Looking Back at 2018

planteria staff at 2018 staff event on stage in front of large screen

2018 was an excellent year for growth at Planteria, with both new and existing clients engaging with our business. We ended the new year on a high, with our annual event to celebrate our achievements.

At Planteria, we value our staff not only in thought but through our actions. Our annual All Staff Meeting allows us to thank everyone for their hard work and to recognise achievement. It is an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made and to focus on the challenges, strategy and vision for the coming year.

The impressive venue for our meeting was The Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridge. This museum displays military aircraft alongside wartime memorabilia, but it is also occasionally a site from which stunning airshow displays can be enjoyed.

runway

Luckily for us, the day of our All Staff Meeting we were blessed with a beautifully crisp winter morning. The day kicked off early, at 07:45 with a full English breakfast which equipped us for the busy agenda ahead.

A series of seminar-style presentations from our department managers shared insights and overviews of 2018. Recognising the immense ground we’ve covered together allows our organisation to take pride in our individual skills as well as the business as a whole, which emboldens us to approach the year ahead with hope and enthusiasm.

Katie Le Chevalier talking at Planteria 2018 staff event

We showed our gratitude to particularly active members of our organisation through awards. Like many successful organisations, we reward long-service and excellent work, and this year we were very pleased to hand one such award to technician Sarah O’Brien, who is now the current owner of the title ‘Employee of the Quarter’.

We followed this emotive and positive start to the morning, with some delicious refreshments. To be seasonal, our treats included some festive mince pies, alongside the traditional tea, coffee, pastries and fruit. This break was made very special thanks to two of our talented team members, Lindsey Anderson and Marcus Norman, who both took to the piano to further entertain and enlighten our morning.

staff chatting with refreshments at Planteria 2018 staff event

We continued the day with the Planteria Quiz. This battle of the brains kicked off with a round of questions inspired by our business. Other topics included questions about colleagues, food, London and ‘round-the-world’. A practical round, to build the largest free-standing structure using only paper and sellotape, was both fun and deadly serious, there were chocolate santas to win after all! Overall, it was a fun team builder that everyone could get behind.

team building event, making towers out of paperRolled paper tower held up by lady in red dress

After the quiz, Director Matt Anderson shared his vision for Planteria’s expected growth over the next two years, considering both long and short-term plans that could help us to achieve our goals, one of which will see our Head Office in Hertfordshire undergoing a re-fit to give our growing team the space they need to be creative and productive.

Following this round-up, we were given the chance to engage in a stimulating Q&A before wrapping up by lunchtime. In keeping with the festive theme started by the mince pies, the day ended with the gifting of hampers to all staff from the management team. It was at this moment that we were lucky enough to get the chance to view an aerobatic display and Spitfire fly-past, organised by The Imperial War Museum.

As usual, our annual All Staff Meeting was a roaring success. We’re ready to approach 2019 with gusto and look forward to bringing you happier, healthier, greener corporate environments through biophilic design services, our wide range of office plants and expert maintenance across the UK.

Are you ready for 2019?

planteria staff at 2018 staff event on stage in front of large screen

Bring and Share Christmas Food!

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Christmas and New Year’s festivities are a must for offices across the country – the chance to create some merriment and festivity in the, normally corporate workspace, with decoration and celebration is important for the wellbeing of many workers, not ignoring the fact that it’s also a lot of fun! A great way to celebrate it is with a bring and share – an event that encourages everyone to contribute together to make some delicious treats for all to enjoy!

Raise Morale and Celebrate with Some Delicious Treats

Not every company wants to host a Christmas party, and this could be for a variety of reasons, but that doesn’t mean that you should forgo celebrations altogether. There is plenty that you can do within working hours to raise staff morale without impinging on their own commitments. Hosting a bring and share is a perfect example of how you can satisfy staff desires to celebrate Christmas or the new year without cutting into their personal time. The event could also be used as a charity fund raiser giving an extra incentive for everyone in the office to get involved, either in baking or sampling the food, on a day set with more of a relaxed atmosphere and a little more socialising.

It’s also a great idea to reward those individuals who are striving to keep the business running over the Christmas period.

A plate of mince pies and a glass of milk in front of Christmas tree. Two mince pies have pastry toppings with stars embossed on them whereas the other two have stars cut into their pastry topping

Inspiration for a Brilliant Office Bring & Share

Firstly, if you are going to be getting into the Christmas spirit in your office, then we fully recommend investing in a Christmas tree to get everyone in the festive mood.

The Planteria New Business Team will be enjoying a thoroughly Christmassy celebration this year, complete with decorated tree and plenty of food contributions from our colleagues. We’ve collected a selection of our tried and tested favourite Christmassy contributions for a bring and share, to inspire you:

Photo of Katie Chevalier on christmas baublePhoto of Caroline Armon Jones on Christmas BaublePhoto of Jill Gregory on Christmas BaublePhoto of Nicola Hamblin on Christmas BaublePhoto of Sarah Kingham on Christmas BaublePhoto of Clare Robertson on Christmas BaubleWe’re bringing more than just food to the table; we’re also looking forward to engaging in a few Christmas activities, such as wreath making whilst listening to some classic Christmas songs.

Close up of two people's hands while they make Christmas Wreaths

Tips for Making Your Own Cheese Scones

Cheese scones are a classic twist on your favourite plate of afternoon tea, and they are incredibly easy to make too! All you need to do is add some cheese to your classic scone recipe, perhaps with a pinch of pepper and salt added to ensure that your scones are a truly savoury sensation. Other recommendations include adding spring onions and chives to the cheesy topping to add a little heat and variation in colour too. If you are concerned about your scones looking a little pale, then choose a darker cheese such as a red Leicester to make them stand out as perfectly scrumptious.

These taste especially exquisite when paired with some roasted or sundried tomatoes, but it can be quite easy to accidentally fill up on these treats before you have had the opportunity to try the rest of the dishes on the table.

Cheese Scones arranged on a blue gingham tea towel

If you want a go at replicating some of the Planteria team’s favourite dishes, here are some recipes for you to use as guidance! Good luck!

Cheese Scones

Christmas Tree Gingerbread

Marzipan Mince Pies

Malteser Tiffin

Mary Berry’s Christmas Cake

Sausage Rolls

Ready for Christmas

If you’re thinking about Christmas already, then you should know that you’re on the right track for enjoying a spectacular and super-organised Christmas period. We understand that there is plenty to do and think about, so let us handle your  Office Christmas Tree preparations. Order now with our configurator to ensure that you receive the perfect tree this December.

Planteria Group installed Christmas Tree within corporate office. The tree stands arround 20 ft tall, with two men either side looking up at the top of it

A Planteria Christmas Tree