Yep, it\u2019s almost that time of year again! Mariah Carey is defrosting as we speak, supermarkets are stocking their shelves with panettones, and you\u2019re once again asking yourself if they’ve started decorating stores earlier than last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, the office holiday party is just around the corner\u2014and you\u2019re charged with the seemingly insurmountable task of organizing it. Between choosing the right venue, stocking up on enough drinks, finding a DJ that doesn\u2019t suck, and making sure that everything is done on time, it can be quite daunting.<\/p>\n
But don\u2019t worry, TravelPerk\u2019s got your back. It\u2019s a merry season after all, and we decided to share our secret recipe for throwing parties everyone will love.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why you (and everyone) should be psyched about this party<\/h2>\n
For fear of stating the obvious, let\u2019s not get into how office parties are great for team building, morale, and bringing employees closer together. They’ve always been one of the perks employees look forward to the most. But this takes on more value in a post-pandemic world, as these bonding experiences become more important than they ever were before.<\/p>\n
Over the course of the few year, the way that we work has changed. From full remote work for the better part of 2020, to shifting into hybrid or distributed work in 2021 and 2022, the nature of work relationships has changed. Companies worldwide are still trying to decide how they\u2019ll work going forward – but one thing is clear. Employees want to get together in real life – and what better way to give them what they want than through a holiday party? It’s just the ticket to immerse your employees in your company culture in a fun, non-professional setting.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also a great way to let off some steam at the end of a year of hard work. Just saying.\u00a0<\/p>\n One of the first things we hear as newbies at TravelPerk is \u201cyou won\u2019t believe what went down at last year\u2019s holiday party\u201d. And everyone has a different story to tell. A huge part of our company culture is this drive and desire to get together in person, whether that\u2019s for professional meetings, casual drinks with our colleagues, weekly all-hands, or seasonal parties.\u00a0<\/p>\n So, what\u2019s our secret recipe? We caught up with Miriam, our Events Manager, <\/strong>to get the inside scoop on how to make your next company party a roaring success. You won’t even need to hire a party planner! Here are her tips:<\/p>\n The holiday season is extremely busy for corporate events, and event spaces tend to get booked up fast (especially the good ones). Getting a jump on all the other companies planning parties is a must. But early planning is about more than just getting the right venue. There are a lot of moving parts when in event planning, and it\u2019s important to have all your ducks in a row well in advance so you can get to everything.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to get carried away with planning the fun part of the party. But in a post-pandemic world, it’s important not to forget health and safety, always respecting the measures and restrictions your local government has set. Set clear guidelines on how your employees are expected to behave at the party and remember that you should empower your people to act like owners and take responsibility for their behavior.\u00a0<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be shy! Repeat yourself as many times as you need so that your message really sinks in. Employees tend to be extremely busy towards the end of the year, so a lot of the time, the information you share can be overlooked. It\u2019s also really important to have a place where all the details are available for everyone to consult at any time. At TravelPerk, we use Notion as a centralized hub for information of this kind. We also open up relevant Slack channels for each event and have a dedicated email address so people can ask questions when they need to.<\/p>\n This is one of our key pillars at TravelPerk. You\u2019re building events for your community, so let them be part of the organization and involve them in your decision-making process (where possible, of course). Let them share their holiday party themes, tell you what activities they want to participate in, when they\u2019d like the party to take place, or even what goodies people might find cool. This time around, we’ll be running a themed party and organized focus groups to determine what that would be. We\u2019re going with\u2026 circus theme!\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2026 And that\u2019s not a joke. Finding a good caterer is essential to your party\u2019s success, as food is one of the most important things attendees will remember after the party is over. Seriously. This year, we selected a few people to attend a tasting session and pick the best menu available. It was a really fun, mini-event with people from different teams. It ended up being a great opportunity for them to mingle and get to know each other\u2014not to mention, try some really delicious food. We are based in Spain, after all.<\/p>\n Yes, that is just a fancy way of saying organize group activities. The whole point of events like these is for people to step outside of their usual, day-to-day range of interaction. We want them to meet new people, build new relationships, and create positive memories with their colleagues. A surefire way to do that is through a few short icebreaker party games. People will let their guard down and meet people they might not normally have the chance to work with.\u00a0<\/p>\n OK, so it\u2019s really easy to get carried away. Event planners who tell you otherwise are lying. You want to organize the best corporate holiday party for everyone, and it\u2019s very tempting to go crazy and let yourself be carried away by all the incredible options available on the market. But keeping your budget in mind and sticking to it is essential. It\u2019s going to act as your guiding compass to building the right kind of party for your company. It will show you what you can do, and set limits to what you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n No matter the size of your budget, use planning this party as an opportunity to get creative. Think outside the box and stay away from overdone or clich\u00e9 themes like Winter Wonderland<\/em> or Ugly Christmas Sweaters<\/em>. Even if you have a small budget, try to find different ways to do things that might reduce the logistical costs so you can invest in what makes the party fun. And yes, we are talking about more than the standard photobooth. <\/p>\n The answer is no! There\u2019s really no better time to give out company presents than at the end-of-year party. Everyone is indulging in some holiday cheer, getting to know their co-workers, sharing drinks with their team members (who are now becoming their friends)… What better way to top that than with an amazing gift? Whether that’s a Secret Santa gift exchange or a present from the company, bringing it out at the right time can have a major “get-psyched” effect.<\/p>\n Remember Monica Geller\u2019s mental checklist from Friends? Yeah. Do that. Only write it down. Keep a detailed schedule of the party, with everything that will happen clearly outlined at every step of the event. Things can go wrong all the time, so don\u2019t leave any issues open and get ready for unexpected things to crop up. Always have a plan B or some kind of contingency plan for things that can go wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hire a photographer and\/or a videographer, budget permitting. People love to look back on events like these and remember the fun they had! Oftentimes, they\u2019re too busy enjoying themselves to take their own photos, and even if they do, there\u2019s nothing more fun than seeing candid photos of yourself taken by other people! Not to mention this will help further reinforce your company culture. <\/p>\n Ask for help when you need it! It feels like we\u2019re stating the obvious here, but people don\u2019t always do that. Planning an event is a lot of work with many obstacles on the way, and you do not need to do everything alone. Rely on your team to help you. No one is an island!<\/p>\n If you did, please follow us on our social media accounts on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Instagram<\/a>. Please share the article with your friends or colleagues!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nTravelPerk\u2019s secret recipe for company holiday parties everyone loves<\/h2>\n
1. Party planning is not a last-minute affair\u00a0<\/h3>\n
2. Don\u2019t overlook COVID-19 safety measures<\/h3>\n
3. There\u2019s no such thing as over-communication<\/h3>\n
![\"pineapple](\"https:\/\/www.travelperk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-pineapple-supply-co-1071882-1-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n5. The way to anyone\u2019s heart is through their stomach<\/h3>\n
6. Create opportunities for people to interact<\/h3>\n
7. Let your budget guide you\u00a0<\/h3>\n
8. It\u2019s time to get creative<\/h3>\n
![\"party](\"https:\/\/www.travelperk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-ylanite-koppens-796606-1024x661.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n9. Is there a better time to give out holiday gifts?<\/h3>\n
10. Be a Monica when it comes to scheduling<\/h3>\n
11. People love pictures and videos<\/h3>\n
12. Last but not least\u2026 rely on your team<\/h3>\n
Did you find this article useful?<\/h4>\n