The holiday season is almost here, which means employers from across the country are scrambling to make those last-minute preparations for a company party. Holiday parties offer a fun way for employees to unwind and relax in a non-traditional work environment. As a result, employees will likely come back to work with a fresh perspective and desire to push themselves on the job.
Choosing a Location For a Holiday Party
One of the biggest decision you’ll have to make when setting up a company party is choosing a location. This will essentially set the mood for the entire event, so you want to choose a proper location. If at all possible, try to choose an area for the party that’s outside of the office. While having the party inside the office will likely make things easier and cost less money, it doesn’t give the employees an opportunity to get away from their normal work environment. The additional money it costs to throw a party outside of the office will prove to be well worth it in the long run.
There are literally dozens of different places that are suitable for throwing holiday parties. You can have them in the park, at a lake, restaurant, someone’s property, or you can even rent out conference/party areas from building around your town. Check to see what the weather is going to be like first. If it’s going to rain, you’ll obviously want to have the part indoors instead of outdoors.
Choosing a Time
Another decision that’s required when throwing a holiday party is choosing a time. Let’s hope your company doesn’t operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as this will make it difficult (although not impossible) for everyone to enjoy without shutting down temporarily. Ideally, you should throw the party shortly after the office closing hours. This will give everyone enough time to get home, change clothes and make their way to the party. If the office doesn’t close until 10 pm or later, though, you may want to throw it slightly earlier while still allowing employees to trickle in throughout the night.
Activities
Of course, you can’t successfully throw a holiday party without having activities planned for the event. Think about where the party is being held and choose some fun, easy-to-do activities that everyone will enjoy. Assuming weather permits, you can have a company softball game if the party is being thrown outside. On the other hand, you could have a karaoke contest for indoor parties. Another option is to throw the company party somewhere for a specific activity, such as a bowling alley. Everyone loves bowling, and it’s perfect for large groups of people.
These are just a few tips to help you throw the best company party. Above all else, have some fun and loosen up. After all, that’s the whole purpose of a party.
