Throwing an office party can be a bonding experience. It’s a chance for you to get to know your employees better and a fantastic opportunity for staff to relax. Costs can spiral out of control on parties that aren’t planned properly, though, and any gathering might prove difficult to organize. Here are some tips to help make the process a bit smoother.
#1 Consider hiring private bar staff
Hiring an event bartender is a brilliant way of outsourcing the most difficult part of the process – serving drinks! The last thing you want to do is spend the whole night handing out drinks, plus making cocktails and serving measures isn’t as easy as it sounds. Bringing in private bar staff is a simple way to ensure that the drinks keep flowing without you having to worry about it. Better still, serving drinks to official measures often works out much cheaper than pouring them yourself.
#2 Plan ahead
Planning is crucial for any event, but even more so where office parties are concerned. You’ll want to ensure that as many of your staff as possible can attend, and the only way to make sure of this is to plan a long time in advance. Giving people ample time allows them to schedule their timetable around the party, making it much more likely that they’ll attend. Suddenly announcing a party at the last minute is a surefire way to deplete the guest list.
#3 Be open to feedback
If this isn’t your first office party, it pays to take some time and listen to what staff thought of your last effort. Don’t be afraid to send out email surveys and questionnaires asking what people loved (or hated!) about the last party. You’ll probably receive a range of conflicting answers but that’s all part of the process. Look for a consensus opinion. You might find out that a lot of people loved the music, but the food didn’t go down too well. Listen and adapt accordingly.
#4 Make a budget (and compare costs)
Any party can quickly spiral out of all budgetary control. With so many different aspects to take care of (music, food, decorations and so on), it’s easy to overspend in individual areas. Drawing up and keeping to a tight budget stops this from happening. Don’t just make an overall budget, though. Set aside money for each different area of the party. This means that you won’t get a surprise bill at the end and helps to keep spending under control across the board.
#5 Consider an external venue
Last but not least, if your budget can cover the costs, an external venue really helps the atmosphere of the workplace party. Employees are much more likely to unwind and feel at ease in a place where they don’t spend every day working. Hiring an out of town hall or function room is great for fostering a more convivial atmosphere. You might even go one step further and combine the party with an activity day that the whole family can attend beforehand.
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