Creating nice get-togethers for you and your workers over lunch might be powerful. If you happen to’ve ever run a brown-bag occasion at what you are promoting, you understand folks might be gradual to purchase in, and lots of people don’t get enthusiastic about it in any respect.
However what are you able to do in a different way to encourage extra attendance and actually interact the folks in your organisation? Listed below are some concepts to strive for 2026:
Go for low friction, excessive worth
By no means make brown-bag occasions obligatory. Obligatory attendance turns a perk right into a chore, and workers really feel like they must do it as a result of, frankly, they do.
Throughout periods, present loads of digestible content material. Purpose for about 40 minutes of presentation, adopted by 20 minutes of Q&A. This respects everybody’s time whereas nonetheless giving folks an opportunity to work together. Additionally, be certain there are many in-room snacks.
Prioritise logistics over luxurious
Please prioritise logistics over luxurious. Don’t simply concentrate on the meals. Take into consideration every part that can matter to somebody attending. For instance:
- Acoustics: Smooth, quiet meals are greatest when individuals are presenting. Keep away from something that crunches right into a microphone (e.g., carrots, chips).
- Straightforward to select up: Provide bite-sized choices. Don’t count on folks to carry napkins, forks, or knives and forks, particularly if they are going to be taking notes.
- Odour: Select choices that depart the convention room smelling recent. Grain bowls and chilly salads are likely to work higher than heavy garlic or curry, which may linger.
Think about your stationery
Please consider carefully in regards to the stationery you provide to attendees. If they’ll take one thing away with them, they’re more likely to indicate up, particularly if it’s helpful to them later. For instance, you might go for customized printed presentation folders to present attendees one thing bodily and memorable. They will take these again to their cubicles, The place they don’t seem to be solely sensible but in addition turn out to be a type of promoting the brown bag occasion to others who may need to attend sooner or later.
Apply golden guidelines for attendees
Please implement just a few golden guidelines in your brown bag occasion to assist hold it from turning into a large number.
- For digital attendees, mute them robotically after they be a part of. They need to solely be capable of unmute themselves when they’re talking.
- Folks ought to stay muted whereas consuming at house.
- Clear up early. You do not need stains on the desk or crumbs on the ground after a brown bag occasion.
- If somebody asks a query, create a two-bite pause. The thought is to swallow earlier than answering. You do not need folks choking and making a hazard.
Make it entertaining as nicely
Lastly, all the greatest brown-bag matters fall into the leisure class, that means they’re each fascinating and academic.
The most effective methods to spice up leisure worth is to usher in a visitor speaker from outdoors your organisation. It’s typically way more participating than utilizing somebody internally. You would invite a wellness coach, a health professional, or a monetary planner to supply actual worth to your workers.
So there you’ve gotten it: among the methods to amp-up your subsequent brown bag meet.
