Tis’ the jolly season for thanks-giving and gift-getting. We all know how to pound the pumpkin pie and hunt like stealth animals for holiday discounts, but something we are less clever at is organizing an office holiday party. With plenty end-of-the-year tasks to complete and dwindling funds in our wallets, throwing one of these bashes can be a logistical nightmare. But don’t fret friends; we are here to guide you through the merry mayhem.
There are many reasons to have an office holiday party, among them boosting office morale, strengthening relationships between coworkers, and helping workers feel appreciated. It’s an opportunity to make a business stronger, given that the event is a success. Before endeavoring to battle the beast that is any office party, consider this:
Knowing your budget will help you determine whether your venue will be at the office or an off-site location and whether you can hire people for planning, catering and entertainment.
Determine who is coming, and perhaps more importantly, what they should be wearing. It is important to indicate whether the party is for employees only, or if they may bring a guest. It is also recommended to provide information on the event’s dress code. Guests will appreciate knowing that their knit sweaters complete with miniature Christmas lights and flying reindeer might look strange next to the rest of the party’s cocktail attire.
Agree on a convenient date. The holidays often mean commitments to family and friends, endless shopping, school plays, etc., so encourage everyone to be blunt about what works for them. If your staff is relatively small, around 25 people, gather and take a vote. Otherwise, distribute a survey and strive to please the majority. You may want to consider making the party during office hours so it won’t compete with employees’ holiday obligations.
- Location, Location, Location
Choose a convenient location to encourage attendance (at the office or nearby, or somewhere well known). If you can swing it financially, renting out a locale like a museum, restaurant, hotel banquet room, or atrium would be a fun environmental change from the office space. Be sure to use caution if you decide to hold the party on a boat, however. People may need to leave (or escape) at different times. If you must stage the shindig at the office, just be sure to stow away any office equipment and supplies beforehand. You want the ambiance to say “winter wonderland,” not “Dunder Mifflin.”
That being said, decorate! Visit a local flower shop or nursery store for festive floral displays and centerpieces and pick up any other necessary accents at a party store. Keep the décor nondenominational. You don’t want to offend or exclude anyone, so focus on the holiday season as a theme. You will do well to choose wintry, sparkly, festive décor that is more neutral but still has a celebratory exuberance.
Music and entertainment will help you set the mood of the party, whether it is a sophisticated cocktail party or an informal karaoke jamboree. If you aren’t keen on Christmas jingles and fear lifetime embarrassment by karaoke, hiring a vivacious live music band is always a good idea. Music is especially important if dancing is the party’s main entertainment. At the risk of being cheesy, casino-style games, palm readers, cartoonists, hypnotists, and magicians can be hired to amuse guests. These amusements may be a bit hokey, but then again they might just be the push your staff needs to shake off their conservative office manners and have some fun!
The food doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be good…really good! Throw tradition to the wind and hire a food cart or catering company to set up a taco or sushi bar, for a fun twist. If you are struggling to stretch your dollars, consider a potluck approach. Just be sure to outline who will bring what item so you don’t get an overload of desserts and no hors d'oeuvres to be found.
Research shows that unfamiliar environments can cause people to get enebriated faster. So, when you drink in a new place among new people, say, at a holiday party with colleagues, your brain might get caught off-guard, causing you to binge and embarrass yourself in front of your boss. So, if you decide to provide alcohol at your soirée, look out for fellow employees partying too hard. An office party is not the time to be slung over the rim of a wastebasket (unless you are competing in a game of crumpled post-it basketball—in that case, swoosh!), and while most people surely intend to keep their drinking to a minimum, sober drivers should be secured before the event.
