éliseThe office is the second place where you spend the most time apart from your home and your colleagues over the years become the people you see the most and become almost like your family. This is why throwing an office party is essential to uplift theme morale and keep everyone happy.
Planning an office party can be hell on Earth if you don’t know what you are doing and are just eyeing it; this is why you need our help to plan it out. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn some of the tips for throwing the perfect office party.
1. Planning
Your office must have a huge number of employees, and the turnout for an office party is usually 80% or above. This means you need to book an appropriate venue well in advance that will be able to accommodate all your guests. Don’t wait for the last minute to do this; you will land yourself in hot water and will have a headache.
No matter the location of the party, as long as you are all together and there are food and drinks, most people will be happy to be there. A 2017 survey also found that 85% of employers noted that office parties like end-of-year parties have a positive impact on their personnel and that it impacts team morale.
We usually recommend throwing the office party outside of the office as this gives the employees a new environment to mingle and it won’t remind them of work. It also gives them a break from an environment that most of them would consider stressful. It is not only a change of scenery, but it also allows your employees to bond on a social level.
2. Drink
The joy of office parties is that you can drink on the company’s name and this is usually a really boozy affairs that I love. No successful party is complete without good company, food, and booze, in my book. For me, they are the trifecta of a perfect party, and from there, the only way is up.
Most companies have an open bar policy for end-of-year parties, while others have a number of drinks per person. If you have an office party to celebrate and thank your employees, then in my book, you ought to have an open bar party.
Also, consider having alcohol-free options for people in the company that are sober or don’t drink because of their religious beliefs. Having non-alcoholic beverages also helps your employees to pace themselves out and not get sloppy drunk in 5 minutes.
3. Be inclusive
This includes the theme of the party and the people that are going to be there. An office party is a bit akin to a family reunion, you might not like everybody there, but you ought to invite them because, at the end of the day, you are a weird, big, dysfunctional family that works together.
A lot of time and effort goes to throwing an office party, and it is especially not that easy to try and impress a large group of people who don’t usually agree on most things. But it is the name of the game when you are throwing an office party.
You can create an inclusive party by asking people for their thought and contribution, sure, you can’t make everyone happy or follow all the leads, but at least you are doing your best to throw the perfect office party.
One simple way to get everyone’s input is by creating a Google Form where everyone gets to give their 2 cents about the party. It also allows you to gauge the mood of the party, but it also gets people excited for this. The Google Form is also usually used to make sure what dietary restrictions people have, their allergies, and any special requirements for this specific end-of-year party.
4. Transport arrangement
These are the most important things that you’ll have to plan. Most people will party the night away, and you need to accommodate for that. Having an off-site party means that you’ll have to arrange for transportation for everyone to reach their place safely and in one piece.
The simplest solution for this is to choose a venue and provide transport to the office that will take your employees directly home. You can also let them take an Uber, Lyft, or taxi home and cover the charges afterward.
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