69% of employees surveyed say they would work harder if their company showed them more appreciation. A great way to do this is to host an end-of-year function.
Depending on the size of your business, consider renting a tent to house everyone. This is especially true if the year-end work function includes plus-ones or spouses. But which tent do you choose?
If this is your dilemma, keep reading because this is your guide to renting a tent for your end-of-year function.
How to Plan a Year-End Work Event
Employees who work hard throughout the year appreciate time at the end of the year to blow off steam with their colleagues. But, to do that, you need to plan a great end-of-year party.
Several factors go into planning a successful staff event. Such as:
- The budget
- The venue
- The service providers
- The guests
All events require a budget, and it’s recommended to calculate this value before getting underway with your event planning. Your budget can be flexible to an extent, but having a hard number you can’t exceed should be the very least you do.
The venue will depend on how many guests you will be hosting. If you have a small to medium-sized business, you must find enough space to accommodate everyone. Renting a tent is a great way to do this within a reasonable budget.
Another factor is the service providers. You’ll have to decide what food you’ll be offering the guests. Will it be ready-made platters, or will you enlist vendors like caterers or food trucks?
Finally, you need to factor in the guests. For example:
- How are they getting invited to the work function?
- Are they bringing their spouses?
- Is there enough parking for everyone?
- Has lousy weather been factored in?
Renting a Tent Guidelines
If you can’t find a venue within your budget, consider renting a tent and having the work event in a park or field. Often parks can be rented out for a very reasonable cost.
If you choose an outdoor venue, it may not come with any shelter for your guests aside from some trees. Renting a tent can save the day, and there are several you can choose from, depending on your requirements. To hire the perfect commercial tent, you need to consider these factors:
1. What Size Tent
Deciding on your tent size is essential to saving money. If you only need to host, for example, 50 guests or less, you don’t want to hire a tent that is suited for over 200. Conversely, if you’re a large corporation, you won’t rent an event tent that is too small to accommodate your guests.
You’ll also have to take into consideration the size of the venue. For example, if you’re renting a tent for 200 guests, the venue will have to be of equal size.
You also need to factor in the weather when deciding on tent size. Suppose it starts raining; naturally, your guests will shelter inside the tent. If the tent is too small, your guests will feel cramped and uncomfortable for the whole event.
Assuming your work event provides catering, you want to factor in the seating you will offer. For example, will there be tables and chairs for formal dining or high tables for finger foods? If its a buffet style, you also need to include the space for the buffet table, warming trays, and the bar/coffee and tea station.
Finally, remember to consider the vendors you will be hiring. Will there be a bar with bartenders? Will there be a DJ booth? Music equipment? What about a dance floor for the guests? None of these things can be left to the elements, so you must accommodate them under the commercial tent you’re renting.
2. What Type of Tent
Once you know what tent size you need, the next major decision will be on what type of tent you will choose. Generally, there are two basic types of tents: pole tents (tents with poles) and frame tents (tents without poles).
Pole Tents
Pole tents can have several center poles (depending on the size) and poles around the perimeter. Typically these types of tents also have web-guys fastened to the top of the side poles and to stakes that are set into the ground for more resilience.
These tents are larger, so they will require more space than their frame tent counterparts. Finally, you have one more decision to make with pole tents: a lightweight party canopy style or a heavy-duty pole tent?
The lightweight option will be the more cost-effective of the two because they’re significantly easier to set up; however it doesn’t hold up well to bad weather.
The heavy-duty option will be more expensive and able to hold up chandeliers or similar lighting. Furthermore, it will easily handle lousy weather, but some venues may not allow ground stakes, so check before renting a tent like this.
Frame Tents
These tents are supported by a metal frame and can be as simple as an 8’x8′ “pop-up” canopy or much larger. These types of tents are great in places the other type is not allowed because they don’t require any staking. They also can often be height adjustable.
They require a lot of effort to set up, so they can end up costing more than a pole tent of the same size, so it’s good to compare prices before hiring one.
Throw Your Staff the Best End-Of-Year Function
Showing your employees that you appreciate their hard work throughout the year is a great way to retain excellent workers. For example, throwing a simple work function at the end of the year can easily remain within budget by renting a tent and provide staff with a relaxing, fun evening for them and their spouses.
If you’re looking for high-quality tents in Illinois, contact us today, and we can help. We can assist in the following cities: Park Ridge, IL; Arlington Heights, IL; Mount Prospect, IL Glenview, IL Wilmette, IL Winnetka, IL; Lake Forest, IL Libertyville, IL; Glen Ellyn, IL Elmhurst, IL Hinsdale, IL Oakbrook, IL Barrington, IL Des Plaines, IL Lake Bluff, IL.
