Internal Event Ideas

You've just been asked to plan your company's next internal event. Now what? First, you need to hammer out the details and figure out what it'll take for the entire day or evening to go smoothly. Then, you need some out-of-the-box ideas to treat your guests to something unforgettable. Parties are supposed to be fun, after all! This internal event planning guide provides tips and ideas for your next corporate event.

Steps to Planning an Internal Event

Planning an internal corporate event takes a lot of thought, logistical know-how, and creativity. In the moment, it'll all go by in the blink of an eye. Making everything come together flawlessly could take months of careful planning, depending on the event's size and guest list. Here are seven steps to follow in your event planning checklist.

Set your event's goal and purpose: First, know why you're hosting the event in the first place. Is it to reward employees for their hard work with a fun team-building activity? Announce or celebrate a big win? Educate your team and set a new strategic direction? Once you know your goal, your event begins to take shape. Once you have your goal set, you will know whether to plan for an hour-long seminar or a day of presentations and breakout sessions.
Decide if you need an event planner's help: High-production internal events take lots of effort and planning to pull off. More attendees mean more guest management concerns. Everything must be perfectly polished for VIPs and executives, with florals and décor to impress. A destination event requires flights and hotels, while a day of presentations requires an experienced A/V team. Consider the logistics and whether your team can manage the event planning process yourselves. If anything seems beyond your abilities or time commitment, it's time to loop in a professional event management agency, like B Floral.
Outline your budget: Depending on your event goals, you may need to pull out all the stops or keep your costs down. Make a list of your must-haves and nice-to-haves, and gather pricing information on everything. Create a spreadsheet for your expenditures, and note any potential discounts you can snap up.
Find a venue: Start your hunt for a venue early. The sooner you book your venue, the more likely you'll be to get your preferred location and date. Some internal events can take place in your own office. Larger events may require a vast space for a big audience. As you're venue scouting, look for attractive rooms or features that add to the experience, such as a rooftop garden, terrace, or an impressive multi-functional space.
Set your agenda: Your internal event may encompass some opening remarks, individual presentations, panel discussions, workshop sessions, a keynote address, and some closing remarks. Find out precisely what will happen during your event and how long it will take. Also, consider breaks and mealtimes. An all-day meeting might start with breakfast or the expectation that attendees arrive with full stomachs.
Find speakers: At an internal event, some of your speakers may be department heads or other higher-ups in your company. Some events will also invite a speaker to offer motivational wisdom or new perspectives on your industry. Make sure those on your team know what their speeches entail, and book a speaker for your keynote address.
Have a backup plan: The truth is, a lot can go wrong during a live event. If you're planning an outdoor lunch or cocktail hour, know what the rain plan will be. Figure out what will happen if the presentations or workshops run short or long. Attack your event plan from every angle. Then, come up with a backup plan for everything. At least one of those contingency plans will likely come in handy.

Internal Event Ideas

Whatever your event goals, a little creativity can turn your internal event from a regular meeting to a truly memorable experience. Whether it's with unexpected event branding or 360 event design and production, B Floral can help you brainstorm stand-out company event ideas and bring them to life. To help you get started, we've compiled a list of concepts for every type of internal event.

Outings and Experiences

Company outings are a great way to celebrate a job well done and take some time to grow closer as a team. If you're looking to treat them to something extra special, try some company party ideas like:

Cooking classes: A unique foodie experience, like sushi-making or wine tasting, can be a great team bonding experience and a special treat rolled into one.
Spa weekends: If your hard-working team needs a chance to relax, a spa day or an all-out spa weekend could be just what you need. Rent out an entire spa to yourselves, or call in the aestheticians and massage therapists to treat everyone right at the office.
Boat rides: If your event is near a bay, river, or another body of water, a boat ride is a fun, unexpected experience. Take a sunset cruise after a busy day of meetings. Or, host both the presentations and the after-party out at sea.
Local attraction tours: Pick somewhere fun that suits your corporate culture and spend the day as tourists. Depending on your team's preferences, you could visit a brewery, vineyard, zoo, museum, or another local hotspot.

Team-Building Events

Sometimes, internal events need a more focused experience. Team-building events drive your team to brainstorm and work together in unusual situations. Some common team-building activities include:

Field days or sporting events: Team-based sports or physical challenges are a great way to promote team spirit and a sense of accomplishment. Find the unique combination of activities that fit your team. Maybe it's a two-on-two tennis match or a tug-of-war competition.
Escape room games: Escape rooms give your team's problem-solving muscles an excellent workout. Your team will have to follow the clues and escape the room within the time limit. With so many challenges to try, you can have a different experience every time.
Scavenger hunts: Scavenger hunts are a great exercise because they're customizable. If you have just an hour or two, you can confine the hunt to the event venue. A virtual or hybrid event can have everyone participating from their home office with a selfie scavenger hunt. To amp things up, send your team on a city-wide scavenger hunt.
Floral arranging classes: Whether it's in-person or virtual, hosting a floral arranging class is a great way to spark creativity throughout your company or department. Not only will your team learn a new skill, but they will also have a gorgeous takeaway at the end of the class.

Meetings and Presentations

When the top of the agenda is workshop sessions or keynote speakers, you might not have the time or budget to treat everyone to an all-day team-building event or outing. No matter how professional your event needs to be or how many employees you're inviting, you can always inject some life into your event. Some ideas to try include:

Pick a unique theme: A fun concept can make any conference memorable. It can transform your event venue into a campsite, a disco club, or an exotic, faraway place.
Get creative with food and beverage: Even if it's just a quick coffee and snack bar between sessions, amazing food and drinks add a special treat to your event. Work with a caterer who can add creative flair to every dish. Maybe they can whip up your company logo out of frosting. Or, bring in a barista to turn a plain coffee and tea selection into an espresso or latte bar.
Make your photo moments the star: In today's Instagram-savvy world, a photo moment is an instant hit. Attendees can stop by for a quick photo between event sessions or during lunch hour. When you pepper in some show-stopping photo moments for your internal corporate events, like flower walls or branded archways, everyone will want to strike a pose.
Have some fun: If your event is announcing a product launch, let your attendees play with it. If your event involves back-to-back meetings, let the day finish strong with a celebratory cocktail hour. Provide attendee gift bags or a fun activity to make the event memorable and exciting. Dress up the post-event dinner with delicate floral arrangements and eye-catching table décor.

Need Help Planning Your Next Internal Event? Contact B Floral

Looking for some fresh-cut florals and some even fresher event ideas? Talk to B Floral. We can help you turn your next corporate event into a picture-perfect, one-of-a-kind experience. Whether it's dinner and a meeting or an all-day outing, let us take care of everything from event strategy and management to décor and furniture rentals. Check out our gallery for more event ideas, or reach out to tell us what you're looking for.

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