Organising a corporate seminar for 400 people is not something to be improvised. At JEMS, we like to organise them ourselves without external help. This creates a much stronger bond. Nevertheless, it's very easy to overlook the fundamentals. Here are our 5 tips for unifying around your employer brand.
Before organising a seminar, you must have imagined it, visualised it from start to finish, from beginning to end. Be aware, it is not necessary at this stage to create a detailed timetable. The aim of this first step is to breathe life into to your seminar.
Now is the time to note down all the ideas: locations, dates, activities, goodies, parties, highlights, everything! Let your imagination run wild. For now, you have no limits, no budget. Think, imagine, live your seminar.
Stakeholders, the real difficulty in organising a seminar! There are many of them, and they rarely agree.
Your employees are the key players Without them, what's the point of organising one?
However, to be sure everyone can attend, you must warn them several months in advance. Let's avoid people who, three days before leaving, realise their identity papers have expired, they haven't arranged childcare, or it's grandma's birthday!
In order to be operational on communication, the ideal is to create a editorial calendar with precise dates for key elements to be provided: save the date, kick-off, 1st, 2nd, 3rd... 6th reminders, teasers, etc.
There will always be them! Cancellations, delays, unforeseen events, that is the very essence of event management. For this, we (try to) think about all the unforeseen events we might encounter, how to avoid cancellations, anticipate delays... The watchword: Anticipation.
Anticipate disruptive elements and find a plan B. In some cases, a good plan B is better than a semi-successful plan A!
Although you offer them a seminar, a personalised gift always makes a difference and leaves a memorable souvenir at your event. A small bag with a few goodies placed on their beds in their room, there's nothing better to make them feel special!
The seminar's schedule and activities must also be adapted to your participants. Don't plan a trail run on Etna if your colleagues are more inclined towards naps, aperitifs, and football. Think about their journey in its entirety. If they are leaving very early, don't plan a packed day from the very first day.
Plan for scheduled activity times as well as free time. A seminar is To meet and chat with colleagues we rarely have time to see. But it's also about taking the moments to reconnect with colleagues, to take time for oneself.
You're not holding a seminar for yourself, but for everyone.
We do not fail to remind you of the importance of To build rapport. I've just given you my valuable tips for organising a (fantastic) company seminar to foster team bonding. However, don't forget: adults are still big kids. Don't think your participants will be organised and stick to your schedule. You always need to be on top of them, reminding them of meeting places, the time of the big party, and sometimes even their room number.
And above all, remember one participant. They won't all come back in good condition, but you can't/must not abandon them. It's your seminar until the very end.
