Great ideas for this year's company summer party

Whether your business is large or small, it's important to take time to celebrate successes, strengthen team unity, and thank employees for their hard work. How can you do this? With an annual summer party! A well-planned and fun summer party will not only lift spirits, but also improve work productivity and employee loyalty.

But how do you create the perfect summer party that will be remembered long after the last ray of sunshine has disappeared? Below, we'll give you some ideas on how to make your next company summer party an unforgettable experience for everyone.

Summer party as a social bonding experience

As humans, we are herd animals and we all want to be part of a strong community in one way or another. A summer party is not only meant to be a festive event, it is also important for social cohesion in the workplace. From time to time, it can be really healthy to see your colleagues in other contexts than behind the computer screen.

By setting the framework and cultivating the social community, you as a workplace help to strengthen the bonds between employees across the board. You also show an active initiative in employee well-being and take responsibility for making sure everyone feels comfortable.

Throw a tailor-made summer party

However, planning the right summer party is not easy as there are many different considerations a company needs to make to ensure a successful summer party. If your company doesn't already have a party committee, make it the first item on the agenda! Until the next party committee meeting, here are sometips and tricks for throwing a great company summer party.

1. Give your summer party a festive theme

As written earlier, we all want to be part of a strong community, and what better way to show that than with a common theme that everyone can get behind?

A themed summer party helps to tie the table settings, decorations, drinks, menu and employees together in a big bow of a common thread.

Here are a few suggestions for themes for your summer party:

• Each department dresses up in the same color (from head to toe)

• Superhero theme - find out what superpowers your colleagues have

• White Party - everyone dresses in white, then all you need to do is buy glow sticks for everyone!

• Choose a year; hippie 60s, disco 70s, glam 80s or pop 90s?

• Camping vacation with sun hat and flip flops, or a more scaled down "festival theme"

If the above examples haven't inspired you, take a moment to brainstorm your own themes for your summer party as a team. This will ensure that your event ends up with a perfect thread that ties all the details together.

2. Consider how your employees will be seated at your summer party

There are many different ways you can choose to create a seating plan when throwing a company summer party. But it's an important part of the planning process to consider how your employees will be seated. It helps ensure that everyone gets to talk to some of the colleagues they don't sit with on a daily basis.

Here are three suggestions to shake things up a bit:

• Change seats once an hour

• Find your master or mistress of the table with your shoes

• Pick a card, any card

The first suggestion requires a bit of coordination, as you need to get all guests to move one seat to the right once an hour has passed. This means that you need someone on the party committee who has a keen eye on the clock - on the other hand, everyone is shaken up a bit and gets the opportunity to talk to different colleagues throughout the evening.

The second suggestion is a little more licorice, and it requires that everyone wants to hand in one of their shoes. Everyone then pulls two new shoes from the bag and has to find their partner. In this way, the whole company is shaken together.

The third suggestion is a classic, but also an easy, quick and effective solution. Take a deck of playing cards and cut it in half. Place one half by the square and the other half in a bowl. If you draw one half of, for example, the king of diamonds, you find the square with the other half. And remember that suggestions number one and two still allow you to switch places once an hour.

3. Don't let your employees go home hungry or thirsty from the party

As with milk and honey, your summer party should be full of cold refreshments and good food for all tastes. If you're having your summer party at work, find a good kitchen and order catering so you can plan the menu well in advance. In a company, all employees come from different backgrounds, allergens and food and drink preferences. Keepthese tips in mind when planning your refreshments and menu:

• Buy drinks with and without alcohol

• Make sure there are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free options

• If pork is also on the menu, make sure there is another alternative

A good way to meet the different needs could be to circulate a questionnaire around the company. This ensures that everyone feels seen and heard - and doesn't leave your summer party thirsty or hungry.

4. A summer party without a dance floor is like soda without fizz

When the food is finished and it's time to hit the dance floor, it's a good idea to be prepared for how you're going to get your dancing shoes on for the summer party. Consider whether you need a DJ or a band to get you dancing - and make sure you book them well in advance of the party. If you have a good sound system, you can also invite your colleagues to put music tracks on a shared playlist before the party.

5 Entertainment or activity?

As we've mentioned, a summer party is important for socializing. But sometimes it takes a little more than just good food and music. If you need a little extra to bring people together and create fun memories, make sure there is entertainment or an activity during the day or evening. Here are a few suggestions:

• Invite a comedian, magician or similar to get people laughing, wondering and sharing a common experience. It creates an instant conversation piece and is a great way to break the ice.

• It's a summer party, so why not do something outdoors?Petanque, kings, rounders, etc. are all very easy and fun activities that suit all budgets. They're guaranteed to get people moving and those who don't want to do anything active will hopefully be a good cheering section.

• Alternatively, you can alsothink outside the box. How about a local folk music group, line dancing, a circus performer or a caricature artist who can create funny portraits of the guests? Or maybe a bartender who can teach you how to make delicious cocktails? The goal is to create a unique and memorable experience that will get people talking and laughing together.

Whatever you choose, the key to successful corporate summer party entertainment is to think about your employees. What will they find funny? What will they find interesting? Remember, it's their party - so make sure it's something they'll enjoy.

We hope you've learned a lot about how to put together the perfect summer party in your company, and with these words, let us just say: Have a great party!