than 30 years of diversified international experience in the hospitality industry. He is an expert in developing, transforming, and managing hotels, with an ability to analyze and solve problems in a challenging work environment.
