5 tips for planning a better company holiday party

Planning

Aug 19

Planning

5 tips for planning a better company holiday party

BoomPop Team · 8/19/2022

Take your company holiday party to the next level through these simple corporate event planning ideas

Company holiday parties provide a unique opportunity to build connection, appreciation, and excitement among your team. Whether your team is virtual or in-person–or even a mix of both–a thoughtfully planned holiday party demonstrates that your company values employee connection and happiness.

Here are 5 tips to help you plan a company holiday party that makes a long-lasting impression:

Make it uniquely you

There’s nothing worse than a dull, generic event that no one will remember. Your company culture is unique, and your holiday party should be as well. Whether it comes to theme, venue, decor, or activities, you should have a vision for your event that reflects the special qualities of your team.

This is where planning your company holiday party to fit the culture of your team is so important–knowing what excites your team, what activities they will enjoy, and how they want to celebrate the holidays will greatly impact the success of your party.

Book engaging activities

While there are many types of corporate events for your staff to attend throughout the year, a corporate holiday party is one of the most anticipated. Booking interesting and engaging events can take your company holiday party from average to extraordinary. A great show or activity will be a great talking point later, and encourages participation in future company events.

Activities also fill in the time between mingling and can provide ample opportunity for attendees to get to know each other in new ways. Step outside your comfort zone and experiment with interactive activities or competitive games.

Focus on connections

A corporate holiday party is about building stronger relationships. Create opportunities for your team to interact and connect with people outside of their usual work circle, as well as reaffirm relationships they’ve already begun. It’s also a great place for employees to network with clients and strengthen bonds beyond the normal bounds of the workplace.

Remember, a business is only as great as the people who make it. Investing in connections benefits every aspect of your business—strong relationships not only encourage the blending of different perspectives, but they also strengthen the company as a whole.

Offer a virtual alternative

Having both a virtual and in-person company holiday party is a way to make sure everyone is included and celebrated. In this diverse working world, distributed teams are becoming more and more common. Virtual connection is possible and can absolutely grow closer teams. Try a winter holiday-themed mini-game experience or a virtual escape room that is fun regardless of the season.

Make sure to schedule your virtual event and in-person event at different times—that way, anyone who wants to attend, can!

Add thoughtful gifts

Gifting is about more than choosing a one-size-fits-all gift for each team member. Curate specialized gifts to hand out at your holiday party for valued clients or award your employees for successes. A memorable gift shows your team that they are appreciated for the strengths and value they bring to work daily. Did you know that 59% of employees believe a holiday gift would aid in employee retention?

If gifting isn’t something you’re doing already, it may be time to integrate it into your employee engagement strategy.

Don’t wait to start planning

The holidays will be here sooner than you think. Your team is working hard year round, and it’s important to work just as hard planning company events. Offsites and retreat venues can book up fast, as well as event and entertainment availability.

Begin planning your company holiday party by building a basic agenda, mapping out your budget, and including your team in discussion on what experiences they are looking for. Be specific and goal-oriented. Remember, a corporate holiday party is meant to leave a lasting impression.

Don’t wait until the last minute: BoomPop can help you begin planning your next company holiday party today.