Summer is the perfect time to host a company awards ceremony. You’re nearing the end of your company’s fiscal year, so it’s the perfect excuse to thank your employees for their hard work. Plus, business may be slower for local venues and catering companies, so their prices may be more affordable.
At Tucson Creative Catering, we offer full-service corporate catering and events planning in Tucson, AZ. We will help you pull off a memorable company awards ceremony that is fun, meaningful, and truly shows your employees how much you care. Here are our tips for planning a successful company awards ceremony.
Have a Clear Sense of Your Purpose and Goals
Before you hire a catering company or choose a party venue, take the time to consider the purpose of the event and your goals. Some key things to consider when planning a company awards ceremony are:
- What can the event achieve?
- How can you recognize your staff’s achievements?
- What is the best way to boost employee morale?
- How can you integrate your company’s values and mission into the event?
- Should family members of employees be invited, or will it be staff-only?
Create a Budget for the Venue, Catering Costs, and Party Rentals
Once you have a deeper understanding of the purpose of the party, focus on some of the important big-picture details. You will want to create a budget for the event that factors in all potential costs, including:
- Venue rental
- Catering services
- Party rentals
- Entertainment
- Decor
- Serving staff
- Marketing or invitations
- Awards
- Transportation
Choose a Popular Party Theme
Choosing a popular party theme will build up excitement for the event and make your employees more likely to participate. While you can choose an industry-specific theme, it may be more fun to give your employees a chance to showcase their interests and talents outside of work. When you land on a theme, it will also be easier to plan other aspects of the party, like the catering menu, decor, entertainment, and prizes. Some great company party theme ideas are:
- Old Hollywood
- Masquerade
- Iconic movie characters
- Old West
- Carnivale
Create Personalized Awards Categories
If you have a smaller company, you might consider giving each member of your staff a personalized award. This will encourage employee goodwill and ensure each person feels appreciated. Try to think of creative, funny, or industry-specific awards categories. You can also have employees offer suggestions for categories and vote on each one. Try to recognize a wide range of different elements of employee performance and contribution rather than solely focusing on sales metrics. Look for ways to recognize outstanding attitude, collaboration, creativity, and service.
Develop a Streamlined Event Program
Your event should have at least a partially-structured program. This will help the event flow more smoothly and make it easier to account for potential snags or problems. The program should be concise, meaningful to your organization, and memorable. You might consider involving key employees in the planning so that it feels more personalized. You should also work closely with your event planner to determine how long each segment will last and how to effectively streamline the transition between different elements of the program. Your company awards ceremony program might include:
- Cocktail hour
- Sit-down dinner
- Video montage
- Speeches
- Presentations
- Entertainment
- Trivia or raffles
- Special guests
Promote Your Event Effectively
In order to encourage full participation from your staff, you’ll need to market and promote the event effectively. Make sure that employees know the theme, purpose, location, and program for the event ahead of time to foster anticipation and participation. Use creative, inspiring promotional materials that will inspire your staff to attend. Outline a clear deadline and method for RSVPing, especially if employees can bring guests or family members.
Consider Potential Challenges
To ensure a successful event, consider potential challenges. What will you do if you have low engagement or if more people RSVP than you were expecting? What is your contingency plan if the weather is bad or the entertainment cancels at the last minute? Planning for problems ahead of time will allow you to brainstorm solutions so that you aren’t caught off guard and everyone still has a fun time.
Work With an Experienced Local Corporate Catering Service
Finally, work with an experienced local corporate catering company and event planning company like our team at Tucson Creative Catering. We offer professional event planning and catering for corporate events and we’ll help you plan every last detail of your company awards ceremony, including the theme, menu, party rentals, decor, entertainment, and more. Call us now or contact us online to request an estimate for full-service catering in Tucson, AZ.