Top 5 Things to Think of When Planning an Office Party
Being prepared is half the battle
Break out the artificial holly and tinsel and prepare for the annual office holiday party. Or perhaps it’s an office party for your co-worker who is retiring or having a baby. Whatever the reason for the party, you need to be aware of some tips and things to consider before you plan the office party. This article points out the five most important things to think of when throwing an office party.
Party Planning Committee
Delegating party duties is the best way to get everyone involved and to get things done quickly. Plus, it’s good to have co-workers to check behind each other when it comes to planning the party. Most people actually enjoy planning and organizing events, so put those talented people to work. Forming a party planning committee is the best way to delegate tasks that fit everyone’s preferences. If Phyllis likes to decorate, then let her go at it, and put her in charge of the decorating budget. If Bob is a musician or is in a band, then by all means invite his band to play live music. But don’t worry if you can’t afford live-music, you can always crank out the Christmas music on a boom box.
First items the committee should tackle are the party date and time; party venue; reserving tents, tables, and chairs; entertainment; and invitations.
Set a Budget
First of all, get a budget from your boss to make sure you stay within the limits of spending for the office party. Catering will cost you the bulk of the budget, but you can save money by following a few budget-saving tips such as: Plan for breakfast, brunch, or lunch for cheaper food and prices. Meat-heavy dishes are the most expensive, so perhaps go vegetarian. The main budget items to plan for are: catering, drinks, paper products (napkins and plates), plastic silverware, Solo cups, ice, decorations, door prizes, and games.
Set the Date
If you’re planning a holiday office party, keep in mind that co-workers may take off a week early to avoid holiday traffic or to spend extra time with loved ones. It’s best to plan the holiday party at the latest two weeks before Christmas break rather than the week before unless you’re looking for ways to save money.
Perhaps send out an email survey or use an online tool such as Survey Monkey to find out what date works best for most of your co-workers. Weekday parties are often favored because they offer a brief respite from the daily work schedule. However, if you’d like to plan a time outside of office hours, Friday evenings are a popular choice. Perhaps the boss would allow everyone to leave an hour early to prepare for the evening’s event. Whichever date you choose, make sure to map out an event timeline. This will come in handy when you start planning your office party.
Send out Invitations
Have the members of your party planning committee decide on whether they’d like to use e-mail (online) invitations or actual paper invitations. The good thing about services such as Evite is that it will live in their inboxes and they can go back and refer to the email for party information such as date, time, and location. Also, these online invitation services often send reminders a day before the party. When you send invitations, make sure to include this information: date, time, location, if spouses and children are allowed to attend, dress code, theme, games, door prizes, and theme.
Reserve Tents, Tables, and Chairs
It’s something that is often overlooked, but something you’ll surely wish you had when party time arrives. Not having enough tables and chairs can put a damper on any office party. Guests will have difficulty balancing their plates of food and drinks in their hands or on their laps. You’ll want to add to your cleanup budget if you don’t plan on renting tables and chairs because there will be spills.
Renting a party tent makes it convenient for extending the party outside the building. It gives people more room and it keeps the office clean, too. You won’t have to worry about cleaning the office or chasing down stray office chairs after the party is over. Everything will be contained under one (or more) tent roofs. J&J Tents and Rentals has a variety of tents, tables, and chair rentals to choose from for your office party. J&J Tent and Party Rentals has plenty of party canopies available as well as tables and chairs. Please give them a call at (919) 977-3691 to learn more about their party rentals.
