The company holiday party likely has a lot weighing on it this year. 2022 saw a lot more office opening back up and employees with a renewed sense of what they want their work-life balance to look like. With that kind of pressure, it might feel daunting to host a party but we have some quick tips to keeping it light and fun, and easy to put together! A win-win-win for all.

A holiday party that’s sure to succeed

1. Before picking the venue/activity, take a pulse on what your staff wants to do. You might be surprised! A fun outing might overshadow the traditional buffet.
2. If the budget us more ‘in-the-office-pizza-party’ be creative! Pick a theme, encourage costumes, host a contest.
3. An alternative to the party that everyone can feel good about? Go volunteer as a team for an afternoon.
4. Outsource your party: there are MANY options that can take care of the details. Activities such as a craft (eg wreath-making) or fun outing (eg an escape room) means that you’ve handed over the hosting to someone else and therefore get to spend the time bonding with your team!

The rules of a company holiday party (we know, but they must be said)

1. Don’t make staff attend outside of work hours, if possible.
2. Do remember this is a work event, however festive. Therefore:
3. Remember that behavior will be monitored, including that of management. Set an example for your staff!
4. Don’t treat, or allow others to treat, the party as a time to blow off steam.
5. Even if the party has no focused entertainment, do encourage staff to play games or some sort of group activity. This distracts from the urge to talk about work and reminds team members that this is a time for fun!
6. Do use the party as an opportunity to show appreciation for your staff. Make a speech! Highlight something great about each member of the staff and if that proves too lengthy, talk about their strengths as a team.

Holiday parties are a great way to reconnect with your employees and demonstrate appreciation for their hard work. An excellent bonus to the festivities? It’s good for company moral. And we all know just how important that is these days. Therefore, our last tip is to be thoughtful about the structure of the party and how inclusive it is to everyone being able to participate. Need help in establishing a positive company culture that encourages bonding and therefore fun holiday parties automatically (at least, very close).  Eos HR is here to help! We offer small businesses an experienced HR department that know how to support their teams. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.