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Planning any event is so much more than just inviting people and showing up. An event as important as a year-end party takes time, budgeting, and thorough planning to really achieve the results you want. We know it’s quite a process, so we put together a list of things to keep in mind as you go about planning your year-end bash. Here are our top 10 (plus 1 bonus!) items to consider in your planning phase:
We know most year-end parties only happen at (duh) the end of the year, but it’s important to set a timeline so that you have enough time to plan everything in advance. If you’re not making use of your office premises, venues will be booked up quickly and need enough notice in advance if you decide to book. If you’re considering having entertainment at your event, bands or other acts will also need sufficient notice in order to make sure they’re available for your event.
It’s important to consider who your demographic is while you’re busy planning. Think about the type of event, entertainment and food options they would most enjoy and appreciate. This includes picking the right music to help set the scene, finding the right food to match your demographics taste buds, and even picking a venue that matches all of the above.
Depending on the funds you have available, you can either spruce up your office and throw a killer party there, or otherwise a bit of a splurge on an awesome venue may be in order. There is something to be said for transforming the office to something completely different after hours, but if you don’t want to be stuck with the task of deep-cleaning afterwards and you have the budget, an outside venue may be the best option for you!
Having your event during office hours automatically gives you assurance that most of your employees will 100% be there. Many employees struggle with events outside work hours or over weekends due to a lack of transport or other prior commitments. Consider whether it’s important to you to have everyone there or if you’ll still be happy if a few people are missing.
Related to the point above, you should also consider whether you’d be providing transport options for your employees or expecting them to go it alone. Uber vouchers or a shuttle bus make getting to and from a venue easier and safer for large groups - especially if the bubbly is flowing! If this is important to you, remember to put extra budget aside for this as well.
Many larger corporates offer the opportunity for employees to bring partners and even family members with to the big year-end bash. If this is within your budget and venue capability, it may be an extra special cherry on top to help spoil your team.
A theme is never a bad idea to help jazz things up a bit! You could go with a costume party themed any number of ways – sophisticated, silly, or based on an inside joke, these themes are sure to bring some extra fun and excitement to your party.
A year-end event is usually a thank you to the wonderful employees who work for you, after all. It can be easy to get distracted by trying to talk more about the company or other more admin-type items, but take this opportunity to give a little love back to the people who have helped bring you success over the year.
Rewarding employees for working extra hard throughout the year never goes down badly. People love feeling appreciated and like they actually made a difference! Even if there isn’t a massive prize (budgets are limiting, we know), just a special mention can go a long way to retaining loyalty within your team.
Secret-Santa or other small gift exchanges makes for an extra layer of fun added to your year-end party. Another twist on this could also be asking employees to bring in a small donation, like some tinned food, that will be donated to those less fortunate over the holiday season. Giving back never goes out of style.
If you’re throwing an extra, over-the-top, larger-than-life kind of party, keep in mind that you may need a few extra hands to help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes – from setup to completion, having event management ninjas on your side can help your entire event go off without a hitch. (Pssst! If you’re looking for said ninjas, you can hit us up in our DMs here ;) )
We hope this list helps you plan the smashing year-end party of your dreams! But… If you need a little help on the next one, feel free to contact us and find out more about how we put together events within any budget or timeframe – we’re here to help!
No matter what your idea or challenge, share it with us! We thrive on coming up with mind blowing solutions, and no matter what you need, nothing is impossible when using creative concepts backed with serious methodologies.
8 Awend Road, Cnr of Taurus & Awend
Sundowner Ext 10
Randburg
Johannesburg
2188
