Many people look forward to an office holiday party all year long. It’s an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with colleagues outside of the work environment and have some fun. Furthermore, it’s also a chance to build trust, increase morale, and strengthen relationships.
You need to follow certain best practices to ensure the event’s success, that all attendees will have a great time, and that it will be professional.
Please keep reading to find out what they are.
Guest List
✅DO: Allow for a plus-one
❌DON’T: Invite too many people from outside the company
Allowing employees to bring a spouse or a friend will help increase your attendance rate and make your office holiday party feel more like a fun social function (as opposed to being an extension of the working environment).
Furthermore, this is likely also to help guests feel more relaxed and comfortable, making them more open and more willing to interact with one another.
However, your guest list should mainly consist of company members. After all, this is a company event, so try to avoid inviting too many people who don’t work there. Doing so could create a sense of exclusion and make the attendees feel like outsiders.
Holiday Party Etiquette
✅DO: Remind guests of company policies
❌DON’T: Encourage excessive drinking
Before a company holiday event, it’s good to send a reminder via email or brochures so that all those invited know your company policies regarding alcohol and drug consumption, harassment, and event safety.
However, you can also take preventive measures to avoid inappropriate or dangerous behavior.
As the person responsible for planning the event, you must be aware that holiday parties can increase the number of employees who drink too much and later regret their actions.
Limiting the amount of alcohol served at your office holiday party is a great way to prevent irresponsible behavior and any gestures or activities that may cause gossip or controversy or make guests uncomfortable.
You could try to offer each guest a limited number of drink tickets and only serve beer or wine (hard liquor should be avoided due to its high alcohol content).
Attendance Policy
✅DO: Encourage people to attend
❌DON’T: Make attendance mandatory
It’s important to ensure all team members know about the event and feel welcome. Encouraging all employees to attend the party is okay, as you’ll want everyone to feel included.
However, remember that nobody likes feeling pressured into doing certain things, even if it involves a fun event such as a company party. While an office party is not typically geared to specific religious beliefs, some employees may not want to celebrate.
The reasons for this can vary. For example, some of your employees may be experiencing problems in their family lives, grieving, or not feel comfortable participating in social gatherings involving lots of people.
Make sure that everyone knows attendance is encouraged yet optional.
Entertainment
✅DO: Invest in high-quality entertainment
❌ DON’T: Wait until the last minute to book entertainment
It is important to invest in high-quality entertainment to make your holiday party more memorable and fun for your guests. This is also a great way to show appreciation and reward employees for their hard work throughout the year.
The good news is that many entertainment options are suitable for this type of event. Clean comedians, music acts, and magicians; could add more value and excitement to your event.
However, securing entertainment for your event shouldn’t be an afterthought to get your pick. Ensure you have booked entertainment in advance so you don’t scramble at the last minute.
We Can Help You Plan a Standout Office Holiday Party!
Here at the Grable Group, we have a large selection of premium entertainers that you can book to ensure that your next company party will be one for the books.
Start browsing now, and don’t hesitate to contact us at (615) 283-0039 if you have any questions.
