5 Secret Techniques to Throw an Engaging Office Party This Holiday Season

The excitement of holiday season is seen everywhere! People are busy in their shopping and travelling spree, while most of the businesses are preparing themselves to boost their sales. From kids to elderly, everyone is being swept away by this seasonal wave of fun, entertainment and enjoyment. So why shouldn’t office goers be part of this merriment?

In fact, holiday season is the perfect time to reunite, collaborate, and increase a sense of camaraderie among your employees. Apart from being part of holiday celebrations, throwing an awesome holiday office party can be helpful for you on many counts. You allow your staff to enjoy freely, increase employee satisfaction & morale, strengthen relationship between colleagues, and instil a sense of organizational pride in your workers. It also ensures that you are focusing on enhancing your workplace productivity in the long run.

Having said that, throwing an engaging office party can be a daunting task, but we have gathered some really cool tips to make sure that your office party provides a great experience to everyone.

                           Image Credit: psychologytoday.com

Here are 5 secrets to throw an awesome office holiday party:

1. A careful planning is a must

Any party, function, or event needs careful planning to be successful. A proper execution of the planning considerably reduces the risk of any problems arising on the day. So your primary objective is to create an environment where your employees are extremely comfortable, stop talking about their work, and start interacting as friends. Yet you have to be amply clear what type of holiday party do you want to plan?

There are many aspects of careful planning that you need to touch upon so that the occasion becomes a seamless event. If you want to let the booze flow freely, do so responsibly and make an arrangement so everyone can get home safely. Going all out with the decorations will set the right tone and the event will look really special. The day of the week is also important to consider. The truth is any good event planner always have a backup plan in place in case the event goes sideways. So the best way to pull it off is start preparing well in advance.

2. Location matters a lot

Half the battle that goes in throwing a holiday party is to figure out where it’s going to take place. Choose a great location; you are well on your way to an amazing event! Choosing a poor venue, on the other hand, can put all your efforts in jeopardy. Bust before you start looking for a perfect location, it’s pertinent to narrow down your search. Ideally, the venue should be within a convenient distance for everyone so that there will be more attendees. There are a few things of consideration that will help you choose your best party location:

• Size: The size of the venue plays a key role in the success of the party. If it’s too small, your guests will be uncomfortable. If it’s too large, everyone may feel as though the event wasn’t well-attended.
• Geographical area: Connectivity and centrality are important factors to select an ideal geographical area,
• Cost: Cost is a crucial factor while selecting the venue because you don’t want to overshoot your budget. So keep looking for an environment that fits within your slated budget.
• Amenities: You may be able to get a great location at a low cost, but if it doesn’t have the amenities you need, then your overall cost could be significantly higher.

3. Include an interesting theme

Themes are highly capable to inject an extra excitement into any kind of parties. They are a great way to bring your celebrations to life. Sometimes during the planning phase you have no idea where to begin from. In that case, choosing a party theme can make your decision process much simpler because it gives you a proper head start. Plus, a thief is often the first piece of information you give to your guests, and that first impression really matters. Just make sure your party themes are exciting and inspiring – perhaps a little bit quirky, too. It’s all about capturing the imagination of your guests right from the beginning and make them curious enough how to enjoy the proceedings. Just brainstorm all the possible party theme ideas coming in your mind, for example, superhero theme, Christmas theme, Disney theme, nature theme, periodic drama theme, or seven deadly sins, etc.

4. Menu planning is the key

Unless you’ve planned a sit-down dinner for a holiday party celebration like this, the event is far from being termed as successful. Delectable dishes shared with co-workers are always appreciated, so finger chips, pizzas, and burgers are by far the best choices for an office party. If your budget allows it, talk to a caterer about a menu. If you need to provide the food, use your imagination to go beyond chips and dip. Also make sure to consider different dietary needs for your staff. Booze and beverages are also an essential part of your menu. You can arrange wine bottles with custom labels, party-specific personalized beer bottles, cocktails, and signature drinks for your employees. It will not only help them bond well with each other, but they will closely associate themselves with the company values as well.

5. Bring on the fun

Talking about an office party and not include fun activities will make it dull and monotonous. Invite them in person or send out email invitations and remember to get the party started by greeting your guests at the entrance with a drink or holiday-themed eatables. For that, you need to encourage all staff participation. It’s all about socializing together, from newer entry level employees to more senior staff in order to build camaraderie among them. If the budget allows, hiring entertainment, like a band or DJ, can be fun for a big group. But you can also do it without being extravagant. For example, you can organize games, contests, stand-up comedy, singing, or other talent shows, while making sure everyone is part of that. When considering this, try to match the entertainment to your corporate culture.