How to Organize an Office Party
Office parties can be great fun for all employees. After working with one another every day for hours on end, a little time to kick back and socialize is always a welcome relief. The only bad thing about office parties is how few and far between they seem to be. Another thing about office parties is that someone has to organize it. Perhaps that someone is you. If so, here are a few tips to help you organize a great office party.
1. Get Help
You should definitely seek the input of other people. Chances are there are some real social butterflies in your office. Seek them out; they would love to help. By asking for the advice and input of other folks in your office, you’ll make them feel valued, and you’ll give them a stake in making the party great. You’ll also avoid resentment on down the road from people who didn’t get to see the party they wanted. If your office is small, you may want to try to get everyone involved.
2. Get Out of the Office
This may not always be an option, but if it is - you should definitely exercise it. Everyone associates the boring walls of the office with the monotonous daily grind. Instead, get out of the office. Go to a miniature golf course. Go to a park. Throw the party outside. Depending on your office building, you may even throw the party on the roof!
3. Decor
Decorating for your party is a must. Ideally, you want the decorations to match the occasion, and you also want there to be an overall theme. This is one area where the group you assembled will become a big help. Gather around and brainstorm ideas until you can arrive at one that everyone agrees on.
4. Save the Date
Make sure that the date and time you choose for the party aligns with everyone’s schedule. Scheduling a party the day before a big holiday can be a mistake because people will often have travel plans or will have guests at their home. If you’re unsure, ask everyone if your proposed date works for them. A party is no fun if no one is there.
5. Play Games
Games and other planned activities are a tried and true method for breaking the ice. Rather than standing around chatting about the same old stuff, you want to get everyone DOING something. Usually this won’t continue all night, and ideally you’ll plan more activities than you actually need; this is just to get the ball rolling.
6. Music
This is another great opportunity to get everyone involved. Rather than choosing the music yourself, you might get everyone to contribute. If your planned party length is 2 hours long, then that translates into twenty-four 5-minute songs. If you’ve got about 24 people in the office, you can ask each one of them to contribute a song. This is a great technique that inevitably leads everyone to ask “whose song is this?” all night long. Alternatively, if any of your coworkers can play an instrument, you might ask them to contribute some entertainment.
7. Double Up
Depending on the occasion, you might let your employees bring a guest. This can be especially good for people with spouses, who don’t like their loved one attending an after-hours “party” without them.
8. Lay off the Alcohol
Although alcohol is usually pretty popular at parties like this, eschewing it can save a lot of troubles down the road. Things can get out of hand. Someone always drinks too much. The company could be held liable if an accident occurs. It’s just not worth it.
Office parties are definitely great fun. They can break up our everyday office routine and help us learn about our coworkers in new ways. It strengthens our friendships and our bonds. Hopefully you’ve now got a few good ideas so you can organize a great office party.
