The holiday season is a joyful time on many different levels – whether it’s due to its spiritual or religion significance, looking forward to the promise of a new year, delighting in the opportunity to spend time with extended family you see infrequently or simply excited about a few days off, everyone has reason to be merry during the holidays.

For employers, a corporate or office holiday party can be a great way to show your appreciation for all the hard work and diligence your employees put in over the year, boost morale and set an enthusiastic tone for the year to come. Here are a few tips to make sure your office holiday party is a hit that workers will remember fondly.

Keep It Seasonal, Not Specific
The “holiday season” is an umbrella term typically applied to all the various cultural holidays and celebrations that take place over the winter months. To fully celebrate the diversity of your workplace and the different cultures and values of your employees, it is best not to single any one religious holiday tradition out for celebration. Even if you have a sense that most of the people in your office are of a certain faith, you can never know for sure. Instead, opt for a nondenominational holiday celebration, focusing on the general warmth and goodwill of the season.

Pick Your Guests
The guest list at a holiday party is very important: obviously your employees are invited, but does the invitation extend to spouses as well? How about children? Once you decide on a budget and the preferred theme of the party, you’ll have a better sense of whether or not plus-ones are to be encouraged.

Decide When and Where
According to HR firm ERC, most organizations plan their holiday parties for the second or third week of December, giving them time to avoid the major holidays at the end of the month and keep productivity up throughout December. Fridays are the most common days for a party, allowing employees to look forward to the weekend and feel less encumbered by work at the party. However, the biggest decision you’ll make is where to have your party.

Holiday parties boost employee morale!

The key thing to keep in mind is whether to have your party on-site or at another venue. There are benefits and drawbacks to both: Hosting a party in the office can keep costs down and make for easier cleanup, but often employees are less than enthusiastic about the prospect of spending more time in the office. An offsite venue may be costly, but often includes certain amenities like food, drink and cleanup services, as well as more space to dance and socialize.

Don’t Forget to Decorate
What kind of holiday party would it be without the decorations? Having a custom banner with your business’ name and announcing the party can make the celebration feel that much more festive. Or why not try a custom step and repeat for employees to take red carpet inspired photos? Putting a little bit of effort into decorating can have a significant impact on worker enthusiasm and participation.

Be Mindful of Food and Drink
Most holiday parties provide food and drink in some capacity. Depending on the kind of party you want to throw, your food options could range from the fully catered buffet to simple hor d’oeuvres.

If you are opting for less substantial food, keep in mind that will impact decisions related to how long the party is and whether alcohol is being made available: finger foods may not be enough to sustain a longer party and drinking on a relatively empty stomach can be dangerous. To avoid hazards of over-indulging, consider providing your guests with a set number of drink tickets to be redeemed for alcoholic beverages.

Celebrate Workplace Achievement and Excellence
Holiday parties are a great occasion to shine a light on particularly exemplary employees or celebrate an interoffice accomplishment. As everyone gathers to enjoy the party, consider having a short ceremony in which you incorporate recognition and express gratitude for the year’s hard work. Something simple like a trophy or plaque are excellent ways to point out an worker who has made a real difference for the business over the last few months and can work quietly to get other staff more engaged. After awarding an exemplary employee, make sure to grab a picture of them in front of the branded step and repeat to commemorate the occasion.

Look no further than Sign Art Etc for all your custom printed banners and step and repeats. Whether it’s for a holiday party or any other occasion, we can ensure you will have the materials you need at an excellent price.