Successful kick-off at work

What is a kick-off

Kick-off is a term widely used in both sports and business. In a sports context, it means the start of a match or half, such as in football, where the ball is put into play from the midfield. But when you hear the word kick-off in a business context, it usually refers to a meeting or event that marks the beginning of a new project, year, or campaign.

Why organize a kick-off?

The primary purpose of a kick-off is to motivate participants, clarify goals, and ensure that everyone is on the same page before embarking on the task ahead. It can include presentations, working groups, and activities around team building. In addition, a kick-off is often used to build culture and morale in a group or team, which is essential for ensuring success and progress.

The event can vary in scope and length, from one hour to several days, and can be simpler meetings or more complex seminars with multiple participants. Good planning and execution are essential for a kick-off to be effective and leave a positive impact on all involved.

Planning a kick-off

A successful kick-off starts with good planning. It is important to define goals, choose an appealing concept, and identify a suitable location for your event.

Is the purpose of the event to strengthen team dynamics, launch a new product, or perhaps celebrate a milestone? Start by setting goals and then work systematically to create a detailed plan. List tasks and deadlines in an action plan, such as:

1. Goal definition
2. Budget setting
3. Choosing a concept and identity
4. Selecting a location
5. Planning activities and program
6. Choosing a concept and identity

A strong identity creates a consistent theme throughout your kick-off. Think about what kind of vibe you want the event to convey. Should it be formal, informal, innovative, or perhaps inspiring? The choice of concept and identity should reflect the company's values and goals. Ensuring a consistent style in everything from invitations to decorations and presentations is essential for creating a memorable experience.

Choosing a location

The choice of location is crucial for the atmosphere of the kick-off. Should it be in urban surroundings, in nature, or perhaps abroad? Consider accessibility for participants, facilities, and technical needs. Here are some factors to consider:

• Transportation accessibility and distance
• Capacity and room configuration
• Technical equipment and setup
• Catering and food service
• Accommodation options (if necessary)

Make sure the location you choose aligns with the concept and helps achieve the kick-off goals.

Content in a kick-off

A kick-off is an important start for your team or organization to set the tone for the upcoming periods and projects. By focusing on relevant activities and team building, you ensure a valuable and memorable experience.

To maximize the impact of your kick-off, it is essential to include engaging activities that reflect the group's goals. You should plan:

Strategy sessions: Short presentations on the company's objectives and roadmap.

Workshops: Interactive groups working towards specific outcomes or learning goals.

A tight and thorough schedule ensures that the day is well-structured and that everyone participates actively.

Kick-off with team building and networking

Teambuilding is the core element of a successful kick-off because it strengthens the bond between employees through, for example:

Collaborative tasks: designed to build teamwork and solve problems together.

Social mingling: events like shared meals or informal “get-togethers” can strengthen personal relationships.

By emphasizing networking, employees can connect more closely with colleagues and develop a stronger team spirit.

How to use the Wittario app for kick-off

It doesn't take much to make your kick-off stand out from others. Wittario has developed an app for both education and businesses where learning games both engage and develop employees. The app has uses that are perfect for various kick-offs. Here are four of them:

• Onboarding
• Workshops
• Team building
• Culture building as a theme.

Onboarding with the Wittario App

Onboarding using games provides an informal introduction to company culture, values, and work processes for new colleagues and gives them a better understanding of their role in the organization. This increases both motivation and confidence in new employees.

Fun and engaging workshops

Use the app to present a topic or map out knowledge in workshops.

Team building with learning games

Combine learning and fun with teambuilding. Learning games from Wittario promote collaboration, and the app contains tasks and competitions that challenge and force collaboration, communication, and problem-solving among employees.

Build culture in the company

With culture games, you can promote awareness of organizational culture. It makes it easier to create a platform for discussion and reflection.

Executing a kick-off

To ensure a successful execution of your kick-off, it is important to focus on the timing of the event and how quality can be increased. These aspects are crucial for a memorable and effective event.

When is the best time for a kick-off?

Your choice of timing for the kick-off significantly affects attendance and engagement. It is recommended to plan the kick-off outside of busy periods so that participants can be fully present without distractions from daily tasks.

January or September: These months are popular because they mark the start and end of summer, periods of new beginnings and restarts after vacation periods.

Afternoon: Events in the afternoon often avoid clashes with meetings and regular work tasks that could hinder participation.

Increasing the quality of the event

To increase the quality of your kick-off, you should focus on details that contribute to a professional and engaging experience. The program, format, equipment, venue, food, and drink all influence the quality.

Relevant and targeted content: Ensure that the content is directly related to the kick-off goals and provides value to participants.

Varied format: Blending presentations, workshops, and networking keeps engagement high and meets different preferences.

Reliable technology: Good sound and visual presentation tools are essential for conveying your message effectively.

Technical support: Have technical support available to handle any issues quickly and avoid downtime.

Comfortable and accessible venue: It enhances participants' ability to focus and participate.

Promotes networking: An environment that encourages dialogue and interaction can strengthen bonds among team members.

Food and drink: Offer nutritious and varied food that keeps energy levels up throughout the event.

Remember breaks! Regular breaks with refreshments help participants recharge and network.

Follow-up after the kick-off

After a successful kick-off, it is important to ensure that participants leave with a good touch of inspiration, the right message, and motivation to meet the company's expectations. Effective follow-up helps anchor the kick-off goals in the team's ongoing work.

Right after the event, you should create a brief summary of the key topics covered and share it with the participants. Also, remember that feedback is invaluable. Send out a survey or feedback form for everyone to complete. Here, you can get valuable information about what was good and what can be improved.

In the medium term, follow-up meetings can be good to discuss progress towards the goals that were set.

In the long term, the company can develop detailed action plans on how to achieve the overall goals from the kick-off.

By implementing these measures, you ensure that the energy and inspiration from the kick-off translate into concrete actions and lasting improvements.

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