3.7 Min Reading

All corporative events have common characteristics and purposes: they contribute to brand awareness and are useful for networking. But Galas (even charity galas) have the biggest emphasis on two aspects: recognition and networking, which makes them so relevant for the corporative world. 

Recognition 

Recognition is a human need; therefore, we look for it in every aspect of our lives: from our family life to work and the tasks we take with a team. The real difference is the way we receive that recognition and the contexts in which it is possible. 

To recognize employee engagement, mechanisms like incentives (whether in cash or goods) and peer recognition are highly functional. Still, they are not enough when it comes to recognizing teamwork or the company’s effort as a whole. What would be the best way to acknowledge your team of engineers’ work to develop your latest product? Or the negotiation your sales team did that made the most significant difference for your financial status? Probably, having an event where they receive public recognition will be, by far, more satisfying than sending them a gift card. 

Having more options for making your employees know you appreciate them will help you use each one of them at the right moment, which in turn will boost employee engagement and make it more likely they will want to make last-mile efforts. Corporative galas are an essential part of this recognition toolkit. 

Through a gala, you will be able to celebrate the company’s achievements, reward collective efforts, and enhance the human bonds that make teamwork possible. 

Even though most galas are at the end of the year, it doesn’t have to be necessarily the case. Think of the Oscars Ceremony, for example; one of the most important galas in the world is in February. For a company’s case, it could be at the moment of their foundation anniversary or the day a profession is celebrated, to mention just two options. 

Networking

All events have a networking component, but in no other, it is so relevant as it is in galas. Since there may be speeches, but its main purpose is not educational, the real emphasis is human relationships. 

Whether it is a charity gala (where the main objective will be fundraising) or a company’s one, attendees will have the main objective of talking to new people or getting to know better some persons they already knew. 

This means it can be a fantastic moment to invite new possible partners or clients, talk, and better understand their needs and areas of expertise while they see the best side of your company. 

Though galas are usually held as in-person events, virtual galas are the best option to bring together strategic invitees in remote places and, in the current circumstances, the best way to overcome the challenges the pandemic poses. 

How do you plan to celebrate your company’s latest achievements? 

eBrightConnect – WHY ARE VIRTUAL GALAS IMPORTANT FOR COMPANIES?
By: Ana Maria Enciso, January 2021