Plan the Best Employee Party Ever

Company parties and events are supposed to be fun ways to build team spirit and congratulate employees on a job well done. So why are so many events so notoriously boring and unimaginative that employees flat out dread them?

Aside from a meager budget, the culprit is often nothing more than a lack of proper planning. To make your next company party—for the holidays or any other occasion—one that attendees won't soon forget, don't wait until the last minute to plan it. You have to get started now.

Planning your company party

"One year out is not too soon to start planning," says Lee Vikre, senior vice president of organizational development and consulting at Best Companies AZ in Phoenix.

Vikre, who has helped plan dozens of employee events at various companies, recommends forming a committee tasked with organizing and executing the party well in advance of the planned event date. "Then be sure to provide your committee with the time away from their normal jobs and the resources they'll need to plan and execute a top-notch event," she says.

If your business is big enough, Vikre also suggests including a mix of employees from various departments on the committee, ideally with at least someone who has helped plan company events in the past (assuming they didn't bomb).

Starting early can also save money, as you may be able to book better-priced options or even get advance-booking discounts.

What is the goal for your event?

The committee's first step is to determine the specific purpose or goal for the event. "Is it just to reward employees for a job well done? If so, then the goal should simply be to make sure everyone has fun," says Greg Poulos, president of Bluefin Productions, an event production and planning company in Belmont, Massachusetts.

If the event's purpose is to commemorate a company milestone or recognize a significant individual or team, or corporate achievements, fun is still part of the equation—hey, it is a party—but there may be other goals too.

"If an employee or team is being recognized and rewarded for outstanding accomplishments, your goal should be for all of the other employees to want to be up on that stage next year," Poulos says. Think cool prizes (an iPad or tropical vacation will grab guests' attention), a good-natured roast cleverly noting team accomplishments, or extra time off for those being recognized.

And then there's the ubiquitous company holiday party. "Holiday parties are often viewed as obligatory events," Vikre says. "They're usually expensive and don't provide a lot of bang for the company's bucks."

While you may not want to abandon a holiday party altogether, Vikre suggests focusing it on your employees as much as possible. "At one company where I worked, we turned the Christmas party into a weeklong staff-appreciation campaign. The week culminated in a big celebration party that was all about the company's success that year, [which] we tied into the distribution of year-end profit-sharing checks."

Dig into the details

With goals for the event established, your committee can start working on party details. Specific areas of focus should cover the following:

Venue: Is there an area on your premises big enough to accommodate all of the people and festivities? If not, you'll need to locate an outside facility for your event. The type of facility you choose will depend on many different factors: budget, size, and location, of course, but your corporate culture is also a critical factor.

If your culture is more conservative, it might be safer to stick with a restaurant, hotel ballroom, or maybe a historic home or museum. If it's a bit adventurous, you could go for something more creative and edgy, such as a trendy dance club, downtown rooftop or loft, charter boat, or sports and entertainment complex with arcades, go-karts, mini golf, and the like.

Check with your chamber of commerce, colleagues, or party rental companies for venue ideas if nothing comes to mind. And don't be afraid to solicit ideas from employees—they may know of a great spot unfamiliar to your committee.

Food and beverage (F&B): Arranging F&B is often the most complex and expensive part of the planning process. It can run the gamut from pizza and wings to more elegant fare. Of course, your budget will play a large part in your F&B choices, as will the formality of your event.

Poulos has helped companies tie their food and beverage into the party's overall theme. Silver martinis were served at one company's 50th anniversary celebration, for example, while a chocolate waterfall and cups shaped like trophies were created for a party to celebrate a company's landing of a major chocolate-manufacturer account.

If your venue doesn't provide the fare you'd like to serve, look into local catering companies that can help you whip up the proper menu. Consider trying something fun and trendy such as recruiting a couple of gourmet food trucks for a more casual affair.

Next, consider drinks. Many partygoers equate a good party with good libations. But keep your state's laws in mind when planning your event, particularly if you're holding it at your business location. If you serve alcohol at your office during a party, especially if it's during work hours, you could be held liable for any accidents that occur once your employees get behind the wheel and drive home.

To keep employees under control without dousing the fun, consider these tips:

• Offer one or two drink tickets per person, after which the attendees must pay for their own drinks (this can also hold down costs).
• Give your bartender the power to cut off guests who are getting out of hand.
• Set aside part of the budget to provide a ride to anyone who needs it.

Audio-visual (AV): Sound and lighting are major components of most events and parties today. "Almost everybody forgets lighting," Poulos says. "The most effective and cheapest way to make a generic room look exciting and different is with the proper lighting. It always creates a 'wow' factor." He suggests, for example, lighting a room from different angles and using unique colors and light fixtures.

While venues such as hotels may offer various lighting options, you could be on your own if you plan your event in a vacant downtown loft. Party rental companies can usually provide lighting options for these locations.

The goal for sound, meanwhile, should be to make it as unobtrusive as possible, avoiding squealing, microphone feedback, and big speakers, Poulos says. "The sound system for an event should be coordinated with input from all of the planners and decision makers."

Entertainment: This is the trickiest part to plan for, and the area in which the biggest mistakes are made. Myriad entertainment options exist, from a live band or DJ and dancing to games, contests, and talent shows. When considering them, try to match the entertainment to your corporate culture.

If most of your employees are fairly conservative and buttoned down, for instance, don't plan anything too interactive that demands their participation, such as an improv contest or talent show. Nor should you bring in a comic who might offend people with jokes and sarcasm—Poulos says this is the biggest mistake most companies make when it comes to entertainment.

However, if many of your employees are more adventurous and outgoing, it could be safe to plan something a little more interactive, such as a mystery dinner theater or karaoke. The best way to get employees out of their seats and participating is for you and your management team to lead the way. "Employees feel a lot less intimidated when they see the bosses acting a little goofy and having fun," Vikre says.

Your budget will play a large part in the extent of your entertainment. If you have the money for a DJ, band, or similar entertainment, get recommendations from colleagues and friends, or check references if you find performers online to ensure that they'll be a good fit with your event.

More articles from AllBusiness.com:

• Turn the Company Holiday Party into a Strategic Career Opportunity
• Do You Need an E-Commerce Agreement?
• Holiday Productivity Will Get You Noticed at Work
• The Business Benefits of Showing Gratitude to Customers, Clients, and Colleagues
• 5 Actionable Steps to Help Businesses Build Trust With Their Employees

Event planner vs. do-it-yourself

Depending on the size and complexity of your event and your budget, hiring a professional event planner to help you could be a wise move. Planners can handle the entire event or help out in individual areas (such as facilities, caterers, entertainers, decorators, lighting, and sound).

According to Poulos, planners either charge a flat fee or mark up the services they arrange for you, which is most common if the planner is handling the entire event. "In this case, the planner's services may cost the company little or nothing out of pocket, since event planners can usually obtain these services for less money than nonplanners can," he says.

As usual, money is the key. But while spending more can make for a more extravagant event, the real issue is to be upfront with your planner about the true budget you have to work with from the start. "A planner can usually work with a client regardless of the budget, but we need to know whether we're working on a caviar or Cheerios budget," Poulos says. "Precious time is wasted when companies aren't upfront and honest about their budget."

RELATED: How to Throw a Client Party That Doesn't Suck

About the Author

Don Sadler is a freelance writer and editor specializing in business and finance. Reach him at don@donsadlerwriter.com or visit www.donsadlerwriter.com.