Speaking. What events do you like? What events are good for socialising with the following people?
Are these statements true or false?
1. British companies don't have regular picnics.
2. Christmas parties are sometimes formal.
3. At picnics, people relax, eat and play music.
4. In hot weather, it isn't easy to keep food warm.
5. Organisations with a lot of employees often use a restaurant.
6. Managers don't want 50 per cent of their workers to be sick the day after a picnic.
clients friends work colleagues
Reading. Read the article. What can cause health and safety problems at picnics?
Read the article again and answer the questions.
1. How often do many American companies have an office picnic?
2. Who is invited to company picnics?
3. Why do staff like picnics?
4. What problems are there with picnics?
5. What kinds of food can't be in the sun too long?
Reading
The office picnic
An office picnic can be a delicious opportunity to have fun with your colleagues.
The annual office picnic is a popular social event for many companies in the USA. Employees go to local parks with food and their families each summer. At the moment, company picnics aren't a regular event in Britain. But some British businesses think they could be a good opportunity for employees to socialise in an informal way.
Abel & Cole is a British catering company. The company has a big office picnic every year. Gary Congress organises Abel & Cole's annual picnic. "Christmas parties are great but they are quite formal; with a picnic it's much more relaxed," he says. Employees like picnics because they can arrive and leave when they want to. They relax, eat and play games with family and colleagues.
But are picnics more of a problem to organise than other events? Many people don't like insects, noisy children or bad weather - and these can all happen on a picnic. Food is probably the main health and safety concern because hot weather makes it difficult to keep food, such as fish, meat and cheese, are dangerous if they are in the sun too long.
A catering company can deliver food to a picnic. This is useful for companies with a large staff because it helps the food stay fresh. Managers can enjoy the picnic without worrying that half the workers may be ill the next day. Gary Congress recommends picnics as a staff social event. "We put photos from the summer picnic all over the office and it brings back great memories".
Speaking. What food do you think is good for a picnic? Would you take any of these foods? Why? / Why not?
pizza spaghetti curry sandwiches bananas ice cream chocolate
Are picnics good for socialising or team building? Would you invite clients to a company picnic? Why? / Why not?
My Notes
B U S I N E S S C O N T E X T
Inglés Online Empresarial