Morale-boosting Events That Won't Blow Your Budget

As an alternative to an event that might be poorly attended, a facility "might consider giving each employee a prepaid Mastercard or Visa with the amount they would have budgeted per employee for the function," says Mary Jager, Mabee's office manager. "That way, the employee can spend it any way [he or she wishes]. That additional $25-$50 may come in handy for a family with budget constraints."

Other ways to ensure high attendance include:

• Raffles and door prizes
• Group team-building activities
• Activities for all family members
• Immediately post-work events
• Awards and honors

Celebrating the experience
The fun and promotion doesn't end once the event is over—you've got to celebrate the occasion to remind employees of their experience and to share with those who couldn't attend (and who may be enticed to come next time).

After employee events at Meridian, organizers post photos of the festivities on office bulletin boards. You can also post them to the company Web site or send them around via email. Additionally, creating a Web page exclusively for the event provides employees with an opportunity to share their feedback and post their own photos.

It's important that practice managers persevere with events during the unsteady economy because the benefits always outweigh the costs, Sullivan says. She attributes Meridian's low turnover and high employee satisfaction scores—despite a "barely competitive" pay scale—to morale-boosting events.

"Even though it may cost to spend on your employees, we believe we get it back three-fold or more," says Sullivan. "We also sponsor seminars for our staff on issues like stress management, how to buy your first home, time management, and public speaking. They don't have to be directly related to their jobs to benefit the organization. We believe staff feel we care about their personal development as well as their professional development."