How to conduct successful lunch and learn events

10 March 2025

As a business leader, your time is precious, and it can be challenging to find ways to invest in your team without overwhelming their schedules - and yours. One answer is to transform a lunch break into an opportunity to connect, inspire, and learn, hence the term lunch and learn.

These informal lunch and learn sessions give employees an opportunity to gain new skills, update their knowledge, share ideas, and connect with colleagues in a relaxed setting.

Lunch and learn events are a fantastic way to bring teams together, enable professional development, and create a sense of community in the workplace. Plus, they are an effective way to get employees away from their screens at lunch rather than going 'al-desko', which is so important for well-being.

To run a successful lunch and learn, you should set a clear objective and find a suitable space for open discussion and learning, such as a quiet conference room. During the session, encourage active participation, provide good food, and make the session accessible to remote workers. Don't forget to ask for feedback to make future sessions even better.

At Arena Offices, we champion workplace well-being and host regular lunchtime events for our clients. Read on for our guide on how to conduct successful lunch and learn sessions, and scroll to the bottom for a list of our forthcoming events.

What is the purpose of lunch and learn events?

'Lunch and learn' is pretty self-explanatory! These relaxed yet structured gatherings are designed for employees to come together during their lunch hour to connect, eat and learn about a relevant topic.

Aside from the learning aspect, they are a great way to boost employee engagement, encourage team building, and develop a strong company culture.

Whether learning new skills, giving advice on positive mental health, or updating staff on new regulations or initiatives, lunch and learn events are a brilliant way to bring people together and make the most of the workday.

What topics can be covered in a lunch and learn event?

The beauty of lunch and learn events is that they are versatile. You can tailor topics to the needs of your business and employees, help them to develop professional skills, or focus on broader areas of personal development and essential life skills.

Here are just a few lunch and learn ideas to get you thinking:

• Professional development: Give attendees an opportunity to develop skills and confidence to support their career path or simply grow into their current role. Common topics include how to build essential leadership qualities, improving communication skills and learning how to manage time more effectively.
• Mental health and well-being: Promoting good mental health is essential to creating happy and productive teams. Your sessions could cover topics like building resilience, adopting healthy workplace habits, combatting stress and achieving a healthier work-life balance.
• Industry trends and insights – Staying informed about market trends, new technologies, and competitor movements helps businesses stay ahead. Expert-led discussions can provide a fresh perspective on industry shifts and opportunities for growth.
• Training sessions – Interactive sessions to develop skills either relevant to your business or more general skills like negotiation, decision-making, and critical thinking.
• Cross-training sessions: Learning about different roles within the business can boost collaboration, enable better problem-solving, and promote a greater understanding of how the business operates as a whole.
• Team-building exercises – Fun and engaging activities designed to improve communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. These sessions help build trust and strengthen individual and team relationships.

How to host lunch and learn events

While it requires a bit of planning, the benefits are more than worth it. Here is our guide to hosting your next lunch and learn session:

1. Be clear on the objective of the session

Be specific to help attract the right attendees and to keep the session focused. A subject that is too broad or vague causes people to zone out and lose focus. So, be very clear about the main takeaway of the session and communicate it clearly.

2. Consider a guest speaker

Each session should have an internal host to welcome employees and act as an anchor. While the host often delivers the learning, consider inviting an external guest speaker. This can encourage attendance, add credibility and provide a fresh perspective.

3. Find the perfect location

A big part of a successful lunchtime event is the venue. A private meeting or quiet conference room is a good, distraction-free environment for training and presentations. A more inspiring and open space, like a communal breakout area, terrace or atrium, creates a relaxed atmosphere for open discussion and networking.

At Arena Offices, we offer versatile, inspiring spaces to make lunch and learn sessions productive and enjoyable, including private meeting rooms and collaborative breakout areas. Our offices have easy access to outdoor space, including a rooftop terrace at our Grosvenor House location. Our 11 locations have state-of-the-art facilities for seamless AV setup to ensure your events run smoothly.

4. Make it interactive

Ensure attendees stay engaged and involved by encouraging them to participate in Q&As, breakout discussions, and interactive exercises. Interaction is excellent for reinforcing key points and improving the retention of information.

5. Provide food

The prospect of a free lunch is always appealing, so put on a decent spread. Make sure it's easy to eat while standing and talking, include healthy options and cater to dietary restrictions. Invite employees to bring their own lunch if they wish.

6. Use technology to engage remote employees

Don't forget your remote teams - make your event remote-friendly by using video calls or virtual event platforms. You might consider a dedicated virtual lunch and learn session if you have a lot of home workers.

7. Get honest feedback

Gathering feedback is essential to the success of future events - ask staff to fill out a short form soon after the event using free online survey software.

Who should lead a lunch and learn?

A lunch and learn event should have an internal host, but guest speakers can bring a certain energy and a fresh perspective.

Hosts can use lunchtime sessions to give guidance, share their experience and provide industry insights, but it isn’t just about leaders imparting knowledge - it’s a chance for them to learn from their teams too.

Encourage employee-led sessions to put forward fresh ideas and solve challenges. It's a great way to nurture a culture of transparency, reciprocal learning and two-way learning.

When is the best day of the week for a lunch and learn session?

The best time for a lunch and learn is midweek to avoid the Monday rush and Friday wind-down. By midweek, employees are settled into their working week but not too fatigued.

Benefits of lunch and learn events

If you have read to this point, we hope that the benefits of lunch and learn events are becoming clear.

Here's a handy summary:

Boosts employee engagement

When employees feel valued and part of a community, they’re more motivated, productive, and invested in their work. They will come away with new-found knowledge, refreshed and engaged, ready for the task ahead.

Strengthens teams

A lunch and learn brings teams together in an enjoyable environment and encourages people to chat and connect. This helps to break down silos, boost teamwork, and strengthen relationships.

Enhances company culture

Companies that prioritise learning and mental health can create a more positive, inclusive workplace culture where employees are inspired and engaged. Hosting regular lunch and learn events shows a real commitment to growth and helps to reinforce company values so that everyone is on the same page.

Builds confidence

Relaxed lunch and learn sessions create a safe space to share knowledge and ask questions. Encouraging people to connect in this way helps to build confidence and communication skills.

Encourages professional development

A lunch and learn isn’t just about delivering information - it’s about developing skills and supporting personal development. Subjects like time management, leadership skills and emotional intelligence can help to inspire and create tomorrow's leadership teams.

Promotes knowledge sharing

Great ideas don’t just come from the top down. A lunch and learn encourages open discussion and knowledge-sharing across all levels of a business. That includes discussing best practices across departments to help employees stay informed, engaged, and adaptable.

Arena Offices upcoming lunch and learn program

At Arena Offices, we enable our clients to build strong teams with flexible environments and shared experiences. We host regular lunch and learn events on everything from business advice to digital marketing trends, to mental health.

Our sessions are free to all of our tenants and include lunch. It's an ideal way to bring teams together, network with other businesses and connect with like-minded professionals.

Looking for the ideal office space to develop your team? Visit Arena Offices

If you’re looking for an office space that truly supports your team’s growth and well-being, Arena Offices has everything you need. Our flexible workspaces are designed to keep people engaged, connected, and inspired - whether it’s through productive meetings, collaborative breakout areas, or even a lunch and learn on a rooftop terrace.

With state-of-the-art facilities, seamless tech for hybrid teams, and a community of like-minded professionals, we make it easy to create a workplace where people feel motivated and valued.

Ready to see the difference? Come and experience Arena Offices for yourself. Enquire now to make an appointment.