The Results Are In: How Would You Describe Your Company’s Holiday/Christmas Party?

In keeping with the holiday season, we recently polled our readers to ask how they would describe their company’s holiday/Christmas party, and with 31% of the votes, “It’s a good time, but nothing over the top.” was the number one answer. “We don’t have a party” was second with 22%, followed by “I’d rather all the money that paid for the party be given as a bonus” with 14%.

The rest of the results were as followed:

  • I feel obligated to attend. – 10%
  • It’s a blast! The highlight of the year! – 10%
  • So boring! – 4%
  • I’d rather all the money that paid for the party be given to charity. – 3%

Another 6% of respondents selected the “Other” option and offered their own thoughts on the topic, including:

  • It’s an extended lunch.
  • It’s usually a great event, but we will not be having one this year.
  • Potluck luncheon—no pressure to participate.
  • We have a nice lunch and company meeting. I’d hardly call it a party.
  • We have a “Friendsgiving” evening in November to free up December
  • Perfect balance, a great time, good food, good time to socialize.

Although the year is coming to an end, there’s still time to gather your team and spend some time together enjoying each other’s company and reflecting on the year. In a previous Refresh Leadership article, we highlighted a few “out of the ordinary” holiday party ideas, including:

For the In-Office Party
If you’re trying to keep the festivity costs down, keeping the party in the office and during regular working hours is the way to go. Consider having a progressive potluck luncheon where each department or area of the building hosts a course, such as appetizers, salads, main course, and desserts. Not only will this be extremely inexpensive, if not completely free, your employees will be able to move around and see how other teams are set up.

For the Family-Focused Business
Children give the holidays a whole new dimension of joy and excitement. Include your employees’ families in your celebration by renting a local movie theater and featuring a family-friendly, seasonal movie for everyone to enjoy. Offer free sodas and popcorn, and maybe even throw in a surprise visit from Santa.

For the Divided Workplace
Whether it’s due to distance, availability, or clashing personalities, sometimes a big group party just isn’t the best option. To help everyone still get in the holiday spirit and feel appreciated, provide each department or location with a budget to host their own small party. Not only will this build more team bonding, it will let each area celebrate in their own special way.

How did you celebrate your employees this year? Let us know in the comments section below!

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