10 Steps to Hosting a Corporate Holiday Party That Your Employees Will Want to Attend
Your corporate holiday party can be a smashing success or a total bust. Whether this is your first time hosting a holiday party or your tenth annual event, you want to make sure that you close out the business year in style. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to help make sure that you throw an unforgettable holiday party. Below are ten steps to help you design a corporate holiday party all of your employees will want to attend.
1) Start with a safe, convenient location.
Make sure you choose a secure location that is large enough to accommodate all of your employees. Try to stick to locations that are easily accessible and not too far from your office or the general area where most of your employees live. If you choose to hold your party at your office, then be sure to decorate your facility to create a festive mood.
2) Appoint a holiday party planning team.
Involving some of your employees in the party planning is a great way to delegate some key party planning tasks while building excitement about your holiday party. A small team of 3-4 people from different departments is ideal.
3) Invite spouses.
Decide in advance whether you would like to include spouses or guests in the festivities. Office holiday parties provide the perfect opportunity for your spouse or partner to feel included in your work life. If you decide to include spouses or partners, be sure to get an accurate headcount and choose a larger space.
4) Launch an ugly holiday sweater contest.
An ugly holiday sweater contest is a great way to create a fun, lively atmosphere at your party. Anyone can participate and ugly sweaters are great conversation pieces. Make sure you begin promoting the contest a couple of days in advance to allow employees to prepare!
5) End the workday an hour early.
Some of your employees will need time to take care of responsibilities at home before heading to the party. By ending the workday a little early, you give everyone a chance to change clothes, coordinate with dates or spouses, and make it to the party in time to enjoy the festivities.
6) Serve a variety of food.
Your employees likely have a diverse range of tastes and food preferences. Some of your employees may even have food allergies. As you plan your menu, remember that you may have employees who do not eat meat or who cannot consume nuts.
7) Have a door prize drawing.
The prospect of winning a gift card, cash, free health insurance, or a dinner for two is exciting. If your party budget is limited, you can still make prizes alluring by offering preferred parking, extra vacation days, or a corner office for the next year. Some companies work with their vendors to secure door prize donations such as tablets, TVs, and fitness gear.
8) Prepare a slide show.
Featuring a slide show of company events that took place throughout the year is a great way to celebrate some of the year’s most memorable moments. Also, make sure you capture some of the fun moments from this year’s event to feature in future slideshows!
9) Consider a drink ticket system.
If you are planning to serve alcohol, it is a good idea to distribute drink tickets to employees in advance. By distributing 1-2 drink tickets to each employee, you help ensure that your workers do not overindulge.
10) Take the time to thank your employees for their hard work.
Prizes, ugly sweaters, and tasty food usually combine to make for a fun evening. However, a holiday party is also the perfect time to tell your employees how much you appreciate their service. Some employers even offer recognition for 5, 10, and 20 years of service.
By following the ten tips above, you can design an irresistible corporate holiday party that none of your employees will want to miss!