SUPER TRICKS TO PLAN YOUR COMPANY HOLIDAY PARTY

The most exciting time of the year is upon us and most companies celebrate this festive season with a holiday party for its employees. If you are one of the lucky few to be involved in the ‘party organizing committee’, we have a few tricks to make your get-together fun and memorable.

CHECKLIST: The simplest and most crucial element of party-planning is creating a checklist. You can include items like guest list, venue, catering etc. to try and make your list as comprehensive as possible. Having a list of backups is also a good idea. Whether it’s an excel document or on a simple app on your phone, having a checklist handy can save you from unexpected surprises and crisis management.

VENDOR LIST: Whether it’s a cozy affair or a grand event, you will need a list of suppliers for decoration, catering, AV equipment etc. for your party. Booking the venue and all essential equipment in advance will help you save some dollars too.

AVAILABILITY: It is the people who make a party and you want to make sure that you pick a date when everyone (at least mostly everyone) is around to attend. You wouldn’t want to pick a date too close to Christmas or New Years’ as most people are travelling around that time. Sending an email with possible date options will give you a fair idea of availability and attendance.

PARTY MENU: Food and drinks are an integral part of any great party but can easily become an expensive element in your budget if not planned well. You can get a quote from multiple caterers and sometimes having plated meals compared to a buffet can also be more cost-effective especially when organizing large gatherings.

ENTERTAINMENT: Organising a party that has great food plus great entertainment will rake in all the brownie points in your favour. A few options can be karaoke competitions, showcasing fun employee videos on a large screen, Facebook/Instagram live feeds, Company selfie competition, Live Twitter updates etc.

SPONSORSHIPS: Even though organizing a company holiday party serves as a great opportunity for employees to network in an informal setting, it may not be possible for all employers to afford such events. You can also look at sponsorships/barter services with venues or decoration companies in exchange for your products or services. Often suppliers are willing to donate for an event or even take care of the meals or beverages if needed.