During September, it’s common for us to start thinking about the mid-year mark, which means something: celebrations are approaching to close out a new cycle. These celebrations can be among friends, classic parties with friends, and also within work teams. In this article, we will focus on the latter type, as organizing a company party is no simple task.
When we’re among friends and/or family, parties tend to be more informal unless it’s a major event. However, when it comes to organizing a company party, there are more aspects to consider since the environment is usually more formal, even if there is trust among team members. After all, the company’s image is at stake, and when that happens, no one wants to take risks.
In the following lines, we will address all the aspects to consider to make your company party unforgettable in the best way possible. Let’s go for it!
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Why Organize a Company Party? What Benefits Does It Bring to My Organization?
If you haven’t yet decided whether to host a company party, it might be because you don’t yet see the benefits it can bring to your team. Yes, we know you’ll need to invest some money if you want it to be a good party, but it’s important to understand that this is not an expense but an investment.
Parties among team members serve, among many other things, to strengthen bonds between people. This is the perfect opportunity for people of different hierarchies to get to know each other from a more human perspective, without the office structure or routine imposing itself. This is especially beneficial for those in lower or less responsible roles as it helps them feel recognized and valued, which in turn feeds into the company culture.
If you invest in a good company party, you will make your collaborators feel more comfortable with the company. You will improve communication among all team members as they will get to know each other better, and ultimately, this will increase the satisfaction of all involved. We assure you it’s a good idea, and you’ll see for yourself on the day everyone returns to their tasks.
How to Organize a Company Party: Step by Step
It should be clarified that we are not specialists in organizing company parties, but we have been working closely with planners for a long time. As specialists in catering preparation for all types of events, we know what things are truly important. Below, we will detail where you should start and which aspects of the organization you should delegate to avoid problems.
Choose Date and Time
The sooner you choose the date, the better. Why? Because towards the end of the year, dates become really complicated for everyone. Everyone’s schedules are full of events, and if you set the date too close to the party, many might already have other commitments and won’t be able to attend.
Once you have defined the date, do the same with the time. Here, you can consider your collaborators’ interests and/or profile. For example, do you imagine they will enjoy a midday celebration more, or would it be better in the evening? The ages of your team members can guide you in this choice, as well as the type of party. In this sense, if you’re thinking of a formal and elegant evening, then the night might be the most appropriate. But if you’re thinking of an outdoor day of games, it’s better to do it during the day.
Define Your Budget
This aspect will likely need to be worked out with the accounting department. Are you planning a high-voltage party with raffles and prizes or something simpler? The money available to invest will be the variable that answers the previous question. Unfortunately, what you want may be less important here, as finances may not align with your plans. Be cautious, as the opposite could also happen.
Ideally, within the general budget (i.e., the total available to spend), you should specify what portion will go to food, venue rental, gifts, etc. This way, you can keep a more careful track and even make it go further.
Define What Type of Party You Want and/or If It Will Have a Theme
If you want the party to be unforgettable and for attendees to be genuinely excited, it’s ideal to have a themed party. Even better if the theme is related to your business sector or a specific stage the company is going through. For example, you could organize a trivia competition related to your organization’s culture and/or history. Here, older employees could share their experience and knowledge with newcomers and even create a space to recount old anecdotes.
Another good idea is to host a sports-themed party where attendees must arrive in teams that identify them. Ideally, the teams should be made up of members who don’t usually interact in daily work to promote strengthening bonds. In any case, before making a decision, analyze the guests’ profiles, what they like, and what they are unwilling to do under any circumstances. This will help avoid unpleasant moments.
Choose the Venue
The venue should always be chosen after defining the previous points, as otherwise, you won’t know the required capacity, necessary facilities, and the price you’re willing to pay. For example, imagine you book an indoor hall and then realize you want to have outdoor sports activities. Clearly, this will present a limitation that’s hard to overcome.
As you define the previous points, you’ll subconsciously form a clear idea of the ideal place for your company party. Then, you’ll only need to search for specific site features and contact their representatives.
Will You Have a Planner or Organize Everything Yourself?
This is a question you can ask at the beginning of the process but also at this stage. Why? Because you might already know that you can’t handle organizing the party yourself and will delegate all activities to a planner. The other option is that you start the process with enthusiasm and later realize you can’t cover everything and need help.
If you’re in the first case, no problem. But if you’re in the second case, you’ll be glad to know that not everything is lost. This is an excellent time to delegate since a large part of the important details will already be defined, but you will still need to contact each provider. Additionally, the closer the event date, the more details there will be to consider, and it’s very reassuring to know that someone else will handle it.
Send the Invitations
This step can come directly after choosing the location for the big party. This is because you will then have all the details required for an invitation: date, time, place, and attendance conditions based on the theme.
At this point, it’s very important to remember not to wait too long to send out the invitations. The earlier you send them, the fewer chances there are that guests will have other commitments and fail to attend. Plus, it’s an excellent excuse to start building anticipation and getting everyone excited so that the evening will be spectacular.
Define What Type of Food Will Be Served
We’ve left this aspect until the end, but not because it’s less important than the others. In fact, it could be said that food is the most crucial element of a party, as it can determine whether it was good, average, poor, or spectacular.
Now, how should you know what food is best for the event? Consider all the decisions you made earlier: the time of day for the party, the level of formality you’re planning, whether there will be activities, etc.
With all this in mind, for example, if you plan for your team to engage in outdoor activities, a buffet-style meal, easy to eat with hands and without much formality, might be best. On the other hand, if you’ve chosen to have a nighttime event with table distribution, live entertainment, and in a hall, the food will probably need to be served.
At La Sal, we always advise our clients. With many years of experience cooking for all types of events, when a new client contacts us, we seek to learn all the details in case there is no planner. This way, we provide advice and recommend what, based on our experience, is the best menu for the occasion.
With this, you now have everything needed to ensure your company party is a success. Of course, there will still be some details arising from the tasks we’ve outlined here, but you already have the bulk of the important aspects covered. We encourage you to be open to receiving help and flexible with possible changes that may arise along the way.
Of course, remember that at La Sal, you will find a wide range of Mediterranean-style dishes and menus that we will gladly adapt for the occasion, should you choose us as your service for your company party. We cook for all types of events, and excellence and happy palates are our main motivation.
This concludes the article on “how to organize a company party,” but if you have any questions, feel free to come back and visit our blog. Thank you for making it to the end.