Dirk has an idea
Leadership is considering an employee fun day to counter negative sentiment and create a visible shared experience. Your job is not to prove that a fun day will solve retention—it is to decide which option makes the strongest business case if leadership chooses to proceed.
Why this request is on the table
Internal U.S. branch data shows a negative employee Net Promoter Score, elevated turnover, and a large share of voluntary exits. Exit interviews also point to career development, management relationships, communication, and feeling unheard as recurring concerns.
Consultant caution
A morale event can create connection, but it cannot substitute for addressing structural causes of disengagement. Treat this as a decision-analysis exercise: balance employee appeal with cost, disruption, accessibility, and the likelihood that the event actually supports connection.
Data note: the seven event-option estimates below are simulated planning data created for this exercise. They are not claims taken from SingTech’s internal records.
Make the call without a scoring tool
Review the planning table. As a team, rank all seven options from strongest to weakest and record the logic behind your top choice. There is intentionally no single obvious winner.
| Option | Estimated Company CostApprox. total | Travel / TransitOne way | DowntimeWork hours affected | Employee VOCPreliminary pulse | AccessibilityInclusive participation | Connection PotentialCross-team interaction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A. Wilmington Riverfront Field DayField DayAn outdoor afternoon on the Wilmington Riverfront with catered lunch, low-stakes team competitions, lawn games, and open social time. Designed to mix departments without requiring highly structured participation. | $8,400 | 15 min | 5.0 hrs | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
B. Escape-Room Team ChallengeEscape-Room ChallengeEmployees are placed into mixed-function teams and rotate through facilitated escape-room puzzles, followed by a casual meal and short team debrief. Strong on collaboration, but some employees may find the format physically or socially limiting. | $11,900 | 20 min | 4.5 hrs | 4.6 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 |
C. Philadelphia Sports + Social DayPhiladelphia Sports + Social DayA full-day off-site trip built around a professional sporting event or similar large attraction, group transportation, and a team meal. Likely to generate excitement, but it has the greatest travel, expense, and operational disruption. | $23,800 | 50 min | 8.0 hrs | 4.8 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
D. On-Site Global Food & Culture FestivalGlobal Food & Culture FestivalA branch-based event featuring food stations, music, employee-hosted cultural displays, and optional activities highlighting the U.S.–Singapore connection. Easy to access and inexpensive, though it may feel less distinctive than an off-site event. | $7,200 | 0 min | 3.5 hrs | 4.0 / 5 | 4.9 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
E. Volunteer Day + Team LunchVolunteer Day + Team LunchSmall cross-functional groups spend part of the day working with local nonprofit partners, then regroup for lunch. The event emphasizes shared purpose and community contribution rather than entertainment alone. | $6,300 | 25 min | 6.0 hrs | 3.9 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
F. Tech-Free Recharge RetreatTech-Free Recharge RetreatA day at a nearby retreat venue with phones and laptops put away for facilitated reflection, recreation, wellness activities, and unstructured conversation. It offers substantial time away from daily pressure but also creates considerable downtime. | $17,600 | 35 min | 7.0 hrs | 4.5 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
G. In-Office Game Lab + Food TrucksGame Lab + Food TrucksThe office is converted into a casual competition and social space with trivia, tabletop games, team challenges, food trucks, and drop-in activities. Very easy to attend and relatively low disruption, though cross-team connection may be less intentional. | $9,100 | 0 min | 4.0 hrs | 4.2 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
Need more context? Hover over or click the i beside any event name for a short description.
Your first-pass ranking
Why is your #1 choice best?
Round 1 is intentionally subjective. Your goal is to make your assumptions visible before introducing a structured tool.