15 Unique Corporate Workshop Ideas for Memorable Events

Whether you’re planning an interactive corporate retreat, team building event, or just a fun day out with your coworkers, adding a workshop to your program can make the experience even better. While these activities may seem overly simple, they will leave your group with memories that will last a lifetime. That is why we put together a list of 15 unique corporate workshop ideas and help you plan your next company workshop. Hope you enjoy it! 

What are Corporate Workshops?

A corporate workshop is a type of meeting where people actively engage in an activity, project or discussion on a specific topic. It is usually organized by a company for their employees. 

Training workshops are a great way to provide employees with a chance for professional development and help them learn new skills. However, they can also be used as an opportunity for people in different departments to work together and grow as a team. Indeed, workshops make a great team-building experience.

It’s also important to remember that corporate workshops are meant to be a fun, engaging way to gain knowledge and expertise. But don't worry about spending a lot of time meditating upon cool workshop event ideas that will make your event a success. We've done the legwork for you and put together a list of unique corporate workshops suggestions. See them below.

15 Unique Corporate Workshop Ideas

Corporate workshop sessions can be as creative as you want them to be. Some popular workshop event ideas include scavenger hunt, pottery, and dance lessons. Check below our list of corporate workshop ideas that will help create an unforgettable experience for your team. 

1. Scavenger hunt

A scavenger hunt is a fun option that can help introduce coworkers who may not know one another well. Assign an activity for each person. For example, say the full name of the company's CEO, or the year the company was founded. Then, collect points as they complete tasks together. This will make it easier for team members to get acquainted with each other's strengths and interests, which in turn will make it easier for everyone on the team to work better together in the future.

2. Meditation or yoga workshop idea

We all know how stressful daily lives and work situations can be. It's always good to work in a company that cares for our physical and mental health. A great way to show it is to promote a meditation or yoga class for your staff and teach them how to calm down and relax when situations get tough. Moreover, this can not only improve your staff communication and well-being, but also be used to open conferences and B2B meetings with a clear mind.

3. Paint party

This event is a great way to introduce your employees or coworkers to each other. There are many possibilities. For instance, you can have them paint together or split them into groups. You can also assign each person a different color or allow them to choose whatever colour they like. The end result will be a colourful representation of their personalities. 

4. Woodworking

Woodworking is a workshop event idea that provides a chance for people to explore their creativity. Participants will be able to make anything made from wood, such as a coffee table, a side table, or even an outdoor bench. All you need is a few tools and monitors to keep an eye in each group, making sure everything goes according to plan.

5. Jewelry making workshop idea

A jewelry making workshop is a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends and coworkers. Participants can create pieces that are both wearable and beautiful. Craft stores often have the necessary equipment for this type of workshop, including wire cutters, pliers, clamps, and more. This activity focuses on attention, creativity and the ability to focus and work alone when needed. It can help people learn valuable skills for concentrating in their daily tasks.

With some creativity and imagination, these workshops can be customized for any experience level or age group. Beginners should start with simple designs, like a bracelet or necklace while more experienced participants can build more complex pieces, like beaded earrings or rings.

6. Soap making

Set up a soap making workshop for your employees and teach them how to create their own soap from scratch. The process of soap making can be broken down into three simple steps. First, combine the ingredients, then let it set. Lastly, cut and package it! 

This is not only a fun way to spend time with colleagues, but will also give them a newfound appreciation for the product they use every day. Moreover, it can bring people different feelings while working with fragrances and colors.

7. Pottery class

We've included pottery in our list of corporate workshop ideas because it is great for team building. Indeed, pottery will help you get in touch with your creative side and help you learn how to work as a cohesive unit. In addition, you'll have a lot of fun making something together and really getting to know each other. Activities in which you need to “get your hands dirty” are usually great for stress relief and emotional care.

8. Meeting with industry influencers

Digital influencers are becoming more important for businesses and brands each day. When marketers think about spreading the word about a new product or a new campaign, they usually go to influencers first, instead of agencies and television. 

The reason is because digital influencers know their audience very well. If you are in the same niche or share the same audience, influencers can be a good source of innovative ideas to increase your reach. Therefore, participating in a workshop with a successful digital influencer can be as advantageous as taking a course on your audience's likes and dislikes.

9. Photography lessons

Another workshop idea is a photography lesson. It's an activity that doesn’t demand a lot of materials and can be done with a few participants. For example, you can take a small group of employees on a tour of your favorite location, and teach them about different kinds of lights and how they affect the mood in the photograph. You can also teach them about aperture settings and shutter speeds. 

10. Coding class

Coding classes give employees the opportunity to learn how to code in a fun and interactive environment. They are perfect for those who work in marketing, customer service or IT support roles. If you don't have anyone in your team that could teach this class, you can contact schools that offer coding boot camps, like General Assembly.

At the end of the workshop, participants will have a newfound appreciation for how software is created and what it takes to make a great product. Moreover, offering a coding class as a workshop can help attendees improve their ability to find solutions more efficiently and effectively. 

11. Mosaic art

In this fun workshop idea, participants work together to create one large mosaic art piece. The end product is an eye-catching focal point for your event space that attendees can take home as a souvenir. It improves team-work and helps attendees to brainstorm and work together to achieve a goal.

12. Origami workshop idea

Origami is a great corporate workshop idea because it is a highly-portable and adaptable form of art that can be done at any time and almost anywhere. It originated in Japan thousands of years ago. In Japanese, the word "Ori" means "to fold" and the word "kami" means "paper". And that is exactly what we do, we fold paper!

Origami workshops for companies are perfect for team building and professional development initiatives, or just a fun day out with coworkers. An important tip to help you set up an origami workshop is to select the type of origami you'll teach. We recommend using only one or two types of origami at a time. Too many options will make it difficult for your attendees to focus on the instructions. 

13. Dance lessons

A dance class is a great way for employees to spend time together, have fun, and learn something new. It's also a creative way to get people talking about their strengths and weaknesses without feeling too self-conscious. Moreover, it’s more fun than laboral gymnastics and makes people exercise, which is a must for corporate work routines.

14. Product demo

A great workshop idea is to provide your employees a live demonstration of your next product or service. You can roleplay this experience, asking them to act like the development group, customer success or the customer and develop strengths and weak points. Moreover, it will help you have a general idea of what you’re producing and how your staff feels about it.

15. Tai Chi class for beginners

Tai Chi is a low-impact, slow-moving martial art that promotes relaxation, focus and balance. It's calming and relaxing and can be practiced in groups or alone. Therefore, a Tai Chi workshop for companies may give employees the tools they need to manage stress, deal with challenges, and improve their health. Moreover, it helps avoid burnouts and difficult-to-handle arguments.

Tips for Hosting Memorable Corporate Workshops

As you can see from the ideas above, there are many different types of corporate workshops that people can participate in. No matter what type of workshop event you're looking for, there's something out there for everyone!

A workshop will likely be worthwhile if the participants have a positive experience and find it a fun time. Thus, when planning a corporate workshop, it's important to keep your audience in mind. Think about their interests and motivations. Make it your goal to ensure that your attendees get what they need and you can't go wrong!

Regardless of what strategy you are going with, using the best technological tools to help you plan, promote and manage all your corporate workshops. With Timely events management software, you can create an engaging corporate event calendar on your website or intranet, and easily promote corporate events to your employees. Moreover, you can collect event registrations or sell tickets and have a better idea of who is coming to your workshops. Our technology can certainly help you increase event awareness and attendance, improving inclusion and workplace culture.

Contact us or book a meeting today to learn more about Timely’s event platform!