No matter whether you are planning a last-minute Christmas party or you have messed up this year’s occasion and you want to make sure you don’t make the same mistake in 2020, this blog post can help.
The countdown to Christmas has begun once more and for a lot of people that means the party planning period has begun. Those who have to plan a work’s Christmas party will have a lot to think about. After all, it is pivotal that the party is a success and that it is enjoyed by all. A corporate Christmas party gives individuals the opportunity to show much their employees that they acknowledge and appreciate their hard work.
This does not mean that individuals need to spend tons of money in order to ensure that the party they plan is a success. It simply means that they need to take the time and the effort to carefully plan and consider all elements of the event in order to ensure that it goes down well.
The first thing which should be thought about when planning a corporate event of any sort, not just a corporate Christmas party, is the budget. It is advisable to sit down, look at finances and come up with a set number for the whole event. After all, whilst the occasion should be a fun one it should not leave the business in question out of pocket.
When it comes to party planning the main thing that needs to be considered is the venue in which it will be hosted in. This is highly important because it has a huge influence on the successfulness of the party. There are several factors which need to be contemplated in order to ensure a good venue is chosen. These include the following; the size of the venue, the facilities that it offers, the location of the venue and the overall appearance of it.
Aside from this, there are all the other little details need to be thought over. These include the following; invitations, decorations, the date of the event, the time of the event, what food is going to be put one and alike.
The corporate Christmas party is an event that a lot of employees look forward to. As a business owner, it is your job to ensure you put on an occasion to remember. You have to show your employees that you appreciate all of the hard work they have put in throughout the calendar year. However, you obviously need to stick within a budget too. Not everybody has the luxury of an endless pit of money when it comes to these occasions! One of the most important aspects of any party is of course the venue. This dictates the mood and feel of the entire occasion. Thus, keep on reading to discover what things to consider when trying to find the perfect Christmas party venue for your business…
One of the most important things you need to bear in mind is the location of the venue. It has to be convenient for all of your employees. In relation to London, a central location is always the best. This is fair on everybody and ensures all members of staff have an easy way of getting to the venue in question. After all, the tube transport system is efficient and frequent to say the very least. Considering public transport routes is essential because not everybody can drive, nor will everyone want to!
In addition to this, you evidently have to consider the venue itself. Does it have the wow factor? When you tell all of your employees about the occasion are they going to be excited? Most people tend to stray away from the standard halls and restaurants nowadays. They go for something more innovative and exciting, such as a museum or a theatre. This makes the occasion something special and gives your employees the opportunity to go somewhere they may not have been to before.
Will you and your employees be sitting down to a three course Christmas meal? Or will there be a buffet put on instead? Does the venue provide this or will you need to outsource to professionals like this company offering corporate, funeral, and film catering County Durham, or an option more local to you. The catering is one of the most important things to consider when it comes to a corporate Christmas event. After all, the festive period is a time for eating and indulging! This is also likely to have a weighty bearing on your budget as well.
Last but not least, you should also make sure the venue provides you with flexibility. After all, every business is different. You may have a small group of employees whilst another company seeking a Christmas party occasion may have hundreds of employees to cater too. Therefore, it is so important the venue caters to this and does not stick to a rigid format. They have to be flexible in relation to your wants. Some of the best venues offer different packages based on a minimum number of guests. They will have cheaper packages and then more lavish options. This allows you to cater to your budget as well.
You also need to consider how flexible the venue will be if you want to make any alterations. Most places won’t have an issue with you putting a few decorations up, but what if you want to use a welfare unit hire company to add a few extra toilets outside? What if you want some food trucks out in the car park or a pop-up bar? These extra details can take your party to the next level but some venues will be very strict about what they allow and they will only allow whatever is part of their package deal. Other venues, however, will be more flexible as long as you cover the costs and leave the venue as you left it once the party is over.
When hosting a large party there is a greater chance that more people will cancel (as more people are obviously invited). You don’t want to end up with a venue that’s too big for the number of guests. Send out a group email beforehand to get an idea of who is interested and who is not. And pick a venue with a generous capacity – not something as stringent as e.g. 450 to 500.
To find the perfect venue you will need to take a look online. There are lots of large Christmas venues available for you to hire, but you will need to book early in order to avoid disappointment as there is also a large number of people waiting to snap them up. Some of the popular venues include; the Artillery Garden at the HAC, Old Billingsgate, The Pavilion Tower of London, Building Six at the O2, the Saatchi Gallery, and Tobacco Dock. All of these venues are fantastic in their own right and will bring tons of excitement and personality to the evening.
And finally, aside from capacity, booking in advance and finding the ideal venue, you will need to consider decorations too. It is always a nice idea to have a bit of control over decorations so you can put your own stamp on things. When dealing with a large room you need to try and segregate it a bit. Create divisions with balloon towers and other tall decorations. This avoids the room looking like a huge empty space. The most obvious way to segregate is by area, such as bar area, dance floor and alike.
With these tips you should have all the information needed to plan a Christmas party for large numbers specifically. Stay organised; plan each part in a step-by-step manner and you’ll be fine!
Employees, in particular, look forward to their work’s Christmas bash as it presents them with the opportunity to enjoy time and let their hair down with the people that they see every single day – but usually in a stressful environment. It’s also one of many Practices That Might Make Employees Feel 'Of The Company'. Moreover, it is highly important that employers take time and consideration when deciding what Christmas party to host because this presents the perfect chance for them to show their employees how much they are valued and that their hard work does not go unnoticed. This in itself is something which is very, very valuable.
One type of corporate Christmas party which is becoming exceedingly popular over the past few months is that of shared Christmas parties. These have become more and more popular because of the whole host of benefits associated with them. Nevertheless, the main reason has to be that in a time where the economy is not doing so well, a shared Christmas party offers an option which is lower in price but not lower in quality.
Because the party is shared with other businesses it obviously means that the cost is shared to. This is great because as everybody knows the effects of the recession have been terrible. People have less money to spend and thus the money that they do have they are being a lot more cautious with. This has a knock on effect as a lot of businesses are thus not making as much money. Therefore when it comes to luxuries like Christmas parties there is obviously not as much cash to spend on the occasion. Nevertheless, by going for a shared Christmas party it means that all the fun is still there to be had – just at a lower price.
In fact, opting for a shared party often means that people tend to have a better party then they would have initially because they can now afford to opt for fantastic venues that they wouldn’t have been able to beforehand. Therefore, the quality of the party is actually enhanced rather than diminished.
A final point worth noting is that a shared party provides the perfect chance to meet new people and socialise with others. This is what a party is all about – having fun and socialising. And what better time to do it then when everybody is in the Christmas spirit!
Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay
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