Category: Uncategorized

December 10, 2020

How Engaging with Nature Can Boost Employees’ Wellbeing

From the open air to trees swaying in the wind, engaging with nature can introduce real meaning to our lives. You often hear people say that getting outdoors is great for your health, and a significant amount of research shows how true that saying is. However, employers and workplaces often overlook the benefits of nature on employee health.

Simply finding time and ways to incorporate the outdoors into your workplace or providing alternative ways for employees to enjoy nature can make all the difference in the mood around your office. If you’re not yet convinced of the power of nature, discover below how engaging with nature can boost employees’ wellbeing.

The Connection Between Nature and Employee Wellbeing

Work environments can be stressful. An unpleasant situation can make employees feel anxious, overwhelmed, and tired. These feelings directly affect whole-body health. Stress increases blood pressure and heart rate, and tiredness and tension can fatigue muscles and weaken the immune system. A captivating and freeing environment, like nature, can help!

Heal: Nature is healing, both externally and internally. Even just 20 minutes outside in the sun and warmth can boost employee wellbeing.
Soothe: Nature is a healthy distraction. When work is busy and personal life is hectic, employees can take a moment to absorb natural scenery.
Rejuvenate: Spending time outdoors is peaceful. A quiet environment with tranquil surroundings can help reduce anxiety, allowing employees to restore their minds and focus on their purpose.
Connect: Being at a desk all day and sitting in front of a computer screen is draining.

Nature gives employees time to reflect and connect with the outside world, themselves, and those around them.

Nature and Its Effect on Three Dimensions of Wellness

Unquestionably, nature is powerful. Yet, nature’s effects go further than providing a destination to rest, relax, and recharge. Engaging with nature benefits these three dimensions of wellness:

Physical

Sitting inside all day not only limits employees’ physical activity but also promotes unhealthy practices over time. Staring at a screen all day can cause headaches and damage cells in the brain. A stationary lifestyle is a common contributor to weight gain and long-term illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Being outdoors encourages employees to get up and move. Moving your body releases serotonin in the brain, gets blood flow pumping, nourishes the skin, and strengthens the mind—all of which are vital to employee wellbeing, satisfaction, and productivity.

Emotional

Nature is emotionally therapeutic. In busy workplace environments, it’s often challenging to find a space to unwind. Even offices with private rooms and nooks for employees to hang out still don’t allow them to fully disengage from their work. They may feel pressured about getting back to work or consumed with all they have left to do; therefore, they miss out on re-energizing their minds.

Getting outside can help rebalance the nervous system, allowing employees to come back into work with a fresh and clear mind. This will not only aid work performance, but it will also help improve workplace morale. This is because people can sense others’ energy, so when one employee feels right about something, that positive feeling typically spreads around the office.

Social

Work can oftentimes feel isolating, especially if employees tend to work more independently. People need connection, whether it’s to someone else, themselves, or nature. When employees are socially isolated, it can lead to loneliness, which may result in depression or anxiety. Access to nature aids connectedness to the environment and centers employees to their true selves. Working outdoors can also help employees get to know one another through shared experiences, fostering mutual trust and respect.

Explore the Great Outdoors with Your Team at Frogbridge Events

Nurture your employees at Frogbridge Picnics & Events with our captivating, 86-acre outdoor company event venue in Central New Jersey. Our venue is an exceptional complement for memorable learning and life experiences, whether you’re looking to spoil your company or celebrate a milestone.

Are you interested in planning an unforgettable outdoor company retreat or picnic? We’ve got you covered. We have extensive experience helping companies, large and small, plan seamless and exciting company events. Our planners will consider your needs and budget to create the perfect outdoor experience that’ll leave your employees feeling brand new. Inquire about our company event packages by completing a contact form or calling our office at (609) 208-9475 today.

Joanna Brooks

August 18, 2020

How Early Should You Begin Planning a Company Retreat?

You know that your team desperately needs a getaway, but you’re debating how to do this. You’re not sure if you want to have a holiday event, a team-service event, or day off. Have you ever considered a company retreat? An effectively planned and executed company retreat comes with countless benefits that reward and engage your employees. Giving your employees the opportunity to participate is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can go a long way for both them and your company.

Company retreats have the power to boost employee morale, build personal relationships, and re-energize your team’s wellness. When your team feels valuable and important, they work and cooperate more efficiently. However, planning a successful and meaningful retreat can be overwhelming, so the sooner you start, the better the outcome.

Why Planning Earlier is Better

The earlier you begin planning your company retreat, the more time you have to get everything organized and make certain everything is in order to guarantee a productive event. Planning your event earlier will allow you to clearly establish your goals for the event and ensure that everyone involved has a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Success is for firstcomers, as they say. If you start planning sooner rather than later, you can ensure things run smoothly, especially:

Transportation and budget
Securing a venue
Higher turnout rates
Quality of the event

Waiting to plan your company event can cost you the venue you wanted. Quality company retreat venues fill up fast, so you have to be proactive and reserve a date quickly. If you wait too long, your options may be limited, and you may struggle to find a venue that is near you. Also, planning will pay off in the end. When your event is a week away and you’ve already booked a venue, organized transportation, and created invitations, all you have to focus on is making a few calls to confirm that everything is good to go.

How Many People Are on Your Team?

The number of people on your team will determine how early you should start. Smaller companies anywhere between 10 to 20 people can reserve three to four months to start planning, whereas medium to large companies with 50 or more people will need anywhere between five to nine months of planning.

Both small and large-scale events come with unique challenges. However, if you’re planning a large event, you’ll need to be ready for a huge amount of effort. It might be easy to get 15 employees to come to your company event, but trying to accommodate 100 employees is going to be more complex. There are more steps that need to be taken into account, like budget, set up, and resources. Therefore, you should look for venues that have their own coordinators who can draft an event plan and handle all details so you don’t miss out on anything important.

What Date Works Best for Everyone?

When it comes time to plan your event, do not underestimate the importance of selecting a date. It isn’t as simple as picking a day on the calendar and hoping everyone can make it. There are a number of factors that should be taken into consideration, including:

Availability of employees
Weather
Holidays
School breaks
Conflicting events

In addition, the issue of team size comes into play when choosing a date. With smaller teams, you can simply send out an email asking everyone to choose a date that they can attend trouble-free. For larger teams, sending out an email to arrange a date can quickly turn into a mess. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself all over the place.

If you choose a date in advance, you have more time to fix any issues that may arise such as an employee with a prior commitment. Remember that you may not be able to please everyone and there may be complaints, but by starting early, you can give your employees the time they need to move things around in their lives.

Organize an Unforgettable Company Retreat at Frogbridge Events

If you’re looking to give your employees an escape from the busyness of the office life, look no further than Frogbridge Picnics & Events in Central New Jersey. Featuring 86 acres of spectacular views, our facility is the perfect option for corporate retreats both large and small. With tons of structured team-building exercises and resort-style amenities to choose from, we have the resources available to meet the needs and budgets of small businesses and large corporations.

Our company picnic venue in Central NJ can swiftly organize an unforgettable company retreat. We’ll handle the challenging details while you focus on picking a date and pumping your team up for an exciting day. Our team is more than happy to resolve any questions or concerns you may have. To learn more about the many packages we have to offer for company events, complete a contact form or call our office anytime at (609) 208-9475.

Joanna Brooks

July 15, 2020

How to Plan The Perfect Outdoor Team Building Company Event

Having a strong company culture is crucial for the success of your business. Every step you take towards creating a positive company culture is a direct investment in your employees and clients. Teams who are recognized and rewarded for their achievements are more likely to perform and produce more effectively. When employees are more confident and passionate in their interactions, clients will take notice and will feel value in their relationship with your company.

Company events are one of the most effective ways you can drive growth, performance, and interpersonal relationships in your organization. Here’s some information to help you hit the ground running on planning the most exceptional team building company event of the year.

Choosing the Best Type of Team Building Event for Your Team

There are countless types of team building events that you can plan for your company. From picnics and sporting events to seminars and conferences, there’s one thing each of these events have in common: establishing connection. When choosing the best type of team building event, keep in mind the goals you have for your company and how certain events can meet those goals better than others.

Company Retreats

Company retreats offer your group the opportunity to gather, unwind, and participate in several activities. Some ideas for fun retreats include:

Outdoor picnics: give your company the opportunity to network and share stories through comforting foods
Resort style amenities: show your company that you’re thankful for their hard work and dedication
Exciting recreational activities: allow members of your company to work together in a competitive and fun way
Relaxation and reflection moments: allocate time for your team to de-stress and practice mindfulness
Team-building exercises: present members of your team with the ability to interact and come up with creative problem solving strategies together to overcome challenges

The chance for your employees to bond with one another outside of the workplace allows them to identify their own strengths and weaknesses while learning about their coworkers. The office environment, especially around busy times in the year, can be stressful and hectic. Planning something as special as a corporate retreat outdoors shows your organization that you care about the well-being of your workers, improving company morale and trust. If you’re looking to plan an office getaway, even if it’s just for a day, consider planning a retreat for your next company event.

Outdoor Company Appreciation Events

Similar to company retreats, appreciation events show your company that you’re thankful for all that they bring to the table everyday. However, appreciation trips might be targeted more towards rewarding your team, whereas retreats look to both develop and reward teams. Still, appreciation events will encourage your employees to communicate and relate to one another. You can show your appreciation for your company in any of the following events:

Holiday parties
Celebration of company milestones
Lunch or dinner picnics
Sporting events
Incentive trips

You can choose to share your gratitude for your team through multiple appreciation events, or, for a more cost-efficient way of admiration for your team, set aside a budget to throw one or two company appreciation events a year. This gives your team something to look forward to and is the ultimate way to praise your company.

Executing the Perfect Team Building Outdoor Event

Preparing and executing a big company event is going to take time and patience, but in the end, it will be so worth it! The key is to first conceptualize the specific elements that you want included at your event and then you can pull all of the pieces together to make it one of a kind. Once you have choose a venue, some tips to help plan a company event that your employees will remember forever include:

Outline the goals and purpose of your event
Set aside a reasonable budget
Create a planning checklist and project timeline
Decide on themes, decorations, dates, and times
Plan to incorporate team building activities throughout the day
Promote your event with invitations and flyers
Hire caterers and/or speakers

As you can see, executing a successful company event takes preparation, dedication, and hard work. Consider choosing a venue that has event planners and different types of packages that you can include in your company event. This would mean that all you have to do is go through one company, establish a vision of what you have in mind, and let them get to work on making that vision come to life.

Let Frogbridge Picnics & Events Plan Your Successful Outdoor Company Event

The entire staff at Frogbridge Picnics & Events can take care of all those details outlined above and more. When you want to plan a company event in the Central Jersey area, let Frogbridge Events be your exceptional venue of choice. Our skilled event planners will work with you and listen to any concerns you have to ensure you host the perfect company event. Frogbridge Events is the perfect place to recognize your employee’s perseverance and present goals you have in mind to continue advancing your business. Our Central NJ corporate event venue sits on 86 acres of breath-taking scenery, complete with all the features you need to make your company event unique and unforgettable. To learn more about the many packages we have to offer for company events, complete a contact form or call our office anytime at (609) 208-9475.

Joanna Brooks