How to Plan an Office Christmas Party — The Complete Guide
This is an annual “assignment” that no one hopes to receive. One day in September–an email is sent to you. An unhappy manager? Glad it is not them? You received the pleasure or displeasure of handling an event that people will express their true (and sometimes unreasonable) opinions about. Will three people complain that the Christmas party is too pricey, and three are unhappy because it is too inexpensive? Will two people dislike that the event is inconveniently located? You are the one who must suffer.
This guide covers the entire planning process in order, spanning from the first to the last decision.
September: Things to Determine Before You Start
Before you look at potential venues, figure out:
How many people are you accommodating? What is your ballpark figure? Get your budget approved before contacting venues, as quotes will be easier to evaluate once you are aware of your maximum budget.
To give you a point of reference, new-food and beverage- included, mid-range UK venues, are priced between £55-90, for a shared party, and priced at £80-130 and up, for a private event. There are venues priced below this, but expect food compromises and less flexibility with the venue.
Shared party night or exclusive hire? This is the starting point. Shared party nights (where multiple companies book tables at the same venue on the same night) are less costly, and entertainment is often provided. Exclusive hire allows one company to hire out the venue for the evening, allowing for complete control over timings, décor, noise, etc. Either option has advantages and disadvantages. If your company is only 15, and you hire a large venue for the evening, it’s going to cost a lot and may feel awkward. If your company is holding 80, and you are set on a DJ, a shared party night is going to be rushed and packed.
Where? – not which venue, which city or venue. It impacts more than you may think. If your team is based in Birmingham, Coventry, and Leicester, the city center works for most. If the team is based in Milton Keynes and Northampton, the venue is a total middle ground. This is useful to consider in terms of travel home at the end of the night – the real question to ask yourself is where is most accessible for everyone.
October: Reserve and procure the venue
Most bookings are completed in October, and it’s generally when more institutions are reserved. Book the venue with purpose and don’t view for your own enjoyment.
When you’re inquiring about a venue, there are a few key questions to ask about pricing, policies, and dietary accommodations:
What are the price inclusions and exclusions?
What are the minimum requirements, if any?
Is everything complete by the time the event ends?
What are the rules when it comes to cancellation and deposits?
Do accommodations for dietary restrictions need to be planned in advance?
Push the venue when it comes to the catering question. “We can accommodate dietary requirements,” are words of a catering conundrum. Ask if the catering alternatives are planned in advance or decided the night of, as a lack of planning generally ends up as a lost cause. Guests can be sent off to the world with a sad plate of vegetables coming to them after everyone else.
Speaking of the deposits, it is standard practice for a venue to ask for 25% or 50% of the total price to book, then the rest closer to the event. Make sure to review the policies about cancellations before any contracts are signed. Plans in December are especially apt to change. Companies often change. People often change. Make sure to know the situation you are signing.
October (Late) and November – disorganized and bad. Following a few steps of booking a venue (boring but crucial steps) are important.
Avoid sending mass emails when collecting dietary requirements. Instead of causing confusion with multiple responses, use a form that can even be as simple as a Google form. State a deadline (at least two weeks before you need to hand the information to the venue) so you can stay on top of things.
You need to consider transport for the staff party. This is one of the few events that you should consider how everyone is getting home and not just how everyone is getting to the venue. For example: last train availability, whether people are allowed to park at the venue, and whether the venue has booking facilities. It is also helpful to let people know whether they should consider hailing a taxi after venue closing time.
Expectations should be created for the dress code. The meaning of smart casual varies by person. If you are booking the venue, the style can help set expectations. For example: Turning up to a black-tie with jeans can be avoided if you relay that it is cocktail bar style.
Think about your non-drinking coworkers. This is not a political statement. Face it. A lot of your office parties are built around drinks or wine and a bar at a set dinner. If about a quarter of your coworkers don’t drink, remember it will be very strange for them if a venue only has a pre-set wine and beer package. Make sure to ask if soft drinks are included at their capacity price and if they count them at no extra charge. Most venues will charge the same capacity price no matter what and will be happy to count, so you need to be buying package liquor to be happy.
December: Prior to the Future Mini (Tentatively Named)
Seats need to be filled. Gather final head count. As a reference, most venues will want their final head count set for them about a week in advance. Since most will not respond to the RSVP, send a reminder and set a final deadline.
If you are the one in charge for the night, your work is not done. You are at the head of the organizing team. Prepare to be asked a lot of questions. Before the event, decide:
Who welcomes the guests at the entrance, surveys the coat, the seating plans, the starting of the food, and the bar and drink service.
This way, you will be able to enjoy yourself and be present for the questions you actually need to field.
Arrive early to avoid hitches and check seating arrangements. Allow time for dietary requirements to be accounted for. It’s as simple as sending the stakeholders a reminder. Last minute arrangements descend into chaos, and it only takes 15 minutes and some initiative to avoid most problems.
What most of your competition have wrong
Don’t begin searching venues without locking your budget. Missing budget deadlines results in unrealistic expectations and the participants have to settle for a second, third, or fourth choice. You lose some options and your initiative.
Choose a city, and choose a location, we have them in Birmingham, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, and Leicester.