6 Tips For Organizing An Enjoyable And Productive Team Lunch

Last updated on November 27th, 2023 at 08:39 pm

Did you know that more than half of today’s jobs require teamwork? In fact, according to Zippia, 52 percent of all American workers believe that workplace collaboration is of utmost importance. This is not just in the case of top-level employees or management. It’s been observed that even in the case of the lowest level of an organization, 48 percent of employees understand how vital collaboration is for their work.

According to Team Stage, effective communication within a team or organization leads to a 4.5 times increase in higher talent retention. Working with a team that’s talented and knows the value of teamwork also helps foster an environment of growth and prosperity for future recruits.

All these figures and stats highlight just how important teamwork and team building is in the workplace. One of the best ways that you, as a team leader or company boss, can ensure team building at your workplace is through occasional team lunches, and to help you organize an enjoyable and productive team lunch, here are a few tips.

1. Choose a Suitable Venue

When it comes to choosing a venue for a team lunch, you mostly have two options. For the first, you can take your team out for lunch at a restaurant or book a small convention hall. This approach is ideal when your team is rather big, like 20 or 30 people and more. Renting a venue or even going out to eat can often get expensive, but it’s perfect to discuss and engage with your team for a productive team lunch.

The other option is to organize the lunch at your workplace by bringing in office lunch delivery. There are office catering services that will take your team lunch group order and deliver it right when you want it. Placing group orders instead of ordering food for every team member separately will help you save time. Members can also order food from their favorite nearby restaurants and in just the right amount which will also prevent food waste.

According to CaterCow, these group orders come labeled with every member’s name, meaning once the food is at the office, they can just pick up the box or packages with their names on them and start eating. Besides, group orders also allow the usual features of a typical food ordering app like order tracking and placing special requests. All these features will make sure that even if you’re having the team lunch at your office, it’s in every way convenient and enjoyable.

2. Plan Interactive Activities

A team lunch shouldn’t just be about eating. Incorporating interactive activities can make the event more enjoyable and engaging. Consider organizing team-building games or icebreaker activities that encourage collaboration and communication.

These activities can help break the ice, foster stronger relationships, and create a positive atmosphere. You could also arrange for a guest speaker to deliver a motivational talk or a short workshop on a relevant topic, providing an opportunity for learning and personal development during the lunch break.

3. Encourage Networking and Cross-Departmental Interactions

Use the team lunch as an opportunity to encourage networking and cross-departmental interactions. Arrange seating in a way that promotes mixing and mingling between different teams and departments. This will facilitate conversations and enable colleagues who don’t typically work together to connect and exchange ideas.

Fostering such interactions will allow you to break down walls between your team members, improve communication, and promote a sense of unity within the organization.

4. Give Recognition and Celebrate Achievements

Team lunches offer an ideal setting to recognize and celebrate achievements within the team. Take a moment to acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of individuals or the team as a whole.

You can easily do this through short speeches or by presenting awards or certificates. Recognizing achievements will help boost morale and also reinforce a positive work culture.

5. Incorporate Team-Building Discussions

While enjoying a delicious meal together, take the opportunity to engage in team-building discussions. Encourage open and constructive conversations that allow team members to share their thoughts, experiences, and ideas.

This can help in problem-solving, fostering innovation, and enhancing collaboration. Topics for discussion can range from work-related challenges to personal interests or hobbies, creating a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.

6. Collect Feedback and Evaluate

Once the lunch is over, ask for feedback from the team. Let them be honest about their opinions and tell them to share what worked and what didn’t, what can be improved, and how can the lunch be made more enjoyable as well as productive. Their feedback will help you plan the next team lunch even more impressively making it more productive and enjoyable than the one before.

According to Forbes, lack of clarity while providing feedback can lead to your team losing confidence in themselves as well as the organization. Besides, a communication gap between the team and its leader can also lead to chaos within the workplace. Therefore, it’s vital to foster an environment of effective collaboration and teamwork, and it all starts with a simple team lunch.

When you think about it, there are no strict rules or guidelines when it comes to organizing a team lunch for your colleagues or employees. However, you can always put in your best effort to make sure it’s productive and enjoyable, and the above-discussed tips will help you achieve that easily.