ROI of Fun: How Corporate Entertainment Boosts Employee Morale and Productivity
Jeff Newman explains how to get ROI from your corporate entertainment.
One of the biggest challenges employers face today is creating an environment that keeps their employees engaged, happy, and productive. And while there are plenty of ways to create that environment in a day-to-day landscape, many employers plan things like holiday parties, staff appreciation events, and more to help show their appreciation to the employees who keep the lights on.
The downside? A lot of times, those events can, shall we say…fall short. They’re boring, there’s no excitement, and it winds up being another place where employees watch the clock while waiting to leave. So, how do you fix this? Three words:
Get. Great. Entertainment.
As a magician who has turned many a corporate gathering from an event to endure into a night to remember, I've seen firsthand how a dash of dazzle can skyrocket morale and turn grumbles into a gleeful hum of productivity that lasts far longer than the event itself.
THE ILLUSION OF AN ENGAGED WORKPLACE
The First Trick – Building a Shared Experience
Imagine the energy in the room when the focus is not on spreadsheets but on the collective awe that unites the entire staff. A magician's act, a stand-up comedian, or a live band doesn't just provide a spectacle; it crafts a shared memory, a bonding experience that makes the hard work seem part of a grander and happier narrative.
The Second Trick – Recognition Through Experience
As potent as a sincere “thank you” can be, we all know actions (and experiences) can speak far louder than words. A well-planned show at a holiday party, an intimate close-up magic performance at the monthly budget meeting, a team-building card-trick-workshop or a night out on the town with an engaging entertainer can be a unique and memorable way to show you value your employees. They get a much-needed mental break that also gives them an experience to share and remember.
BREAK THE MONOTONY, NOT THE BANK
Budgets. They're the financial handcuffs that can make the idea of entertainment appear as a luxury rather than a strategic move. And a lot of organizations can fail to see how investing in good entertainment can have an incredible return down the line.
Measuring the Unmeasurable
Entertainment isn't just a number on a spreadsheet, but it does have a return – a return of smiles, conversations, and a sense of community that echoes through months of standard meetings and daily grind. The afterglow of an event where fun was on the menu is hard to quantify, but it's there. And in most cases, that fun, that community, can be far more valuable than a line item on an event budget.
THE LONG-TERM SHOW
Corporate events aren't just milestones in a calendar; they are part of a series. Many companies host these events year after year in hopes of maintaining the camaraderie they’ve developed over the years.
Setting the Stage for Consistency
One brilliant event won't last a lifetime. Luckily, the professionals you hire to create this experience for you and your employees are there to help…not only for the event you’re planning now but also for the event you’re planning in the future.
Ask the Professionals
Let’s say you’ve hired a great magician for your event. They’ve left jaws dropped, and you’re wondering how to top that next year. Instead of pulling out your hair, here’s a hot tip: Ask that magician.
Likely, if the magician (or whatever entertainer you hired) has left your group speechless, chances are they’ve done it before with other groups. So, it’s very likely the performer will have a second show that will blow minds for a second time. Or, at the very least, we will have recommendations. Skilled performers will travel in circles with other equally skilled entertainers and likely have several referrals they know won’t disappoint.
MAKING THE RETURN VISIBLE
Ok, so we've danced around the term ROI for a while, but what are the concrete gains?
Tangible Productivity
This may seem like a no-brainer, but fun, memorable experiences are proven to translate into focused bursts of productivity post-event. The refreshed mind post-entertainment is scientifically proven to be a more efficient one. How much output will increase will depend on many factors, but the results are crystal clear: happy people are more productive.
Retention – The Unsung Profit Margin
When an employee feels happy and appreciated, they're less likely to jump ship at the first opportunity that offers a semblance of either. Entertainment becomes a silent but profound cost-cutting tool for talent retention. Companies know that high employee turnover is costly, and in many cases, the amount organizations can save by doing what they can to keep employee retention high is much, much more than they’d spend on hiring new employees.
THE ENCORE OF RECOGNITION
Entertainment isn't just about the spectacle; it broadcasts a message of value and fun that resonates with your workforce.
Showing, Not Telling
A company that consistently provides opportunities for its employees to mingle, relax, and enjoy knows that actions always speak louder than words. It shows that the company culture values play as much as it does performance.
The Ripple of Appreciation
An occasion free from rigid job titles and formalities can be a powerful way to show appreciation. It resonates not just with the top performers but with everyone that keeps the business running.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Entertaining your employees can often be seen as frivolous, but it isn't. Done well, it can enrich the workplace in ways numbers can't fully capture.
For the corporate world, the conundrum isn't whether to add entertainment to its events; it's how to weave it in masterfully. Because at the heart of every productivity surge, every retention statistic, and every upward curve on the morale graph is the simple truth – happy employees are the best employees.
But most of all, a company that understands the importance of keeping its employees happy enjoys an ROI of chuckles, grins, and undivided attention. And who wouldn't want to sign up for that show?
