Step by step company meeting

A company meeting is an inseparable element of the activity of every company. During such meetings, you can discuss current issues, present plans and goals for the future, and negotiate contracts with business partners. A company meeting must be very well organized from a to z. How do you go about it? Where to start planning?

I am organizing a company meeting - where to start?

Organizing meetings and events is not an easy task. Before we organize a company meeting, it is worth defining a goal and plan. Why do we want to organize them? What are we going to achieve with them? It is extremely important to establish a budget that we can allocate for the meeting. This will definitely facilitate the identification of issues that are worth discussing at further stages of specifying the concept of the meeting.

Budget

At the very beginning, we should also set a budget for the company meeting. How much we can spend on them will affect many issues, such as the meeting place, attractions, or the number of invited guests. You can organize a successful company meeting with both small and large budgets. The most important thing is to plan well and write out the whole thing. 

The next step is to choose the place where the event will take place. There are basically two possibilities. The first is to organize it at the company's headquarters. It is a good option if we want to invite our business partners and show them around the company, for example. In other situations, however, it is much better to place the meeting in a neutral setting. For example, for a conference room in a hotel, manor house or guesthouse. They are becoming more and more popular conference facilities in the mountains.

company meetings

A properly adapted conference room promotes concentration and creativity. Meeting participants feel more at ease than within the company walls. They are not afraid to express their opinions and propose extraordinary solutions - and as we know well, a decent brainstorming is the key to many creative ideas that bring the company closer to success on the market!

Deadline

Wybranie dobrego terminu spotkania firmowego sprawi, że pojawi się na nim większa liczba osób. Ważnym jest również, aby ustalić termin odpowiednio wcześnie. Zarówno zaproszeni pracownicy, jak i “goście specjalni”, mają  swoje zobowiązania. W przypadku, gdy dowiedzą się o spotkaniu tydzień lub dwa wcześniej, mogą na nie nie przyjść. 

It's a good idea to schedule at least a month or two ahead. This will not only give the guests the opportunity to reconcile the meeting with their private obligations. It is also much more convenient for us as organizers. The more time we spend on organizing the meeting, the better its effects can be, because everything will be properly refined. 

When choosing the date, we should take into account whether there are any holidays in the near future. For many people, spending time with their family is much more important than a company meeting. You should also avoid organizing meetings during the holiday season, when some employees or other guests may have a vacation trip planned. 

Invitations

When organizing a company meeting, you cannot forget about invitations for guests. It is the personalized invitations that will make your guests feel appreciated. Invitations should contain the most important information about the meeting, such as place, time, schedule and dresscode. It is also worth placing a request for advance notification of specific nutritional needs on them. If the conference lasts several days, it is worth considering in the invitations whether the guests want to use the accommodation offered by the company or not.

Invitations can be in both paper and electronic form. The electronic form can be much more convenient, we can ask you to fill in a short questionnaire regarding the needs and expectations of guests.

It is also easier to obtain information in electronic form whether guests want to use the accommodation offered by the company. The electronic invitation may also include confirmation of participation in the meeting.

Place for a company meeting

If a company meeting is scheduled for several days, it is worth ensuring that employees have something to do. When looking for an object, we should pay attention to the surrounding attractions, access to the garden or entertainment places such as billiards, bowling or a swimming pool. We should also choose a place with easy access. It is worth taking care of organizing travel for people who do not have a driving license or a car. The best solution will be to rent a bus that will leave at the agreed time from the company's headquarters. 

Choosing a place for a company meeting is of great importance. A conference room adapted to the meeting is conducive to concentration and creativity. In a bright room with comfortable seats, meeting participants can feel more at ease in it than within the corporate walls. They are not afraid to express their opinions and propose extraordinary solutions - and as we know well, a decent brainstorming is the key to many creative ideas that bring the company closer to success on the market! It is worth appreciating the efforts and listening to the opinion of each participant in the meeting. It is their ideas that can turn out to be groundbreaking.

W sali, w której je organizujemy, powinno być wystarczająco dużo miejsca dla wszystkich gości. Dodatkowo warto zadbać o wygodę siedzenia, często krzesła w salach konferencyjnych są mało wygodne. Brak komfortu uczestników spotkania przekłada się na mniejszą efektywności oraz poczucie znużenia i frustracji. Zamiast z zainteresowaniem słuchać i uczestniczyć w dyskusji, będą oni zerkać na zegarek z nadzieją, że ich cierpienie się wkrótce skończy.  Praca grupowa lub spotkanie w jasnej sali, na wygodnych siedzeniach, będzie o wiele bardziej efektywna. Wygoda i dobre oświetlenie sprzyja możliwości kreatywnego myślenia, które powinno być najważniejsze w pracy zespołowej.

If only the weather allows it, it is worth betting on outdoor events. A picnic, barbecue or a bonfire outdoors is a great idea to break employees out of their routine. 

Prepare a schedule

Once the logistical issues have been worked out, the focus should be on determining the schedule of the meeting, which is a very important element. A company meeting should have a well-planned schedule. Otherwise, its course may be chaotic. With an agenda, each participant will know what to expect. What issues will be raised during the meeting. They will more or less have hearings on the topic. The schedule and purpose of the meeting should also appear on the invitations for guests.

With an agenda, each participant will know what to expect. What matters will be raised during the meeting and how long will the hearings on the topic take up, more or less. The schedule and purpose of the meeting should also appear on the invitations for guests.

The schedule should include the times of specific meetings with descriptions of what they will concern. Don't forget to take breaks for meals or coffee. Breaks should not be too frequent, then participants can break the rhythm of the meeting. Too few breaks can make you nervous and cause negative emotions.

While it may seem unnecessary to many, the schedule makes meeting participants feel that they and their time are respected. Since employees attend a meeting that may extend beyond their working hours, they would like their time not to be wasted. The schedule will allow the 100% to effectively use the time allocated to a corporate conference.

company meetings

What else cannot be forgotten? About the necessary tools for work, such as: presentations, diagrams, charts, which will allow her to exhaust the topic as much as possible and make it look professional in the eyes of the participants. Notebooks and pens are also important, i.e. materials for participants, thanks to which they will be able to write down the most important issues. Remember to prepare files of documents containing a summary of the most important issues that were raised at the meeting. They can be submitted both physically and electronically.

It should be delicious!

Where will the meeting already chosen take place? Wonderfully! Now is the time to move on to the next issue, which is food. The best solution is to order a buffet with cold snacks that participants will be able to consume during short breaks between consecutive blocks of the conference. It is also worth taking care of a longer lunch break, during which participants will receive a hot meal, which will consist of soup, main course and dessert. When ordering catering, we should take into account the individual needs of all guests. Currently, more and more people give up eating meat and animal products. People with food intolerances, such as celiac disease, should also be taken care of. When preparing a conference or a company meeting, we should make each participant feel safe and comfortable during the event. 

A request for information about a specific diet or food allergies should be placed on the invitation. Thanks to this, during the organization, we will be able to find a good catering company in advance and order good food for everyone. Appropriate food is not only a question of comfort but also of respect. Just as we wouldn't want to spend a few hours hungry, we shouldn't force our guests to do so. For some, eating the wrong thing could result in discomfort or even a visit to the hospital. 

The most convenient and delicious option is to organize a company meeting in a place that has its own kitchen. Experienced chefs prepare everything fresh. No catering can match the taste of such dishes.

Comfortable conditions are conducive to relaxation

Providing accommodation to guests of a company meeting is a very good option. However, it is also worth taking care of the comfort of guests in the rooms. It is difficult to allow each guest to sleep in an individual room, it would be problematic logistically and financially. However, it is worth that "special guests" have single rooms. Employees of the company, regardless of their position, should have shared rooms. Thanks to this, no one will feel that anyone could be favored. The fact that someone could get a better room, and someone worse, could deepen conflicts between employees. And yet company meetings should be used to build relationships. It is worth allowing each person to choose with whom they would like to be in a shared room.

Why is a corporate meeting important?

Company meetings are an ideal opportunity to establish business contacts that help the company develop and can bring it closer to achieving success on the market. By meeting your partners, you can convince them to cooperate, and at the same time show your company at its best. The most important issues should be discussed in the company. Employees should know what they are aiming for, what are the goals of their activities and the company.

The key to success are regular meetings of team members, where all current matters related to the functioning of the company and the team are discussed. The meeting is also the right time to establish an action and work plan for the coming weeks and to define short and long-term goals. Conferences are a recipe for everything for many! However, they need to be organized well. And remember what their job is. 

You can present your ideas and expectations at company meetings. It is important that each employee feels heard and that his ideas or postulates are not disregarded. Team work should be based on an agreement and a partnership relationship that makes each party feel valued. A company meeting is also an excellent space for resolving conflicts that may arise between employees. 

It should be remembered that the company will fare better in the eyes of potential business partners if it shows them how good relations there are between employees. Few people will be interested in working with a company whose employees are bored, upset or have a negative attitude towards their superiors and each other. In order to achieve success on the market, it is worth focusing on good relations both between employees at the same level as well as between employees and their superiors. 

Or maybe an online meeting?

An alternative to face-to-face meetings are also online meetings, which are especially useful when most employees perform their duties remotely. An online meeting will be much more convenient for them. An online meeting is also a great choice on a tight budget or during the sick season. 

Organizing an online meeting should also include a schedule. Different meetings could be held on different channels. A good solution is also to create entertainment channels with games and activities, and those where participants can talk in peace. Although many people are fed up with virtual meetings, they are still a good option when we do not have the possibility to arrange a face-to-face meeting. 

Company meetings are an opportunity to have fun together

In the rush of everyday life, it is difficult to establish contacts with co-workers. Most often they are limited to discussing matters related to work. Some people from the office we don't even recognize on the street.  Company party is an ideal way to improve relations between employees. The space outside the office makes it easier for employees to get to know their true selves. In addition, the casual atmosphere of the event is conducive to establishing friendships that last for years. 

Relationships based on camaraderie and respect make it easier for employees to work in teams. So they are more effective than simply tolerating each other. The event, which can be held after the meeting, is the perfect opportunity to bond through play. It also allows you to discharge the tension that may accompany your daily work. 

It is a great idea to organize a company meeting in a hotel or manor house with an overnight stay. After the official part, the guests will be happy to eat something good and have fun together with music. A party is the perfect way to unwind after a long day in the conference room. This is the perfect time to forge friendly bonds and calm conversations on topics other than work. It is also an excellent form of employee integration. A corporate event brings people together and makes the workplace atmosphere much more pleasant.

Take care of feedback

If we organized a company meeting or conference, it is worth finding out how our guests rate the meeting. Thanks to the feedback, we will have information on what issues would interest the participants, what we should focus on more and what we should avoid. We can get feedback from employees in several ways.

Electronic survey

The first is to send an email with a request to complete an anonymous survey. An anonymous survey is one of the best ways to get reliable feedback. Participants will then feel free to write about what they liked and what they didn't. Additionally, each participant will be able to complete it at any time convenient for him. Unfortunately, there is a risk that some people will ignore it. 

Paper survey 

Another way to get feedback is through a paper survey. You can share it with participants at the exit, anywhere in the conference room, or give it at the entrance and ask them to leave when they leave. Unfortunately, this method may not be very effective. Many people are in a rush to leave, so they do not pay attention to what they write and just want to get it over with. The handwritten questionnaire also has the problem that it can be difficult to read or the person completing the survey will be embarrassed to write their opinion. 

Oral feedback

The most traditional form of obtaining feedback is by talking to the participants. At the same time, it is the least effective. People who are asked about their feelings in person can be far from honest. Many people are constantly afraid that a negative assessment may affect their relationship with their superiors and even become the cause of losing their job. 

Nevertheless, obtaining reliable feedback may have a positive impact on the organization of the next company events. It is worth considering every opinion, even those constituting a minority.

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