Planning a Team Building Event Around a Catered Lunch

Combine Corporate Catering Services with Team Building to Augment Morale

There are some employers who believe in the mindset of ‘all work all the time’ meaning that, regardless of the occasion, any event held on company time/property must contain a business component.  This will often include references to corporate performance or even a formal presentation by a senior executive, even when the intent of the event is to celebrate a work anniversary, a retirement, or the achievement of an incentive award.

While this may satisfy the objectives of the employers to ‘get a message across’ as often as possible, it is likely not very motivating for the staff: “Are we celebrating something here, or is this reception just another veiled reminder that we need to be doing more?”

Employee morale can be a powerful force, and its impact can be felt at both ends of the spectrum relative to teamwork and productivity.  To help in strengthening/retaining the morale of their teams, and escape the likely adverse fallout of an all-business mentality, employers may want to plan team building events around catered lunches. 

Refraining from self-important business presentations while enjoying a catered lunch is a way for employers to:

• Demonstrate their overall appreciation for their staff members
• Have a direct influence on morale/true collaboration as a team
• Provide a means for employees to learn more about each other
• Simply give their staff a break and time away from their duties
• Serve an outstanding lunch at no out-of-pocket cost to the staff

Corporate catering services, provided by the specialists at Ida’s Kitchen in Toronto, would be an ideal adjunct to bringing employees together over a fun activity and some great food too!  The choice of activity should be such that it:

• Is all-inclusive (all can participate)
• Can be completed rather quickly
• Requires minimal physical exertion
• Is acceptable to staff and employer

Some ideas that would be compatible with a lunch provided by a catering company like Ida’s Kitchen in Toronto might include:

• Games – bingo, indoor bowling
• Visits by community leaders/groups
• Contests to stimulate participation/creativity
• Personal growth workshops e.g. financial planning

There are of course many other types of activities that can be either researched online or developed by employers for their staff.  Whatever the activity, employers who combine a non-self-serving team building event with the corporate catering services from Ida’s Kitchen can be assured of a positive impact on team morale and camaraderie.

Lunch Catering with Menu Options to Satisfy All Tastes and Considerations

The selection of menu items will undoubtedly play an important role in the overall impact and outcome of a team building event that includes lunch catering.  Catering Menus must take several factors into consideration, including:

• Hot and/or cold selections
• Healthy choices/alternatives
• Special dietary considerations
• Servicing time allotted/available
• Service type (buffet, seated meal)

Ida’s Kitchen, one of the leading corporate catering companies in Toronto and the GTA, understands the importance of such considerations, and has the experience needed to plan, staff, and serve lunches for corporate team building events to the complete satisfaction of the organizers and their guests/teams.

The corporate lunch menu offered and prepared by the Ida’s Kitchen staff can include any combination of the following:

• Sandwiches and Wraps – meat, fish, egg salad, and vegetarian
• Signature Wraps – Mediterranean, Asian, Caribbean, and more
• Salads – Caesar, Greek, three-leaf, potato, pasta, bean, organic
• Specialties – pitas and enchiladas (multiple fillings and garnishes)
• Chicken Shawarma – served with Middle Eastern salads and dips
• Pastas – various selections, served with an assortment of sauces

There is certainly no shortage of menu options from Ida’s Kitchen when lunch catering is required by employers in Toronto and vicinity.

Get the very best corporate catering for your team building event.  Call Ida’s Kitchen today at 416-898-8097 to plan the menu that will ensure your event is a resounding success.