As another hectic year comes to an end, you may feel ready to slow things down. You might find yourself enjoying the holiday season and reflecting on the past year. For businesses, Q4 is one of the busiest times of the year (and it’s not just because of the workload). Amid the busy season, business leaders have another to-do list item to worry about when planning holiday parties.
Holiday parties are a great way to get a company together and celebrate a year of hard work. You’ll also show your employees how much you appreciate them by rewarding them with a great, well-thought-out gathering. When planning a holiday party, business leaders must be strategic. Here are five tips for business leaders planning parties this holiday season.
1. Consider Alternative Party Dates
When planning a holiday party, some dates may seem obvious. Dates close to Christmas that fall on weekends when most employees are available seem to make the most sense. However, as a business leader, you shouldn’t be afraid to consider alternative options that may not immediately come to mind. Carefully considering multiple dates and choosing the best one (even if it’s not obvious) may prove advantageous.
For example, consider planning a party in January instead of December so more people can attend. People are extremely busy during the holiday season. They likely have other gatherings to participate in with friends and family. Employees also stay busy with other holiday tasks — buying presents, decorating, and baking cookies (to name a few). People’s schedules will free up in January, and your party’s attendance will most likely be higher.
If you’re curious about which dates work best for your employees, use calendar events to find out. All scheduling tools, including Calendar, Microsoft Calendar, and Google Calendar, allow you to send out event invites. Require employees to respond, and whichever date has the highest acceptance rate can be chosen for the party.
2. Set a Party Budget and Stick to It
Once you choose a date, it’s time to start planning the party. But you shouldn’t start planning without first setting a budget. It’s easy to go overboard and get carried away with spending. But throwing a holiday party without creating a budget and sticking to a plan is a recipe for disaster. Without a budget, you could get carried away with decorations or order way too much food, especially if you place the catering order before lunch. Before you get too deep into planning, figure out a number that makes sense.
Once you have a number in mind, decide what needs to be purchased. That probably includes decorations, a venue space, or food. You’ll know exactly how much you can spend in each category with a budget. You’ll also be able to monitor to ensure that no decisions cause you to exceed your budget.
When budgeting for a company party, use internal tools to your advantage. For example, your company’s calendar software can be more than just a scheduling tool. You can use your calendar to budget for your holiday party, too. You can use a calendar to create due dates for expenses or to set up reminders to transfer funds.
3. Find Budget-Friendly Ways to Add Fun
While sticking to a budget, find cost-effective ways to make your party fun. You might think you must spend more money to improve your company holiday party. A photo booth, an open bar, and a DJ might all seem like cool ideas, but they aren’t usually cost-friendly. They’re also not entirely necessary to have fun.
You can, of course, splurge a little bit on your holiday party (as long as you’re sticking to your budget). After all, this is for your employees who have worked hard all year long. However, don’t forget that there are budget-friendly ways to add some fun to your event. And you might even find that many of these ideas encourage teamwork and collaboration. What business leader wouldn’t want that?
Incorporate fun, festive activities or contests into your holiday party. For example, encourage employees to wear ugly sweaters and give out a prize to whoever is best dressed. You can also do gift exchanges, like White Elephant, Secret Santa, or ornament exchanges. These activities aren’t a cost to your company, but employees love participating in them. Another fun way to give back to your employees is by doing a raffle at your holiday party. Raffle prizes can include gift cards, nice bottles of wine, tickets to sporting events, and more.
4. Stay Organized by Creating a To-Do List
Planning a holiday party definitely keeps you busy, and if you don’t stay organized, things can get messy quickly. There is a lot to keep track of, such as purchases, communications with vendors, employee communications, and so on. It’s your job as a leader and party planner to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.
Creating a to-do list is absolutely necessary if you want to throw a great holiday party. You can create separate lists to keep your thoughts organized. Draft one for party supplies, one for day-of setup tasks, and another for food and drinks. Check items off the list as you complete them to feel accomplished and keep track of your party planning progress.
Pro tip: Use calendar reminders to keep up with your to-do list while planning. You can make each item on your to-do list a reminder and prioritize them so that you don’t forget to complete them.
5. Send Appropriate Communication Beforehand
Lastly, make sure you communicate essential information to your team before the event. The initial event invite is important, but the communications shouldn’t stop there. Send out several reminders, important event information, and pre-event reminders regarding safety and well-being. You can even send a happy holiday message and include an additional reminder about the party.
Communicating important information to employees is crucial during such a busy time of year. Your team members will be busy with their work and personal lives, and it’s your job to keep them informed. Ensure the event date stays top-of-mind and that employees are well aware of any other pertinent information. This could include dress code and expectations regarding conduct, transportation, and alcohol consumption.
So many business tasks nowadays can be automated, which is excellent news for any busy executive. You’re probably already sending hundreds of emails a day and, on top of that, attending multiple meetings. Schedule any emails that communicate holiday party information and then automate email replies. If employees have questions, they can receive a standardized email with the option to contact HR if they need assistance.
Pro tip: If you prefer to write emails the same day you plan to send them, use reminders to avoid errors. Set a reminder for yourself a few days before the send date. This way, you can take your time and write a professional, thoughtfully crafted email without having to stress.
Part of being a successful business leader is the careful planning and execution of company events, including holiday parties. Leaders should employ strategies centered around employee collaboration and flexibility. Ensure employees feel valued and like part of a team without exceeding budget. Only when leaders thoughtfully plan holiday parties will all employees think they genuinely have a reason to celebrate.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Pavel Danilyuk; Pexels
Angela Ruth
My name is Angela Ruth. I aim to help you learn how Calendar can help you manage your time, boost your productivity, and spend your days working on things that matter, both personally and professionally. Here's to improving all your calendars and becoming the person you are destined to become!