As the winter holidays get ever closer, office parties are popping up on the social calendar. They are a great opportunity for your team to bond and enjoy some time together without the pressures of work. Why not make your next office party an absolute success with these top 20 great ideas for party planning at work, including some merchandise tips and the best ways to create the ideal theme?
Decide on a theme
The first step to creating the best decorations and atmosphere for your party is to agree on a theme. This will influence the music, food, and everything else.
Make sure your theme is appropriate for the event being celebrated, but also that it won’t offend anyone in the team. For a Christmas party, having a full-on Christmas theme is absolutely fine, however if you’re throwing a celebration for the end-of-year sales results you might want to steer clear of anything specifically ethnic or religious.
Name a party planning committee
This might seem old-fashioned, but it’s the best way to get a range of your team involved in the organisation and to delegate some of the activity. Besides, if people are part of the organising team, they’ll be more invested in the outcome. Finally, bouncing ideas off of several people is always better than having one person make all the decisions.
Have a no-phone policy
Lots of people are cagey at office parties for fear of being caught in compromising photos. At the same time, some may ignore the fun and sit in a corner, on their smartphone.
Ask everyone to check their phones in at the door or place them in their desks if the party is taking place at your actual office. This will motivate them to talk to each other and will improve the atmosphere.
Make it easy to mingle
Don’t set up for a sit-down meal and isolate people next to someone they might not have anything in common with. Instead, set everything up so that people can constantly mingle and speak to others.
This includes catering with finger foods on party platters, providing small plates that people can easily carry around, and making drinks and food easy to consume (so no elaborate sauces and dips that can stain someone’s clothes!)
Lights and music
Lights and music can make or break your atmosphere. Make sure you have a selection of various lighting options to match your theme, without being too dark or too “disco.” Invest in some great-quality speakers that can spread the music around your venue without being too loud. You want everyone to still have a conversation!
Games are great ice-breakers
Worried that people who don’t know each other well won’t mingle enough? Games are the answer! Bring a few easy games into the mix, from Jenga to a round of Pictionary, and you’ll see spirits relaxing and the competitive side of people come out.
Unforgettable invites
The most eye-catching invites are going to stay in people’s minds and they’ll set the scene for how great your party is going to be. Use a high-quality stationery set or order bespoke invites matching the colour scheme of your party and ensuring that the hype is built early on (two months is ideal)
Choosing the right venue
Finally, if you’re not holding a party at the office, then make sure your venue of choice is easily accessible and fits with your company’s style. Ideally, find somewhere where indoor and outdoor spaces are equally available so you can make the most of good weather, but that is not so large that guests will easily isolate themselves from the main crowd.
That’s it! These essential tips for planning your next office party should help you throw a bash to remember. Enjoy!
