Party
Planning & Easy Entertaining:
How to Throw an
Awesome Office Party
People talk often
caution against mixing business with pleasure, but my mother has
always said it's good to try new things, and mother knows best. Once
in a while it's okay to loosen that tie, kick off the high, executive
heels and put on your boogey shoes. There are a lot of ways to have
fun with the folks from work while still staying within the realm of
good taste. To throw an awesome party for business associates or the
people you work with, all you need to do is follow these guidelines:
Ask Guests to
'Save the Date'
It's hugely
important to give people more than enough time to mark the date of a
big bash on their calendars. Give them lots of advance notice. When
selecting a date for your party, put thought into the day of week.
Think about things such as whether children will be in attendance (is
it a school night?), or whether there are other holidays or events
surrounding the date (superbowl, St. Patrick's Day) which might cause
conflicts on your guests calenders. Will having the party on the
weekend be preferable in attracting guests? Will there be work the
next day? These are just some things that may go overlooked, but
could have a major impact on the turn-out.
Location,
Location, Location
You want to show
the people that work for you that you appreciate them via the
extravaganza, so throwing it at a scenic, fun, and grand locale
should be your aim. You want the party to be held somewhere of
elegance, but don't make it too far out of the way or you'll create
an inconvenience for your guests. Make sure directions are clear and
available for in print, online, office intranet, so as everyone will
be able to find their way there easily.
Decor to Impress
It pays to be
attentive to detail. This goes for many facets of life ut corporate
parties are certainly no exception. Invest some time, money, and
creativity into the decorations. If you aren't good at decorating,
hire someone to do it for you. Flowers can add a vibrant touch to the
decor and will add to the ambience. This event may only happen once a
year for smaller businesses, so pull out all the stops; you want to
inspire your employees to do the same for you five days a week.
Be Politically Correct
If your partyt
happens to fall around the holidays, don't label it a 'Christmas
Party' because you may have employees who do not celebrate Christmas.
Instead, call it a 'Holiday Season Party'.
Oh, Are You a Vegetarian?
Today, many people
are on special diets, so be sure to have an eclectic smorgasbord of
delicacies to choose from. It would be very considerate to have a
line at the bottom of the invitation encouraging suggestions or
details of dietary limitations. This could also be implemented into
the company intranet, so people would not feel as reluctant to state
their preferences if they saw others that had the same dietary interests.
Black Tie Optional?
Be sure to give
your guests some indication of dess code for the party. It's
embarrassing for guests when they either under or overdress for a
social function. Remember, this is all about the employees and you
want them to have a great time. If the location or style of the event
calls for dressy attire, let it be known. But keep in mind that
unless it is a real gala affair, most people feel most comfortable
going a bit more casual.
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