The office Christmas party is a great opportunity to let off some steam and celebrate all the hard work you and your co-workers have put in over the past year. But it can also be tricky planning an activity that appeals to everyone’s sense of fun, especially with all the different personality types each office harbours.
We’re going to walk you through hosting the perfect office party, from start to finish. So if you’ve been dreading the whole ordeal, here are a few guidelines on how to host a corporate Christmas party that everyone will enjoy.
Fun Staff Christmas Party Ideas in Melbourne
So if you’ve been dreading the whole ordeal, here are a few guidelines on how to host a corporate Christmas Eve party that everyone will enjoy.
- Step 1. Start planning your office Christmas party early
- Step 2. Take a vote in your office
- Step 3. Add a fun activity to your staff Christmas party
- Step 4. Offer personalised presents
- Step 5. Mingle with your colleagues
- Step 6. Move forward into the new year
Step 1. Start planning your office Christmas party early
You want to make the party appeal to everyone’s sense of fun, so make sure you plan ahead! Don’t wait until 18th December and scramble around trying to find a venue and entertainers at the last minute. This will show your team you haven’t given too much attention or care into putting on a decent event.
It’s also important to know in advance what type of party you’ll be having. Are you going to opt for something more traditional like drinks or dinner in a pub or restaurant, or go for a party that’s outside the box such as an escape room in Melbourne? Admittedly, that one’s very much inside a box… but you get the point. You could either try out The Original Escape Room for beginners all the way to The Fractured Escape Room one of our most difficult escape experiences.
If you require space to host a larger company, you may need to hire out an entire restaurant or private dining room, and source hotel accommodation for your staff. Don’t leave it too late to book these things, or you’ll be stuck for decent options for your office Christmas party.
Step 2. Take a vote in your office
Take the guesswork out of party planning and ask around the office for people’s ideas and preferences. The tone of your staff Christmas party will set the mood for the rest of the next year, so it’s important not to make anyone feel uncomfortable, and go for the type of entertainment the majority will enjoy.
If you know there are a number of staff members who don’t drink alcohol, why not go for a classic Australian pub meal? That way, the drinkers can enjoy a beer and the non-drinkers get to share a nice meal with their co-workers.
Step 3. Add a fun activity to your staff Christmas party
If you’re looking to foster some camaraderie after months of working from home, why not try a team building escape room? If it’s within your budget, you might be able to do multiple activities, such as an escape room followed by a restaurant meal! We’ve got a list of the best team building activities in Melbourne to give you some inspiration.
If your workplace is feeling the party vibe, why not plan the activity together? This way, no one is left behind with nothing to do. Melbourne has a huge range of things on offer including mini golf, axe throwing, go-karting and of course, escape rooms for your corporate event.
If you do decide on an activity, it’s probably best to time it so that people can arrive when they want to and leave when they’re ready (for example, planning an activity in the early afternoon means your co-workers won’t feel like they need to stay out late).
Step 4. Offer personalised presents
The last thing you want is for your corporate Christmas party to look too corporate! One way to make the party feel a little bit less formal is to offer guests the option of giving personalised gifts.
You can set up somewhere for people to buy small tokens or other presents and then write messages on them to their co-workers, family and friends, or make a contribution to a larger present that has had some real thought put into it. This will also help spread goodwill in the office, which makes everyone’s Christmas even more special.
Step 5. Mingle with your colleagues
On the day, make sure you get people talking and mingling with one another. As the facilitator or host, it’s your job to help people loosen up and relax. It’s a party after all!
People may be feeling a bit stiff at the start of the day, so it can be nice to let them loosen up a little bit by pulling up a chair and joining in conversations. Some venues naturally facilitate more mingling over others, which is why a joint activity is a good idea to get the ball rolling. If your office is also inviting plus-ones to the end-of-year celebration, it can be a good opportunity to meet some new faces and learn about the lives of your colleagues outside of the office.
Step 6. Move forward into the new year
Everyone knows that half the fun of the office Christmas party is dissecting it the next day, if not the best part altogether. Retelling the funny stories, sharing the pictures around, and bonding over your collective shock at one of your colleagues’ ‘out-of-office personality’ is great, but know when it’s time to move on. Not only for the benefit of the employees who didn’t want or weren’t able to attend, but for the sanity of the coworker who doesn’t want every single person to know about their drunken dance moves.
Leave those conversations behind before you enter the new year, and return back to the office on a fresh start.
The final word for your unforgettable office Christmas party
In conclusion, the key to an enjoyable corporate Christmas party is to make it appealing to everyone’s sense of fun. Reading this article about fun staff Christmas party ideas in Melbourne is a start, but don’t hesitate to ask your co-workers what they’d like to see at the event, and plan an activity that everyone will enjoy.
Then, come December, you can be sure your party will go down in office lore as one of the best!
If you have a team of staff interested in scary escape rooms, or you’re looking for a more difficult team bonding challenge, browse our escape room guides for inspiration. And if you’re ready to get the ball rolling on some unique Christmas party plans, check out our selection of masterfully curated escape rooms perfect for larger groups, and get booking before another corporate party takes your slot!
Reach our friendly team today and book an escape room experience and we’ll get started on figuring out how we can help you host the best office Christmas for the ages.
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