What is a Lunch and Learn? 🍴
A lunch and learn is a voluntary, informal event that takes place during a typical lunch hour and aims to combine a learning event with team building experiences, professional skill and personal development workshops, presentations, and more. Since these informal sessions take the place of your employee's and staff members' free time, they typically aren't as rigorous as a standard seminar or training session.
Typically, lunch and learn sessions last between 45 minutes to an hour. These lunch breaks are a fantastic way to get your remote teams across departments together to socialize while the entire team learns new skills together!
How do you host a successful Lunch and Learn? 🤔
Lunch and Learn programs can be incredibly beneficial in encouraging connection and collaboration within your team. Plus, your team will walk away with new personal life skills and professional development tools! However, in order to see these positive outcomes, your lunch and learn program needs to be effective and not waste your employees' valuable free time.
Here are the main tenants to planning a valuable Lunch and Learn event:
- Pick a learning objective for the session (i.e. how to avoid burnout, time-management skills while working from home, or holding DEI conversations at work)
- Know your audience (and don't forget your remote employees!)
- Provide free lunch and beverages
- Choose an engaging presentation or speaker
- Make the session as interactive as possible through activities, discussion, Q&As, etc.
- Promote the event and encourage attendance
- Ask for your employees' post-event feedback
Ready to host an informal event that connects and inspires the whole team? Here are some of our favorite ideas for diversity and inclusion activities that make the perfect Lunch and Learn events.
5 creative ideas for a Lunch and Learn:
1. History of Black Cinema Class 🎥
History of Black Cinema Class is a lecture-style presentation covering tons of lesser-known facts about Black Americans in the film industry. An engaging and entertaining host will take you through a multi-media presentation rich with interviews, photos, and videos showcasing how Black cinema has transformed —- from the Golden Age of Hollywood to today!
From the actors on screen to the writers and directors behind the camera, this class will certainly engage employees interested in movies, pop culture, or Black history!
Why is this a great idea for lunch and learn sessions? This is a great way for employees to kick back and engage with an interactive lecture that blends pop culture history with diversity, equity, and inclusion learning goals. Plus, employees will have the opportunity to ask follow-up questions on Black History and culture during a Q&A.
How to get started 👉 Broaden your horizons with a History of Black Cinema Class!
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2. Understanding Lunar New Year
This class explores the unique history and culture of one of the world's largest annual celebrations, the Lunar New Year.
Through a dynamic lecture-style setting, attendees delve into the significance of Lunar New Year, which marks the arrival of spring and the commencement of the new year on the Lunisolar calendar. By exploring the holiday's history, storytelling, and festive traditions, participants gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance and symbolism embedded within this vibrant celebration.
Why is this a great idea for lunch and learn sessions? The Q&A opportunity enhances engagement and enables everyone to dive deeper into learning about the culture and traditions. This fosters a sense of curiosity and openness among team members, encouraging dialogue and exchange of perspectives.
How to get started 👉 Welcome the arrival of spring with Understanding Lunar New Year!
3. Black Cultural Impact Class
In a fun and educational lecture-style setting, this experience explores Black history and the ways the contributions of Black Americans have greatly impacted America as a whole. This class covers topics such as jazz and gospel music, the Civil Rights Movement, Black artists, politicians, and more!
Why is this a great idea for lunch and learn sessions? There's always room to promote a more diverse and inclusive workplace. A class that explores and celebrates the contributions and culture of a subculture is an important way to show employees you're always committed to DEI, making your workplace a safe space for all.
How to get started 👉 Champion change-makers in a Black Cultural Impact Class!
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4. Exploring Women in Art
Bring the museum to your employees in an interactive art-history lecture that covers works of art by famous women, such as Yayoi Kusama and Alma Thomas. While your team enjoys lunch, an engaging art historian host will walk you through the halls of famous art installations from all over the world, exploring how women are depicted in the art world, from past to present.
Why is this a great idea for lunch and learn sessions? When was the last time your team got to take an educational field trip together? In this experience, your team will get the chance to engage in a discussion about women's representation and art around the world, as well as ways museums are ramping up their own inclusivity efforts, which is something we can all learn from!
How to get started 👉 Travel to museums around the globe in Exploring Women in Art!
5. Invite a keynote speaker to your lunch break
Perhaps you have someone specific you’d like your team to learn from! In that case, inviting a keynote speaker to address your team is a perfect idea.
Keynote speakers are the most effective when they can invigorate their audience by delivering an engaging speech, particularly in a relevant field where they've excelled or gained major life experience.
Why is this a great idea for lunch and learn sessions? Bringing in a speaker from outside the company's leadership is a great way to shake things up and present relevant information in a new light, through lively anecdotes and a passionate, authentic presentation.
How to get started 👉 Bring in new food for thought with a Lunch Party!
Host a virtual Lunch and Learn program with Confetti 🎉
What's better than getting together with your colleagues for some connection, education, and free food? If your company doesn't already have some Lunch and Learn programs on the company calendar, now is a great time to start.
Ready to book your event in just a few clicks? Make the most of your lunch break with Confetti!
Frequently Asked Questions ⁉️
What's an easy way to provide lunch to remote employees?
Sending your employees an online gift card that they can use on delivery from local restaurants, Uber Eats, or Doordash. That way, everyone can order lunch with their dietary restrictions and preferences in mind.
What are the benefits of a Lunch and Learn?
Lunch and Learn programs can serve as informal training events on anything, including wellness and emotional health, ways to better work-life balance, stress management, time management skills, professional development, and more! Because of the informal setting, Lunch and Learn initiatives aim to educate while encouraging team engagement and connection.
