So, you’ve been tasked with organizing the office party. Company events are an investment; they validate employees, promote creativity and improve company culture. It’s no secret that employees want to work for a company that provides a positive and rewarding experience, so celebrating your company’s success and acknowledging any milestones gives everyone a sense of ownership. You are, after all, only as good as the team of people you have, so how can you get your office party to pack a punch? (Images Credit: Rodrigo Cokting/Pixabay)
Get the Timing Right
Try to think beyond the Christmas Season when the sheer volume of parties will make it all the more tougher for your event to stand out. Consider hosting your party around another holiday, or even at a nonspecific time of year when you can not only avoid the mad rush to book the best venue, but you may even find there are offseason bargains to be had — giving you a bigger budget to play with. Take inspiration from Virgin Media who hosted their ‘Trick or Cheat with TiVo’ Halloween Party in 2011, where even staff dressed up as zombies in the spirit of the horror theme.
Engage Your Staff in the Planning Process
Keep your staff in the loop and build excitement by creating a social media platform. This way staff can be involved in the shaping of the event, which encourages engagement and provides a platform for partygoers to share ideas, thoughts, and photos. This will inspire interaction and team building long after the party has ended.
Consider the Venue
A unique venue can help create an unforgettable environment for your corporate event, but it’s best to have a handful of options in case you come across problems with availability. Give your staff something to focus on: a wow moment or visual experience can be quite the icebreaker. For the visual experience: whether it’s LED, LCD display, video walls, or more, GSE AV from Orlando has the right audiovisual equipment for your event.
Consider a constantly changing scene like a yacht party, where impressive vistas will amaze your guests. Of course, when picking your venue it’s important to keep budget, location, and facilities in mind. Make sure the venue is easy to reach to avoid people dropping out on the night.
Pick the Right Theme
Themed office parties don’t necessarily mean that your employees will have to go through the agony of dressing up in a ridiculous costume instead of donning that special latin dresses they have been saving, but these events will give you a solid foundation around which to base a lot of your other decisions. Rent a dance floor, decorations, and food preparation are some important decision needs to be taken carefully when you’re planning a decade party.
Check Out the Competition
If you’re stuck for ideas, then it’s time to research what the competition are doing. Pick companies with successful modern office cultures, like Google, who are infamous for their office parties. The Internet is full of wonderful ideas that you can always draw from to fit your office culture.
Before you send out the invites, it’s also a good idea to direct your employees to the company policies on sexual harassment and holiday pay. If you’ve booked a date which is in the middle of the week, make sure your attendees are aware that they are expected to attend work the following day on time and thus avoid reprimands.
