What Employees Really Want from Company Events and Activities

Announcements about company activities are usually met with one of three responses: enthusiasm and excitement, active dislike, or a resounding “meh.” The problem is that the first two responses are the most common, highlighting the gap between how companies plan and how employees actually participate. 

Luckily, creating moments that spark genuine connection rather than reluctant interaction is easy if you know what’s really appreciated.

What do we mean by company activities? 🤔

When we talk about company activities, we mean the whole gamut of possibilities. These can be divided into different types, including:

• Team-building, such as inter-team sports or scavenger hunts
• Learning and development, like skill-sharing and lunch-and-learn sessions
• Social events, such as team lunches and office parties
• Wellness meditation sessions and fitness classes

The idea behind these activities is to enhance communication, build trust, boost employee morale, and improve team productivity and cohesion. However, you’re not going to see results if you don’t offer what your employees value most.

Why considering what employees value most is important for company activities 🏆

To put it simply, when company activities offer what employees value most about them, you see results. 

So, what do employees value most, and how does this change things?

A sense of purpose: Research shows that 70% of employees say their work defines their sense of purpose, while 63% say they want their employer to provide more opportunities for purpose in their daily work. Company activities should strengthen employees’ sense of purpose rather than seeming like a pointless diversion from their tasks.

Socially impactful teamwork: Various studies found that employees who participate in employer-sponsored volunteer programs enjoy greater job satisfaction. Fun-filled company activities limited to the office are great, but those that make a meaningful difference in the wider community while supporting team building are even better.

Opportunities to upskill: Personal and career development is important to employees, as it can open doorways for advancement in the workplace and beyond. Company activities shouldn’t be limited to having fun for the sake of having fun. They should also aim at helping your employees be the best they can be by developing their skills while socializing with each other. 

Health and wellness support: Perceptions of wellness and health, especially mental health, have changed over the last few years. According to an American Psychological Association (APA) survey, 59% of workers say their employer thinks their work environment is much more mentally healthier than it actually is. Company activities should support employees’ physical and mental health, helping them make healthier choices and deal with stress or other issues more effectively.

Inclusivity: The APA survey mentioned above also found that almost a quarter of workers living with cognitive, emotional, learning, or mental disability say they’ve had toxic workplace experiences. Company activities should aim to include as many employees as possible, which might mean making adjustments for disability, culture, distance (in the case of remote workers), or other factors.

Fun: Yes, we know we’ve said company activities shouldn’t be about fun only, but that doesn’t mean employees don’t want to have fun! In fact, research shows the opposite, with 79% saying fun in the workplace leads to higher productivity, reduced stress, fewer sick days, improved engagement, and lower turnover. Remember to include an element of fun in the activities you organize, taking care that it doesn’t come across as forced.

Meaningful company activities that offer value 💡

Not sure where to begin planning activities that offer your company’s employees what they value most? We’ve got you covered. Here are our ideas that deliver value for employees.

1. Implement a charity team-building program 👥

Team-building is a wonderful way to inspire greater cohesion and collaboration among your employees. However, if you do this in a way that does good for others, you can contribute to your employees’ sense of purpose.

A couple of ways to do this include:

• Community clean-up: Encourage your employees to participate in a clean-up or to paint or restore common areas in underfunded community buildings. To ensure everyone joins in, consider using free volunteer scheduling software so no one forgets their gloves or paintbrush.
• Virtual games for good: Let your employees play one of Confetti’s Jeoparty for Good games, such as Halloween Jeoparty for Good. Teams earn points for correct answers and attribute their points to one of three charities. The charity with the most points at the end of the game will receive a $100 donation courtesy of Confetti.

2. Design activities aimed at growth and development 💪

Help your employees to develop their skills and grow in their roles and in the company. A couple of ideas you can use for this include:

• Networking coffee sessions: Professional relationships are one of the pieces in the career growth puzzle. Give your employees the opportunity to build relationships with potential mentors, share ideas, and enjoy some social time by organizing regular informal networking coffee sessions. Include remote workers via platforms such as Zoom, ensuring coffee is delivered to them before you start. 
• Training sessions with gifts: Take advantage of Confetti’s development offerings, such as our AI Prompting 101 workshop. Make it extra special for your team by adding a gift, such as one of our Cookie Boxes for each person. They’ll learn new skills and enjoy sweet treats while doing so.

3. Offer wellness sessions 🧘

Take a holistic approach to supporting employee wellness with entertaining and enriching activities. A couple of suggestions include:

• Stress management workshops: Help your employees understand the physiological causes and effects of stress, identify key stressors, and learn tips for controlling their stress response with Confetti’s virtual Stress Management workshop.
• Wellness elixir making class: A deliciously hands-on experience, Confetti’s virtual Wellness Elixir Making Class will introduce your team to herbs, teas, and superfoods. They’ll also learn how to make three plant-based drinks with all sorts of health benefits.

Bring value to company activities with Confetti 🎉

Company activities aren’t much use if they don’t offer what employees value most about them. This doesn’t mean you need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, by paying attention to what employees want, and with a little help from Confetti, you can make a real difference.