The family day as an HR tool

Which is immediately the family day's biggest challenge: you're organising for three very different groups at once. Employees, partners and children. Each group wants something different.

Employees want connection with colleagues and a relaxed atmosphere in which they can feel proud. Partners want to understand where their other half spends every day, and feel welcome when that works. Children want to move and play, but not sit still for too long.

The good news: this doesn't have to clash. With the right programme structure, you give each audience what it needs without spoiling things for another.

The key is parallel programme tracks. While the children are busy with activities, adults can connect. At moments when the programme is shared (lunch, closing, a performance), all three groups come together.

A family day calls for a different venue than a staff party. You need space. A lot of space. Children run. They have to be able to run.

Parks, country estates, leisure sites and outdoor venues are ideal. They offer space for activities and quiet spots. A marquee for rain. A grass field for the children. A seating area for those who want a conversation.

When choosing a venue, pay attention to: accessibility by car (families drive), parking, toilets (preferably for small children too) and shade or a covered area for hot or wet weather.

A good family day has a clear dramaturgy. The welcome from 10am to 11am is informal. People arrive with a welcome drink and the children's activity starts immediately. No speech on arrival; let people land.

From 11am to 1pm, parallel activities run. Children do sports challenges, arts and crafts or bouncing, while adults take a tour or network informally. The shared lunch from 1pm to 2pm is the heart of the day: everyone together, informal, outside if possible.

The afternoon programme from 2pm to 4:30pm consists of family games in mixed teams, followed by a closing with a small performance or surprise. The day wraps up between 4:30pm and 5pm with a thank-you speech from the CEO of no more than three minutes, a gift bag for the children and a photo moment.

A family day, open day or supplier day costs around €200 to €300+ per person excluding VAT for 250 to 500 guests. For 500 to 1,000 guests, reckon on roughly €175 to €275+ per person. For 1,000 to 2,000 guests, on roughly €150 to €250+ per person. For more than 2,000 guests, on roughly €100 to €150+ per person. All figures excluding VAT, including venue, catering, entertainment and production.

A family day or open day is aimed at a broad audience including children and partners. The per-person price sits lower than at an evening party because the programme and the catering level are different.

It's tempting to organise a family day yourself. But programme building for three audiences at once is a craft of its own. That raises practical questions: when do you bring in the children's activities, and how do you keep the adults engaged at the same time?

There's also the coordination paradox: the HR manager who organises the day can't be fully present on the day itself. You're producer and guest at once, and those two roles bite each other.

At Live Impact we build family days with proven programme set-ups. A production team runs everything on the day itself. So that you (and your colleagues) can enjoy it.

One day. Three audiences. And if you do it right: an unforgettable moment for everyone who was there.

We're here to help you build that day. From the first concept to the last gift bag.

Call us on 085 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl.

Seriously fun.