Are Your Work Socials Inclusive?

Work socials can help drive success and wellbeing at your charity. They’re a great opportunity for your team to catch up, have fun and feel valued for their hard work. As part of a positive workplace culture, they can increase staff engagement and retention. So it’s important to make sure that everyone who wants to can get involved and enjoy them to the fullest. Here’s how to make sure your work socials are inclusive.

Alcohol-free alternatives

Work drinks are the go-to activity for a lot of organisations, but one thing to consider is that not everyone drinks alcohol. If you’re arranging work drinks, make sure there are decent non-alcoholic drink options available as well. For example, you could go to a café or to a bar that has a good selection of non-alcoholic cocktails.

Variety 

Work drinks aren’t the only way to socialise and have fun. Activities like bowling or an escape room are another way to get your employees together and might be a change of scene. Going out for a work meal is another great alternative. Having a variety of work socials means that your employees have more options for what to get involved in, which makes it more exciting for them as well. Make sure each activity is affordable—or better still, pay for it if funds allow.

Dietary requirements 

Keep in mind that many people have specific dietary requirements, whether due to personal preferences, health conditions or religious reasons. If your work social involves food, make sure it accommodates everyone. Ask your team about their requirements in advance. If you’re planning to eat out, look through the restaurant menu beforehand to check it meets their needs.

Timing 

Remember that employees may have responsibilities after work, such as caring for children or other relatives. Making sure the social doesn’t start and finish too late will benefit those who have a long journey back home, or who might simply need to head off early. You could start it a little before the working day normally finishes. That way, people can still join in and leave at or slightly after the usual time.

Make sure it’s on a day that works for most people. If you’re unsure when’s best, simply send out a poll asking the team to vote on which days suit them.

Location 

Having work socials in the office is usually most convenient, at least for those who are working there that day. If you’re arranging an external event, try to find somewhere close to the office if possible so that people don’t have to go too far out of their way.

Bear in mind transportation and any related accessibility requirements. Check beforehand whether lifts or ramps are available if necessary. Employees’ ethics and beliefs are also important when choosing a location for inclusive work socials. For example, some people’s faith limits them from going into a pub as it’s associated with alcohol.

Remote workers

Some employees and teams work remotely and don’t go into the office regularly. So organising in-person socials can be a bit more challenging. If it’s still practical and desirable for your team members you could arrange to meet up less frequently, such as every few months, and at a location that’s most convenient for the majority.

But if that’s not possible, online work socials are a great way to catch up no matter where you are. You could arrange activities like quizzes, puzzles or bingo. This way, remote workers have the chance to socialise and feel included without leaving the comfort of their own home.

Employee preferences

When it comes to hosting inclusive work socials, there’s always room for improvement. Every individual and team will have different needs, preferences and ways of working. Sending employees a quick survey or poll to find out their preferences for work socials is an excellent starting point. Then you can tailor your events to be more inclusive and fun for them.

Remember, it’s important to let employees themselves decide whether they want to attend a work social or not. Bear in mind that their reasons for declining may not be obvious. So always be considerate and avoid putting pressure on employees if they choose not to join in.

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