A city-themed celebration on the plaza
Capital Group wanted a day about the city: beach, local sports and photos. We brought surf, VR baseball and hockey, a branded AI photo booth and sound for the whole plaza.
480+ corporate events · 5 years
Employee Appreciation Week and Day Events
Thank your people with employee appreciation events they actually join: races, surf, VR sports and portraits in company colors. We pick the mix for your crowd and your building.
Staff appreciation events we've run
Three different days for employees, each built around how people at that company like to spend an afternoon.
A luau with a racing league
Capital Group has come back to us for three events. For this one, a Hawaiian Luau, we set up four racing stations on one leaderboard inside its office.
A family day at an aerospace company
Parker Aerospace invited employees and their families to its campus. Two flight simulators let parents and kids try landing a plane.
Why a shared activity beats another gift card
People remember what they did together far longer than what they received.
A gift card says thanks once. An afternoon where a coworker from another floor beats your lap time gives people a story for the next team meeting. That's what makes employee appreciation event entertainment work: everyone is playing, not watching a show.
It also says something about the company. Bringing an activity to the office takes effort, and employees see that. For HR teams planning a full year of employee engagement events, an appreciation day like this gives the calendar a high point.
Employee appreciation event ideas that fit every kind of guest
Your team isn't one type of person, so the day shouldn't be one activity. Staff appreciation activities work best as a mix. Competitive people race for the leaderboard. Others go straight to the photo booth, and some would rather watch and cheer.
- Races and contests. Racing, surf and flight simulators with live scores.
- VR sports. Baseball and hockey in a headset, shown on a big screen.
- AI portraits. A branded photo in seconds, printed on the spot.
- Family-friendly stations. Simulators that work for kids and grandparents too.
- Prizes and a podium. Trophies, a top prize and a moment to cheer the winners.
- Pick a theme. An employee appreciation theme ties the day together: sports day, beach day, a decade party or your company's own milestone.
Every activity on this list comes with our operators. For ideas you can run yourself, see the guide linked in the questions below.
What's included in a team appreciation day
- Delivery, setup and testing before employees arrive.
- An operator at each station to explain the controls and invite people in.
- A live leaderboard and prizes, with your podium places.
- Your branding on the stations, the leaderboard and the photos.
- Sound for speeches with speakers and a microphone.
- Teardown and results, including the final standings for your internal post.
You show up with your team. We handle the rest of the day.
If you want the thank-you to include awards, our employee recognition programs put the recognition moment on stage.
How we quote an appreciation day
You'll see one price for the whole day before you commit. We don't keep a price list, so every event gets its own quote. It depends on:
- Headcount and hours.
- How many stations, and which ones.
- Indoors or outdoors, and whether you need tents and power.
- Your city, since our equipment and specialists travel from one of our two bases (Los Angeles or Orlando).
- Branding, prints and prizes.
See how we quote for what to send. We reply right away.
Employee appreciation day events we've run
Each record shows timing and setup you can compare to your own building and crowd.
Summer social
Five Interactive Stations and AV for Capital Group's "I Love LA" Summer Social
We arrived at 9:30 AM for a 2 to 5 PM program. Four activity operators and an AV technician ran the plaza. We added shade tents, power distribution and internet for the photo booth.
Downtown Los Angeles
Employee social
Four Racing Simulators for a Capital Group Employee Social in Los Angeles
Building access opened at 9 AM for a 2 PM start. Two of our team guided drivers across four stations, and we sent the final leaderboard to the client afterward. Read about the four racing simulators for a Capital Group employee social.
West Los Angeles
Racing challenge
Capital Group Racing Simulator Challenge on the 55th Floor in Downtown LA
A contest with a real podium. Ten prize places, from a racing helmet to nine trophies, on the 55th floor.
Downtown Los Angeles
Family open house
Two Flight Simulators for an Aerospace Employee Open House in Irvine
About 500 guests of mixed ages were expected. We delivered the day before, around 1 PM, and from about 9 AM the stations had a steady line.
Irvine, CA
Photos from employee events
What our stations look like at a company celebration.
Building rules and insurance
Your facilities team gets our papers before the day, and setup starts on time.
We send insurance documents to venues and organizers on request. Office buildings often ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) and set loading hours. Send us your building's rules, and we'll agree placement and outlets in advance.
Why appreciation days fall flat
These are the common reasons people skip the event or leave early.
Only food and a speech.
Lunch is nice, but nothing to do means people go back to their desks.
One activity for everyone.
Not everyone races. Offer a mix.
Long lines.
People won't stand in a line that doesn't move. Short turns and enough stations fix that.
No winners.
A leaderboard without a prize is easy to ignore. Name the places in advance.
Families forgotten.
On a family day, kids need stations they can actually use.
Planning a staff appreciation day, step by step
You'll know what's happening at every step.
Who runs the day
You celebrate with your team. Our people do the work.
- Operators. Run each station and invite people in.
- AV technician. Handles the speakers and microphone for speeches.
- Event lead. Plans the layout with you and the building and is your contact on the day.
Appreciation events anywhere in the U.S.
Your offices may be in several states. We have two bases, Los Angeles and Orlando, and work across the U.S., with transport, setup and staff arranged together. Our Orlando office and warehouse is at 310 N Orange Ave, so Florida and the East Coast are home ground too.
Two bases
Los Angeles and Orlando
West CoastEast CoastAll 50 states
We've run employee days in office towers, on an outdoor plaza and on a company campus. A day in Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago or Dallas works the same way.
Orlando office: 310 N Orange Ave, STE. 201, Orlando, FL 32801Employee appreciation week questions
When is employee appreciation week?
Employee Appreciation Day is the first Friday in March, which is March 5 in 2027. You can stretch it into an employee appreciation week or staff appreciation week, with one bigger event that Friday.
What are good employee appreciation week activities?
Spread small things across the week and save one event for the end. For employee appreciation week themes, pick one per day: sports, beach, decades. Staff appreciation week ideas for the big day: a racing league or a surf contest.
What works for a large company?
Several stations at once, so lines stay short. Mix races, VR sports and a photo booth, and end with a prize ceremony everyone can watch.
Can we do a staff appreciation day in the office?
Yes. An office staff appreciation day saves travel and a venue rental. We check your floor space, power and building rules first.
Do you plan an employee appreciation lunch?
We plan the activities and work with your caterer. Choose food people can eat standing near the stations.
What about manager, HR or coworker appreciation days?
Same format, smaller scale. For a manager appreciation day, one station and a short contest are enough. A coworker appreciation day fits a team leaderboard.
What works for a fall appreciation event?
An outdoor surf day before the weather turns, or a racing league that ends at the holiday party.
Do you run employee wellness events?
Yes. Employee wellness events swap competition for calmer stations and movement. Tell us what your wellness day should include, and we'll plan around it.
Where can I find more ideas?
Read our list of employee appreciation ideas. It covers ideas you can run with your own team.
Plan your appreciation day
Send the date, city and headcount. We'll reply right away with a plan, and one team will set up, run the day and pack up. Tell us the event type, date, city, headcount and budget. Add whether families are invited and whether it's indoors or outdoors. Or call +1 213 912 1010
