Company picnics can be a great way to improve morale among your employees, and make them feel like they're an important part of the company. They can also be a welcome break from a monotonous work schedule, or used to celebrate a major achievement such as landing a big client, or meeting a major goal. Throwing a corporate picnic may seem like a daunting task, but there really isn't much to it. To throw a memorable corporate picnic, keep these things in mind:

First, determine your budget for the picnic. This will affect everything from the location to the entertainment. You can't have fireworks and a live band on a small budget, so you'll need to know what you're working with before you start.

Be creative. Don't just arrange a typical, boring picnic that employees will dread going to. Shake it up a little by having a theme, such as 'Mardi Gras' or 'Mexican Fiesta'. Hiring live music can take a party from bland to memorable, and so can the other entertainment you choose. For a fun and unexpected twist, include activities that are either related to your party theme, industry, or the area you live in. For example, you could choose to hold the corporate picnic at a local park with a lake, which has kayaks available for rent. Give away door prizes such as gift certificates to local restaurants, or if you're a retail company, some of the items you sell. Of course, there are always the standby outdoor picnic activities such as badminton, volleyball, croquet, Frisbee, water balloon tosses, and the like.

Replace typical picnic food with exciting food stations like make-your-own-taco tables, big pots of gumbo or jambalaya, or an Italian feast. Many restaurants can cater corporate picnics - just call around, or find a catering company that'll be flexible to your needs. If your budget doesn't allow for catering, spring for the main dish and ask employees to bring side dishes, desserts and beverages.

Make sure you double-check all your company picnic arrangements two weeks prior to the event to avoid any unpleasant surprises. You wouldn't want to find out at the last minute that the park pavilion you booked is going to be under construction, or that your caterer is changing management! This will allow you to make alternative arrangements if necessary.

Finally, if all this corporate picnic planning seems like too much for you, you can always hire a professional special event coordinator. They can either arrange the entire party themselves, or handle all the details to take some of the stress off you. These professional planners can often get you good discounts on things like food and entertainment.

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