According to HR Dive, a Visier survey of 1,000 full-time U.S. employees found that two in three workers stopped or reduced their workplace event attendance in 2023. It’s not good news, considering that participation in non-work corporate events that build up on company culture share a link with employee satisfaction and better job performance.
So, if your Dallas/Fort Worth organization has seen more “not attending” responses to events, it could be because your company’s holiday office party ideas don’t align with employees’ needs and preferences. If so, there’s no better time than now to explore other options that are more attractive to employees than what your organization has in mind.
Our expert team at Total Events DFW has shared unique office party ideas and holiday party planning tips in this guide, so read on.
Incorporate Family Holiday Celebration Ideas
The same Visier study cited above found that one of the top reasons employees would pass up a holiday party is that they’d rather spend time with family and friends. A different study from the Pew Research Center also found that 73% of U.S. adults regard spending time with family as one of the “most important things” in their life.
So, why not consider office holiday party themes that involve family members? Here are some excellent examples.
Potluck With Best Family Recipes
Let employees shine with their cooking or baking talents by allowing them to whip up their most prized family recipe with their loved ones at home. Then, have them bring their concoction to the office holiday party, along with their household members.
Hosting a friendly cooking/baking competition can also spice things up. Then, award the family who brought the best-tasting recipe.
Favorite Holiday Movie Costume Party
From the Grinch to Elf to A Charlie Brown Christmas and even the more modern The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, there are loads of family-themed holiday films from which employees and their family members can dress up as characters. With screen, monitor, and projector rentals, you can make the movies available during the party so everyone can watch them together.
You should also consider hiring face painters, airbrush tattoo artists, and caricature artists. As professionals, they can make things more festive by using their skills and talents to elevate the movie-themed, family-centered corporate event.
Holiday Themed Games for All Ages
Let children be kids and adults be young at heart again by setting up yard and inflatable games as part of your holiday corporate event entertainment. For example, you can choose from:
- Inflatable obstacle courses, slides, and bounce houses
- Giant Jenga, cornhole, and Connect 4
- Miniature golf courses
Furnish the area with holiday-themed decor, such as snowflakes, snow (using snowmakers), and stars. If you’re holding an obstacle course or mini golf, have a holiday “treasure chest” waiting for the winners.
Turn Corporate Holiday Events Into Volunteering Opportunities
A 2023 Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) Survey revealed that over six in ten companies experienced increased employee volunteer participation. ACCP also cited an IBM study that found seven in 10 job seekers are likelier to apply for and accept a job offer from socially responsible companies.
All those statistics should tell you how giving employees more opportunities to volunteer can be a great way to engage and encourage them to stay. And what better time to do this than the “gift-giving” holiday season?
Here are some tips and ideas to help you get started.
Partner With an Event Planner
When turning a holiday office party into a volunteering opportunity, you or your event committee will have more on your plate. After all, you’d have to organize the party and plan for the volunteer work.
To simplify things for everyone, seek the help of a professional Dallas/Fort Worth event planner. The pros can provide everything you need to make the event enjoyable and memorable for attendees. With them taking care of the fun, you or your event committee can focus on planning the volunteering part.
Organize a Gift Drive
Incorporating a gift drive into your holiday office party can encourage attendance, especially from employees who wish to give back to the community. Many communities throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area always welcome donations, so check beforehand if they need anything specific. In most cases, though, non-profit organizations and charitable institutions accept the following:
- School supplies, including pencils, notebooks, crayons, markers, etc.
- Clothes, coats, sweaters, suits, slacks, and dresses
- Baby supplies, such as formulas, bottles, diapers, baby skincare products, and clothes
- Children’s toys
- Pet supplies, including leashes, pet food, cages, and toys
- Hygiene items, such as toothpaste, soaps, and shampoos
Make a list of the items employees and their families can bring to the event, and include a copy in the official invite.
Donate Corporate Event Proceeds to a Non-Profit
An alternative or addition to a gift drive is a monetary collection for donations. Employees who want to give back to the community but don’t have time to assemble in-kind donations can give money instead.
You can also charge a small amount for office party entertainment (e.g., film viewing, face painting, or airbrush tattooing). After the event, you can donate the proceeds to your organization’s chosen non-profit.
Secret Santa for Employees’ Chosen Non-Profit
Another great idea to turn office parties into volunteering opportunities is to have employees “exchange” gifts that they can donate to their favorite charity. In this case, employees will write their names and the names of their chosen non-profits. Their co-worker who gets their name will then “gift” them with the donation during the party.
Since more U.S. employees now want to volunteer, holding the Secret Santa with a twist during the office party can motivate them to attend.
Consider These Holiday Office Party Ideas
From family-centered holiday office party ideas to volunteering acts, these are some of the best ways to excite employees for your holiday corporate event. So, why not add as many of them to your office party plans?
Total Events DFW can help make your holiday office party a one-of-a-kind event that employees would love to attend. We’ll use our decades of event planning expertise and the experience we’ve garnered from elevating 2,000+ plus events in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to make yours just as outstanding and memorable.
Call us today so we can help you plan a successful holiday office party!