30 ideas for internal events in your company

Internal events are key moments that punctuate the life of a company:

• Arrival of a new employee
• Product launch
• Organizing the Christmas party...

These events create a collective dynamic.
 
These in-house events enable employees to get together and strengthen their sense of belonging and team cohesion. They are also an opportunity for the company to improve its internal communications and employer brand.
 
There are a multitude of reasons for organizing internal events within a company :

• What internal events are we talking about ?
• How do you make them an event ?

In this article, discover the 30 ideas for in-house events that will mark the life of your company 🚀

30 ideas for in-house events

62% of employees say that internal events help to motivate them at work.

According to an Ipsos study

#1 – The arrival of a new employee

A welcome drink or breakfast is a great way to welcome a new employee to the company. This welcome phase helps to put them at ease from their very first day at the company and allows them to get to know the rest of the staff.
 
A successful in-house event such as the welcome drink helps to ensure a successful onboarding phase.
Notifying employees of the arrival of a new member of staff means that everyone is informed at the same time. This avoids hallway noises and confusion.

For example, issue a publication announcing the arrival of the new recruit, explaining his or her future responsibilities, and invite them to a welcome breakfast.

#2 – The departure of an employee

Whether it's retirement or a voluntary departure, seeing an employee go is rarely an easy thing to do. While good management communication and good practice can make the offboarding process easier, it is also important to make this stage a successful internal event that brings the rest of the workforce together.
 
Offboarding refers to the HR process when an employee leaves the company (with support throughout the departure period).
 
Organizing a farewell party gives members of the company the opportunity to get together and talk about the employee's achievements, and to thank them with a speech and a gift.
 
For example, organize a lunchtime snack or aperitif to show your appreciation and wish them all the best for the next stage of their career.

9 out of 10 employees are enthusiastic about the idea of attending an internal event

According to the acapom-aquitaine.com website

This internal event is an opportunity for employees to leave on a positive note and for the company to develop its employer brand.

#3 – The Christmas party

The Christmas party is one of the most eagerly awaited in-house events. It's a magical moment that marks the end of the year and brings employees together around a good meal and convivial activities.
 
Plan your actions and events all year round with our 2024 social media calendar :

For example, to inform all employees, send them a proper invitation, accompanied by a program and a survey to find out whether they will attend.
 
Be sure to keep a little mystery about the programme or leave a few clues. Nothing like it to arouse their curiosity !

You can also accompany the invitation with a photo of staff dressed up as Santa Claus or a humorous video of the manager. Personalizing your publication will create even more of a surprise effect !
 
You could also organize a Christmas tree on the same evening or on a wednesday afternoon. This event is a ritual in the life of the company, where employees can come with their families and give their children a treat.
 
There's usually a tea party, as well as drawing and face-painting activities. It's a very popular family event !

#4 – Company greetings

What could be better than a gathering at the start of the year for management to convey their best wishes to all employees? A genuine tradition, the New Year's greetings in companies allow the manager to :

• Thank the teams for their commitment and hard work
• Give them important figures
• Inform them of the projects for the new year and motivate them

To do this, publish a message in the Event module informing them of the date and time of the meeting. Don't hesitate to innovate in the format of your invitation - there are plenty of ways to make it stand out from the crowd:

• Video
• Gif
• Personalized photo
• And so on.

#5 – The seniority anniversary

A long-service anniversary is the ideal occasion to thank employees for their years of work and commitment. It's a highlight of professional life, but also an opportunity for the company to motivate all its employees.
 
To give the employee the recognition they deserve, organize a fund amongst their colleagues and give them a gift they'll remember.

To organize this fund, add your colleagues to an instant messaging chat group. This way, you can discreetly explain to them how to set up the fund, and everyone can give their ideas for gifts.

#6 – Victories, internal events not to be overlooked

Communicating about victories, whether individual or collective, is a meaningful exercise. Celebrating success has many benefits for the company and its stakeholders. It helps to:

• Boosting individual motivation
• Developing employee commitment and self-esteem
• Creating a positive dynamic
• Encouraging team cohesion
• Increasing productivity
• ...

You can also communicate the victories via an email, a publication or an article in the quarterly in-house newsletter. But to make a real impact on employees, it's important to organize regular internal events, such as:

• Time in the break room to thank teams for their involvement in a successful project
• A speech at a team meeting
• An evening to thank all the company's employees

In short, you need to make an impression.

#7 – Marriage/Birth

The life of the company is based on arrivals, departures and anniversaries, as well as unique moments such as weddings and births.
 
To congratulate employees on their union or the birth of their child, the company can, for example :

• Organize a breakfast to congratulate him and give him a present
• Announce the good news (if the employee so wishes) to employees via a publication.

#8 – Product launch

Communicating about the launch of a product not only informs all employees, but also highlights the people or teams who have contributed to the project and the product's release.
 
Our advice :

• To get them involved, send them a survey to gather ideas for the future name of the product. They'll appreciate feeling included in the project.
• To make the launch a unique internal event, launch a countdown. It's sure to get employees excited !

#9 – Company figures

If you normally share weekly, monthly or quarterly figures with employees via an email or an internal newsletter, you can transform this ritual into a physical internal event.
 
There's nothing like sharing key results and recent news over a cup of coffee and some croissants.
 
You could also publish a message to employees every week or month. This publication would be a sort of meeting with all your employees. 

#10 – Relocating

If there's one major internal event in a company, it's the relocation. Changing premises is a major upheaval for employees. So the company needs to take the lead, communicate positively and show them that this is a much-anticipated internal event.

For example, use the Countdown module to rally all the employees in the community around this major event. On the big day, you can use the touch screen in the break room to gather employees around the counter and organize a welcome breakfast in the new premises.

#11 – Open Day

While the aim of an open day is to build customer loyalty, it is no less important internally for establishing a friendly atmosphere and relationships based on trust.
 
This internal event enables the company to:

• Building employee loyalty
• Improving your employer brand
• Motivating teams by highlighting their know-how and skills...
• Putting across strong, powerful messages
• Transparency in the workplace
  
  

To organize this open day as effectively as possible, start a group conversation with the people involved in the project. This will make it easier for them to submit their ideas, and will facilitate communication and organization.

#12 – Internal sporting events

Sports events add real value to an organization. They create excitement, challenges and great team cohesion.
 
The World Football Championships, the Olympic Games, the Rugby Nations Cup, the Euro football tournament... Companies need to take advantage of all these sporting events to :

• Organize in-house events
• Improve internal communications

For example, the League 1 Predictions module in the Steeple solution is one of the most popular modules within employees. It creates a lively atmosphere among colleagues and helps to forge closer links.

To extend the challenge, you can, for example, invite employees to watch a league match in the break room (with snacks, personalized outfits and make-up), or to take part in an in-house sports tournament.
 
For example, you can inform employees about the launch of the major European Championships :

• French Ligue 1
• German Bundesliga
• Italian Serie A
• English Premier League
• Spanish Liga

And surprise, Steeple has a module dedicated to the Euro 2024... There's plenty to liven up this period and get your employees in the competitive spirit !

#13 – Conferences

Internal conferences are generally organized to present solutions to one or more problems, convince employees and thank them.
 
They are a way of motivating employees and a genuine management tool. Most of the time, conferences are organized a few months before the big day, with:

• Preparing specific content
• The choice of speakers
• Date and place
• Targeted employees
• And so on.

For example, when you send out the invitation to employees, add the date and venue, as well as the programme and speakers. This will give them an idea of what to expect.

#14 – An employee's birthday

An employee's birthday is a great opportunity to celebrate or toast with colleagues ! For the company, it's a time to show employees that they count in:

• Organizing a birthday party or team lunch
• Publishing a short message on the internal communication tool.

#15 – Back to school, a major internal event

Turn your Back to School event in September into a major internal event! It provides an opportunity to define current and future projects, and to (re)motivate employees after their summer holidays.

 For example, organize a breakfast at which management will give a speech to motivate them. Take this opportunity to talk about the Ideas Box module and explain that all ideas are welcome!
 
Secondly, based on their ideas, propose a survey to find out their preferences: setting up a new sporting activity or car-sharing scheme, etc.

#16 – The convention

The aim of the convention is to get one or more messages across to all employees, to present the results and to (re)motivate everyone. It is generally an annual event, and requires some preparation beforehand.
 
What's more, it's an ideal time for team leaders to give presentations on the various assignments and projects they have completed.
 
The organization of this event must be carefully prepared:

• Setting up the organizing team
• Creation of employee opinion surveys
• Planning communications to all teams
• Publications about the event...

Everything needs to be thought out and planned! To help you organize your convention as effectively as possible, don't hesitate to use the editorial calendar.

#17 – Company anniversary

Is it your company's birthday ? Take the opportunity to celebrate this new birthday by getting your staff together for a meal, a buffet or an activity.

Send them an invitation via the publication module and let them know the date and venue. You can also add the company's birthday Countdown module.

After the event, share the photos and videos taken on the big day, and your staff will enjoy reminiscing over the coffee machine !

#18 – Teambuilding

Team Building is the ideal in-house event for bonding teams, (re)motivating them and boosting their performance. It's a well-deserved break from the often intense pace of work.
 
Involve employees from the outset, for example by asking them to fill in the ideas box to collect all the themes. A treasure hunt, a multi-sport challenge... there's plenty to choose from!

Once all the ideas have been collected, invite them to take part in a survey to decide what the theme of the future team building will be. Then publish a date and place, and avoid giving them too much information.
 
A bit of mystery sparks curiosity !

#19 – The defeats

Communicating a defeat within the company is never easy. And yet there's nothing negative about it. On the contrary, take the opportunity to organize an event around a setback, such as unachieved sales targets or the creation of a product that failed.

Failure is the foundation of success.

According to the wise Chinese Lao Tzu

Why is it important to organize an internal event around defeats ? To draw out all the positives and lessons learnt, to find ways of bouncing back collectively around a meeting or a team snack.
 
Organize a "defeat party" and communicate the situation transparently to employees. It's an original way of putting a positive spin on things and encouraging everyone in the company to look to the future.

#20 – Merger/Buyout

A company merger or buyout is a type of internal event that raises a lot of questions among employees. So it's important to reassure them. Don't leave them without answers, and put good practice in place.

When there is a change of management in a company, for example as part of a merger or takeover, employees often have a lot of questions. So it's important to communicate this event well, by setting up opportunities for discussion.

Quentin Méry, Sales Manager at Steeple

#21 – The inauguration

Is the company developing a new factory ? Has management decided to launch a new product ? To mark this important moment in the company's life, organize an inauguration. This internal event allows you to showcase:

• A new product
• A new company department
• A new acquisition
• And so on.

If the inauguration is known for its famous ribbon-cutting ceremony, the company doesn't have to follow tradition and can add a more original dimension to the event. A few weeks before the inauguration, send an invitation to employees with the date and time.
 
Keep the location secret, and don't tell anyone about it until a few days before the big day.

#22 – Sustainable development week

Sustainable Development Week is an opportunity to raise employee awareness of environmental and social issues. It's an opportunity to organize in-house events every day of the week, such as:

• An awareness-raising workshop on a specific subject of your choice. Send them a survey beforehand to find out their preferences: anti-waste and zero-waste tips, good sorting habits, etc.
• A conference on soft mobility with an expert speaker: prioritize walking, cycling and public transport to reduce our environmental footprint.
• The screening of a film or documentary at lunchtime
• Take part in a solidarity initiative within an association: creating a vegetable garden, renovating the premises of a hostel, sorting clothes, etc.
• A Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity or challenge

#23 – The concert

There's nothing like a private concert to get your employees out of the office ! 
 
Suggest a survey to employees and tell them what you're looking for: the company is looking for musicians to form a music group. After a few rehearsals, the group could offer a small concert at lunchtime or during an afterwork session.

#24 – World Wellness Day on the 30th of May

World Wellness Day is celebrated every second Saturday in June. This day focuses on the value of living well, both physically and mentally. It's a day when people take time for themselves.
 
What if this was the perfect time to take some time for yourself, but in the workplace ? It's a great way for the company to reward employees for their daily work !
 
Announce a "Wellness Day" event with a program and a few surprises. 

#25 – World No Tobacco Day on the 31th of May

Every year since 1988, World No Tobacco Day has taken place on the 31th of May. This in-house event is an opportunity to convey hard-hitting messages, raise awareness among all employees and organize discussion workshops and in-house challenges.

#26 – Company travel

Has the company achieved good results? Thank the employees involved and the work done by organizing a company trip.
 
The aim is to build loyalty among employees, thank them and motivate them. It also allows employees to get away from the workplace and bond with each other.
 
This type of trip generally offers team building, sports, leisure or cultural activities.
 
To create a surprise effect, send employees an invitation via a publication, accompanied by a photo of the destination. To make the invitation more fun and generate reactions, ask them to find the destination in a comment.

#27 – Pink October

October marks the start of the Pink October campaign. It's an opportunity for the company to raise awareness among its employees about breast cancer screening and to raise funds to support the fight against this type of cancer.
 
Several events and activities can be scheduled at your company:

• Screening
• Workshops, conferences...
• A photo exhibition
• Sales to raise funds

From the first day of the Pink October campaign, communicate with employees via a publication to raise awareness and tell them about the programme that will run throughout the month of October.

#28 – Movember

1 November marks the start of Movember, an annual event organized by the Movember Foundation Charity.
 
Every year in November, men all over the world are invited to grow a mustache. The aim is to raise public awareness and funds for research into men's diseases such as prostate cancer.
 
Take the opportunity to send a strong message to employees, by motivating them through a competition for example. A fashion show could be organized to elect the most beautiful mustache of the month !
 
Other in-house events can also be organized:

• Workshops, conferences...
• Sales to raise funds

#29 – The seminar

A company seminar brings employees together around specific objectives, usually defined by management. It combines relaxation and work, and is generally organized over one or two days.
 
There are different types of seminars:

• Integration
• Motivation
• Training
• Working
• Management
• Management
• And so on.

For example, after informing employees of the date and location of the event, issue a publication with the precise programme of the seminar. What's more, they know what to expect.
 
👉 Find out how to organize your company seminar with our checklist:

#30 - Personal development workshops 

The world of work can be a source of stress for many employees. Fear of not meeting deadlines, of not achieving the objectives set by the company... There are many different reasons for taking care of your mental and physical health. 

To help your employees manage their stress and emotions, why not set up personal development workshops? With the help of yoga, sophrology or dietetics classes, there are many ways to help employees on their way to serenity.

#31 - To find out more

Summer generally marks the start of holidays. With this in mind, invite your staff to get together in June for breakfast or a snack.
 
They will be able to exchange ideas and enjoy a friendly activity before the start of everyone's holidays. You can ask them to suggest what they would like to do in the Ideas box.

 Depending on the feedback, organize a pétanque tournament or a sports lesson at lunchtime. Summer atmosphere guaranteed !

Many companies have already understood the need to bring staff together and encourage good relations at work by organizing internal events.
 
They are a real asset for the company and a powerful lever for internal communication, developing employees' sense of belonging.
 
Organizing an internal event is no easy task, and requires experience, the right tools and specific knowledge.

In this guide, you'll find 10 great events to boost your internal communications and get your staff involved in the life of the company !