If you’re in charge of planning your company’s office party, whether it’s a holiday party, team-building event, or corporate meeting, you know that the details matter. And you’ll be under pressure for time, task management, and event coordination – hoping you execute and deliver flawlessly. But event planning is challenging. And there are so many moving parts to the office party planning process it can be overwhelming. To provide some clarity, we are sharing some of the most common planning mistakes to avoid. Be sure you’re not taking any of these missteps, and your office party will be phenomenal!
1. Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
Event planning, as the term pimples, requires pre-planning. This means don’t wait until the last minute to start trying to coordinate your company event or office party. Venues, entertainers, caterers, and other event services book their services months and even years in advance, depending on the event. You’ll want to be planning your summer outings over the preceding winter months. And those year-end holiday parties should start coming together over the previous summer, if not before. Waiting too long to get started with your planning means you’ll struggle to book vendors and likely run short on time.
2. Not Using an Office Party Planning Checklist
Planning your office party is going to require detail-oriented management and oversight of all kinds of tasks. Don’t make the mistake of trying to execute any event without creating and working through a comprehensive checklist. Here are just a few responsibilities to add to yours.
- Set the date.
- Book the venue.
- Find the caterer.
- Select party themes.
- Develop invite lists.
- Coordinate entertainment or speakers.
- Manage swag or prizes.
- Create event games or activities.
- Choose designs and decor.
3. Booking Office Party Vendors Without Meeting or Sampling
It would be a huge event planning mistake to book any of your office party vendors without meeting with them. Don’t book the NYC venue without taking a tour of it yourself. Meet with the staff and ask questions about services and staff offerings. Meet with your caterers and sample some of the menu items you plan to serve. And connect with your entertainment, including bands, DJs, or keynote speakers, to discuss expectations and event day deliverables.
4. Corporate Event Planning Without Clear Goals
You might be hosting an office party because you want your teams to just have a little fun. But there have to be goals driving every event planning decision. Otherwise, you’ll be throwing a party blindly. Any corporate event planning effort should start with goals. These might include:
- Connecting remote teams
- Team-building dynamics
- Boost company culture
- Launch new products or services
- Award or reward employees
- Impress clients or guests
- Land new clients
- Form strategic relationships
5. Forgetting the Little Office Party Details
Once you’ve booked all the office party vendors and coordinated the basics, don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re done planning. In fact, there are tons of event details to still oversee and manage. Don’t let a small detail oversight wreck your company party. Here are a few event aesthetics not to overlook:
- Additional seating
- Bathroom availability
- Transportation or mapping
- Vendor meals
- Floral arrangements
- Coffee services
- Weather contingencies
- Dessert and snack offerings
- Device charging capabilities
6. Not Working with a Corporate Event Planner
The biggest planning mistake you can make when it comes to your company office party is not hiring a professional. Bring in our brilliant corporate event planning team to handle all of your office party planning! We have decades of experience with global brands and small businesses, curating memorable events of all sizes and themes. We can handle every nuance and detail, certain to avoid all these common mistakes. Make your company party an overwhelming success, and contact EMRG Media!
