A great corporate Christmas event has the power to improve the mood and engagement of any workforce at any company. You have probably attended a work social event before and it’s undeniable that most people leave feeling like they know their co-workers better. Getting to know those around you is a huge part of enjoying your time at work and increasing morale, which is what makes corporate events (whether at Christmas or not) incredibly valuable.
The only question is, how do you organize a good corporate event? Particularly at a time like Christmas, when everyone is already in the festive spirit, it can feel like your occasion is at risk of being lacklustre or boring. Fear not, though. This list of key points to consider will help you create the perfect event at your workplace.
Theme
As you’re organizing a corporate Christmas event, it can be easy to make the mistake of thinking that your occasion already has a theme, but there’s actually a lot more to think about. Choosing a theme requires you to consider how formal you would like your event to be, as well as the dress code, activities and colour scheme, all of which will impact the overall experience of the attendees.
Try to balance a festive theme with something fun (tailored to your audience of course). For example, if you will be hosting a corporate event that includes children or family members, consider a festive fancy dress theme, encouraging attendees and their children to put together a great outfit and battle for a Best Dressed award. Alternatively, you could opt for Black Tie theme for a much more glamorous and formal affair, then add a gambling or casino element (with fake money) to make it interesting. Keep theme in mind throughout your organization process.
Location
Just like any other event, corporate or not, the location plays a huge role in its success. Not only do you need to consider space, layout and capacity, but it’s essential to also keep in mind local amenities, facilities and car parking. You don’t want your venue to be inadequate for your event, so make sure that you visit the location beforehand and take detailed notes on what they can do for you and what you’ll need to organize yourself.
Food and Drink
Without a doubt, a corporate Christmas event needs good food. Preferably not just any food either, you want a festive menu filled with pigs-in-blankets, stuffing, turkey and more. Many event venues will be able to help you with this and offer their own catering, but you still have a lot to think about. Would you like a sit-down meal approach to food and drink, or prefer a buffet that attendees can pick at?
In addition, what happens if your venue doesn’t offer catering? Or has an extremely limited menu? In this situation, you would need to look at getting an external catering company. The best way to find an external catering company is to search online and in your local area, though there is another option. If you’re feeling brave, you could consider doing the catering yourself, depending on the size of the event and the help that you can get, of course. There are plenty of great Christmas recipes online that you can use to make up a menu but be aware, you’ll be cooking a lot!
If you keep these three key factors in mind, your corporate Christmas event is bound to be a resounding success with all who attend. Just make sure that you take your time throughout the organization process and you shouldn’t have a problem. Good luck!
