Last year, I was surprised to hear that many businesses weren't hosting staff Christmas parties; some said that they hadn't had one for years. I'm not sure whether it was due to the extended downturn in the economy, declining numbers of participants or a Grinchy boss but I believe you should never pass up a legitimate excuse to socialize with your coworkers.
Even when money is tight, financial hard times are often the best times to celebrate your team and, with a little imagination and effort, the perennial holiday drag can be transformed into a truly unique occasion.
First, set the date well in advance and send invitations that set the tone for the event itself. If it's a black-tie dinner and dance, the invitations should be formal and elegant. But, if it's a family day with Santa at the Railway and Forestry museum for example, you could write the event details on separate plastic toy train cars and leave one on each of your co-worker's desks. Ask everyone to bring their train car to the event to be joined together on the tracks as a symbol of teamwork and "pulling the load together."
The point is to be creative but also to choose an event that will help you achieve a desired outcome in addition to being a celebration. For example, if sales have been down lately, organize an event that will help inspire your team towards success like a 'Christmas Cake Boss' competition where everyone competes in teams to put together their confectionary masterpieces. If you've had to lay off employees over the past year, host a modest event that will lift spirits and let your employees or co-workers know that they are valued by the company. One way to do this is to give out fun awards of excellence to each person during the event that include specific tasteful examples of the why they are being recognized.
The second key to success is to consult the members of the team on what kind of holiday celebration they wish to have. Your turnout will be much higher if the event ideas surface organically and not top down. The thing about the holidays is that it is a busy time for everyone and, depending on your business environment, a staff party after hours may not be the best time to celebrate; it may mean extra work finding a babysitter, less shopping/holiday prep time, or simply one more thing to add to the to-do list. Instead, a party during office hours may be more of a relief and provide a welcome break from the extra workload if everyone can escape the office and head somewhere for food and fun.
And finally, don't leave your employees empty handed when they leave the staff party. Ensure that they have something to take away with them that will serve as a reminder of the fun they had but also leave them feeling appreciated. When giving gifts to teammates, ensure that all the gifts are equal so as to avoid hurt feelings and present the gifts to your staff individually with a hand written note attached to them with a few words of thanks. In the office world full of electronic messages, a personal hand written note will hit home especially if the message highlights the quality that the employee contributes to the team.
If you're prepared to give a small Christmas bonus to your staff this year, keep in mind that the value of that investment will increase exponentially if you use it to host a staff holiday celebration instead. Not only will it help create team cohesion but it will provide an opportunity to wrap up the full year in a positive way. Just make sure to pay for everyone's cab rides home if liquor is served and if you are the boss, be sure to follow a great piece of advice that my dad gave me, "Greet everyone as they arrive, pay the bill, and leave early so that the fun can continue without you. No one wants the boss around to witness the possible chaos at night's end."
Until next time, stay in the black and keep coming back.
