Have you started planning your Company Holiday Party yet?
November is almost here, which means holidays and celebrations back-to-back! The team, the leadership team, the extended team, the significant other's party, the kids class party & of course the family. How will you fit them all in?
Start planning your Team Office Holilday Party Now!!
Of course, bonding with friends and family is important, and bonding with your team at work is just as important. Some might find that it is unnecessary to celebrate with the people you see and work with every day but having office parties and gatherings is beneficial to companies and their workers.
It enhances the attitudes and relationships in the workplace and brings a sense of appreciation since it is important to recognize and celebrate everyone’s hard work. Experience from Fast Company, experiencing activities with your team outside of the office can “boost employee morale, retention, and performance” as it “strengthens teams and reconnects people on personal levels.” With companies starting to migrate back into the office, this becomes even more important.
A company may have a diverse group of people with different backgrounds, personalities & interests so it's natural to have groupings. This is where leadership plays a critical role since leaders need to be positive, visible, and enable teams to celebrate and bond.
Not sure where to start to plan your office party? Here are some tips to get you started:
1) Select a Date 
People get busy with all the meetings they need to get in before they head off to the family plans & travel over holidays, so planning your event ahead of time and not too close to actual holidays may allow for the greatest attendance at your event.
2) Establish a Budget 
Keep in mind what level of event you are interested when planning for a venue, what type of food, drinks, entertainment, transportation, and/or gifts. Having a budget will allow for better planning.
3) What Kind of Holiday Gathering
After establishing a budget, you can figure out what kind of gathering you will have. If you have a smaller budget, an at-work party or after-hours gathering is something to consider. A larger budget may allow for a group outing and outside entertainment. Will your event be in person or virtual or a hybrid?
4) Send Out Invitations Early 
Holiday times get busy and the more notice the better. Start with a "Save the Date" with a few things like Date/Time and a teaser of the event. Then a few weeks in advance the full invite and remember to let them know when you need the RSVP by.
5) Plan Transportation 
This also depends on the budget, if a larger budget allows for a group outing, you will need to determine what kind of transportation best fits with the activity, people, and budget. Finding a great transportation company can assist with all the logistics of people moving.
6) Recognize Team and Celebrate Success 
The reason for the celebration is to celebrate the efforts and hard work of the team. This could be done through appreciation presentations for teams and/or individuals, gifts, or both!
7) Have Fun!! (Yes! Even the planning part can be fun!)
Although this one doesn’t need explaining, but a few helpful hints to keep in mind. Finding inclusive activities aren't always easy but presenting options gives everyone a better chance of participating.
Whether they are extrovert, introvert, manager, employee, remote employee or onsite, an option where everyone gets to be together, play together and connect together both in large groups then into smaller groups will encourage connections.
Here are some suggestions of activities that will check all the boxes:
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- Team outing to play an Escape Game where everyone gets to play together (we know who does those!)
- Low key office get-together, bring in some board games and charcuterie trays with time to hang out and play.
- Team happy hour with Mocktails so those that don’t drink feel included.
- Get a suite at a sporting event so everyone gets a special treat.
- Find a space outside the office that allows you to cater in a special meal, drinks, add a little music and have a fun time just being together.
