Hosting a company party might seem intimidating. You want to make sure it’s casual, fun for everyone, and easy on you. With the right amount of planning, you can host a casual company party with ease.
Notify in Advance
One of the best ways of making sure a party goes well is informing guests well before the party. Without advance notice, you’re more likely to get a lot of declined invitations due to people already having plans. In some cases, people may like to have previous notice to prepare for the event. It can be a bit sudden to hear about an event just a few days before. Part of notifying everyone is sending out invitations. These can be simple and event sent via text or email. Make sure you provide your guests with all the necessary information, like date, time, and location.
Set Your Budget
Another important aspect of planning a company party is creating a budget. You need to set limits for yourself to prevent overspending. It’s important to determine beforehand whether you’ll be responsible for the costs or if your company will reimburse you. Either way, a budget can help guide your decisions. You can decide what you can splurge on and in what areas you should be more conservative. Of course, there are plenty of ways you can throw a party on a budget.
Order Catering
One of the most essential elements of a party is the food. You want to have good food that everyone will enjoy. If you’re hosting a party for the entire staff, however, it can lead to quite a lot of work preparing the food. The best option is to simply have your party catered. This way you can shift your priorities to other elements of the party and be reassured that the food is already taken care of. You can pick from a variety of options and get professional guidance on the menu. The catering company will also manage all of the set-up and clean-up the food and serving requires.
Plan Appetizers
In addition to a meal, you should also plan for appetizers. These appetizers can help fill time as people are arriving. They also provide a setting in which people can chat and relax before the main event begins. You can create a variety of appetizers. Just make sure you keep them simple. For example, you could provide a veggie platter, artichoke dip, cheese, crackers, and so on. You can hold bite-sized appetizers together with toothpicks. This makes it very easy for your guests to enjoy them. Make sure you also provide some small plates and cocktail napkins.
Pick a Theme
While it may not be the first thing you think of, picking a theme is an important part of planning your company party. A theme can do many things for you. First of all, it sets the tone for your party and it can give your guests something to get excited about. Second, it helps you make your planning decisions. Knowing the theme of your party can help you pick out the decorations, the entertainment, and even the food. A theme also helps to tie the whole party together, so don’t skip out on this step. As you brainstorm some themes, you can consider different color schemes, popular culture, famous time periods, or even locations. Feel free to get creative with your theme. Just make sure you pick one that will be appealing and inclusive for all guests.
Pick a Thoughtful Venue
Picking a venue for your party is very important. First of all, you want to make sure it will accommodate everyone. You don’t want a space that will be too cramped or crowded. At the same time, you shouldn’t choose a space that’s too big, as this will often discourage interaction and make your guests feel awkward. As you pick your venue, you should also consider whether or not it will be convenient for your guests to get to. They shouldn’t have to travel a long way to get there. To make it easy, you could host your party at or near your place of work, as this should already be a fairly convenient location for everyone. Another thing to consider is the needs of your event. You’ll want to find a venue that will fit the activities you have planned as well as the tone of your party.
Provide Entertainment and Activities
You don’t want your party to just be people talking and eating, and that’s not what your guests want either. You need to have games and activities for your guests to participate in. For example, you can create games that are related to your business. You can also have little contests or even a scavenger hunt. Depending on the budget, you can also hire entertainers. These could include a live band, dancers, or even a magician. Additionally, you should make sure you have a good playlist going throughout the party. No one wants to be left in an awkward silence, so always have some appropriate music playing.
Recognize Employees
Even if it’s just a casual affair, you can use your party as a chance to recognize employees at your company. People love to be recognized for the work that they do, and a casual party can be a great time to spread appreciation for everyone. You can offer awards or superlatives that recognize employees individually for their efforts or even to show what everyone in the office likes about them. This can also be an opportunity to show gratitude for special efforts that have been made. You can create plaques, hand out certificates, or even give personalized gifts. In addition to specific acknowledgment, you can also provide favors for all of the employees. While you’re already throwing a party for everyone, the extra effort of providing favors always makes people happy.
As you can see, a lot of work goes into a company party. However, you can still make it a manageable affair. Just be sure you put in the proper amount of planning and consider working with a partner or your company to make things even easier.
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