EVENT PLANNING GUIDE

Celebrate & Recognize your Special Week

This Planning Guide is your source for celebrations and recognition of dedicated staff.   These ideas promoteteambuilding and generate a sense of pride in your profession. It does not take a large budget or drain resources to plan, in fact spreading good news helps productivity and work satisfaction!

First Steps

Decide the theme. Start your search on-line. Many national recognition weeks have annual themes with a media kit including downloadable graphics. But if this year’s theme isn’t your style, create your own, or use a previous year. The theme will provide a direction for planning events, theme colors, promotional items and decorations.

Get help from coworkers. Form a small committee to help plan and divide the work. Getting others to help will increase the overall participation in the events planned.

Plan early. Order any items or make favors at least two weeks in advance. Also if your festivities include the community start making those calls early so they can save the date.

 

Activity Guide

Enter the Celebration

Announce your celebration to everyone who enters with a colorful balloon arch. Decorate your entrances with Balloons during the Week and plan a photo outside on the 1st day of the event inviting local media for the photo opportunity. Make the photo something special by outfitting your staff with event T-Shirts.

Spread the Celebration

Decorate your lobby, offices, cubicles, stations,and community areas with colorful balloons, posters, banners and signs. Next, distribute themed photo booth props for staff to share their photos on social media. (no photos posted without permission of those in the photo)

Wacky/Tacky dress days

Send the memo and post the sign for all staff to dress the part and join the fun. Samples of wacky dress up: Favorite sports team, pajama day, fashion disaster, super hero, favorite era-50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, Prince or Princess….

Health Fair

Choose a location and organize booths to provide health information for the community. A time-honored tradition, the health fair is a popular stop on any National Hospital Week itinerary. Plan a variety of fair booths where volunteers can distribute important wellness information and promotional items.

Open House

Have a celebration to mark this momentous event! Invite your friends and family to join in, and give tours and have an interesting agenda. If you get a Proclamation, this is the perfect time to have a presentation. Honoring someone for an significant achievement or award can coordinated with the event. Simple platters and drinks can be donated by vendors if budget is tight.

Gift Totes/Cups

Fill a tote, cup or mug (dollar store or custom) with fun and useful items for your staff and/or visitors. Pinterest is a great resource for goodie bag ideas. Small cellophane bags filled with chocolates and festive ribbon never disappoints.

Yummy Treats

If an event has yummy treats, then you’ll get a crowd. Decorate with the theme using colors for balloons and paper goods, theme logo on posters and banners. Food related events can include: Breakfast buffet served with bagels and spreads, coffee, juice and fresh fruit. Afternoon ice cream bar with toppings and fruit. Wine and Cheese with an interesting speaker. Cupcakes or baked goods from a local bakery. Pizza parties with sheet cake work great too.

Lunch & Learn

Continuing education is essential for health care workers, and there’s no time like a Recognition Week to host a “Lunch & Learn seminar.” Bring in a guest speaker to talk to your staff and provide a “brown bag” lunch for everyone who attends. Pack the lunch in the reusable lunch cooler with theme logo for a extra special treat.

Community Outreach

Get Outdoors

There’s nothing like a picnic in the great outdoors to promote unity. Bring together co- workers with a variety of food and activities on your grounds or at a nearby park. A management served BBQ or picnic in the park with old fashioned sports games (egg toss and 3-legged races).

Run, Walk, Bike, Roller

Wellness is a smooth road—keep your community healthy with a 5k or fun run., bike ride, or walk.   Whatever activity your committee decides on (spinning) and sponsor an event to promote fitness and a healthier lifestyle. T-shirts or water bottles with the event logo e make an excellent gift for participants.

A Sports Event

College or pro games will sell game tickets for groups. Baseball or footballs games can be a great outing and a tailgate can be pot luck.

Bowling, Painting, Cooking

Locations suitable for company social events are no longer limited to bars and golf courses. There is the traditional choice of bowling, but now painting and cooking classes cater to companies to provide memorable events.

Show Gratitude

The Gift of Pride

Show your pride in your staff by distributing gifts of appreciation. Have a raffle at a staff meeting or randomly. Include gift certificates, movie passes, logo items or donated items.

Paycheck Stuffers

Start your Recognition Week celebration right with a message of gratitude. It’s easy to do—create a Paycheck Stuffer that ensures your appreciation is as close as a pay envelope. Have management distribute the envelopes personally along with a buttons or pins.

Gift Baskets

Your co-workers deserve a pat on the back— and a little something extra. A gift basket filled with snacks and goodies to share and a signed note card is a thoughtful way to make them part of the festivities.

Media Guide

If you want to spread the message into the community you can send news releases and post for directly onto social media. Create a few hashtags # for your event. Include the # on all printed materials. Many organizations have Media Kits that include free of charge downloadable logos and graphics. If you chose a logo, use it on all printed materials including banners, posters, invitations, tags, labels.

Social Media

Post items throughout the week on your company’s website and/or social media channels. Share photos and videos of unique events, (with their authorization). Use the hashtag you selected on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to contribute to the national conversation.

News Releases

News releases are used to alert the local media of significant events, issues, services, programs, awards, and other events. Send the release to your local news editors and reporters, especially those who have previously covered your company. If you want to invite the press before the event occurs, send a media advisory or a personal invite at least one week before the event or desired coverage, and then follow up a couple days before to see if they can come.

Proclamations

Proclamations are a great mechanism to have your locally elected officials visit your company. Invite your legislators, mayor or city council members to issue a proclamation in honor of your National Recognition Week.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]