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October 19, 2015 • An Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Business Journal This special advertising supplement did not involve the reporting or editing staff of the Los Angeles Business Journal. Company-Sponsored Charity Events Also a Popular Way to Spread Holiday Cheer, Survey Shows ow do workers like to celebrate the holidays with colleagues? A new sur- vey from OfficeTeam shows the tradi- tional office party tops most employ- ees’ wish lists. More than half (52 percent) of workers interviewed said their favorite work-related holiday celebration is a company party. Twenty-four percent would choose participating in a charitable activity with coworkers. But the study also finds that employees are say- ing, “Bah, humbug!” to a few things: inconvenient scheduling (27 percent) and boring activities (21 percent) were identified as the most disliked aspects of the office holiday party. The survey of office workers was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 400 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments. Workers were asked, “In which one of the fol- lowing ways would you most like to celebrate the holidays at work?” Their responses: Off-site party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27% On-site party/luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25% Charitable activity (e.g., donation drive, volunteering as a group) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24% Informal gift exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10% Office decorations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9% I’d rather not celebrate the holidays at work . .4% Don’t know/no answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2% Workers also were asked, “Which one of the fol- lowing, if any, is your least favorite thing when it comes to office holiday parties?” Their responses: Inconvenient scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27% Boring activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21% Peer pressure to attend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16% Coworkers misbehaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15% Coworkers dressing inappropriately . . . . . . . .10% None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10% Other/don’t know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2% “Many employees look forward to the office holiday party because it offers a chance to unwind with colleagues,” said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “These celebrations can also be the perfect opportunity to recognize peo- ple for their hard work throughout the year.” Hosking added, “To get everyone in the holiday spirit, party organizers should involve staff mem- bers in the planning process and discuss event dates in advance.” OfficeTeam offers the following do’s and don’ts when planning holiday parties at work: Don’t: Plan things just in the “nick” of time. Do: Check venue and staff availability early on so everyone can reserve time on their calendars. If scheduling doesn’t work out during the weekends in November or December, consider holding the office holiday party during business hours or kick- ing off the new year with an event. Don’t: Be a scrooge about sharing the details. Do: Let employees know the dress code, directions and whether guests are allowed ahead of time. Don’t: Assume it’s impossible to be frugal yet festive. Do: Be mindful of your budget. Celebrations can be enjoyable and build camaraderie without break- ing the bank. Don’t: Have a party that’s fa-la-la-la-blah. Do: Get employee input on location, activities and menu. Want to do something a little different than a fancy meal or white elephant gift exchange? Organizing a holiday donation drive or volunteering at a nonprofit organization can be a fun way to spread good cheer. Don’t: Let holiday grinches ruin the fun. Do: Generate excitement for the event in emails and the company newsletter. Also, encourage interested employees to help with planning and decorations. Don’t let the occasional no-show dampen your spirits. Don’t: Leave anyone out in the cold. Do: Keep celebrations nondenominational so everyone can take part in the merriment. Don’t: Get “wrapped up” in shoptalk. Do: Allow time to acknowledge employees for their accomplishments, but make sure activities aren’t all work-related. Information for this article was provided by OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company and the nation’s leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has more than 300 locations worldwide. More information, including online job search services and the OfficeTeam Take Note blog can be found at officeteam.com. Office Holiday Parties: A Hit With Workers H
Transcript
Page 1: Office Holiday Parties: A Hit With Workers · to engage in gift giving for those forth-coming holiday parties. Discover 10 great holiday gift exchange ideas below: Drawing Names -

October 19, 2015 • An Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Business Journal

This special advertising supplement did not involve the reporting or editing staff of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Company-Sponsored Charity EventsAlso a Popular Way to SpreadHoliday Cheer, Survey Shows

ow do workers like to celebrate theholidays with colleagues? A new sur-vey from OfficeTeam shows the tradi-tional office party tops most employ-ees’ wish lists. More than half (52percent) of workers interviewed said

their favorite work-related holiday celebration is acompany party. Twenty-four percent would chooseparticipating in a charitable activity with coworkers.

But the study also finds that employees are say-ing, “Bah, humbug!” to a few things: inconvenientscheduling (27 percent) and boring activities (21percent) were identified as the most dislikedaspects of the office holiday party.

The survey of office workers was developed byOfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializingin the placement of highly skilled administrativeprofessionals. It was conducted by an independentresearch firm and is based on telephone interviewswith more than 400 U.S. workers 18 years of ageor older and employed in office environments.

Workers were asked, “In which one of the fol-lowing ways would you most like to celebrate theholidays at work?” Their responses:

Off-site party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27%On-site party/luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25%Charitable activity (e.g., donation drive, volunteering as a group) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24%Informal gift exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10%Office decorations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9%

I’d rather not celebrate the holidays at work . .4%Don’t know/no answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2%

Workers also were asked, “Which one of the fol-lowing, if any, is your least favorite thing when itcomes to office holiday parties?” Their responses:

Inconvenient scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27%Boring activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21%Peer pressure to attend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16%Coworkers misbehaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15%Coworkers dressing inappropriately . . . . . . . .10%None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10%Other/don’t know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2%

“Many employees look forward to the officeholiday party because it offers a chance to unwindwith colleagues,” said Robert Hosking, executivedirector of OfficeTeam. “These celebrations canalso be the perfect opportunity to recognize peo-ple for their hard work throughout the year.”

Hosking added, “To get everyone in the holidayspirit, party organizers should involve staff mem-bers in the planning process and discuss eventdates in advance.”

OfficeTeam offers the following do’s and don’tswhen planning holiday parties at work:Don’t: Plan things just in the “nick” of time.Do: Check venue and staff availability early on soeveryone can reserve time on their calendars. Ifscheduling doesn’t work out during the weekendsin November or December, consider holding theoffice holiday party during business hours or kick-ing off the new year with an event.Don’t: Be a scrooge about sharing the details.

Do: Let employees know the dress code, directionsand whether guests are allowed ahead of time.Don’t: Assume it’s impossible to be frugal yet festive.Do: Be mindful of your budget. Celebrations canbe enjoyable and build camaraderie without break-ing the bank.Don’t: Have a party that’s fa-la-la-la-blah.Do: Get employee input on location, activities andmenu. Want to do something a little differentthan a fancy meal or white elephant giftexchange? Organizing a holiday donation drive orvolunteering at a nonprofit organization can be afun way to spread good cheer.Don’t: Let holiday grinches ruin the fun.Do: Generate excitement for the event in emailsand the company newsletter. Also, encourageinterested employees to help with planning anddecorations. Don’t let the occasional no-showdampen your spirits.Don’t: Leave anyone out in the cold.Do: Keep celebrations nondenominational soeveryone can take part in the merriment.Don’t: Get “wrapped up” in shoptalk.Do: Allow time to acknowledge employees for theiraccomplishments, but make sure activities aren’tall work-related.

Information for this article was provided byOfficeTeam, a Robert Half company and the nation’sleading staffing service specializing in the temporaryplacement of highly skilled office and administrativesupport professionals. The company has more than300 locations worldwide. More information, includingonline job search services and the OfficeTeam TakeNote blog can be found at officeteam.com.

Office Holiday Parties: A Hit With Workers

H

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38 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 19, 2015

ristine beaches. Flourishingfarms. Sloping vineyards.These idyllic scenes make upVentura County West. Year-round sunny skies, vibrantdowntowns, locally-sourced

cuisine and sparkling harbors provide astunning backdrop for groups who wantto get away.

“Ventura County West is a short drivefrom Los Angeles, but, once you arrive,you couldn’t feel further away,” saidRebekah Evans, Executive Director of theVentura County Lodging Association(VCLA). “I always tell visitors, ‘Park yourcar, put on your flip flops and get readyfor the time your life!’”

Perfect for athletic tournaments andcorporate groups, the destination features200,000 square feetof event space and5,000 guest rooms inover 60 hotels andinns. The seasidecities of Ventura,Camarillo, Oxnardand Port Hueneme bring small-towncharm and exceptional hospitality togroups both large and small, accommo-dating up to 10,000 guests.

Weddings and Festivities

The Hilton Garden Inn Camarillohosts elegant events with full-service,farm-to-table catering and state-of-the-artaudio visual services. The hotel’s Italian-inspired Adagio Bella Gardens Banquetand Reception Hall, a stunning gazebowith vaulted ceilings and hand-paintedRoman pillars, can hold up to 250 guests.For those planning an extended stay, theGarden Inn’s sister hotel, HomewoodSuites, is located on the same property.

Camarillo boasts beautiful and uniquespaces for social events, including the his-toric Camarillo Ranch and McCormickHome Ranch, both of which bring his-toric charm to barnyard weddings andgarden parties.

Whether it’s before or after the bigevent, groups love to traipse through theVentura County Wine Trail, which links11 artisan wineries and several gourmeteateries in Camarillo, Oxnard andVentura. Other excursions include TheCollection in Oxnard, a vibrant outdoorshopping and lifestyle center, andVentura Harbor, a classic California seavillage with an ice cream parlor, vintagecarousel, arcade, stylish boutiques andlegendary fish and chips at Andria’s.

Sports Teams and Tournaments

Temperate climate and wide openspaces make Ventura County West a no-brainer for sports groups. The region isknown for having some of the best soccerfields in California and happens to be amajor stage of the Ojai Valley TennisTournament, which attracts 1,400 playersand families to town every April.

Residence Inn by Marriott at OxnardRiver Ridge, the preferred venue forsports teams like the Dallas Cowboys, sitsatop an expansive golf course and offerstwo full-sized NFL fields, two pools, threejacuzzis, four lighted tennis courts and anoutdoor patio with a fire pit. In additionto suite accommodations with fullkitchens, guests at this hotel enjoy acomplimentary breakfast and eveningsocial hour with snacks and beverages.

The Channel Islands National Park,

accessible through Island Packers inOxnard, is a primitive playground foradventure lovers and athletic types whoneed a break from their normal routine.Activities include island hiking, backpack-ing, kayaking, snorkeling, boating andfishing; those seeking leisure can visit theisland for bird or whale watching. Anothergreat destination in the region is PortHueneme Beach Park, which features 50acres of white sand beaches with volley-ball nets, picnic areas and barbecue pits.

Corporate Meetings and Retreats

For corporate meetings and events,Ventura County West is an undiscoveredoasis. Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach isa luxurious venue strewn across eight anda half acres of beachfront property inOxnard. With over 16,000 square feet ofevent space and lush, tropical landscap-ing, the hotel provides a transformativeescape. The Crowne Plaza Ventura Beachhas 19,000 square feet of event spacedirectly on the shores of the SantaBarbara Channel. The hotel’s stylish ter-race, complete with cozy seating, roman-tic lighting and an oversized bonfire pitmakes for unforgettable events.

Many of Ventura County West’s hotelsare within walking distance of breathtakingbeaches and bustling downtown areas. Forthose that are not, the free DowntownVentura Harbor Trolley transports guestsfrom local beach hotels to all of the city’spopular attractions. Oxnard also has a freeshuttle that takes hotel guests to local desti-nations of their choosing. Old TownCamarillo is a great spot for corporate groupsto loosen their ties and savor farm fresh cui-sine, craft beer, local wines and live music.

International groups will appreciate theNaval Base Ventura County in Oxnard,which is the only base on the West Coastexperimenting with drone technologies.Port Hueneme, the only deep water harborbetween Los Angeles and San Francisco, isalso popular among business groups.

For more information about places to go,things to do, and ideas about hosting a meet-ing or event in VenturaCountyWest, go towww.VenturaCountyWest.com/meetings.

VenturaCountyWest: the Ultimate Holiday Hideaway

P

HOLIDAYEVENTLOCATIONSPOTLIGHT

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OctOber 19, 2015 an advertising supplement tO the lOs angeles business JOurnal 39

IFC-58_labj_fullpageads_10_19_1539 39 10/12/2015 5:51:02 PM

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40 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 19, 2015

Reserve your holiday event at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza. Our four-diamond hotel sits atop historic Bunker Hill in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. We offer a variety of flexible venues to accommodate parties of any size. With sensational catering options and award-winning service, we can produce your perfect holiday event.

Ask us about our early booking promotion for Sunday-Wednesday events by October 31st.

For more information email [email protected] or call 213-356-4111 to speak with a catering professional.

251 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 omnihotels.com/losangeles

By TINA DIXON

hether it’s to savemoney, boost the funor create a new tradi-tion, many corporateevent planners arelooking for new ways

to engage in gift giving for those forth-coming holiday parties.

Discover 10 great holiday giftexchange ideas below:

Drawing Names - To cut down on hav-ing to buy for many different people, agroup of employees can draw names outof a hat! Instead of each person having tobuy for everyone in the group, now eachperson just buys for one other person. Besure no one draws their own name,though!

Secret Santa - Building on the drawingnames gift exchange idea, Secret Santakeeps it a secret who each person willbuy for! Many times even after the gift isgiven, the identity of their “Santa” is keptsecret from the gift recipient.

White Elephant - This is a fun holidaygift exchange idea that goes by many dif-ferent names! The main idea here is thateveryone attending a party brings a giftand for however many gifts are brought,numbers are drawn for opening order.Although they won’t know who will be

opening the gift, it doesn’t have to begeneric or gender neutral because otherswill have the opportunity to take ithome! The first person to choose a giftopens it. The second person to choose agift opens theirs and then has the optionto keep their own gift or swap it for thefirst person’s gift. Every new person whoopens a gift has the option to keep theirown or swap for any other. After the lastperson picks and opts to swap or notswap, the first person is given the oppor-tunity to swap the gift they ended upwith. It’s great fun and a very popular giftexchange idea!

Grab Bag - In this gift exchange, everyparty attendee brings an unusuallyshaped gift and secretly sneaks it into agrab bag so no one sees the gifts that arebeing added. When it comes time forgifts, the bag is brought out with all themysterious gifts inside. Each person thenreaches in and feels around for a gift thatthey might like to take home!

Auction (live or silent) - Going once!Going twice! Auctions can be great funand a terrific way to exchange gifts! Eachparty attendee brings a few gifts (or thehostess can provide all the gifts if shelikes) and they are put on display and upfor auction. Each party guest is given acertain number (usually 100) of pointswith which to bid. Once all of theirpoints have been used to “purchase” auc-

tion items, guests can no longer bid onitems. A live auction is great fun for alively party, but if you prefer a more sub-dued auction, guests can write their bidson paper for each gift.

Best Guess - If your party attendees arebig fans of guessing games like Charadesor Pictionary, you’re bound to love thisfun gift exchange idea! Each personbrings a gift or two. When it comes timefor gift giving, each is given a turn tohold up their wrapped gift and the groupguesses what might be inside. You cangive clues or use charades or sketches tohelp them along (especially if it’s a partic-ularly obscure gift to guess), and the firstperson to guess just what the gift is getsto keep it!

Charitable Giving - For those organiza-tions passionate about philanthropy, thisis a great option. Decide on a charity todonate the money you would ordinarilyspend on gift giving to help others. Youcan all pool your money into a singlecharity or let each would-be gift recipientchoose their own charity.

Recycled Gifts - No, we don’t want youto go rummaging through your card-boards and plastics looking for gifts. Thisidea is about re-gifting! Rather than hold-ing your holiday party before the holi-days, opt for a delayed party in the NewYear. The only gift requirement is thatyou bring a gift you have alreadyreceived! We all get presents around theholidays that we don’t necessarily needor want. And as they say, one man’s trashis another man’s treasure. Recycle thoseunwanted gifts for a creative giftexchange idea that won’t cost anyone asingle dime!

Homemade Gifts - This is a great frugalgift exchange idea that can be just asexciting as any of the others. Have a holi-day party where the only gifts exchangedare homemade gifts. From homemadecookies to original paintings to home-made ornaments, quilts, knit hats andmore, discover how talented yourcoworkers really are!

Tina Dixon is a freelance writer.

Ten Gift Exchange Ideas For Your Holiday Party

W

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OctOber 19, 2015 an advertising supplement tO the lOs angeles business JOurnal 41

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42 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 19, 2015

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ach year, companies acrossthe country search for theperfect setting to host theirholiday party and the per-fect activity to engage,entertain, and reward their

employees. So how can you make surethat your party stands out from the rest?One way is to treat your office to theteam-inspired fun of bowling.

Bowling? Really? Definitely. You mayremember bowling from your childhoodfriend’s 10th birthday party, but todaymore and more companies are choosingto bring their teams to enjoy blacklightbowling and gourmet dining in impres-sively designed Bowlmor Lanes andBowlero venues. Here Bowlmor AMF, theowner of LA’s ever-popular BowlmorLanes and Bowlero bowling lounges, tellsyou why bowling makes every office holi-day party more fun.

Top 5 Reasons to Go Bowling for Your Office

Holiday Party

1) It’s Interactive. When you’re bowl-ing, everyone is engaged—and no one isfeeling like that lonely guy or girl in thecorner (office holiday parties can benotorious for that). Bowlmor andBowlero take this engagement to the nextlevel—incorporating dynamic videowalls, up-tempo music, and laneside serv-ice to make the party experience undeni-ably immersive.

2) It’s Team-Oriented. Teambuilding

is in bowling’s DNA; it’s built into theexperience. When you bowl, your infor-mal teams become a kind of mini-com-munity for your party (and sometimes,well after the party). The takeaway: officecamaraderie comes standard with everylaneside holiday event.

3) It’s Upscale Without Being Stale.Bowlmor and Bowlero bowling loungesbring a fun, chic, classy vibe to your holi-day party without the stuffy air of a fancyrestaurant where people mingle but don’tactually have fun.

4) It Covers the Office Age-Gap.From the Baby Boomer boss to the Gen-Xmanager to the Millennial up-and-comer,everyone can get in on the fun—whetheryou want to enjoy a drink on plush lane-side couches, roll like a rebel on thelanes, or hit up the arcade and unleashyour inner child.

5) It’s Not the Conference Room.Taking your team out of the office showsthat your party took some thought—andthat it wasn’t just an afterthought. (What?People don’t like eating chips and salsa onthe same table they prepare reports and holdmeetings…? No, they don’t.) When youleave the office and hit the lanes, youhave officially entered party-mode.

5 Tips to Book Like a Pro

1) Plan Early. Really Early. Area venuesfill up quickly (our locations in Pasadena,Santa Monica, and Mar Vista can all attestto this). And it’s never a fun experience

when you discover that your ideal venuehas a months-long waiting list.

2) Plan Early. Yes, we mentioned ittwice. It’s that important. Plus, you canusually get exclusive extras and specialdeals on your holiday party the earlier in

the season you decide to book. (Takeadvantage of Bowlmor and Bowlero’s spe-cial early booking offer now—bookbefore 10/31 and get free $20 gift cardsfor all of your guests. Go toBowlmor.com/holiday or

The Office Holiday Party: The Top 5 Reasons toGo Bowling and the Top 5 Tips When Booking

E

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OCTOBER 19, 2015 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 43

Dinner and MusicSilent Auction

(Includes: Traditional Holiday Menu, Ultimate Bar Access and exclusive Rose Bowl Stadium Commemorative Gift)

For more info, please contact Rose Bowl Special Events at [email protected] or 626-577-3100

(Includes: Traditional Holiday Menu and Cash Bar)

Dinner and Music

Planning for that BigHoliday Office Party

Bowlero.com/holiday to learn more!) 3) Work With a Professional. A party

planning expert can help alleviate thestress and frustration that can accompanyplanning your company’s office holidayevent. Fortunately, Bowlmor and Bowlerovenues feature on-site party planningprofessionals ready to facilitate everyaspect of the process.

4) Know Your Numbers. It helps toknow just how many will be in yourparty. Will you need a few lanes? Morethan 10? Or do you want to go all outand reserve the entire venue for your hol-iday event? Every Bowlmor and Bowlerogives you the flexibility to customizeyour party—from the number of lanes tothe kind of menu items your guestscrave.

5) Find the Venue That’s Right forYou. The Greater Los Angeles area hasthree world-class options for businesseslooking to book memorable office partiesthis holiday season: Bowlmor Pasadena,Bowlmor Santa Monica, and Bowlero MarVista. Each venue has its own distinctivestyle and approach to office holidayfun—with private bowling lounges, semi-private event spaces, and patio-inspiredlounge areas that can help set the toneperfectly for any office holiday party.

The clock is ticking... which means it’stime to start planning! Get the ballrolling and plan your office holiday partyby visiting Bowlmor.com/holiday orBowlero.com/holiday.

By SYDNEY CHAFEE

f you have decided to have aholiday office party this year,you have to do some planning.And depending on the size ofyour business, you may have tostart planning well in advance.

You can make your holiday officeparty one to remember – provided youknow what is involved in planning theperfect office party.

Here are some tips for your holidayparty planning:

Get Everyone Involved

Discuss the party with your employ-ees and colleagues. Solicit company holi-day party ideas from everyone who isinterested. This helps in forging a senseof unity and avoiding resentment.

Then, consider forming a committee toorganize the party. If your business is small-er, then everyone should be involved.

Holiday Party Themes

Decide on a theme for your holidayparty. Having a holiday party theme helpsin organizing a more entertaining party.

Try to think a bit differently; go forsomething new and exciting. Considertaking the company to play a round ofgolf, visit historical places, or taking adinner cruise or going to a fine diningrestaurant.

The idea here is to opt for a holiday

party theme that takes you away fromthe mundane office environment.

Pick a Suitable Date

Decide on a date that is good foreveryone. Christmas Eve usually isn’tvery good, as most people want to takeoff early to be with their families.

Make sure you inform everybody wellin advance, and that your holiday officeparty date does not clash with a holidayor fall on the date of an important com-pany event.

Ask your employees if they think itshould be held on a weekday or theweekend. This will ensure that everyonewill be able to participate.

Choose the Right Location

The idea behind a holiday office partyis for everyone to unwind and enjoythemselves.

Choose a location that is festive, com-fortable and beautiful. When you choosethe location, make sure that it is in alocation that is convenient for everyone.

Food and Beverage Considerations

Naturally, the people in your officehave different dietary requirements.Some may be vegetarian while othersmay be on a diabetic diet.

Having a menu that caters to everyone isa good idea. It is always better to serve non-alcoholic drinks so that things don’t get outof hand. You can ask your employees about

their dietary restrictions and preferences.Make sure that you arrange to have the

right amount of food and drinks available.

Decorations to Create That Party Feeling

While doing your holiday party plan-ning, pay special attention to the decora-tions. They should match the season andthe holiday.

Games and Activities to Enjoy

Be sure to plan games and activitiesthat help break the ice.

For example, you can organize gamesand have singing competitions. You canhave prizes for the best-dressed person.Play lively music in the background. Tryto hire a DJ if your budget permits.

Remember, this is your opportunity toshow your employees your appreciation.

Cool Gifts and Prizes

At the party, give gifts and prizes thatare cool, fun and useful. They can be thelatest electronic gadgets, party favors orgift certificates.

Ask all your employees to pitch inwhen it comes to gift ideas – that way,everyone will feel that they have anopportunity to contribute.

Organizing a great holiday officeparty can be fun for everyone. Followthe tips above and make your party oneto remember!

Sydney Chafee is a freelance writer.

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Page 8: Office Holiday Parties: A Hit With Workers · to engage in gift giving for those forth-coming holiday parties. Discover 10 great holiday gift exchange ideas below: Drawing Names -

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F you’re thinking about cancel-ing the annual company holi-day party, don’t! Get creativeinstead. It’s been a tough yearwith the country experiencinglayoffs, skyrocketing unem-

ployment and budget cuts, and youremployees are probably long overdue fora morale boost.

Planning a successful party takes time,but doesn’t have to break the bank.

• Venue: If possible, get out of theoffice. An afternoon affair for 2-3 hoursat a local restaurant or hotel will be lessexpensive than an evening event on apremium holiday date.

• Date: Have a few dates and times torun by the boss to make sure all impor-tant people are available for the party.Finding out the boss is in Tahiti on yourparty date would be a disaster.

• Time: Start your party after lunchand end before dinner to eliminate theneed to serve a full meal.

• Invitations: Once you have your date,time and venue, order fabulous invita-tions. An awesome holiday party invita-tion sets the tone for the occasion andlets employees know what you haveplanned. Don’t send out a boring memoor uninteresting letter sheet of “who,

what, where andwhen” stats. There areaffordable customprinted invitationsavailable that will getparty goers excitedabout your event.

• Food: Choosing anarray of appetizers andsandwiches will loweryour food costs, elimi-nate chefs and limitthe number of atten-dants needed.

• Desserts: A dessertstation with mini bite-size portions cuts costsas most guests take afew bites and leavethe rest.

• Drinks: With anafternoon party, youcould eliminate alco-holic beverages andpotential liabilities too.Choosing to serve onlywine and beer mightbe another alternative and skips theexpense of an open bar that might beexpected at an evening party.

• Entertainment: You can hire a DJinstead of live entertainment or maybe a

magician or a fortune teller (only goodnews) would be fun for your crowd.

• Appreciation: No matter what type ofparty you decide on, be sure to emphasizethat you value your employees. Give them a

boost to bring in a wonderful new year,your company’s morale might depend on it.

Information for this article was provided byAnnouncingIt.com. More information can befound online at http://www.announcingit.com.

How Holiday Parties Improve Company Morale

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