Holiday event planning can be stressful for corporate human resources teams and their volunteers, but it does not have to be! Keep your holiday event simple and seamless this year by creating an experience that the staff will enjoy, and you can relax and get into as well. Following are five easy ways to take back control of the party:
Set your budget
Whether you have sole responsibility for setting the budget or you are simply provided with a budget to stay within, keeping things within bounds will keep everyone’s stress level at a minimum. It will also determine whether or not you can invite plus-ones or if you have to keep it employees-only. Your budget will also help you figure out whether you can rent a venue, and what kind.
Choose your venue and select a theme
There are a wide range of corporate and small business holiday events, from simple and laid-back to highly elaborate extravaganzas that employees will be talking about for years to come. Now that you have a budget, you have a good idea of where you can look for a unique corporate event venue in Ottawa. Instead of having your shindig at the same hotel or restaurant, host it at a great venue in a convenient location with exceptional staff, like the St. Elias Centre.
Get a caterer
While there are people at every organization that love to cook, for holiday parties leave the catering to the professionals. Having a potluck holiday party can take away from what makes the holiday party special – feeling pampered and loved by the company you work so hard for all year long. Keep your guests’ dietary needs in mind. Do you have vegans or those suffering from allergies? Offer options that will work for a variety of people.
Add kids for fun
Employees always want to know if significant others and children are invited to holiday parties. This is a time when you can all get together and enjoy each other’s families and get to know one another just a little bit better. Why not cut back somewhere else, maybe make the party a little simpler, to allow you to include families? Your employees will thank you.
Book the entertainment
Again, many organizations have people capable of creating music or some other entertainment, but those people deserve to enjoy the holiday party and the buildup to it, too. Why not take this opportunity to let everyone enjoy the party, even you!
No matter what kind of holiday get-together you have planned for your employees, just keep in mind that the reason for the season is to be thankful for each other and to cement what can be lifelong relationships between staff members.