We're already in October and that means Christmas is just round the corner! Time to start planning for that big corporate Christmas party that your boss has entrusted you to deliver.
Planning for a big event like this is a lot of pressure on it's own, let alone with the complications that covid-19 have forced onto us. But don't fret, let us help guide you through the whole process from start to finish.
Remembering that timing is everything, you need to make sure your date and time are good for all your guests. And also ensure no other event happens the day before or after your Christmas party. So - avoid making your attendees choose between two great events!
People might also want a bit of time to decompress after heavy social gatherings, especially as many of us haven't been as socially active during the past year or two...
No corporate event is the same. People have different tastes and work in different industries so you need to make sure your party caters for everyone's needs. The best way to do this is by asking all your attendees what they thought of last year's party.
Keeping tabs this way isn't only a great way to ensure future parties are a big hit - it's also nice for the members of staff to feel that their feedback is valued!
No-one likes working under a boss where they feel their feedback or opinion means nothing. It doesn't take much effort to take their feedback on board, and cater accordingly next time.
Having a themed corporate Christmas party is always fun. You can do anything from having all of your guests come dressed as Santa, to hosting the whole event in an X-Factor style stage show.
Some people can be quite worried about dressing up for corporate events but you just need to let them know that the theme is not compulsory and it's more about having fun than getting fancy dress right! Make sure your guests know what to wear to the work party ahead of time.
So give them an option to dress up IF THEY WANT - and try not to make a huge deal of it either way. For those who do fancy a bit of fancy dress, why not have a competition to see who wins the best dressed?
You might be able to get away with a Christmas Party that isn't up to scratch, but word will quickly spread if the food and drinks are sub-par. Plus your employees and any guests will remember your party for all the wrong reasons - do you really want that?
We recommend serving at least three courses (or more depending on budget) as well as offering an open bar. This gives people the chance to enjoy themselves without having to worry about counting their pennies!
Remember to include non-alcoholic options, to cater for those who don't drink for whatever reason.
If you don't have the time or experience to manage a corporate event like this, we recommend hiring someone who can. Event managers always know what's going on and will be able to make sure the whole thing runs smoothly and is well planned out.
When you consider the added complexity that Covid-19 brings, getting an event manager in to help could be a really smart move. Some event venues will offer a manager as part of the deal to encourage you to book with them.
When enquiring with potential event venues, ask if they offer this service as well - it might save you a lot of time and hassle!
This sounds obvious, but putting a corporate Christmas party in your diary can be a lot of work so you need to make sure you have plenty of time to prepare! Plus who doesn't love receiving a party invite before Winter even properly gets going?
So, why not start inviting staff at least three months ahead and get the ball rolling. The more advanced warning they have, the better chance they have of actually being able to attend. It'll give staff something nice to look forward to as well! It's all about getting into that Christmas spirit after all 🙂
You want to make sure that you pick the best possible event venue to host your corporate do. They need to be able to cater for all of your guests, as well as being suitable for hosting such an important corporate event.
There are some stunning event venues available if you look hard enough, and of course depending on your budget. Be mindful though that you pick a location that is accessible for all guests, and try to have some kind of transport available for them at the end of the night.
Try asking around any contacts and other businesses in the area to see if they have any recommendations for the best venue for your celebration.
Even though it may not seem like this is necessary for corporate events, we always recommend decorating the venue in style! You never know who's going to walk through those doors and what sort of impression they're going to get from it. Maybe even spend some extra pennies on an ice sculpture, if you're feeling a bit extravagant!?
As corporate Christmas parties are often quite fanciful events, it's important to choose the right entertainment. You want something that will keep people interested, but not take attention away from your own message or your own staff.
We recommend hiring a magician or an acrobat - both types of entertainers always seem to be popular with corporate guests! Just make sure you book early as they can be in high demand around the holidays.
There are plenty more types of corporate entertainers we have available to book. You can find a selection of those listed over at our homepage.
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