It’s been more than a few years since our wedding, but before we started planning, I thought, “How hard can this be? We only need a location, some clothes, some flowers, some friends, and some invitations?”
My eyes were quickly opened to the work involved in planning and executing a meaningful event.
Events take a lot of work and energy, so it is easy to dismiss them as something that is not worth the effort. However, there are several great reasons to have an employee event.
1. Moments Matter.
Early on, our lives are filled with events. Birthday Parties. Kindergarten Graduations. Field Trips. Class Plays. Sports Banquets. Proms. High School Graduations. As we age, we have fewer events, but moments still matter.
The modern information/attention economy does not produce markable moments. One day bleeds into the next with little sense of a tangible moment. In contrast, a farmer’s work was marked by planting, fertilizing, and harvesting. Each produced a moment. (There is great satisfaction in putting that last hay bale hay in the barn.)
Because moments are no longer a natural part of adult life, leaders must be intentional about creating these moments for their teams.
Producing these moments creates memories and makes our work feel more meaningful.
2. Informal Connections are critical to the employee experience.
As we have transitioned to remote and hybrid work environments, the bonding of “side” conversations has diminished. While this may be celebrated by people who want to GET THINGS DONE, it undermines the team environment.
Everyone wants to work on something meaningful WITH other humans.
Scheduling an event where team members have the space to chat about their interests outside of work creates a sense of community in the workplace.
At Leadercast, we have found that these conversations do not have to be long.
When you bring your team together for a leadership development experience, the time before the event, the breaks, and a shared meal creates enough space for meaningful connection.
3. Events communicate that you care about the whole person.
Every employee wants to feel valued as a person, not a production unit.
Providing a leadership development event for your team conveys that you are invested in them as people. It says that you care WHO they are, not just WHAT they do.
Investing in the whole person is key to employee satisfaction and retention.
No one wants to work in an environment where they feel like they are just a cog in the machine.
Thanks for being a leader worth following,
Brian Rutherford
Director of Content & Product Strategy
