{"id":26462,"date":"2017-05-04T12:18:43","date_gmt":"2017-05-04T16:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/creator\/creator\/?p=26462"},"modified":"2020-03-30T23:19:01","modified_gmt":"2020-03-31T03:19:01","slug":"office-party-ideas-not-christmas-themed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/office-party-ideas-not-christmas-themed","title":{"rendered":"Fun office party ideas that aren\u2019t Christmas themed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you identify as a party animal or a wallflower, you can\u2019t deny the positive effect that a well-executed social event can have on your company culture. That doesn\u2019t mean you can put minimal effort into a mandatory get-together and expect stellar results, though. You\u2019ll need to think outside the box and create a celebration that will make all of your employees feel welcome and valued. Find out how to design a fun and successful office celebration and discover some great office party ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a memorable office party should provide plenty of fun and opportunities to relax, a successful event is about much more than a big budget or great food. The best office parties give employees space to mingle with each other, reconnect with friends, and build bonds with staff members they don\u2019t interact with very often. After all, company parties can be a perfect way to emphasize corporate culture, encourage team-building, and keep employees engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every business has a different culture, and each workforce has a unique sense of what they need to feel rewarded. However, sticking to a few best practices can go a long way toward ensuring that your celebrations go off without a hitch. Start by selecting a party planning team and giving them the support they need, including a budget and planning time during the workday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make it possible for your planning team to commit for the long term. Adding a new voice to the team periodically can be helpful, but long-term team members know which company party ideas work and what\u2019s fallen flat in the past. In addition, ask your party planning team to take careful notes about budgets spent, spaces used, people invited, and vendors contracted. You\u2019ll find that it\u2019s much easier to plan the next party when you already have a process in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company celebrations can get tiresome quickly if they demand a lot of unpaid time or force unwelcome interactions among employees. Consider conducting a short survey after the event to find out which aspects were raging successes with your staff and which ones could use some work. After all, you want company parties to be rewards, not punishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company party ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know some of the benefits of and best practices for throwing an office party, you might be ready to start emailing invitations or putting up posters in the break room. But what\u2019s the occasion? Forget about the annual Christmas party and reward your team with these office celebration ideas instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Offbeat holidays<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Throwing holiday parties is a great idea, but there\u2019s no reason yours has to fall during the Christmas season. In fact, there are many reasons why you shouldn\u2019t host your get-together in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your employees make up a relatively diverse group, there\u2019s a good chance they abide by a number of different religious traditions. Insisting on a Christmas party could come across as exclusive or even disrespectful. In addition, many people already have packed social calendars in December, due to holiday celebrations, New Year\u2019s events, and school breaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider celebrating some offbeat holidays instead. You won\u2019t risk stepping on anyone\u2019s traditions, and you\u2019ll be able to reward your staff when they have more social capital to spend. Think about a Halloween party, a St. Patrick\u2019s Day bash, or even a President\u2019s Day celebration. These holidays fall at quieter times of year, so they could offer welcome breaks from work and excuses to have fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birthday parties<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A birthday is the ideal time to give employees individual attention and help them celebrate each person\u2019s big day. If your startup has a small crew, you might be able to throw mini birthday bashes for each employee. If you work for a larger company, a monthly party celebrating everyone who has a birthday that month could be a smarter way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter which route you choose, though, make your party plan consistent for each employee and every event. Set aside an equal amount of time for each party and use a set budget to buy seasonal treats for the birthday boy or girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employee appreciation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Birthdays aren\u2019t the only times to shine the spotlight on your staff members. Many businesses host employee appreciation days that celebrate the team\u2019s hard work or specific employees\u2019 achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try ordering in a sweet afternoon treat or a fun morning breakfast for the team to enjoy. Give verbal accolades, hand out small gift cards, or give away a few extra vacation hours to high-performing employees. No matter what you choose, make sure to schedule the event during work hours. Your staff members are likely to feel less valued and more inconvenienced if you ask them to spend unpaid time celebrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company anniversaries<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Celebrating employees is essential for making your workforce feel valued, but don\u2019t forget about celebrating the company, too. Throwing a party on the anniversary of your company\u2019s launch or its founding date is a smart way to reinforce the importance of your business\u2019s roots while emphasizing your corporate culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since an anniversary is such a major event for your company, consider thinking outside of the ordinary when it comes to venues. Rather than hosting the party in a conference room or another on-site space, think about a more celebratory space or one that fits your fun-loving, adventurous, or forward-thinking corporate culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monthly milestones<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why throw a party just once a year? If an anniversary party isn\u2019t enough for your rewards-driven team, consider celebrating monthly milestones. These events can help encourage employees to meet key objectives, celebrate small accomplishments, or acknowledge hard work during a busy month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrating monthly milestones can be a fun way to reward your team without detracting from focus on work. In fact, this type of party can be as simple as ordering in a healthy lunch for your whole team or as unusual as an interactive afternoon away from the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Startup launch<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Building a business is no easy task, and launching your startup is cause for a major celebration. Consider planning your bash in a cutting-edge shared office space<\/a>, in a community space that shares your startup\u2019s social vision, or even your team\u2019s favorite bar or restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that a startup launch party is also a great excuse to build more buzz about your brand. Set up a photo booth at the event, hire a roving photographer, and encourage selfies. Create an event hashtag so that fans of your brand can follow along and spread the word about your launch. Don\u2019t forget to loop your marketing team in on your plan, so they can make the most of any social mentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To build real buzz about your company, you\u2019ll need more than just your small team to attend. Work with your staff to brainstorm a guest list that includes a who\u2019s who in your industry. Invite all of the people who have helped you get your start, including family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Group bonding activities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to get social, an average party plan won\u2019t do. Instead, consider a party theme that will truly get your team together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try something interactive, like an afternoon of Office Olympics that gets your employees to work together while exercising their creativity and tapping into their competitive spirits. Consider getting the whole team out of the office with an evening baseball game, a group trip to your nearest food truck rodeo, or a Snapchat scavenger hunt. If your company has a pet cause or partners with a local community organization, plan a party around giving back to the community. Your team can bond, have some fun, and return to work the next day feeling fresher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virtual events<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your team doesn\u2019t have to work in the same office to enjoy a party. Even if you\u2019re scattered across the country or all around the world, you can still get together to celebrate milestones, company anniversaries, and offbeat holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a time that works for everyone, and plan a virtual hangout using your standard meeting or chat apps. There, everyone can share their favorite holiday recipes and traditions or give props to the employee of the month. You won\u2019t be standing around awkwardly in the same conference room but will instead enjoy some team bonding time as you encourage positive corporate culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if your company hasn\u2019t traditionally thrown parties or hosted events, it\u2019s not too late to start. Get social and boost your company culture with these office party ideas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you identify as a party animal or a wallflower, you can\u2019t deny the positive effect that a well-executed social event can have on your company culture. That doesn\u2019t mean you can put minimal effort into a mandatory get-together and expect stellar results, though. You\u2019ll need to think outside the box and create a celebration […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":898,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43902],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-professional-development"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOffice Party Ideas That Aren\u2019t Christmas Themed | Ideas by We<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Skip the awkward Christmas party and treat your employees with these fun, outside-the-box office celebration ideas instead.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/office-party-ideas-not-christmas-themed\" 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