Member Article

How to manage your office party

Have you been assigned the task of organising your office party this year? If you have, this will probably be a task you’re approaching with a mixture of emotions - some trepidation, a healthy dose of excitement, and a generous helping of “where do I start?”

Well, the good news is that help is at hand, as we guide you through some of the dos, and plenty of don’ts, of organising an event of this kind. And, as Christmas is nearly upon us, we’ll take a festive take on your office party arrangements to help you become the toast of your workplace.

The Dos

1. Consider the goals and objectives of the event – An office party is one of the easier corporate events to manage as the goals are relatively straightforward i.e. host a party that allows you and your co-workers to mingle and have fun. However, you should still consider why the event is being organised and what you are trying to achieve. This will help you meet your goals.
2. Organise your event management team – If you have an organisation committee in place, make sure everyone understands their role. Corporate events and office parties will require all or some of the following: a venue, entertainment, catering, speakers, sponsors, publicity, a theme and transport – so make sure everyone understands the part they have to play in making this happen.
3. Set the date – Generally speaking, the earlier you set the date the better. Planning an event of this kind, depending on the size of the workforce, can take several months. When arranging your Christmas party, you should also consider the fact that every other business be booking their event, so give yourself plenty of time.
4. Choose a theme – Choosing a theme for your office party can add to the excitement and help to build a sense of fun. Themed Christmas parties are a great way to put everyone in the party mood, so brainstorm a few ideas and increase buy-in by canvassing the opinions of the team.
5. Create the master plan – Create a tick list of all the decisions you need to make to bring your party to life. This should include everything from choosing the menu, booking the entertainment and making sure there’s a sound system in place.

The Don’ts

1. Get carried away – You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a great time. Is that £500 ice-sculpture really going to improve the party? Probably not. Creating the ‘wow factor’ is all well and good, but not if the money could be better spent elsewhere.
2. Make assumptions – The key to organising a successful office party is to plan every last detail. It might be a party, but it still needs to be run professionally to make it an event to remember for all the right reasons.
3. Try to please everyone – There’ll always be naysayers who balk at your plans, but if the general consensus is positive, you’re doing a good job!
4. Be too tight! – Yes, you have a budget to stick to, but don’t try to make too many savings. A good venue, tasty food and half decent wine should be considered essentials. If you need to make savings, cut back on the extras.
5. Forget the legalities – Do you need a permit to serve alcohol on the premises? What about insurance? Neglecting these formalities could be a very costly mistake.

Follow these corporate planning tips for your Christmas party to create a festive event to remember. Do you have any dos and don’ts of your own? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ofer Yatziv .