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Make Your Company Holiday Party a Smash
A holiday party can be an excellent way to reward employees, build company spirit, bond with clients, or otherwise celebrate the season. Yet no small business wants to host a party that’s a dud. Whether you’re hosting an expensive night-out, or just getting together with fellow workers for a festive potluck, these five tactics can ensure your event is a hit.
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Involve your employees
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Create a meaningful holiday party by asking your employees what they want. Be clear about the party’s purpose and budget, and then ask some representative employees to sketch out a few ideas. This can help you tailor your party to the lifestyles of your staff. For instance, singles might want a late-night bash, while parents or working couples might find evenings to be a logistical nightmare. Don’t expect many unanimous decisions, but strive to please the majority.
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Oversee the details
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The success of any holiday event is in the details — the invitations, the food, the decorations, the sound system, etc. The truth is, a successful party requires you to pay attention to an endless list of minutiae. If you’re not good at this, consider using a professional party planner. If that’s beyond your budget, get a few hours of consultation, and create a master checklist that you can work from. Careful planning will ensure a successful party and that your party meets company goals.
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Plan activities
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Don’t turn your party into a passive affair. Build in activities that will be fun and memorable. Many businesses make the activity the centerpiece of the celebration. For example, everyone goes to a local cooking school to prepare a gourmet holiday meal together. Or different departments compete against each other in a company-wide bowling or tennis tournament. Or a venue is chosen that features family-oriented rides and entertainment. The options are endless. Even a low-key party can include activities such grab bags, door prizes, or name-that-tune games.
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Team up with other businesses
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If your company is too small to do everything you want to celebrate the holidays, don’t despair. Consider joining up with other area small businesses to create “big company” party. This way, your employees may be able to experience extras — such as a disc jockey, dancing, elaborate decorations, or a dessert buffet — that you couldn’t otherwise afford. By combining with other companies to make a sizable group, prices go down. And while small get-togethers can be fun, many people feel the atmosphere of a large party puts people in the holiday spirit.
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Keep everyone (and your business) safe
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Take care to ensure that everyone at your party not only has a good time, but also gets home safely. Limit the amount of alcohol you serve by using drink tickets or other method to control the flow of beverages. Have plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages available. Put someone in charge of deciding whether an employee or other partygoer can drive or otherwise get home safely, and have alternative transportation available. Excessive drinking can lead to inappropriate behavior, and can also leave your company open to liability issues.
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Click here to return to the Holiday Center
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