A corporate party is a great way to boost company morale. These events take on added importance during the holiday season. Planning your holiday event is not much different than other company projects. In both cases, planning is necessary to ensure success. The venue, theme, date, time of the party, decor, and selections for food and beverages are all issues that should be carefully considered.
There are many ways to approach the planning process. Executives will often desire input into issues like timing and theme. For that reason, a team effort is often required to determine the perfect set of details for your party. If it’s your responsibility to plan a corporate event at the end of the year, then check out these tips.
Assemble a Team
The correct team size and the proper selection of team members will be necessary to assure the success of a corporate event. The team should be large enough to complete all needed tasks. However, the quality of team members is more important than the number.
A smaller group of planners will cause the party planning process to move along more quickly and cost less money. However, a larger group benefits the efforts by providing more variety of employee opinions. Select team members that display the ability to exert a positive influence over co-workers.
Choose the Time
More and more companies are concluding that the best company events occur during employee lunch hours. Presently, about 40 percent of all corporate events occur during lunch breaks.
The downside to parties at lunchtime is that some employees will miss the party due to a need to maintain company functions. However, these events are excellent for cost control and reducing the time requirements for staff.
An evening event is an option and will allow more employees to attend the event. This option also provides more flexibility in choosing a location. If you choose to host your end-of-year party away from the office, then be sure to arrange transportation to the location. By providing transit for the event, you make it easier on employees and you ensure that parking will be a breeze at whatever venue you select.
Create a Menu
Excellent meals make any event worthwhile — and there’s no need to break the budget. Plated meals will cost less to serve than providing a buffet. These plated meals also provide a more elegant approach to meal serving.
The menu should coincide with the theme of the event. Food items that are representative of the event’s color and brand will reinforce the theme. Alcoholic beverages should be served in moderation, if at all.
Be Mindful of Etiquette
Everyone that attends a corporate holiday party should allow others to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. Party planners should send an email or memo to all employees explaining ground rules for the event. This step will assure that all guests enjoy themselves.
Party planners should warn guests against vulgar language, excessive drinking, improper clothing, and all other activities inappropriate for the occasion. Events and parties are meant to promote good times and inhibitions will naturally be lower. However, employees are still company representatives and should be reminded of this fact.
Promote a Gift Exchange
Many organizations promote a gift exchange when hosting a corporate holiday event. A larger organization may want to hold gift exchanges at the departmental level.
When a gift exchange is held, it is a good idea to set a monetary limit. This limit will prevent any problems arising because of the price of gifts. Additionally, all-inclusive gift exchanges will prevent the problem of a guest forgetting a gift.
Explore Vendor Sponsorship
Many party planners feel it is great to accept sponsorship for their holiday events. These sponsorship’s will help offset the cost of parties. However, remember that accepting a sponsorship will also add a certain degree of responsibility to the sponsor. Some employers take the approach that if the money is not in the budget for a party, then one will not be scheduled.
Fundraisers Partnered With Event
Some corporations decide to add a fundraising element to a year-end company event. Careful consideration is needed when deciding whether or not your company event is the proper venue for a fundraiser.
If a fundraiser is attached to a corporate party, then it might be a good idea to only accept cash donations. Cash gifts will allow employees to offer a donation that fits their own particular budgets for the cause.
Final Thoughts
Individuals selected to plan an end-of-year party for their company are entrusted with a huge responsibility. A properly planned party will boost employee morale while allowing the chance to relax and have a good time. You should start with the basics of party planning to assure a well-planned event. The tips discussed above are a great place to start.
When it comes time to arrange for employee transportation, reach out to us at Pegasus Transit. Our experienced drivers will ensure that your employees arrive to your corporate event safely. Contact us today to learn more about our corporate event services.
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