Here is our list of fun networking event ideas.
Networking event ideas are activities that professionals or employees can use to create meaningful work connections. Examples include Speed Networking, Happy Hour Meetups, and Trade Shows. These events aim to connect like minds and encourage employees to make new company acquaintances and friends.
This list includes:
- networking event ideas for young professionals
- networking event ideas for large groups
- networking ideas for small groups
- women’s networking ideas
- outdoor networking event ideas
Let’s begin!
List of networking event ideas
From speed networking to happy hour meetups to trade shows and luncheons, here is a list of ideas for networking events.
1. Group Well-being Activities
Well-being activities are activities that promote relaxation and good health. Some well-being activities include yoga, meditation, and calisthenics. You can organize this activity for employees or teammates to do in groups. Doing yoga or meditation as a team is a great way to bond. The teammates get to feel relaxed and ease stress as they interact and converse with each other.
To organize a well-being activity, you need to pick a comfortable date, preferably over the weekend when the employees can spare some time. Then, invite a professional to instruct the teammates in yoga, meditation, or calisthenics.
At the end of the activity, teammates will feel more relaxed and engaged and have healthy conversations. A good way to end this activity is by sharing fruit drinks or discussing over a plate of salad, allowing the groups to interact and get to know each other.
2. Happy Hour Meetups
A casual event is a perfect way to have fun while networking, and happy hour meetups fit those criteria. This event creates a more relaxed environment where conversation comes easily. To organize happy hour meetups, pick a designated location and time. Good drinks and appetizers are musts. Also, encourage employees to dress comfortably and not in their usual work attire.
You can invite the groups to have a few drinks and eat appetizers while interacting and getting to know each other. Since this activity creates a comfortable setting, it is an affordable way for teammates to get to know each other personally. This event can take place outside the office to give the employees a change of scenery. Since happy hour meetups are casual events, they are a great example of networking event ideas for young professionals.
3. Picnics
Picnics are good outdoor networking event ideas. This activity is a good opportunity for teammates to bond, which will help foster good working relationships and create a good work environment in the office.
To organize a picnic, plan to meet at a designated location during the weekend or on a working holiday. Parks and parking lots work well. Next, provide ample food and drinks. You can also encourage teammates to bring their favorite side dishes to help build team spirit and engagement. To add more life to this event, play music over a loudspeaker. Teammates can then loosen up, enjoy the music, and dance along if they would like.
4. Pottery Classes
Pottery is a good stress relief activity and a fun networking event idea for small groups. You can organize this event after work hours or on a special day at the office, such as staff appreciation day. Pottery classes are great networking event ideas for small groups as they allow folks to work closely with a professional to learn a craft.
This exercise allows attendees to be creative and helps boost their self-esteem. To organize a pottery event, you can invite a ceramic artist to host a live pottery session at the office or your event space. It helps if you provide the folks with singular workstations to practice their new craft or encourage them to work in teams where they can appreciate each other’s efforts and skills.
At the end of the event, teammates can take home their projects. This will serve as a reminder of their efforts and a souvenir of the fun time. Since pottery is often relaxing, teammates can get to discuss and know each other more as they mix and create.
5. Speed Networking Event
As the name implies, speed networking is a great way for professionals to make fast connections. Speed networking events are fun networking event ideas for large groups.
To organize a speed networking event:
- Find a large room within the office where you can host the event.
- Organize numbered tables with tea or coffee, water, and snacks.
- When the tables are set, split the teammates into small groups. When the attendees are shared into small groups, makes it easy for you to oversee and manage the event.
- Colleagues can spend a few minutes in a group and move on to the next one.
- You should encourage each attendee to meet up with the majority of the groups before the end of the event.
During this event, attendees get to introduce themselves to each other, ask questions, and exchange contact details for further discussions and interactions. You can get to share tips or tell interesting work stories that will be fun and motivating.
6. Trade Show
Trade shows are exhibitions where businesses in a particular industry promote their products and services. This activity is a great way to meet prospective employers and employees.
There will be several stands representing businesses and services at the exhibition. This setting allows teammates to watch each other display, demonstrate and discuss their new products and services. This event is best carried out in a major event center to accommodate everyone comfortably.
During the event, teammates get to have conversations while looking around the various stands. This activity also gives teammates the opportunity to discover what they have in common and build meaningful relationships.
7. Roundtable Discussion
The best kinds of networking and connections are those done over discussions. A roundtable discussion is a brilliant and fun way to create meaningful connections between professionals. You can organize this activity by setting up a table with light refreshments on the side. The event can happen anywhere, making it a simple and accessible form of networking.
A round table will allow colleagues to enjoy great conversations and exchange ideas. This activity aims to set the platform for colleagues to have a judgment-free zone where they can air their views and have meaningful conversations. Asides from work-related discussions, teammates can discuss life and find areas of interest among themselves. This exercise will further enhance their working relationship and help them form a strong workplace bond.
At this event, ensure that everyone focuses on what others say and ensure that speakers give value through their message. The roundtable discussions can come to a close by exchanging contacts among participants and photo sessions to mark the day.
8. Career Fairs
Career fairs are an excellent networking opportunity, especially for entry-level workers.
To organize a career fair:
- Set up booths for employees in different fields.
- Print and share pamphlets containing important information such as contact details and social media handles. Each business should have a pamphlet containing contact details and other relevant information.
- Share souvenirs such as pens, notepads, or t-shirts with the company logo to appreciate those who attended the fair.
During this event, attendees get to meet delegates from different organizations. This event is also an opportunity for young professionals to submit their resumes, introduce themselves and ask questions about their company or other companies present.
9. Silent Disco
A silent disco is a fun networking idea because it allows everyone present for the event to listen to their favorite songs in a calm and quiet environment. Teammates who wish to interact more can take off their headsets and find a suitable spot to have a conversation. The burst of colors from the various headsets can also bring a very warm feeling and set the mood for a great conversation.
Teammates can get to talk about work and discuss new ideas while having fun. To organize a silent disco, hire a team to make the necessary equipment available, pick a nice venue, and enjoy drinks.
10. Host a Trivia Night
A trivia night is a fun professional networking event. Teammates will get to answer work-related and non-work-related questions within a given amount of time. The questions often asked will result in answers that will provide new information about a new project, the office, or the company.
To organize a trivia night, you will need a nice space within or outside the office area. You can also bring young professionals from various companies to this event, making it easy for colleagues and teammates to socialize and interact.
Players can answer questions collectively or individually. The trivia night is an opportunity for those in attendance to learn something new and have fun. Teammates can also use this to engage and get to know each other.
11. Luncheon
Folks love a good meal, and a luncheon creates a setting where professionals can have a good meal while networking. To organize a luncheon, hire an event planner. The event planner will then source caterers to make meals that the groups will enjoy at the event. To spice it up, you can ensure that the caterers add most of the attendee’s favorite dishes to the menu. This will allow teammates and colleagues to converse over their favorite meals.
The goal of this gathering is to ensure that all members of the team or employees in a company get to meet, interact and socialize. You can also invite a reputable speaker. Attendees will have several questions after the speech, which will enable conversations and interactions.
12. Workshops
Workshops are great professional development activities and networking opportunities. These trainings offer a chance for professionals to learn new skills or sharpen existing abilities. Most times, workshops focus on a particular skill set, so attendance at this event is always streamlined based on interest.
To organize a workshop, you must have a skill in mind or a topic to discuss. During a workshop, attendees get to watch a presentation or do more interactive learning. Most workshops always have team building activities, and participating in the various team activities allows you to interact and network with others as you learn.
Workshops are great ways to learn while interacting all at the same time. This is a fun networking event idea, as the attendees receive value and get to network simultaneously.
13. Themed Party
Folks like to dress up, that is why a themed party is a good networking idea. Teammates who dress alike get to discover that they share a similar interest which is always a good conversation starter. The themed event can be about an era or a time of great significance that pertains to your industry. Interesting outfits can be a great conversation starter.
To organize a themed party, you need a theme and a planner to set up in line with the theme. Some great theme ideas include:
- murder mystery
- ugly sweater
- 90s-themed
- dress like your hero
- fictional folks in your field
- dream destination
You should also ensure that food and drinks are available so that colleagues and teammates can chat and discuss over drinks. Themed parties are also great women’s networking ideas because they allow members of the female staff to look their best outside of the work setting, which boosts their self-esteem and contributes positively to their mental health.
14. Vision Board Building Event
Building a vision board is an exciting activity. The emotions that come from writing or setting your dreams or goals are always fulfilling. Building vision boards is even more exciting when you do it in teams, allowing employees and colleagues to network and interact with each other.
To build a vision board:
- Find an open space inside or outside the office where the teammates can work without disturbance.
- Split the employees into groups of three.
- Give each group a set of materials like sticky notes, pencils, highlighters, and markers. These materials will help the groups draw their vision in a detailed manner.
- The vision can center around what the employees hope to get from the event or the heights they aim to achieve in their careers.
- Each group should get a spot to hang their vision boards so that it is on full display.
In the course of putting their vision board together, attendees may find common ground. The teammates will also learn what makes them different from each other and even discuss ways to achieve the goals set up in their vision boards.
15. Sip and Paint
Painting is a simple and fun way to relax. This activity is also one of the easiest ways to communicate and express oneself. A sip and paint is one of the most ideal networking ideas for small groups because it allows attendees to be creative while having fun.
To organize a sip and paint event:
- Get painting materials like paintbrushes, paint, aprons, and canvasses for each teammate.
- Arrange tables and chairs facing each other, allowing attendees to talk while they paint.
- The attendees will get a theme to paint, or they can choose to paint whatever they would prefer.
- Serve the teammates a glass of wine or cocktail as they paint, encouraging them to loosen up, have fun and interact with each other.
- After the event, the teammates can take their painting home as souvenirs.
The sip and paint is the perfect example of outdoor networking event ideas, as you can organize it outside when the weather is right. This activity helps teammates and colleagues to interact, show off their skills and discuss outside the work environment.
Conclusion
Networking event ideas are activities that get teammates and colleagues to develop cordial relationships. These activities also allow folks to interact, engage and develop friendships within the work environment. These events aim to ensure that teammates and colleagues expand their network while having fun. Networking event ideas also allow teammates and colleagues to bond more and foster better working conditions.
Next, check out the best icebreaker questions and online team event ideas.
