Can we currently think about a summer party?

One crisis follows the next and with the war in Ukraine a crisis has occurred that is almost unimaginable for us, which makes great demands on us psychologically and economically, and has or will have an impact on each of us.

Can and should we even think about celebrating or even planning summer festivals in these times?

We say yes! But why?

Two years of the pandemic have left their mark: the stress and sometimes social loneliness caused by home offices, the greatly reduced contact with colleagues, the lost team and “we” feeling in the company, not feeling valued – all this has clearly increased. More humanity, togetherness, exchange and also happiness in togetherness are needed in order to provide ‘care work’ for employees and partners in the business environment.

Summer parties, incentive events and staff events can make a valuable contribution here, because they…

• …strengthens the sense of community and new colleagues finally get to know each other personally and without a screen in front of their faces.

• …shows employees that they are important and above all valuable to the company.

• …get important input and new suggestions in the exchange with each other.

Despite all the doubts about whether one is allowed to celebrate at all in these times, one should also always think about the fact that appreciation and a network of stable social ties in the work environment are important pieces of the puzzle to strengthen us mentally and recharge our batteries so that we can better deal with crises. A guilty conscience along the lines of ‘we can’t do it now’ is rarely a good advisor and does not create a good mindset.

We humans are social creatures, and beautiful experiences increase in community – a good basis for drawing strength and energy. If you want employees to be attached to the company, you have to take care of this attachment. A summer party can lay a valuable foundation for this.

And for those who still have doubts that now is the right time to “celebrate”: there are many ways to hold a summer party sustainably and with a lot of social responsibility.

If your own employees support social projects at their event and work together, the team-building effect is much stronger and, above all, more sustainable than just having a party. The team cohesion created here can be permanently maintained in the company through simple but regular measures.

Planting trees together, renovating a kindergarten or building refugee shelters are just a few examples of CSR measures in the context of a summer party that generate lasting emotions and thus employee loyalty. However, our experience at the moment is that many people still have to learn how to celebrate events together.

The distance created by home offices has led more than a few people to settle comfortably into a retreat at home and to give in to the feeling that nothing is missing.

We realise that many of us have to learn again to engage more in real personal on-site exchange in a business context. We notice this in ourselves, who still react very cautiously to invitations from service providers, and we notice it in our clients, whose invitations to personal on-site events are received less euphorically than many had hoped.

Therefore: stay tuned and promote personal and informal exchange for deep and intensive employee bonds at a summer party or team event.