Fun — the Educational Kind

If infusing networking, teambuilding, and social responsibility into recreational activities still isn't enough to get them on the agenda, take a tip from Smith Medical, and sneak in a little education.

The St. Paul, Minn.-based medical device company used to allow each attendee to spend a certain amount on recreational activities at company meetings, but faced with smaller budgets and shorter meetings this year, it opted for a bike-build for underprivileged children — with a twist.

Not only did attendees break into groups to build the bikes, they competed with each other by answering questions on company products, company history, and general trivia during the build to earn accessories for their bikes, such as baskets and horns, which were then presented to local school children.

Game shows are another great option that combines teambuilding with learning, says Vennerstrom of Equinox Creative. “We have done Family Feud-type shows where we poll the audience ahead of time and then break into teams and give the group questions relating to product knowledge or to the training they have received.”

The activities are not only cost-effective and fun, they can really help attendees absorb the meeting content. “If you look at various adult-learning models, you see that people learn better when they receive information from different sources,” Vennerstrom notes. “Having someone stand up in front of the group with a PowerPoint is not a very functional model for learning.”

Sidebar #1: If You Build it…

Every two years, global energy giant Hess Corp. brings its information technology services division on a corporate retreat where the IT professionals get updated on corporate goals and objectives. In the past, the group has participated in recreational activities as part of that meeting — anything from golf outings to city tours.

But at the February 2008 meeting in New Orleans, Hess decided to do something different and give back to the local community. “It's a trend we're seeing more and more in light of the current economy,” says Jennifer Miller, general manager for Access Destination Services, San Diego. It's just so much easier to justify those dollars when you are organizing a program with meaning.” Working with the Just Willing Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides technology training to low-income families in New Orleans, Hess and Access Destination Services identified a local high school that had lost its computer lab as a result of Hurricane Katrina. “These kids lost their computers nearly two years ago and never had the funds to rebuild the lab,” says Miller, who helped organize the project.

Working side by side, Hess employees and students built 12 new computers using company-donated hardware, installed software onto the machines, and built desks and bookshelves. They even set up a mentorship program for the students before leaving the area, pairing students with a Hess employee with whom they could communicate for career advice and for help getting placed in the IT industry upon graduating from high school.

The project was an emotional one for the Hess team. “At the end of the day, there were 65 people with tears in their eyes. They knew they had really made an impact on these students.”

The funding for events like these doesn't always have to come out of the meeting budget, adds Chris Lee, DMCP, CEO at Access. “Many companies have a budget set aside that they have allocated for charitable giving. It doesn't hurt to ask them to support this element of your program.”

Sidebar #2: Rely on Your DMC

Destination and event management companies can be your best friend when the recreation budget is tight. All you need to do is ask.

For example, a group that wants to charter a boat for a sailing excursion will likely be quoted a price for a four-hour charter, says Chris Lee, DMCP, CEO of Access Destination Services, San Diego. “That is the standard time frame, but because of our connections with the charter company, we can get a three-hour charter for clients and save them some money.”

Lee says he will go line by line with clients through their budgets to determine where cuts can be made without sacrificing quality. “The right DMC is going to ask you the right questions to save you money.”

Tracey Brenneman, CMP, global sales manager for PRA Destination Management and Allied International, based in Toronto, is working with a large restaurant company that is bringing its annual meeting of franchise owners and managers to San Diego later this year. “Previously, when we have run the program for them, they had a much healthier budget,” she says. “But this year, their spend has been drastically reduced, and they need to deliver the same experience.”

Brenneman is helping the group gain access to high-end venues for its events but is not getting involved in coordinating the events. That means PRA won't get a coordination fee for its services.

“We worked with a charter company to upgrade the group to a much nicer yacht for their evening event at no additional charge,” says Brenneman. “Had they booked direct with the charter company, they wouldn't have gotten that upgrade.”

Although PRA is not getting paid for its services in this regard, Brenneman says the efforts show her client that PRA is “with them through thick and thin.

“It's about the long-term relationships we have with our supplier partners and with our clients. We're not just in it for today.”