A corporate holiday is not only a way to strengthen the team spirit in the organization. It is also an excellent mechanism for creating a positive image of any company.
What is a corporate holiday for?
Well-known managers claim that in order to form an effective team, as well as a friendly atmosphere in the team, people should not only work together, but also relax. A corporate holiday is one of the best ways to achieve cohesion in a working group, as well as a welcoming atmosphere.
Despite the fact that the holiday is an entertaining event, the authorities will have to show diplomacy in order to interest subordinates. It is important that participation in this event is desirable, and not be coercive, because then, the main goal is unlikely to be achieved. If everything is done properly, then the corporate party will be able to become a mechanism for the formation of an efficiently working team.
A corporate holiday is also needed in order to resolve interpersonal conflicts in the team. With the right approach to organizing such events, you can solve many working moments, and therefore it can be said that well-planned entertainment can be the key to the success of the organization.
How to plan an event
Carrying out corporate events is not such a simple task as it might seem at first glance. This process requires careful planning, namely the detailed development of the following points:
- all solemn dates that will be accompanied by corporate celebrations should be determined a year in advance (this may be the anniversary of the company, New Year, March 8, as well as other public holidays or important dates for the organization itself);
- determination of the circle of guests of the event (this may be the working team as a whole, senior management, clients of the organization, as well as a general celebration);
- determination of the size of the budget, which should include not only organizational expenses, but also corporate gifts or bonuses for employees.
Each leader knows that without a detailed plan it is impossible to achieve success in work. This approach should also find its application in the organization of celebrations for employees of the company.
Secrets of a successful corporate party
Formation of corporate culture is simply not possible without a collective celebration of solemn dates. In order for the event to be successful and achieve its goal, it is worth following a number of recommendations regarding its organization and conduct:
- Carefully approach the venue for the celebration. It is important that the room is spacious enough and well ventilated so that guests feel comfortable. In addition, it is better to choose a cafe, restaurant, banquet hall, boarding house or other. But to spend a holiday within the office is only if it relates directly to the organization.
- In order for the celebration to pass as if by notes, it is necessary to appoint a manager who will be responsible for the organization. This may be an employee of the company or a person involved from outside (it is best to use the services of a special agency).
- Even the most eventful holiday will be sluggish and boring without a good menu. Dishes should be satisfying enough so that guests are not hungry, but also light enough so that the mood does not disappear. We must proceed from the fact that a person should have at least a kilogram of food. But about alcohol it is worth knowing the measure.
- In order to make the atmosphere truly festive, it is important to take care of the decoration of the room. To raise the corporate spirit, you can involve a work team in this process.
- Since parties are organized in honor of a holiday, it will be appropriate to give employees corporate gifts. Their cost should vary, depending on how significant and solemn the event is. It’s better to give something practical, rather than just trinkets with branding. If the authorities have doubts, it is better to do with a cash bonus.
- Be sure to develop a corporate party scenario so that guests do not have to be bored for a minute. It can be both official and entertaining.
- It’s quite difficult for the boss to assume the responsibilities of the leader, because it is important for him to be part of the team. That is why it is better to hire a professional for the celebration. This can be a well-known person (if the budget allows), or maybe a toastmaster from an agency.
- It is better to plan a corporate party so that after it falls off.
To organize a good corporate party is not an easy task. There are many subtleties and secrets, without which this event will turn into a regular buffet table.
Opportunities for saving budget
Organization of corporate holidays is a rather costly process, and therefore, every boss is looking for opportunities to save. This is possible on the following points:
- decorating the premises is a fairly simple task that employees can take upon themselves (in addition, this is an additional contribution to strengthening the team spirit);
- the leader - it is not at all necessary to invite a famous person (sometimes novice actors can spend a holiday no worse than professionals);
- do not print special invitation cards - you can create a newsletter for employees via SMS or e-mail;
- Do not hire a professional photographer - pictures taken on your own will be more lively and interesting;
- to save on musicians or a DJ, download a good selection of songs from the Internet;
- come up with a holiday scenario yourself or announce a competition among employees.
Despite the fact that you can save on some points in organizing a corporate party, it is important not to overdo it here.
What can not be saved
Corporate events, holidays and everything related to corporate culture should be organized at the highest level. To achieve this goal, in no case do not save on the following points:
- the kitchen is one of the most costly moments, but cutting costs here is simply impossible (the products must be tasty, and most importantly - quality and in sufficient quantities);
- premises - a banquet hall or a restaurant should be spacious, as well as located in an area with good transport interchange;
- sound equipment - music, as well as the speech of the presenter should be clean and intelligible;
- gifts or bonuses - employees should feel the care of the company.
Corporate Event Goals
Organization and holding of a corporate holiday is not only an occasion for fun and relaxation. This process has specific goals that contribute to the improvement of the enterprise:
- the formation of a corporate culture, as well as the image of the enterprise (a close-knit team is being built that responds with dedication and hard work to the care and attention of the management);
- creating a favorable psychological atmosphere in the team (during such events, conflicts can be smoothed out, as well as friendly relations between employees);
- staff motivation (a corporate party becomes a kind of reward for diligent work, as well as an incentive for further achievements).
You must certainly remember these three components, thinking over the course of the event, otherwise the corporate party will be nothing more than an ordinary banquet.
Types of corporate events
Corporate events are of two main types:
- Entertaining - carry the function of removing emotional and physical stress, which allows you to escape from thoughts about work. So, for example, the end of any large-scale project can be marked by such holidays. Also, we can talk about such beloved holidays as the New Year, March 8 and so on. There is only space for entertainment. Not a word should be said about the work. It is enough to organize a good menu and invite artists.
- Aimed at strengthening ties in the team and establishing a corporate culture. Here, the elements of corporate culture — stylistics, logos, and so on — must pass as a red thread. It is important to maintain a balance between the official and entertainment parts. Such events include the anniversary of the company, as well as other dates that are significant for a particular company.
Corporate Event Ideas
A corporate event can be held in the following form:
- Banquet - this is perhaps the most common form of corporate events. It is understood that all guests take a seat at the table, and the host dilutes the atmosphere. The main emphasis here is on the kitchen.
- Departure out of town - such corporate events are characterized by a more informal atmosphere and are simply ideal for building a team spirit.
- A family corporate party is a format in which not only employees of the company are present at the celebration, but also their relatives.
- A conceptual corporate event implies the presence of a certain idea, on the basis of which the whole event is built. It can be a fabulous script or a festive theme.
- The show and concert program involves the involvement of artists in the event. This can be a great option to reward employees for their work.
- The competitive program is a good option for holidays such as the New Year and the like. Gifts will be an excellent motivator for guests to participate in a script developed by the host.
- Presentation is an option that is ideal for celebrating dates associated with the work of the enterprise, for example, it may be the anniversary of the company. Similarly, the end of the reporting year can be noted. In this case, the presenter for the anniversary should organize the holiday in such a way as to remember all the stages of development of the enterprise.
- Sports competitions will be an excellent mechanism for the formation of team spirit. It will be quite interesting if the competition takes place between different departments or even completely different companies.
How to choose a presenter for the anniversary of the organization
The leader is the soul of any event. The success of the holiday will largely depend on the correctness of this choice. So, the leader on the anniversary of the company must meet the following characteristics:
- a bright personality who can infect everyone present with his excitement and enthusiasm;
- expressed acting abilities that allow the presenter to get used to any role, depending on the concept of the event;
- personal charisma, which will ensure the friendly attitude of the guests of the event;
- well-established competent speech, a rich vocabulary, as well as the ability to improvise in the event of an unexpected deviation from the script;
- musicality and sense of rhythm;
- a sense of tact and following the rules of etiquette, which will avoid uncomfortable and conflict situations.
It is important to remember that the leader is the soul of any event. It is from his work that the general impression of the corporate party and the success in achieving the goals depend.
Corporate New Year
The New Year is one of the most important and beloved holidays, and therefore, special attention should be paid to it in the corporate culture. If for any person this date symbolizes the beginning of a new life period, then for the enterprise it is time to take stock, which should become the main theme of the corporate party.
The holiday should consist of official and entertaining parts. The first is a description of the company's achievements over the past year. This information can be expressed both in abstract categories and in specific numbers and diagrams. The names of the best employees may also be spoken here with their subsequent rewarding. The official part of the announcement of plans for the next period completes.
As for the entertainment part, a celebratory buffet reception, as well as a show program, must certainly be organized here. Guests can perform both spectators and participants in this concert. The design of the premises should include elements of corporate culture - corporate colors, logos, slogans, etc., which causes associations with the enterprise.
Since it is customary to make gifts for the New Year, this item should also be included in the celebration program. Despite the fact that many company employees prefer to receive a cash bonus, everyone will be pleased to hold gift wrapping in their hands. It can be a branded souvenir, cosmetics, household accessories or decor items. It is important that all gifts are of equal value.
Conclusion
Corporate holidays are an integral part of organizational culture. They perform several roles at once. At such an event, you can relax and take a break from hard work. Many problems related to tension and an unfavorable psychological climate in the team can also be solved . And of course, such holidays form a corporate culture and create a positive image of the enterprise both in the eyes of its employees and from the point of view of customers. In order to achieve your goals, it is important to draw up a detailed plan of the event, as well as identify those responsible for its implementation. In addition, it is important to take into account the opinions and wishes of the employees themselves, because they are the main characters of the holiday.