‘Doing business down the pub’ usually conjures up images of hustlers doing shifty deals in a dimly lit back street saloon with spit and sawdust on the floor. And so, most companies wouldn’t dream of taking their entire staff ‘down the pub’ for their away day conference.
But think again. When the pub is part of a social enterprise that provides training and employment opportunities to ex-offenders it would be a crime not to do your business down the pub. And that’s exactly what CarmichaelUK, the civil engineering recruitment specialists, did recently.
Rather than spending their conference budget on a shiny hotel with no atmosphere, CarmichaelUK worked with Tap Social to help them in their first attempt at being the host with the most for corporate groups.
And the result was very beneficial for both parties. For Tap Social a chance to become a corporate venue for a day. And for CarmichaelUK, an opportunity to experience a corporate away day in a cosy and relaxed venue and enjoy a huge selection of delicious home-cooked food throughout the day.
All the staff agreed that the welcoming and informal setting assisted participation and engagement and the day was a huge success.
At the end of the day the beer and the chat were flowing like a running tap. Out of the ‘criminally good beer’ on offer, the ‘Jobsworth’ was one of the favourites! And the best bit? The company’s conference budget goes direct to supporting a great social enterprise, enabling people to have a second chance.
We’d definitely recommend doing business down the pub in future!!