Corporate events, Inspiration
Here at Feast It, office parties are for life...not just for Christmas. There are huge benefits to holding events in your office space that go beyond the obvious advantage of not having to go through the headache of sourcing a venue.
A memorable office party isn't about warm wine and enforced small-talk, it can be a great opportunity to bring your team or clients together to get to know each other and can cement the culture of your organisation.
Company anniversaries
If your business is celebrating a big birthday, it’s a great time to celebrate. Whether you’ve made it through that first year, or are celebrating a centenary, holding a party at your office allows you to celebrate with your employees and customers alike.
Celebrating your successes
Won that contract? Smashed your sales targets? Successfully launched a new product? If your employees have done something amazing, throwing a party is a great way of giving back for all that hard work.
Birthdays
Birthdays are great way to give your employees some one to one attention. From organising a special breakfast to throwing a mini birthday bash, showing a little gratitude for your staff on their birthday can go a long way. While the size of your organisation may dictate how viable this is, giving some thought to big birthdays is a great way of building staff loyalty.
Employee Engagement
Did you know that 56% of employees value a strong workplace culture over salary? In an era where teams are more and more dispersed, throwing a company party can be a great way of bringing your team together to get them engaged.
Networking
Your office can be an ideal place to network with existing and potential clients. After all, by inviting them into your “nerve-centre”, you’re giving them a true flavour of your business.
Brand Advocate or Brand Fan Events
It’s not just your employees who’ve helped to shape your success. Inviting those who advocate for your brand, be they your customers, influencers, ambassadors or any other supporters to an “insider” party is a fab way to cement their connection with your company.
Team Bonding
Ask any great leader and they'll tell you that team bonding is not about ice breakers and awkward role-playing exercises. Anyone who's ever organised a team-building day will know that the bonding takes place in the spaces between activities. Those little chats over lunch, or the de-brief in the pub afterwards. Cut straight to the social side and have an office party.
Depending on your office layout and facilities, you may need to get a little creative when it comes to getting the space for your party ready. While an afternoon tea can probably take place in your staff room, it may be a little uninspiring.
Instead, consider hiring event equipment to turn your office space into somewhere you can party on down at night! Clever use of things like chair coverings, or adding some exciting lighting can make all the difference to how visitors experience the space – particularly your employees - after all, if you're throwing a party in the boardroom, you don't want it to feel like they're attending a meeting!
On a practical note, make sure that any office equipment is well protected – you don't want drinks spilt on your computers. Also, be sure to lock away any confidential info – and be aware of what's on the walls – have that sales target board displayed in your conference room? Maybe take it down if you're inviting customers!
What's the secret of a good party? To be honest, there is no secret, and it very much depends on your guests – however, there are some steps you can take to try and make sure that everyone enjoys your office event. Forced jollity never goes down well, so try and incorporate elements that are bound to be a talking point, or bring guests together.
Add a touch of theatre with food – from rolled ice cream which appears out of a haze of liquid nitrogen, to a streaming chocolate fountain, your event catering can be an opportunity to bring a touch of drama to your proceedings, offering a talking point, and also a place for people to gather.
When it comes to an office gathering – one thing’s for sure – stale sandwiches and bland drinks won’t do you any favours when it comes for being known for a good bash. From spicing up a lunchtime soiree with inspired Indian catering to delighting your customers with a fun food truck – choosing good quality, exciting food choices will make your office party be the talk of the town (and the staff room), for all the right reasons.