Plan a Company Picnic - 8 Indispensable Tips

When I go to plan a company picnic, I have found that I always seem to follow these basic steps to get it done right.

Follow these 8 indispensable tips for when you plan a company picnic and you can be confident you'll be on the pathway to success.

Plan early

Plan early, plan early, plan early! Don't wait to the last minute! By taking initiative early you'll be able to guarantee your picnic location, entertainment and food vendors before everyone else. You'll also be able to respond to any unforeseen circumstances.

Choose activities/games/entertainment your employees and families will enjoy

You've got to choose good, clean fun that everyone can enjoy. I've witnessed carnival rides, inflatable rides, and high-tech games to be very popular in the past.

Choose an event date when people will be in town (and not away on vacation)

You can do this by taking a straw poll from people around your company to see when they'll be leaving town on vacation. You want to choose a time when most people are available to attend your event.

Book entertainment early

A lot of these entertainment options are very popular, and you want to be sure that your date is locked in. It'd be awful if you were to plan your whole event around a date only to have to change it because your entertainment options are booked on that date.

Have food and beverages available

You don't have to pull out a full class meal, but this is a picnic!

Utilize every communication avenue to inform your staff

Put out personal invitations, use your company e-mail list, or even personally invite each person!

Get a solid count of who is going to be there and who can't make it. That will help you determine the amount of food and beverages you need as well as other details pertaining to activities and entertainment.

Determine where the picnic will take place and reserve early

Just like with entertainment, make sure you get your reservation in early. In the past I've seen companies take advantage of park space, all of which worked beautifully for them.

Set-up garbage/waste containers

There's going to be a lot of trash, from old soda cans, to paper plates and empty bags of chips. You don't want your grounds looking like a landfill, so set-up some trash cans to keep the area tidy.