Organize the Best Company Party Ever

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. A lot of people could testify to the truthfulness of these words. This is why, from time to time, your employees might need time to blow off some steam. The best way to do so and bring the team closer together is to plan a company party. However, this is not an easy task. There are so many things to plan and prepare, so you might get overwhelmed unless you are systematic enough. Here are some tips and tricks that might help you throw the best company party ever.

Create a Guest List and Set the Date

The first thing you need to do is to create a guest list and set the date and time. Seeing how it is a company party, it is natural that your employees will be invited. Still, you also need to decide if you are going to invite some partners and investors, as well. It might be a good opportunity for them to meet your team. Then again, if you want something a bit more relaxed and team-building-oriented, it would be best to make it casual and employee-only. Just remember that the design of the invitations also matters.

As for the date, it mostly depends on two things. The first one is the calendar. You don’t want to schedule a party during the vacations season, when half of your staff won’t be able to attend. Second, you don’t want to schedule it in the middle of a big project, since there is a good chance most people won’t be able to relax properly, or have time to spare, for that matter.

Choosing the Location

The next major challenge you will face when throwing an office party is closely tied to choosing the location. When hiring a venue, you need to think about things like the number of participants, the time of the event, as well as how long you intend this party to last. Some companies tend to celebrate various holidays in their own office premises, but this usually turns out to be a bad choice. Why? Well, imagine a horde of drunk employees staggering around the expensive gear with drinks in their hands. Furthermore, if (actually, when) they mess up the place, it will be up to you to clean it.

Because of this, some of the most popular choices when it comes to the party location are usually outdoors. If the weather allows it, why not host an event under the clear sky. During the summer months, your safest choice would be to throw a party in your backyard or by the pool. All you will need is one of those mobile coolrooms for hire in order to always keep your drinks fresh. Needless to say, this option is usually much cheaper, as well as easier to clean.

Alcohol Policy

Finally, you need to decide on party’s alcohol policy. Sure, if what you are planning is a simple get-together you could prohibit alcohol. However, this doesn’t suit your goals of making people more comfortable with each other. If you finally decide to go with the alcohol, there are a few things you should keep in mind. For example, providing appetizers will reduce the chance of someone getting wasted by drinking on an empty stomach. Also, you need to instruct the bartenders not to serve anyone who already seems well-intoxicated. Finally, make sure to put someone in charge of calling a cab or providing transportation for people who seem to have taken one too much.

Even though it may look similar, planning a company party is not like planning a regular friendly get-together. People who work in the same office may indeed be friends, but this is not necessarily so. This is why a company party always has an agenda. Sometimes, it is about making people working together know each other better. On the other occasion, it is about impressing a client. All in all, it is the end goal that matters the most, and everything considering the party must be subjected to this one single thought.

Just do whatever you want but don’t go overboard. To see what not to do in an office party, there’s a movie coming up. Checkout the trailer for Office Christmas Party and don’t forget to share this post with your colleagues: