Usually, a company party is held once a year. A company party typically involves an activity designed to strengthen the bond between colleagues, and it is also a very fun and social event. Organizing a company party can be quite difficult.

What is a company party?

A company party is a celebration organized by the company you work for. All colleagues come together on this day, and usually, a fun activity is planned. A company party can be held at a rented venue or at the company itself. Typically, the company party takes place once a year. However, not all companies organize a company party.

Why have a company party?

The best part of a company party is that colleagues get to see and get to know each other in a different way. Normally, they only see each other during work and in meetings. So, they usually only interact in a formal atmosphere. At the company party, you truly get to know your colleagues.

In short, a company party is great for team building within the company because colleagues learn to work together in a different way. While organizing the company party, you also get in touch with your colleagues, which is very enjoyable because you can decide everything together with your colleagues.

How to organize a company party

A company party is usually organized by the boss or the manager of the company.

First, a budget for the company party needs to be set. Based on this, a location and/or activity can be chosen. If you rent a venue, make sure it is not too far from the company. No one wants to drive across the entire country for a company party.

Activities

When organizing a company party, you may choose to plan an activity. Choose an activity that can be done in groups. This way, colleagues can work together with other colleagues they would normally never talk to outside of work. A good example of an activity is an escape room. In an escape room, colleagues have to collaborate to escape the room. This way, you learn to work with everyone, even if you may not like that person. You can also choose an activity where you have to work in two teams, like a bubble football match or a kind of relay race. Two teams will compete for victory, and the teams must cooperate to even have a chance of winning.

Alternatively, you could organize a fun barbecue at the company party. All colleagues can chat with each other while grilling and enjoying drinks. This creates a relaxed atmosphere, and interesting conversations will come up that you wouldn’t normally have.

Before the invitation can be sent, a date must first be chosen. Take into account the employees’ vacation schedules and public holidays. If you have chosen an outdoor activity, you should consider the season in which you plan to hold the company party. It would be better to go for the summer or spring than the fall or winter.

Invitations

Lastly, the invitations must be sent out. This can be done through a nice card, but if there is no budget for that, you can always send an email with the invitation. Be sure to mention in the invitation who is invited—just the employee or also their partner. This helps avoid confusion. Include information about the activity planned, or you can choose to keep it a surprise. Also, make sure to include the start and end times.

Party Photo App

How fun would it be if the company party were captured by a photographer? If there is no budget for that, choose a party photo app. With the app, all colleagues can take photos of the party, and these photos will be displayed live on a screen. This creates the most fun and funny moments. If you do an activity in groups, you can later also see how the other groups performed through the photos. After the party, all the photos can be viewed by the person who purchased the app. They can select, download, and share the photos with the colleagues. This helps avoid unwanted social media posts. The photos will always remain a fun memory of the company party. You can also post welcome messages in the app and add a countdown.

What to keep in mind at a company party

Often, the company party is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended to attend. It shows that you are interested in your colleagues and the company you work for. Your boss will notice your presence and certainly appreciate it. If you cannot attend, be sure to politely inform them.

Definitely avoid arriving late. If you arrive late, you may appear uninterested. If you don’t want to be the first one in, you can arrange with colleagues to arrive together. It is always important and polite to thank the employer at the end of the company party. By thanking them, you also show that you were there.

Drinking with your colleagues is of course very fun, but be mindful of how much you drink, especially if you haven’t eaten much. You don’t want to be known as the colleague who got drunk at the company party. That is also very unprofessional.

Don’ts

Even if you’re really hungry, don’t rush to the buffet or the other food. Wait for your turn and don’t take too much on your plate at once. It is rude, and if you don’t like the food or can’t finish it, you’ll waste a lot of food, which is a shame. Also, your colleagues might give you disapproving looks.

Don’t gossip too much at the company party. The purpose of the company party is for colleagues to interact and strengthen their bond. No one wants to hear your gossip, so keep it to yourself.

The most important thing at the company party is to have a good time with your colleagues and enjoy the day that was specially organized for you. After all, the company party only happens once a year.