How To Plan Your Next Work Social

Your office social has to be amazing! Sad, mediocre parties with colleagues mingling half-heartedly are a thing of the past. Your colleagues should talk about the work socials and wait eagerly for the next one. The boss should fall in love with your ideas and consider you the next most exceptional party planner. However, while doing this, you should ensure you stay on the right side of the HR personnel. Often, the HR does shoot all ideas down and prefers a sober, mellow get together. Doing this helps tick all the Responsibility Areas in the HR handbook, but does nothing to help employees unwind and de-stress. It also does not help build camaraderie amongst colleagues. Sad and boring work socials tend to be forced upon people, and most just come to give their attendance for an hour before they leave for the night. You can prevent this from happening with a few of our tricks. It is not tedious planning a work social. It would be best if you had enthusiasm and some out-of-the-box ideas for employee engagement. 

Clue Hunt: Clue Hunt is a fantastic game that practically forces people to work in teams. People are divided into groups and are put into rooms with pre-assigned clues. The chosen teams have to race against time to save the treasure/ world/ princess/ or some apocalyptic goal. Clue Hunt is fabulous since it makes the time spent enjoyable; it allows people to work together and solve clues, increasing the facilitation of ideas amongst people. Many people who have participated in Clue Hunts have said that they enjoyed their time, felt involved, part of a team, and knew they had to accomplish the goal together to win. These are the values most companies want to instill in employees while making work seem fun. It also boosts morale, competition, and increases trust in teammates. 

Carnival: A carnival as your work social is an excellent way to let employees enjoy themselves. Jugglers, booths, musicians, fire breathers, and performers can liven up the event. Keep the food and drinks carnival-themed to get the most out of the idea. You could also serve a plated dinner where everyone has to be formally seated randomly according to their place settings. Doing this will encourage a melting pot of ideas, especially when senior executives are seated with middle and junior members. If you keep the dress code black tie, it gives everyone a reason to dress up and step out. 

Party Bus Rental: Party Bus Rental is actually one of the best work socials you can organize. Party buses make people feel glamorous while ensuring everyone is kept together throughout the night. 

These buses are very safe, they hit the hot spots in the city, and offer plush seating, lounge bars, big-screen TVs, and special lighting. The party bus rental in Denver is an excellent service to opt for. The service is superior with superb drivers and extremely safe. Work socials on a party bus help people roam about while creating a sense of team and camaraderie amongst colleagues. 

Themed Parties: Most offices have survived winter-themed parties during Christmas, but not many have done with the 1920s or a Great Gatsby party. You could plan a work social where everyone dresses up in a particular theme or according to an era like the 1930s or the 1970s. The 1960s were famous for the Beatles, so the party could be Beatles themed with their music, and foods from that time. You could also have a Gladiator themed party with men in togas and women in Grecian dresses. The food would be traditional Greek fare with a harp playing in the background. Themed parties can be made fun with the correct type of theme. 

The BBQ Social: Everyone loves a great barbecue. Chilled beers, no dress code, relaxed lounging, and great barbecued food is always a fantastic way to ease stress and declutter the mind. If you need to plan a de-stressing work social after a stressful year-end or project, a barbecue gathering might be just what everyone needs. Contact local butchers for healthy and juicy meats, have a formal catering service with chilled beers and finger foods and allow your employees to let their hair down and relax before taking on the next big assignment. Most employees meet daily but are always thinking about work. Organizing a barbecue will allow them to reconnect with each other and get more productive in the future. 

Annika Bansal
 

Annika "The Chick Geek" is the founder of AnnikaBansal.com. Small Business Sense shares small business ideas, tips and resources for independent Entrepreneurs and Small Business owners.