Joe Differentiators
With the holiday season just a few weeks away, it’s time for fun and festivities at the workplace. If you have been tasked with planning your company holiday party this year, then this guide is for you. Here, we give you some clever hacks for planning a party that will keep your colleagues, employees, and other attendees buzzed for weeks to come.
1. Decide on the When and Where
The first step to throwing an epic holiday party in the office is to decide on the date and venue. A party held on a Friday evening certainly has different vibes than one held on a busy weekday afternoon. If you are holding a party on a weeknight, then don’t encourage people to stay up late and then arrive the next morning bushy-tailed and bright-eyed to work.
Once you decide on the when, then you can start focusing on other details like the Where, theme of the party, entertainment, and so on; if it’s a late-night party, make sure that you assign drivers to get your employees safe home, after the end of the party.
And, if possible, consider on-site childcare. This is a great boon for working parents, who may have to miss out on the party due to the unavailability of a babysitter.
Usually, office parties are conducted in a hotel party hall. This is an excellent option since you don’t have to deal with the post-party clean-up. On the other hand, if you don’t have the budget to hire an off-site venue or if you have sufficient space available in your office, say a large conference room, then you can make use of it.
2. The theme of the Party
Once you have decided on the venue and time of the party, the next step is to decide on the theme. The two main theme styles are – formal black-tie events or a casual party. If it’s the former, make sure to inform your employees ahead of time, so that they can get their attires sorted out.
Alternatively, several workplaces are choosing fun themes like an ugly sweater party, Santa dress-up party, and so on. Choosing a casual, fun theme like this gets the festive mood going.
3. Décor
Once you have decided on the theme, the next step is to sort out the décor. Having a party in a bland, conference room without any decorations will not get your employees in the mood to party. With that said, you don’t have to hire professional decorators to help you out.
Instead, identify the artistic and creative people in your team who love decorating. Please give them a budget, specify the theme, and get them working on it. This also helps to bring other team members into the planning and get them excited for the big party.
A word of caution: while choosing decorations, make sure that they don’t lean towards a specific religion. This way, you can ensure that all feel welcome at the event.
And don’t forget the music. The right music is sure to add life to your event and get your guests grooving. Prepare a playlist of festive songs and play them on a loop.
4. Choose the Right Caterer for corporate event catering
The next step is to pick a caterer who suits the theme of your event as well as your budget. A professional caterer is a must for an office holiday party. When you’ve got professional caterers on board, you need not worry about the food preparation, serving, and clean-up, as your catering team handles it all.
When discussing the menu with the caterer, make sure to choose a menu that is suitable for all guests. Accommodate guests with special dietary requirements as well as allergies.
If your event is a formal black-tie event, then a sit-down dinner works best. On the other hand, if it’s a casual party, then a buffet-style event is ideal. Make sure that there are adequate tables and chairs in the venue so that guests can have their meal at peace, without worrying about finding a seat.
5. Save the Heavy Drinking After the Main Event
For the main party, you can consider several activities like – gingerbread decorating competition, Christmas carols singing, Secret Santa, and so on. Once the activities are over, serve dinner, and then move on to drinks. By saving the drinking to after the main event, people who have kids at home or teetotalers can get to participate in the festivities and then head home, while others stay back for a drink.
6. Give Back
To get into the true holiday spirit, get your team to volunteer during the festive season. For instance, you can organize a toy collection drive at your office a few days before the party. Get employees to donate toys that their children no longer use. You can then distribute these toys at an orphanage or any other charity of your choice.
7. Don’t Forget Remote Team Members
With more and more employees now working out of the office, almost all companies have at least a few remote workers. The biggest drawback of remote work is that – they feel left out of office camaraderie. Make sure to send remote workers a personalized gift or a card signed by all the other employees.
8. Say a “Special Thank You” to all Team Members
While foods, drinks, and games are friendly, the highlight of any holiday party is– gifts. Make sure to get personalized gifts for each employee, something that they will like and use. If you aren’t sure about the right choice of gifts, give employees a gift card, which they can use to shop for what they like. And, remember a personalized, hand-written note thanking employees for their contribution from the CEO, department manager goes a long way in making employees feel appreciated.
And, Above All, Don’t Force Attendance
You have indeed spent a lot of time preparing and planning for your perfect office holiday party. But, that doesn’t mean you have to pressurize people into attending it. If an employee declines the invitation for personal reasons, don’t brand them as a poor team player. Instead, wish them happy holidays and leave their gift on their desk.
After all, it’s the season to spread joy and love. And, if you are looking for corporate event catering, then all you have to do is connect with our team.
