Bringing 200 colleagues together for a staff day
We spoke to Audika's event managers about their approach
The challenge
How do you ensure that colleagues who work in different shops still come together in one place with a sense of pride?
The Audika Experience
Audika helps more people hear better, with shops from Groningen to Kapelle. That geographical spread presents a challenge: how do you make sure colleagues who would normally never see each other still feel part of something bigger and remain proud of where they work?
The answer is the Audika Experience, an annual staff day when everyone comes together, the company’s direction is shared and people have a chance to connect properly again. This year’s programme focused on the customer promise. The schedule included an update from the management team on the direction of Audika, workshops and an inspiring speaker. A successful event for staff, because that ''this is why I work at Audika'' feeling is not just created in a shop, but especially on days like this.
For the second year in a row, the day took place at InnStyle.
We spoke to Sandra van den Boer and Carola van der Heijde, the two event managers behind the organisation, about their search for the right venue and the advice they would give other organisers.
How to choose the right venue for your staff day
With 200 employees from across the Netherlands, accessibility is the first requirement: a central location, hassle-free parking, comfortable breakout spaces for workshops and an atmosphere that takes people out of their daily routine. There is a wide choice of venues, but finding somewhere that meets all those requirements and has the right look and feel is harder than you might think.
Sandra and Carola looked at dozens of venues. One in the woods seemed promising, until they arrived and found that the most attractive space was on the wrong side of the building, with workshop rooms looking straight onto hotel rooms. Sandra: ''You're sitting outside on the terrace, looking into hotel guests' rooms. That's just not what you want.'' On the drive back, they already knew this would not be the venue for the Audika Experience.
That is how they ended up choosing InnStyle for their second event too.
“The technology works well, communication is easy and the venue feels right.”
Carola van der Heijde, marketing coordinator at Audika
A venue that works with you and isn't afraid to make suggestions
Audika organises this event with two people, without an external agency, which means they expect a great deal from a venue when working together. Carola: ''At some venues, we constantly had to come up with ideas ourselves — is this an option, could we do this too? That’s not how it should work. A good venue listens to what you want to achieve and then comes up with suggestions that fit.''
The striking example they mention is a haka workshop, suggested by an InnStyle team member after asking in-depth questions about the aim of the day: bringing colleagues together. Initially, it raised doubts: people have to put themselves out there while their colleagues watch, but it became one of the day’s most unifying moments. Carola: ''Everyone stepped out of their comfort zone and ended up loving it. That’s exactly how a strong partnership with a venue works: asking probing questions and having the confidence to make suggestions.''
At InnStyle, we believe movement matters. These activities are among the options we offer to enhance events.
The value of water, even when it rains
What makes InnStyle such a special venue for Audika? The water.
At InnStyle, you are always connected to the nature around you, even when the weather lets you down. Sandra: ''The weather this year wasn’t as good as last year, but even then, the event space gives you sweeping views of the water, and people head outside during breaks.'' The surroundings have an effect on people. Colleagues find it easier to connect with each other and enjoy a little distance from their everyday working environment.
“Water brings calm and freedom. It opens something up in people. At InnStyle, it's simply there.”
Carola van der Heijde, marketing coordinator at Audika
A day that stays with you and a setting that supports it
The result of the event? The Audika Experience is not a one-off moment: the workshops offer direction and practical tools to keep putting the customer promise into practice.
Speaker Kevin van Houten built seamlessly on this with his message ''Being kind doesn't hurt''. By encouraging everyone to consciously make room for a smile every day, he struck a chord in an accessible way and prompted reflection. The project team now has a clear responsibility: to ensure that the energy and insights from the day are carried forward into practice.
''The setting at InnStyle is already excellent. We need to have fewer materials produced than at other venues.''
If you too are looking for a venue for your staff day that does more than hire out a space, a venue visit to InnStyle is the logical next step. Not to see how the spaces are laid out to meet practical needs, but to experience the effect that the water, the setting and 30 years of event experience have on people.
Book a venue visit and discover what InnStyle can offer your event.
