Planning Your ‘Bring Your Family to Work Day’
Guide
‘Bring Your Family to Work Days‘ are a meaningful way to connect your team and their families.
If you’re planning one of these events, you may wonder what you’ll need to keep in mind.
In this article, we want to help you in planning your event with a guide on everything you need to know from selecting a location, planning logistics and catering- even addressing policies and what to share with employees.
Our event planners have planned countless memorable, special days like these nationwide.
This in-depth guide will also relate to what your team will need to know in preparation for planning your ‘Bring Your Family to Work Day’.
What Does the Host Need to Know?
In planning your next ‘Family Day’, there are many factors you’ll need to consider, both on the logistical side and on the activities and catering sides.
Here’s a rundown of what you need to know and keep in mind starting with the location and company policies.
The Location:
We always say planning an event begins with the location and this aspect of ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ days is given. One advantage of planning this type of event is that you likely don’t have to scout out locations. Most of these style events are held right at your company’s own location. Warehouses, parking lots, lobbies, large grassy or open areas are perfect for setting up entertainment, food and beverage stations and more. This saves a lot of time in searching for and securing a site. However, you must consider what obstacles and safety measures, if any, come with hosting an event at a work environment.
For some businesses, this means roping off areas, especially those with heavy machinery, or providing dedicated pathways so guests don’t wander off.
Other things to consider are power sources (will your workplace’s power allowance be enough for an event?) and accommodations (do you have enough available bathrooms?). We can always work out a solution for any of this, but the logistics boil down to working with the location, be it what places guests can enter or the site’s layout. We typically set up the main event in the parking lot (food, entertainment options, etc.), and our clients will give their guests guided tours inside the facility. Many parking lots are big enough to accommodate any guest vehicles without additional parking. However, it’s always good to have a backup plan, especially if you want to make your parking lot the center of your event like this company did.
Company Policies:
At a ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ day, it’s important to clarify the adherence to company policies if they apply. SHRM notes separate policies regarding children in the workplace that are interesting to note. Whatever you company policies are, be sure to include it on your flyers whether or not guests will need to adhere to any specific policies (such as photography inside the building, cell phone usage, etc.) and/or dress code (such as if open-toed shoes are not allowed).
If your facility operates machinery, particularly if the machinery will be running during the tour, you may want your employees to communicate to their family the need to adhere to all safety procedures (including any specific dress codes). Note which company policies you expect your guests to adhere to, and include this information on all flyers and invitations.
Additional signage is also important to communicate when policies will be strictly enforced – such as during tours or inside of specific buildings/areas. A well placed sign for no cell phone use at the entrance of a building you are giving a tour to can remind guests not typically familiar with your facility what the rules are.
The Logistics:
Now that you have the basics covered, the logistics will come into play. Our team is well-versed in navigating the ins and outs listed below, but it’s always helpful to know what you need going into the planning process.
Parking:
As noted earlier, space for parking is of utmost importance. Rarely does a location have enough parking for their entire company all at once (let alone the additional needed for family, guests and the staff for the event). Fortunately, we’re prepared for this. If parking is off-site, we can bring in shuttle services. The size and layout of a business’s parking area must also be taken into consideration. Depending on the space available, you should have traffic directors to ensure a smooth traffic flow. Traffic directors can also help ensure guests keep moving with the traffic flow and avoid inadvertently ending up in the wrong place.
Flow of Event:
The flow of the event refers to the event’s layout and is designed for maximum accessibility and efficiency. Our event designers are experts in event layout and management to guarantee guests get the most out of the experience. Well placed stations, inflatables, and even roping and signage ensures foot traffic moves freely through the space.
Strategically placing beverage stations ensure that wait lines are manageable and/or that guests have easy access to hydration stations. Staggering buffet lines to ensure everyone’s fed on time and without creating crowded areas. Clear signage gives guests direction to everything from food and beverage to what times specific entertainment options are available – such as tours, concerts, lunch serving times, etc.
Our planners will work with you and your location to ensure their event setup allows for a smooth flow and the best experience possible for your guests.
Power:
Many businesses need more electricity for their ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ Day to power inflatables, speakers, and other amenities on the day-of. We’ll need to know where the outlets are and how much power you have available on the grounds to ensure we meet National Electrical Code and local code guidelines. Our AV crew will need to figure out the rest, including if additional power will be needed, safety concerns and cable management.
If your power allowance is low, we can bring in generators to support our audio/visual equipment, lighting, and other tech. At times, we may need to have the setup evaluated by a licensed electrician, fire marshal or code enforcement to ensure we’re up to code with power allowances. Depending on your location, you may be on a power limitation, and we can employ our generators to ensure the load on the mainframe is reasonable and safe.
Restrooms:
Restrooms – their accessibility and size – need to be considered for your ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ days. While you may have enough restrooms for your staff, their layout within the facility and the amount of them may not be compatible with your guest list. If the bathrooms are located in areas unsuitable for your attendees to enter, and you only have a few usable restrooms on the premises, we’ll need to bring in additional ones. We bring in fully furnished rooms with flushable toilets, so your guests’ restroom experience will be top-notch. However, we’ll need to know how many to bring in as well as figure out where to place them for maximum efficiency.
Seating:
Seating is an important note to consider for a “Bring Your Family to Work” day. After all, you’ll have more people on the grounds than usual. Whether your break rooms or cafeterias will be utilized for your guests, we can always bring in extra seating. Typically, a meal will be served at these events, and we can bring in tents, tables, chairs, and/or umbrella tables for your guests to use if you need more space than your cafeteria allows.
Security:
Security is a necessity for corporate events, even those at your own location. We have security on call who we can partner with to keep your event safe, so your own security team can enjoy a day off as well. Our security is trained in keeping events secure and ensuring no outsiders can enter the premises. This is especially important for events hosted at your business location. Our security professionals are licensed by the state of California and trained to ensure your guests remain safe at all times. To learn more about our protocol, check out our event safety page.
Entertainment & Experiences
For a ‘Family Day’, it’s best to consider entertainment all ages can enjoy. At Weber Metals’ bring your family to work day, we set up plenty of all-ages entertainment. So, too, is it important to consider unique experiences for your family day event. Being at your workplace offers a variety of unique activities and things to experience, ones that can make your staff’s loved ones feel more connected to not only them, but your company as well. Our corporate events entertainment agency works with you to find the perfect personalized entertainment for your event.
Entertainment
For stand alone entertainment, we have a variety to choose from. Here are a few of our top picks:
- Inflatables
Inflatables are a classic form of entertainment. We have various types, from inflatable games to traditional bouncers and everything in between. Request our brochure for more ideas.
- Carnival Games & Rides
Carnival rides and game booths can be a great way to turn your ‘Family Day’ into an even more exciting experience. We have an array to choose from and plenty of prizes to go alongside them, so there’s a little something for every guest to choose from.
- Live Entertainment
Live entertainment can take your event to the next level. Whether it’s music or performance artists, live entertainment is a great way to elevate the atmosphere of your ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ day.
- Game Tables
Game tables are a great activity for guests to mingle and bond over. Whether it’s a round of pool, foosball, or ping pong, we’ve got something for everyone.
Experiences
Tours & presentations are important at ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ days. Guests always love to see what their loved ones do for a living. There are many benefits to offering guided tours of your facility and presentations of your work. Whether it’s a chance for your team to bond and share with their families or inspire the next generation of workers, it’s a fantastic opportunity for all. These can help boost brand loyalty and encourage youth to follow in their loved one’s footsteps and enter the same field when they’re older. Of course, safety precautions are essential if your team works with heavy machinery, so express to the guests what rules, regulations, and codes to follow on the invite and before and during your tour or presentation.
One unique aspect of family days is you have the opportunity to bring your work into the entertainment. This gives a more personalized, meaningful experience to the activities for the day. Outside of tours and presentations of your staff’s everyday work, experiential hands-on activities can be an amazing way to tailor the experience and make it all the more memorable for your team’s loved ones. Whether it’s helicopter rides at an aircraft manufacturer or this relay race using the company’s own hot sauce in place of a baton, there’s a variety of ways to incorporate your brand, image, and profession into the day’s entertainment. In times like this, it’s important to think outside the box to get your staff’s loved ones engaged with the job in a meaningful way. This enables you to further foster a connection between your staff’s family and your business, enriching and combining home and professional lives.
Mementos:
Mementos will exceptionally important to your staff’s loved ones to commemorate this event as well as represent the brand their family works for. While other keepsakes, like caricature portraits or photobooth photos, commemorate the excitement of the day, it’s important to also include branded mementos as well. There’s no shortage of branded swag to choose from, and we have an article about the best eco-friendly swag ideas for family days to give you some inspiration. It’s also a great idea to bring in company T-shirts custom made for the day itself, to commemorate the event as well as represent your company. Or, alternatively, you can open the company store on the day of the event to allow proud staff and their families to purchase the best corporate event swag for them.
Food & Beverage:
Our catering crew has logistics of their own to consider. We’ll need to bring in hand washing stations and kitchen setups. You’ll need to think what’s on the menu for the day. We recommend a classic cookout menu like this one.
Outside of the food, we will also set up hydration stations around the event site. This ties into the flow of the event, and we’ll figure out the most optimal way to intersperse these stations amongst your event setup. These stations are large water coolers and plenty of cups so your guests can cool off during your event. We optimize for not only location but lines — by setting up several stations across your facility, we can reduce lines, time spent waiting, and time spent walking to the nearest station.
Trash services:
It’s well-known that large events mean a lot of trash. You may need more dumpsters to accommodate it all. We’ll set up multiple trash cans across the property and bring in extra dumpsters to deposit the loads into throughout the event. So, too, can we bring in a crew to separate recyclable trash to ensure your event is eco-friendly.
What Do The Employees Need to Know?
Your staff may have questions about a “Bring Your Family to Work” event. You can provide answers on your invitations to a few of the basics, but feel free to remind your team to speak to their manager or an HR representative for any further questions. Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions:
What do you wear to a ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ event?
Your staff and their families need to know what to wear to ‘Family Day’. It is best to be clear about any specific dress codes you want employees and their families to adhere to. For example, a warehouse or manufacturer may require all persons to wear closed toe shoes on the grounds for safety reasons. Or you may be relaxing the dress code from uniforms to casual wear for the day. Communicate this clearly.
What company policies must be adhered to?
In creating your flyer, you should include what company policies must be adhered to at your Family Day. Your guests will need to know the basics of safety regulations, rules, and ordinances to which they may need to adhere. Remember staff may be aware of company policies for their department or building, but that knowledge may not be uniform across the company and certainty is less familiar for guests on the property.
Who can come to a ‘Bring Your Family to Work’ Day?
A common question we are asked by guests during registration is who can come to their family day event? Is your event immediate family only? Does it have a limit on how many guests can come per employee? We’d recommend including a section on your invitation or RSVP about expectations such as how many guests per employee, what ages can attend this event.
A common question we are asked by guests during registration is who can come to their family day event? Is your event immediate family only? Does it have a limit on how many guests can come per employee? We’d recommend including a section on your invitation or RSVP about expectations such as how many guests per employee, what ages can attend this event.
Will There Be…
Games for kids?
When bringing small children to any event, parents want to know if they will be entertainment just for them. Parents are entertained when their children are, so be sure to include fun games and activities they can enjoy together. Inflatables, bounce houses, tabletop games and activities parents and children can do together are all good choices to bring in to a Family Day and can be setup right on site.
Food?
Free food is a sure way to increase attendance at any event! Let your team know will be available, especially if you are offering a set menu (i.e. burgers and hot dogs, sides and drink options). If you are offering a set menu, be sure you include a couple of options for those with dietary restrictions (sugar-free and vegetarian are the most common requests) on the menu.
Or, for better personalization of your event you can offer options to vote on, which can be included on registration. For you, including questionnaires on dietary needs will also help you ensure everyone can find something to eat at your event. For more information on this subject, see our article about event registration.
Is There a Cost?
Most of our ‘Family Day’ events and company picnics are all-inclusive, however, some companies may choose to plan an event that has optional or required purchases.
Be clear about the cost ahead of time.
If a cash bar is featured at the event, include “Cash Bar” in the invite/event flyer so staff and guests are aware. Likewise if the event is free, it can help your attendance to include “free” or “no cost” in the verbiage. One company held an event that included a free lunch but also had a food truck garden that was available for additional purchases. Another company required $25 a person to pay for the overage of the event. Whatever your company decides to do, be sure to communicate that early and effectively.
Planning Your ‘Bring Your Family to Work Day’
Planning your own ‘Bring Your Family to Work Day’ is a rewarding experience that touches the lies of your staff and their families. Your staff will appreciate having a day to show off what they do. These days give back to your team as much as their families, making them one of the best employee appreciation event ideas out there. Family Days like this are especially important in the workplace, and simply sharing your work life with your family goes a long way. We hope your special day will be made all the more perfect with the help of this ‘Bring Your Family to Work Day’ guide.
For help planning your event, contact our team: 1.800.366.0603 to find out more about our full-service planning and catering company.
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