As hybrid work environments steadily become mainstream, they present an important challenge: how do you foster genuine connection among employees who are spread out across different geographical locations, without relying on traditional team-building exercises?

For companies like Kennedy Jenks, thoughtful internal event planning has become a key part of the solution. As a leading engineering and environmental consulting firm, Kennedy Jenks is using events to nurture company culture, build cross-functional relationships, and energize a dispersed workforce.

In a recent Guidebook Meets, we spoke with Suzanne Broadbent, Senior Director of Communications at Kennedy Jenks, about how her team leverages Guidebook’s event app technology to create internal events that foster a sense of community.

You can watch the full conversation below:

Setting the Stage: Designing Events That Go Beyond the Agenda

For Kennedy Jenks, internal events don’t follow a generic template. Rather, each event is a carefully crafted experience designed to bring employees together in meaningful ways. 

In addition, Suzanne and her team understand that the event experience starts long before event day. So they pay special attention to how they talk about the event.

“The way that we start talking about the event sets that tone off, right?” Suzanne explains. 

“The way that we write our emails, the tone that we're using, the language that we're using…we want our enthusiasm and excitement to bleed through in everything that we're doing because people are going to be more excited to go.”

Suzanne goes on to add that because their events often happen outside of work hours — even weekends, sometimes — they will sometimes use a more casual tone in their communications about the event.

By intentionally shifting away from overly formal messaging and leaning into a more relaxed, conversational style, her team creates a space that feels different from the formality of day-to-day work.

Overall, this creates a more relaxed experience that supports connection between teammates.

How Guidebook Anchors the Experience

Technology plays a major role in making any event experience seamless and scalable. And for Kennedy Jenks specifically, Guidebook’s event mobile app serves as a central hub before, during, and after the event.

“You know, we really, we go into the planning process knowing that a lot of the information that we're sharing with people ahead of time or along the way, it's going to end up in the app eventually,” Suzanne explained.

Whether it’s the Wifi password, hotel confirmation numbers, or critical safety information, event attendees quickly learn that if they need something, it’s most likely in the app. 

As Suzanne puts it, “All roads lead to Guidebook. And we really push people in there.”

But beyond logistics, Guidebook’s event mobile app is also a key engagement driver. 

Kennedy Jenks uses it to encourage participation with photo challenges, personalized agendas, and community-building prompts. 

When it’s all said and done, the app creates a digital layer that complements in-person interaction without distracting from it.

Moments That Matter: Building Community Through Shared Experiences

Whether it’s a selfie scavenger hunt or a shared laugh on the shuttle bus, Kennedy Jenks knows that events are built on moments—and Guidebook helps capture them.

Attendees are encouraged to upload photos and captions in real time, which are then shared on in-event screens and revisited in post-event communications. 

“You know, we usually do also have professional videographers and photographers there and they're capturing all these other wonderful moments. But there's really nothing that replaces the authenticity of someone taking their own picture, writing their own caption with it, putting it up for people to share and engage with,” Suzanne noted.

The result? 

A more vibrant, inclusive event experience where engagement feels natural, even for more introverted or technical attendees. 

It also lays the foundation for something that’s often elusive in internal events: sustained community.

From One Weekend to a Culture Shift

After the event ends, the momentum doesn’t disappear. 

Suzanne and her team use follow-up content, recaps, and curated storytelling to keep the energy alive, as well as create anticipation for future events.

By treating attendees as co-creators rather than just guests, Kennedy Jenks extends the life of the event far beyond the weekend. 

Employees return to work with new connections, shared language, and a deeper sense of belonging.

Takeaways for Internal Event Planners

• Set the tone early with thoughtful, enthusiastic communication
  
• Use an event app to centralize information and spark engagement
  
• Create safe, fun opportunities for organic connection
  
• Don’t stop at the event. Continue the story after it ends
  

Want to build internal events that connect your people?

Guidebook helps teams like Kennedy Jenks bring their event strategy to life with event apps that drive engagement and simplify logistics. Learn more about Guidebook for corporate events.