Lunch and Learn Events: How to Plan Lunch and Learns

Lunch and learn events, also known as brown bags, are brief seminars held during lunch hour that cover topics of interest to staff members. Typically, guest speakers or higher-ups at a company will discuss anything from their career trajectory to team-building skills. Lunch and learns are not mandatory and are offered as an extra form of employee engagement, sometimes with a free lunch.

Lunch and learns may be in person, hosted in a conference room, or they may take place via webinars on video conferencing platforms to engage remote employees. Not all lunch and learns focus on professional advancement; some topics may be lighter, such as a yoga class or photography lesson, to offer employees other forms of personal development.

Whether it’s an in-person or virtual lunch and learn, these lunch break initiatives can make a healthier workplace. Consider the following benefits:

1. 1. Happier team members: As a free perk, lunch and learns can lead to greater positivity amongst a staff, improving employee morale and work-life balance.
2. 2. Stronger company culture: Lunch and learns can improve company wellness, let new employees mingle, and reinforce company values.
3. 3. Increased productivity: An energizing and less work-focused lunch break can increase productivity in the long run by prioritizing employees’ mental health so they approach work with fresh eyes and ideas.

Learning objectives for lunch and learns will vary. Examples of lunch and learn topics include:

1. 1. Life skills: Employees might not always want professional development opportunities or cross-training, so topics tied to hobbies, such as painting, or personal finances, such as retirement planning, can also be highly appreciated.
2. 2. Public speaking: All company leaders need strong presentation skills, including public speaking. This can create more confident employees.
3. 3. Conflict resolution: Interoffice dynamics can be complex. Learning conflict resolution methods will benefit everyone at a company.
4. 4. Networking: Networking opportunities, from virtual efforts to in-person meetings, can offer a window into how employees can advance their careers.
5. 5. Book clubs: Employees can also participate in monthly book club meetings, reading an agreed-upon text and coming in the next month ready to discuss it with a facilitator or the book’s author. These texts can feature work-related content or offer employees an opportunity to read for pleasure.

Plan your successful lunch and learn series by following the tips below:

1. 1. Budget accordingly. Budgeting will determine what caliber of speakers a company can bring in and whether employees have to provide their own lunch or are given it during the event.
2. 2. Communicate clearly. Give your staff the time to plan for the lunch hour event. You can also make your lunch and learn a serial event that reoccurs each month.
3. 3. Exercise time management. Have the speaker and facilitator arrive a little early and test out any needed technology in advance; employees will favor an experience that adheres to the agreed-upon schedule.
4. 4. Offer clear takeaways. In these training and development sessions, employees will want to learn ideas, have key takeaways from the lunch, and learn how they can translate their insights into their own life.
5. 5. Ask employees what they want to learn. Poll employees to see what new skills they want to know, then tally the results and use them to inform how you program future training sessions.

Get the MasterClass Annual Membership for exclusive access to video lessons taught by business luminaries, including Chris Voss, Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein, Robin Roberts, Sara Blakely, Daniel Pink, Bob Iger, Howard Schultz, Anna Wintour, and more.