Throwing a New Year’s Company Party? Make it a Success with These Tips

Want to ring in the new year with your colleagues? Whether you’re planning a mid-day office celebration before everyone heads home for the holiday or an all-out, all-night new year’s bash for your company, make it an event to remember with these workplace celebration ideas and tips!

How to Plan a New Year’s Corporate Party

First things first, think about what purpose you want your new year’s party to have. Do you want a no-strings-attached celebration where colleagues can simply relax and enjoy non-work time together? Or do you want a corporate event geared toward team building and boosting employee morale? Different company cultures lend themselves to different types of parties, and you may have different needs from one team to another, too. Keep your main goal in mind as you plan, and be sure to ask for input from coworkers.

Whatever you’re planning, stay mindful of common corporate party planning mistakes, such as:

• Hosting an after-hours party at the office. No one wants to feel like they’re working on New Year’s Eve, so choose an off-site venue if you’re planning a party on December 31st.
• Not communicating clearly about the party. Send out invitations 3-4 weeks in advance (more if possible!) since many people’s calendars fill quickly during the holiday season. And be sure to include details like dress code, food and drink arrangements, and any pertinent activities (like a physically-inclined team building activity) so guests know what to expect.
• Not having an agenda or activities for the event. If you expect your coworkers to entertain themselves solely by standing around and talking to one another, your New Year’s office party may be short-lived. Consider planning a unique teambuilding activity, hosting party games or a trivia tournament, or even hiring a band or DJ to keep your guests engaged.

Ring in the New Year: Corporate Event Ideas

If you’re in charge of planning the New Year’s office party this year, try these corporate holiday party ideas for an event that’ll have everyone talking when you get back to the office.

Give your party a theme.

Some people think of a sparkly ball drop and glamorous attire for New Year’s Eve, but why not change it up completely? Choose a historical era, a country, or even a movie or TV show as your party theme — it can be completely unrelated to New Year’s! Encourage guests to dress up accordingly and go all out with food and decor that align with your aesthetic.

Treat everyone to lunch during the work day.

Want to keep things chill when you’re celebrating a new year at work? Have lunch catered the day before everyone is out of the office. Team members can enjoy a leisurely lunch while they reflect on the past year and look ahead to their career goals and New Year’s resolutions. This idea is even better if everyone can head home early to enjoy time with family.

Take a class together.

Instead of the usual get-together over food and drink, why not host a private cooking class or painting event for your team? Learning something new can offer a much-needed brain break from work, plus it’s a unique and memorable way to welcome the new year with your colleagues.

Host an awards ceremony.

You could go the traditional route and show appreciation to your employees with awards and gifts. Or, you could change things up and have employees nominate each other for silly awards, superlative style to keep the mood light and festive. Ask for nominations a few weeks in advance and have everyone vote at or before the party.

Throw a virtual event.

Is your team working remotely, or maybe scattered across the country? That doesn’t mean you have to skip a New Year’s celebration! Many activities can be adapted to a virtual format, like a video-led cheese or wine tasting or a virtual paint event.

Kicking Off the New Year at Work: Painting with a Twist Makes It Easy!

From ensuring your team members feel appreciated to starting the new year with high morale and excitement, event planning for your work team can be stressful. At Painting with a Twist, we can help take the load off your shoulders. You bring the food and drinks, and we’ll set up everything else for your employee team-building event. Your team can create art, bond, and get excited for the fiscal year ahead in a casual atmosphere. Book your team-building event at a Painting with a Twist studio near you for the ultimate New Year’s company outing!