Team Building Event: When Should My Business Host its Christmas Party?

Posted by Jake Mandel on Oct, 24, 2019

One of the most common questions that companies run into when planning their corporate team building holiday event is when to host it. Should it be a lunchtime party? Should you host it on the weekend? In the evening? How close to Christmas should it be held? Can you host it after the holidays are over?

While there is no answer that will suit every company, there are some things you may want to consider when choosing the date. Teambonders has answered the two most common questions here.

Off-season or in-season?

The first thing you’ll want to think about is whether it will be held during the holidays, or in the off-season. While the great thing about hosting a party during the holidays is that everyone is in the festive spirit, it can also be a busy time - both personally and professionally.

Instead, consider having your party in the off-season before everyone’s schedule is filled with family obligations, shopping and celebrations with friends.

You could even go as far as turning your holiday party into an employee appreciation event, hosting it in October, November or later in the New Year. This will give you more venue options and allow you to save on event costs, such as catering and décor.

If you go this way, ensure to build excitement and host a standout event so that it becomes an important tradition for your employees to look forward to.

Work hours or after hours?

When it comes to the time of day, having your party during work hours can be a convenient option for staff as it doesn’t take away from their personal time. The problem is, some employees may find it difficult to enjoy if they feel like they should be working.

Some frontline staff may feel like they have to answer the phones and help customers rather than attend the event, while other workers may struggle between staying at the event or getting back to their desk and finishing their work for the day.

The other option would be to host the event after hours - either in the evening or on the weekend. This is a great way to ensure that everyone who wants to be involved can be and that their focus is on enjoying themselves, but it can also come with higher costs.

To help minimize the costs associated with an after-hours party, consider celebrating midweek instead of on a Friday night or over the weekend.

Are you in the middle of planning your Christmas team building event, but don’t know where to start? Contact Teambonders today, we would be more than happy to help with any questions you may have.

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Tags: Team Building