When to Call in the Event Pros
A look into the benefits of hiring an outside facilitator to host your team events
Event planners within an organization often have to consider when to run team events on their own, and when to bring in some outside help
As seasoned corporate comedy show hosts, we wanted to find out more about the unique benefits of bringing in outside facilitators to run internal events
Studies show that external facilitators can bring fresh perspectives and objective views, helping to open up conversations between team members
We’ve been invited to host hundreds of team social events, from trivia games to virtual comedy shows to corporate training workshops. When we enter your office or Zoom meeting, we’re brought in to facilitate the fun. But what’s actually going on there, scientifically?
According to research by the University of Minnesota Extension, there are many positives to bringing in outside help to coordinate the fun–it can help minimize bias, address challenging topics, and raise different kinds of questions. While internal facilitators may be more likely to face preconceptions from attendees, outside hosts can bring in special value by “[creating] an atmosphere of neutral or unbiased facilitation.”
Our founder, Kevin Hubschmann, reflected on his own experience participating in sales team building activities early in his career. “When my previous manager used to do ‘ice breakers’ with our team, many of us would roll our eyes and not buy in because knew he wanted us to get something out of it and maybe didn't want to give him the satisfaction. However, when we had an outside facilitator on team outings, and I saw my manager taking part in the activities, the hierarchy was removed. I felt like I could get way more out of the experience knowing that he had bought in at our level as well.”
While it can take some time for an outside facilitator to understand the context of the group they are working with, Laugh.Events works to address this by collecting details from event organizers ahead of every event, prepping the comics and instructors with key info about the team they’ll be working with so they can come in ready.
For our Workday Update segment, we survey attendees prior to the event, asking “What’s your most overused office buzzword?” During the event, a comedian takes the answers and provides a fresh take on what those buzzwords might mean. “This is the perfect, corporate-friendly way for teams to poke fun of themselves and share a laugh,” says Hubschmann. “There’s something hilarious about someone who is not on your team trying to guess the meaning of the acronyms and terms you use on a daily basis.”
Want to book a comedian to host your next team event? Our comedic hosts are available to provide your holiday party entertainment or lead your remote team building activities. Reach out to our team to learn more!