Five tips for planning your office end-of-year party

The best way to round off a work year is to celebrate its completion with a fun and festive end-of-year party. These get-togethers offer a great opportunity for you to mingle with your employees and get to know them a bit better, all the while celebrating your company’s various achievements over the past year. That being said, if you want your end-of-your office party to be successful, you need to prepare for it properly. Use these five handy tips as a guide to getting it right and throwing the perfect shindig.

Create a party planning team

The responsibility of organising the end-of-year party should fall to someone who knows how to plan an event. Why not elect someone to head up a small committee of skilled party planners? Each of the members can be allocated a specific task. One person can take care of the venue, another can organise the catering, another can sort out the entertainment, while someone can take a look at the budgeting.

Host the party during the off-season period

Most companies hold end-of-year parties, and many of them tend to do so in early December. In light of this, a great number of venues might be booked up for that period. If, however, you hold your party in late November, for example, you might enjoy greater availability in terms of venues.

Book the right venue

As we’ve said, suitable party venues are often few and far between when the end of the year approaches. That’s why you need to book your venue as early as possible. But don’t choose any old space. Consider the amount of people there are in your company, what facilities will be made available to you, and what you’d like to get up to. There is, however, an easy alternative to searching for and reserving a venue.

Hold the party at your office

Using your own office space as an events venue is a budget-friendly move, but its feasibility depends on various factors. You’ll most probably be using your office’s recreational area as the main party space, so make sure it’s big enough to accommodate everyone in your company, as well as areas in which to place refreshments. There is another plus when it comes to holding a party at your office. No doubt you’ll want some music playing in the background, so why not use your office’s internet connectivity to play music from online platforms such as Google Play Music, Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud, Deezer or even YouTube. That’s far more cost-effective than hiring a DJ!

Cater for everyone

Once again, inclusivity is an important factor in making your company’s end-of-year party as memorable as possible for everyone involved. That’s why you should base your choice of food and refreshments on everyone’s dietary needs, taking into account those who might be a vegetarian or vegan. Also make sure there is a sufficient variety of non-alcoholic drinks available. It’s possible that not everyone will be in the mood for booze.

Make the most of your end-of-year office party by making the right decisions. If you feel like electing experienced party planners to organise it, then do so, and be sure to choose the right venue and to book it as early as possible. It’s also best if you book a date that’s earlier than usual, as more venues will be available. If the venue has to be your own office space, then that’s great, as you’ll be saving money. Also remember to cater to everyone’s dietary needs, and you’ll have the makings of a party that’s enjoyable for the whole company.