* Set a date and time for the office party that is convenient for all involved. Try your best not to make it on a date when there are other important business commitments. To help avoid this check with company business calendars and office management secretary’s.
* Select an appropriate alternative location for the party if it is decided not to be held at the office. For example you would not want to have it at a night club if it will be a family affair.
* Be clear on how the office party will be financed and / or sponsored. The last thing one would need is being stuck with the bill and the company not authorizing the expenses.
* Choose a party theme. This can be very helpful in deciding food choices, atmosphere and ect. People do like theme parties; many times it allows them to dress up and or appropriately for the party theme!
* Don’t forget to plan some activities for the party. Like games, entertainment, gift giving, or you could have people talking about how boring the party was. At the same token don’t go over board with the activities relative to the theme of the party, you could end up with the opposite reaction, like that was the most hooky party I have been to.
* Have weekend breakfast or lunch instead of an evening office party. In many cases this allows employees to include their families in the festivities. If an evening party where families are included is desired, try a place that not only have food and drinks but a place that has amusement / video games, go karts, or various other activities as well!
* If you are having party to benefit a charitable organization consider having a couple of their people there as well. Try an indoor / outdoor carnival with proceeds going to the charity, or Have the employees to donate gifts to the charitable organization and collect these at the party instead of exchanging gifts.
* If there is an evening party planned and alcohol is served, make sure that arrangements are made for a safe ending of the evening. Here are a few examples of what I am talking about; Make arrangements with a local taxi company to take your guest home, Set up a designated driver system, or you can have the party at a hotel with ballrooms and then have the hotel give your guests a break on the cost on a room to stay the night.
* Send out a memo at least three weeks in advance. If the party is being held away from the office, send out invitations at least three weeks in advance. Make sure a RSVP date is included on the invitation. Also put up flyers in break rooms and even send e-mail reminders a couple of days before the event.
* Make sure there is enough help for the party. Enlist a committee to help with everything; one person can not handle it all! If the party is being catered, determine what assistance will be needed. Many caterers will only drop off the food and the rest will be up to you.
* Make sure there are plenty of alternative, non-alcoholic beverages available. The more choices the better, and don’t forget diet drinks either, not only you have people on a diet but more people are diabetic than you may think!
* Because remembering guests and spouses names can be difficult, festive name tags could be provided to help reduce the faux pas of forgetting names. This does work well at parties where alcohol is served. (If you know what I mean!)
* If you are having punch at your party. You may want to consider making two different punch bowls, one with alcohol and one without alcohol. Make them with different colors for easy identification. Remember to keep the non-alcohol bowl constantly full.
* If you are having a potluck party, making a sign-up list of what is needed will help to prevent duplications. The list will also ensure that you have every type of dish needed. This is also good for reducing cost, you can have the meat catered and the rest potluck!
Above all else, HAVE FUN! Is that not what it is all about?
