5 “Must-Have” Events for 2023 (And why you should start planning now)

Calling all event planners! Or maybe you’re not really an event planner, but somehow the task of planning and organizing your company’s events got added to your plate (among many other things, we should add). 

Either way, you’d probably agree that events have the tendency to sneak up on us. One day, we’re having a meeting about a corporate retreat that’s 8 months away thinking “I’ve got plenty of time” …and then suddenly it’s one month out, and we haven’t planned a thing. Oof. Anyone else just feel their stomach drop? Just us? 

Alright, so here comes the good news. The *wow, this actually gives me room to BREATHE* news. 

We made a full plan of must-have events for 2023, and we’re sharing it below! 

Instead of spending hours upon hours pouring energy into figuring out what events you should be doing when…or procrastinating and avoiding planning altogether, steal this 2023 event plan to deepen engagement, enhance culture, increase retention, and exceed goals. 

And if you’re wondering why these are considered to be “must-haves”, the answer is simple: these are attainable events that, if implemented well, will not only enhance company culture but will help turn your 2023 goals from ambitions to realities. 

5 Must Have Events for 2023:

1. Vision Casting/Year Planning. Safe to say, this one’s really important! But sadly, many companies skip over it or only insert some aspect of vision into their holiday/year-end gathering. As event planning experts, we’ve seen that companies who choose to prioritize vision casting and beginning-of-the-year planning go a lot further than others. Note: this can be as elaborate as a team trip to Disney World, or as simple as a 2-hour gathering in person/on Zoom. If you choose the latter, just make sure you add some flavor into the meeting. Inject excitement! (try using an Elevate Icebreaker)
2. Quarterly Team Building. This is an incredible way to stay connected as a team! Consider hiring a culture builder or coach (like Elevate Founder Billy Boughey) to provide content that is specific to your company and goals. No offense, but your team members probably already hear from you a lot. Plus, inviting someone new in allows you to participate with the group! Trust us, your team members will see this and appreciate it more than you know.
3. Monthly Social Connection. Do you see other companies having happy hours, game nights, Friday lunches, etc, and think to yourself “what’s the point”? It’s easy to slip into thinking social connections aren’t necessary. And technically, they’re not! But remember, necessary ≠ important. Planning a monthly time to “treat” team members invites them to connect on a deeper level, and it shows that you care about their job satisfaction and well-being. And if you want to take it to a whole new level, try letting team members invite their families. Then, sit back and watch the magic happen. (PS- who doesn’t want to have more fun at work)?
4. Mid-Year Check-In. It’s July - temps are scorching, and you’re 6 months out from the January planning session that left your team members feeling invigorated. Hopefully, you’ve empowered the leaders in your organization to continue revisiting any vision/goals that were set for the year, but regardless, a mid-year check-in is a GREAT way to well, check in! Use this time to ask important questions like: Where are we on X goal? How are you feeling? What’s the status of X project? Is there anything that could help you feel more supported? 
5. Holiday Celebration. By now, you probably know how we feel about holiday parties. Simply put, they matter! Consider “breaking the mold” with your holiday party this year by implementing new elements or traditions. And hey, planning this far in advance means you get the BEST choices for venue, speakers, catering, and more! #WINNING!

The truth is, things are going to get busy. They probably already are! New projects and responsibilities will undoubtedly get added to your schedule. It will feel like the only option is to put event planning on the back burner. But we all know what happens when that pesky back burner comes into the picture - events decrease in quality, and therefore, lose impact. 👎We know that’s not what you want! 

So instead of sporadic planning throughout the year, carve out some time this month to add these events to your company calendar. Start putting the big pieces together (venue, times, and other larger details). Sprinkling in the “final touches” and smaller details will feel so much more achievable as the events approach, and you’ll find yourself feeling SO relieved that you did the heavy lifting well in advance. 

And if thinking about things slipping through the cracks stresses you out, you don’t have to do it alone! 🤝We’ve spent over a decade helping world-class companies of every size produce events people love. Thinking through the details so you don’t have to? That’s our specialty. Click here to drop us a line - even if just to pick our brains about an event you’re planning!