5 Ways to Breathe a Little Fun into Your Next Business Conference

Business meetings don’t have to be boring.

Yes, they do have a “boring” stereotype, largely because many meetings tend to be dull, unengaging, and far too long. But just because important meetings are focused on company goals and ideas doesn’t mean that a little bit of fun will make it less productive. In fact, getting your team members laughing and interacting with each other will make for a more productive, enjoyable meeting.

Set the Tone

Engaging your team members or employees starts before the meeting even begins. As soon as you know the meeting’s location and purpose, set a theme and start promoting the conference. Don’t make the theme corny or immature, but make it fun and relevant to the people that work in your office.

Come up with a fun, catchy title for your meeting, or hold a competition to see who in the office can come up with the best title for the theme you give them.

Promotional videos are another way to spread word about the meeting, and if you make them fun and interesting, people will be more excited to attend the actual meeting. Use social media to your advantage.

Send out emails with tips for how to survive a meeting—make some of them fun or goofy, but include some real tips that will help your employees be prepared for active engagement.

Award Prizes

Hold an ongoing raffle or trivia game at the meeting. Between every speaker or event, award prizes to the employee with the best ideas for such-and-such a project or the boldest tie. Throw out questions about company policies and projects, and give out candy or gift cards as prizes.

Hold competitions throughout the meeting. They’ll keep people engaged and give them some incentive to participate. See who can draw the best picture of the CEO, hold their own in an arm wrestling competition, or recite the most digits of pi.

Bring Food

Nothing brings a group of people together like food. Even employees who really don’t want to be there will be more engaged and open if you provide plenty of food and snacks. If you don’t think bringing in donuts is going to cut it, have something catered or see how your employees feel about a potluck.

Many venues such as Cartier Place Suite Hotel offer catering services onsite, which will save you the hassle of finding a restaurant or company nearby. 

Create Traditions

Every meeting should be a little different just to keep your team on their toes, but adding a tradition or two will make them feel more comfortable as well as give them something to look forward to. Start a fun, silly, engaging tradition that will make them excited for each meeting.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Open the meeting with a funny video of the past month or year at the company.
• Have the newest employees go through some kind of “initiation” process.
• Begin the meeting with a raffle.
• Serve a catered meal of a famous local food.

Incorporate Games

Games aren’t just for kids. Games and activities keep people of all ages actively involved in discussions and lectures; adults at a business conference are no different.

Have crayons or colored pencils at each table and hold a few rounds of Pictionary based on ideas they have for company goals or growth. Bring Play-Doh for each table and have them create a visual of their ideas. Give each table a Nerf gun or headlamp that they must use to indicate that they have a comment to share.

This might seem silly, but it will keep your meetings light and fun, and have the added bonus of stimulating ideas and comments.

There are plenty of other ways to make meetings more fun and interesting to your team. Don’t just stand up at the front and present from a slideshow. Get your employees interacting with you and each other, and you’ll find that meetings at your company become something to look forward to, not dreaded.