Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Things to Consider for an Office Holiday Celebration

News and Views - Good advice from your friends at HRSentry

If your organization is bringing its employees together to celebrate the holidays, here are some things to think about prior to your celebration to help make your party a success. Whether your celebration is hosted off-site or as an in-house pot luck, planning ahead will help you and your employees enjoy the celebration.

• If celebrating off-site, choose a week night to help with your budget.

• Provide plenty of food, plenty of non-alcoholic beverages, and entertainment.

• Remind employees that the same behavioral policies and rules at the office apply at the party.

• If you choose to offer alcoholic beverages, take a few minutes to review your insurance policies for alcohol-related events.

• If serving alcohol, limit consumption by providing a limited number of drink tickets to employees of legal drinking age. Stop serving alcohol before the party officially ends.

• Provide cab fare or have available a list of cab numbers for the ride home. Let employees know if discounted hotel accommodations are available nearby should they want to stay overnight following the party.

• Ask members of your organization to assist with overseeing the party to make sure everyone has a safe and fun evening.

• If company business presentations are made, keep them short. Remember this is a company party, not a full-blown business meeting.

• If honoring years of service of employees, acknowledge staff as one group. Remember to keep the speeches to a minimum.

• If your budget allows, give out raffle tickets for a few door prizes. The prizes don't have to be expensive.

• Do have your management team mingle and introduce themselves to employees. It only takes a second to shake someone's hand and everyone likes being acknowledged.

• Remember to thank the employees who pulled all the pieces together to make it a great celebration.

A well thought out party can be a lot of fun and help build relationships in your organization. Decide in advance what your expectations are for your gathering and enjoy your time together.

You might also consider forgoing a party and bringing your employees together to participate in a volunteer project in your community. It's a great way to help others while building employee camaraderie.

From HRSentry Guarding and Guiding the Administration of Human Resources

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