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Ah... the fabled Office Christmas Party! Some of us love them others don't, they are undoubtedly the biggest office gossip generator in the work life calendar. So looking to this year, the team here at Liquid have some top tips for making sure that the Office Christmas Party this year is the office social highlight to be part of in Oldham.
1: Don't leave it till the last minute.
Don’t wait until the last minute to book your office Christmas party, because you’ll probably miss out on all the great venues and end up treating everyone to a pint at the local pub…and nobody wants that! Make sure you send an invite around as early as possible to find out what date everyone can attend and then decide what kind of venue you’re looking for, is it a formal sit down meal or a party atmosphere? Decide what’ll work best and then have a budget in mind before enquiring.
2:Don’t hold the party in your office!
This is a big no no! The reward for a long, hard year of work for your employees cannot be another long night in the office! Regardless of how many Christmas trees and tinsel streamers you put up, the office will always be the office. Instead, why not choose a special or unusual venue that will really capture people’s imaginations, inspire open conversation and encourage people to enjoy themselves. Think big and don’t be afraid to try something new! You want people to enjoy themselves and not get bored and head home at 10pm after a prosecco fuelled display of dad dancing by John from accounts.
3: Do think about entertainment
Plan something for everyone to do that will break the ice and make people feel a lot more comfortable because, unless your office know each other very well there will undoubtedly be a bit of awkward conversation to begin with. Think about fun activities or entertainment that will liven up the atmosphere, but avoid anything that will make people cringe or feel uncomfortable (No limbo competitions!). Try things like cocktail masterclasses or maybe even live music to really get people in the mood to party.
4: Do go all out on the food!
A key point to remember when organising your office Christmas party is that if you’re heading out straight after work, then everybody is going to be starving by time you get there and lacking in party spirit! So think about the kind of food you’re going to have and try and arrange something a bit special, don’t just wheel out the obligatory mini sausage rolls and crisps, speak to your colleagues and find out what everyone would like. Maybe it’s a buffet or maybe it’s the full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, whatever the consensus don’t be stingy and treat your hard working team to something tasty.
5: Don’t forget about the non-drinkers
The office Christmas party has long been associated with free bars and lots of drinking. But you have to remember that not everyone will be on the sauce at your party and some people may want to drive home afterwards. So make sure there are a wide variety of beverages on offer both cold and hot. Mocktails are a great alternative for those not looking to drink that will as well as being delicious, make them feel included in the festivities because the last thing you want to do is alienate.those not drinking. You want to make sure everyone is having a good time and not just those tossing back the shots or guzzling down glasses of bubbly!
6: Do make an effort to get to know your colleagues
The Christmas party is a chance for any employer to get to know their employees and show their appreciation for all the great work they have done throughout the year. So make an effort to speak to everyone and thank them, because although throwing a Christmas party is great, a little effort to get to know people personally will go a long way. And you never know, you might find out some interesting things about your colleagues that you didn’t know before.
7: Do think about getting everyone home safely
If you’re Christmas party involves taking your work force out for the night, then why not think about booking hotel rooms for everyone, and definitely make sure taxis are called at the end of the night. If people are given the option to stay over at your chosen location and intended to make their own way home, then you’re more likely to get a good turnout if everything is planned and nobody has to worry about transport home.
8: Don’t plan your office party mid-week
Or if you have to, then don’t expect anyone to be very productive the next day. If you’re planning to hold your Christmas party on any day other than Friday, then you have to be prepared for a few no shows the next day or at least plenty of sore heads and bleary eyes. If you’re plying your workforce with alcohol the night before then it’s simply inevitable that not everyone will be fresh faced and raring to go the next morning. But if you really have no choice, then at least buy everyone breakfast the next day and maybe even let everyone go home a bit early. A little Christmas spirit will go a long way and 'Tis the season to be merry after all!
Don’t wait until the last minute to book your office Christmas party, because you’ll probably miss out on all the great venues and end up treating everyone to a pint at the local pub…and nobody wants that! Make sure you send an invite around as early as possible to find out what date everyone can attend and then decide what kind of venue you’re looking for, is it a formal sit down meal or a party atmosphere? Decide what’ll work best and then have a budget in mind before enquiring.
2:Don’t hold the party in your office!
This is a big no no! The reward for a long, hard year of work for your employees cannot be another long night in the office! Regardless of how many Christmas trees and tinsel streamers you put up, the office will always be the office. Instead, why not choose a special or unusual venue that will really capture people’s imaginations, inspire open conversation and encourage people to enjoy themselves. Think big and don’t be afraid to try something new! You want people to enjoy themselves and not get bored and head home at 10pm after a prosecco fuelled display of dad dancing by John from accounts.
3: Do think about entertainment
Plan something for everyone to do that will break the ice and make people feel a lot more comfortable because, unless your office know each other very well there will undoubtedly be a bit of awkward conversation to begin with. Think about fun activities or entertainment that will liven up the atmosphere, but avoid anything that will make people cringe or feel uncomfortable (No limbo competitions!). Try things like cocktail masterclasses or maybe even live music to really get people in the mood to party.
4: Do go all out on the food!
A key point to remember when organising your office Christmas party is that if you’re heading out straight after work, then everybody is going to be starving by time you get there and lacking in party spirit! So think about the kind of food you’re going to have and try and arrange something a bit special, don’t just wheel out the obligatory mini sausage rolls and crisps, speak to your colleagues and find out what everyone would like. Maybe it’s a buffet or maybe it’s the full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, whatever the consensus don’t be stingy and treat your hard working team to something tasty.
5: Don’t forget about the non-drinkers
The office Christmas party has long been associated with free bars and lots of drinking. But you have to remember that not everyone will be on the sauce at your party and some people may want to drive home afterwards. So make sure there are a wide variety of beverages on offer both cold and hot. Mocktails are a great alternative for those not looking to drink that will as well as being delicious, make them feel included in the festivities because the last thing you want to do is alienate.those not drinking. You want to make sure everyone is having a good time and not just those tossing back the shots or guzzling down glasses of bubbly!
6: Do make an effort to get to know your colleagues
The Christmas party is a chance for any employer to get to know their employees and show their appreciation for all the great work they have done throughout the year. So make an effort to speak to everyone and thank them, because although throwing a Christmas party is great, a little effort to get to know people personally will go a long way. And you never know, you might find out some interesting things about your colleagues that you didn’t know before.
7: Do think about getting everyone home safely
If you’re Christmas party involves taking your work force out for the night, then why not think about booking hotel rooms for everyone, and definitely make sure taxis are called at the end of the night. If people are given the option to stay over at your chosen location and intended to make their own way home, then you’re more likely to get a good turnout if everything is planned and nobody has to worry about transport home.
8: Don’t plan your office party mid-week
Or if you have to, then don’t expect anyone to be very productive the next day. If you’re planning to hold your Christmas party on any day other than Friday, then you have to be prepared for a few no shows the next day or at least plenty of sore heads and bleary eyes. If you’re plying your workforce with alcohol the night before then it’s simply inevitable that not everyone will be fresh faced and raring to go the next morning. But if you really have no choice, then at least buy everyone breakfast the next day and maybe even let everyone go home a bit early. A little Christmas spirit will go a long way and 'Tis the season to be merry after all!
If you are looking to arrange your office Christmas party or maybe a Christmas night out with friends & colleagues, let us know your details via the contact form below and one of our dedicated party planners will be in touch to talk about food & drink packages we have available.
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