When employees lack morale, it negatively impacts performance, productivity, and workplace culture. This can lead to overly stressful and disconnected workplace environments. What’s worse is that low employee morale can spread quickly around the office, affecting even top-performing employees.

For managers and company executives, boosting employees’ morale can be a challenging task. However, it’s imperative to be proactive and tackle the issue before things get worse. That’s not only because work projects could be at risk of falling below the standard. There are more long-term consequences to consider: Low employee morale, if not managed properly, can result in increased turnover and absenteeism.

Fortunately, there are several ways you can support your team. One of the best ways is an outdoor corporate event! Not only can an outdoor corporate event help cultivate a high-energy company culture, but it can also strengthen team cohesion. Still not convinced? Here are some other top ways an outdoor corporate event can boost employee morale.

Change of Environment

Doing the same thing repeatedly gets boring after a while. Employees that come to work and do their same routine every day may start to feel unmotivated and lack determination. A change of environment can get your employees out of a rut by giving them something different to do. Perhaps a little fresh air and fun activities will be all they need to recharge and refocus.

An outdoor corporate event is the perfect opportunity to get all-in-one. From outdoor picnics and comfort foods to recreational activities and relaxation time, your employees can benefit greatly from an office getaway. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery for your employees to discover the best version of themselves and each other.

Inspiring Messages

Undoubtedly, the weather affects our mood. Ever heard “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles? Well, they weren’t lying when they sang about “the smiles returning to their faces.” Just as a rainy day can put us in a lazy and sad mood, sunshine can brighten moods and cheer us up.

The outdoors and the vast natural beauty around us—like trees, flowers, and lakes—have powerful effects on our health. Instead of taking a company trip to a restaurant or indoor venue, consider how much your employees would love an outdoor event. An outdoor corporate event can help your employees think more clearly and inspire them to achieve their goals and apply themselves to their work more meaningfully.

Unwind and Destress

Being in nature is relaxing and will allow your employees to unwind and destress—not just from work responsibilities, but from personal ones too. With open-air and sunshine, your employees can rejuvenate their minds and bodies, completely resetting their outlook. A corporate event venue on a lakefront or with a pool can create an immediate feeling of relaxation. Just seeing or hearing water can make your employees feel calm, instantly taking them to a safe place.

Collective Communication

Communication is essential to the success of any business. It is central to everything we do. When your employees are in a confined space, sometimes communicating can be difficult. Time spent outdoors can encourage your employees to talk about their ideas and reflect on shared interests, which promotes bonding, collaboration, and a way to look at concepts from a different perspective.

This is a chance for your team to learn new things about each other and build trust. Often, work is just about work. Employees don’t get the chance to learn about what their office mates enjoy doing outside of work or about their families and passions. A safe outdoor environment can stimulate vulnerability and togetherness, inevitably fostering friendship.

Bonding Activities

Just as being in an office can reduce collective communication, it can also limit bonding and team building. An outdoor corporate event with effective team-building activities and challenges will not only allow your employees to build teamwork skills but also pave the way for team success.

Whether it’s sporting activities or trivia games, your employees will be able to spend true quality time together. This will allow them to learn about each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. You’d be surprised to see how your employees act outside of the workplace and how team-building exercises can develop a shared mindset among team members.

Foster Creativity

When your employees can communicate freely amongst themselves, they will feel more motivated to express their ideas. Those who are stressed or overwhelmed with work are less likely to come forward and share their thoughts on work-related projects or issues. A well-organized outdoor corporate event enables your employees to think and give them a break from emails and clients.

What’s more is that every time your employees step outdoors and see something that reminds them of your outdoor corporate event, they will have fond memories of how that event changed things for them. Investing in your team is one of the smartest business decisions you will ever make. You will be providing your employees with personal growth and memorable experiences that will last a lifetime.

Host Your Outdoor Corporate Event at Frogbridge Picnics & Events

If you want to incorporate the outdoors into your corporate event, Frogbridge Picnics & Events is perfect for you. The combination of our gorgeous 86-acre fields and the enticing scenery of Millstone Township, New Jersey will blow your employees away. The setting, details, and vibe of our venue will give your employees a space to discover themselves.

At Frogbridge Picnics & Events, our event planners can transform our space to meet your needs. With resort-style amenities, customized catering options, and popular outdoor adventure activities, we are sure that your team will leave feeling satisfied and revitalized. To discover more about what our company picnic venue in Central NJ has to offer, complete a contact form or call our office anytime at (609) 208-9475.

When it comes to planning your corporate retreat, you don’t want the same old style as years before. Break with the past and try something new by including these fun ideas for a non-traditional corporate retreat. At Frogbridge, planning events is what we do best. We know that adding a few creative touches can turn a humdrum event into an extraordinary experience that everyone will remember!

Unconventional Central NJ Corporate Retreat Concepts

Adding a little flair and originality to your corporate retreat will encourage employee attendance and create an inviting atmosphere for employees to get to know each other better. Raise the bar by infusing these alternative suggestions at your next corporate retreat:

Unique Venues for your Corporate Retreat

The first thing to plan for any corporate retreat is the location. Swap the boring and all-too-popular reception hall or event center in exchange for a unique atmosphere. Consider a lakeside or beach setting that features recreational and leisurely activities.

A few off-the-wall venue options include:

Recreational resort
A historic site
Golf course
Farm field or barn
Bowling alley
Aquarium
Museum
Botanical garden
Boat or cruise

Pick a company picnic venue in Central NJ that fits your company culture so employees feel relaxed and comfortable to unwind. If you have a competitive bunch, choose a venue that offers options for games and team-building activities. If your team is under a lot of pressure, look for a place in the beautiful outdoors that includes serene landscaping and leisure activities.

Choosing Your Corporate Retreat Theme

What’s more exciting than an event with a theme? Having a theme for your corporate retreat generates buzz around the office in the weeks leading up to it, and employees can dress up to really get in the spirit.

Consider these out of the box theme ideas:

Hollywood
Murder Mystery
Gangsters
Roaring ’20’s
County fair
Star Wars Fairy Tales
Zombie Apocalypse
What happens in Vegas…
Rodeo

We suggest gathering props to enhance your theme and create a photo booth area! Employees can socialize and snap photos together to remember the day.

Crafting Your Corporate Retreat Menu

Once you choose your theme, the rest of the planning decisions are simple! Build onto your theme with a specialty menu to delight the taste buds. For example, if you have a carnival or county fair theme, include funnel cakes, corn dogs, and perhaps deep-fried Oreos! If you’re having a Hawaiian luau, infuse your menu with pineapple and tropical notes.

If you’d rather skip the theme, you can still get creative when crafting your menu! Consider serving finger foods that guests love like mini-pulled pork sliders, beef kebabs, and crab cakes. If you want a more nutritious option, try a “wrap buffet” where guests can choose their own meats, veggies, and fixings.

Employees and guests will happily welcome novelty snacks and desserts to enjoy throughout their corporate retreat experience. Consider gourmet cookies, shaved Italian ice, or an ice cream sundae bar for a sweet summertime snack!

Plan your food and drink selections with a professional event planner who can bring all of your ideas and wishes into a real-life extravaganza!

Games & Activities for your corporate retreat

While some in the office may jump at the chance to participate in highly competitive sporting games, others might shudder at the thought. Be sure you consider the varying tastes and preferences when planning activities and team building exercises, so everyone finds something to enjoy.

A few of our favorites include:

Scavenger hunt
Extreme ziplining
Tug-of-war
Cornhole
Laser tag
Sports (beach volleyball, golf)
Water sports (kayaking, bumper boats)
Professional go-karts
Carnival-style games
Inflatable bounce houses

Everyone loves to win, so why not take it up a notch by including prizes to award the winning teams? Customized gifts with your company logo are ideal for a corporate retreat. Popular, high-quality ideas include lunch bags, sunglasses, and cell phone chargers.

Employee Gifts for your corporate retreat

Your employees work hard for your company day in and day out. Surprise them with a genuine show of gratitude by gifting your employees with something special at the end of the retreat. A little bit can go a long way, and your staff will be sure to return to work refreshed and re-energized come Monday morning.

Two ideas to show employee appreciation include:

Gift cards to the local coffee shop, car wash, or happy hour spot is always a good idea, plus it stimulates the local businesses in your community
Custom golf umbrellas with the company logo will be cherished by your staff for years to come.

Start Planning Your New Jersey Corporate Retreat with Frogbridge Events Today

Corporate retreats are more than a fun getaway for everyone at the office. These experiences have many benefits like increased teamwork, less stress in the office, and galvanized employees ready to work toward a common goal. When you’re ready to plan a non-traditional corporate retreat that your employees won’t soon forget, the professional event planning team at Frogbridge Events is prepared to help!

Our New Jersey Event Planners have helped numerous Fortune 500 companies, like L’oreal and Johnson & Johnson, plan their corporate events. We know what it takes to pull off an extraordinary corporate retreat experience and can plan yours too. Our corporate event planning team will walk you through your event step by step until we’ve created the corporate picnic, retreat, or event to enthrall and delight your whole team! Schedule a call to learn more at Frogbridge Events by completing an online contact form or call today at (609) 208-9475.