It’s an event that has garnered something of a reputation over the years, and one doesn’t have to look far to find some truly fascinating stories for the office Christmas party.
However, in and amongst all of the hysterics is a lot of planning. The person lumbered with this role is in an unfortunate position, to say the least, although with a few pieces of advice the role can be made somewhat easier.
This is where today’s article comes into play, as we take a look at four pieces of prep that you must carry out if you are in charge of your next office Christmas party.
Meet the boss
There’s a couple of reasons for this first piece of advice. Firstly, let’s talk about finances. Some companies are happy to fund exuberant Christmas parties, while others won’t provide a penny. Ultimately, this is really important and dictates just how much the rest of your employees will be paying.
Then, there’s the infamous sign-off. Particularly if you are looking to push the boat out with your idea, you might have to get a bit of senior management approval before progressing.
Think about everyone
It sounds almost patronizing, but as you’ll soon find out planning a Christmas party can turn to be one of the most challenging things you have ever carried out. Attempting to please everyone is difficult at the best of times, but everyone’s expectations seem to surge even more when it comes to anything related to the workplace.
For example, while the young people in the office might fancy something of a bar crawl, this would be the exact opposite of another group’s preferences. This is where you need to take stock of the workforce and find a happy medium. Take a look at teamtactics.co.uk for some inspiration, but also keep in mind that sometimes keeping absolutely everybody happy is impossible.
Get outside assistance
This next point really will depend on the size of your company and if you are one of just a handful of employees, it’s safe to assume that you can probably carry out all of the duties alone.
However, for anything bigger and it can be an idea to seek outside assistance. Without trying to throw a lot of pressure onto your shoulders, if people are paying money for this evening there are expectations and it can make life a lot easier if you have someone to help you manage the whole evening.
The importance of planning ahead
Finally, let’s talk about planning. If you have just reached this article, there’s every chance that it’s getting a bit too late. Ideally, and this stands to reason even more if you are part of a big company, you will plan your office Christmas party in the summer months. From this point on, venues do start to get booked very quickly, and if you also reside in a smaller city you might find that there aren’t that many places that can facilitate such a large number of people. As such, make sure you plan well in advance for this event.
