What Kind of Holiday Party Is Your Business Hosting This Year?

By Rieva Lesonsky

Is your small business planning to host a holiday party this year? I hope so, because workers who have put in long hours to keep your company growing deserve some recognition of their efforts. Here are some creative ways I’ve heard about small business owners using to keep costs down while still rewarding employees.

Switching it up. Many companies that traditionally held a party in the office, such as by hosting a luncheon, are turning to outside options after finding that restaurants and hotels, especially smaller ones, are hurting in this economy and more willing to deal. One company in this Chicago Tribune article actually saved by moving their party off-site this year.

Limiting or eliminating alcohol. This isn’t just a cost-saving move but can also be a smart one for legal reasons. Companies can be held liable if employees drink too much at a party, then drive and get involved in an accident. Another option is to provide just enough alcohol for a celebratory toast.

Thinking small. More businesses are switching to parties that feature just appetizers and cocktails instead of a full dinner or lunch. This saves considerably on costs without affecting employees’ enjoyment of the event. In fact, many people may appreciate smaller portions during the traditional holiday “weight-gain” season.

Keeping it short. Instead of hosting a big dinner event, more companies are hosting a luncheon either on or off-site and then giving staff the afternoon off to shop or spend time with family. Catering or restaurant costs for lunch is lower, and employees these days value the gift of time as much as they do a big party.

Save it for later. Some companies are beating the rush by hosting parties in the New Year instead of the pre-holiday rush. Again, smart move because everyone from caterers to hotels to restaurants typically sees a slowdown after New Year’s Day, so rates will likely drop. Plus employees may appreciate not having one more event to cram in during their busiest time of year.

How will you be celebrating this year?

Image by Flickr user Danny Norodo (Creative Commons)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 at 6:00 am and is filed under Small Business, small business, Workforce. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.


You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.