Getting people at work to know each other better can be a key to improved working practices.
- People who know each other are more likely to co-operate than strangers.
- People have more opportunity to understand the motivation and needs of colleagues in an informal setting than in formal meetings.
- Face-to-face informal communication is often more effective than formal communication.
How to encourage social meeting
- Install a watercooler. In the USA, reference is often made to “watercooler” conversations – the discussions which take place at the chance meeting of colleagues going to collect a cup of water. The same effect can occur between smokers when there is a ban on smoking in the workplace, as there is in the UK.
- Provide good coffee. One UK university found that more members of staff met across campus after it introduced a coffee bar selling a major coffee shop brand.
- Subsidise lunch in the cafeteria on a daily, weekly, or occasional basis. If good food is provided at a competitive price, it will attract a good number of staff, particularly those who may not want or have time to prepare their own meal in the evening. A college in Gloucestershire provides free lunch for all its staff every day because it finds it to be an excellent way of getting them to meet.
- Introduce a happy half-hour before or after work where staff can meet for a cup of tea or coffee on arriving at the workplace or before setting off for home.
- Provide somewhere to meet. Schools have common rooms for staff not just to provide them with somewhere to pass time between classes, but also because it is a place for them to meet informally.
- Provide tea and coffee or light refreshments immediately before or after formal meetings to encourage people.
- Put on parties. You’ll find lots of ideas for parties on this website. You could have a summer garden party, a Christmas or New Year party, a party to celebrate a significant achievement, parties for children, a fundraiser party for charity.
- Bring in a takeaway if people are working late. It will be much appreciated, give them a short break from the burden of what they are doing, and provide a good opportunity for a casual discussion.
Party time!
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A fantastic party theme will make your party more entertaining, exciting your guests into an unforgettable party event that will be talked about for years to come. There are a few simple rules to follow, when developing your party theme, that will help you design an unforgettable party theme.
Defining a “Theme party”
A theme party is an organized event where the whole party has a subject or idea to follow, helping to outline the way guests dress and interact, the food you cater, the events decorations and the games played. A theme party is the idea that runs throughout the whole event, simplifying the problem of entertaining big groups, focusing the parties details and generating an event to remember.
Organizing a “Party Theme”
A fantastic party does not happen by accident, it takes a great deal of work to plan and organize a perfect theme party but there are a few simple steps you should follow that will help to simplify the planning and organization of your themed party.
Identify the date, time, and venue space of your party well in-advance of the event, construct a guest list and initiate invitations thus allowing everyone sufficient time to get organised and diarise the event. Sending invitations through the post is a good way of contacting people, perhaps use a postcard style themed invitation or you can send an email invitation with attached party theme details. Include all of the party ideas you have decided upon like when, where and what time, not forgetting to detail the party theme and a few suggested games. Keep some back as surprise events and substitute contingencies just in case things do not work out.
Decide on which games to play, complimenting the party theme, but also understanding your guest list and who will join in. Always have back up games for when things do not go to plan or party guests attentions wains
Identify what party food to cater using your guest list to identify ingredient volumes and guests tastes. You can cater the event yourself, but it does take a lot of time to prepare and some catering companies are not overly expensive and will have the time and equipment to meet your requirements. The decision of self catering or organised caterers will depend on your budget, so check out quotes from local catering companies, ask family and friends if they are free to lend a hand. But, make sure the food and beverages served compliment your parties theme. When self catering you should purchase the ingredients no more than two or three days before, avoiding spoilage, making fresher food. Check out the recipes you plan to serve, making sure you understand how to make them come together, a good idea is to trial the recipes, prorating the ingredients, with family or friends. Cross check you have all the ingredients the day before the party, leaving yourself enough time to replace or acquire anything you have forgotten or lost.
Create a list of party supplies like the seating required, the cutlery, napkins and dinning ware. Then develop a planned layout of the furniture and themed decoration for the venue, confirming the party themes scheme. Think about the background material, balloons and confetti, back drops, columns and arches, fabric, curtains and streamers, flowers, banners and signage. Decide on whether you want to dance, if you want to supply your own music, if and where to put the DJ and the disco, Karaoke or not always good fun, what space to use for the party games and where the food will be placed.
Remember:
1) There will be some spillages and a few breakages so,do not overreact to the mess it is inevitable, be prepared will mops, cloths, Bins, bust pan and brushes.
2) The venue space is clean especially the bathroom, make sure there are clean towels soap and hot water, all of your guests will have to visit this room at least once.
3) Not to neglect your guests, make sure all of your menu has been prepared early reducing the amount of time you have to be away from the party.
4) Do not get stuck in the kitchen, you decided to throw this party enjoy the fruits of all your hard work and join your guests in having a great time.
5) You want your guests to be comfortable and enjoy the party theme, think about your guests while planning your themed party and you will have a perfect party theme.
Party Ubermarket -
Corporate wine tasting events are a great way to break the ice and get everyone lose and talking. A common interest aside from work is a great community builder. You can also customize the tasting event — make it a team-building tasting! Your employees will thank you!
Tip: Arrange the tasting for late October. Ask employees to fill out a comment card and list their favourite wine. Then for the holidays, show your appreciation and thanks with a bottle of their favourite wine!
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Corporate workshops in small groups of 15 to 20 executives have proven to be successful. It may also improve your ROI as you apply the same training techniques in your work place.
An investment company recognised our training technique when my band of 3 players was showing how to play a song on different steel drums. This was when I stumbled on an innovative solution which they adopted. In less than an hour, they confidently performed the song to a good standard.
To find out more, you will have to hire the steel drum band. Our charge out rate is quite affordable and we’d be happy to hear from you.
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Learn a new skill while enjoying the company of your work collegues. Take away a piece of art created by you that will bring a new dimension to your life as well as the work place.
Everybody knows that art is creative but skills learnt can be transferred to the workplace.Art is about problem solving and so is business.Find out more by visiting our website and get a quote