Spice It Up - Office Party Ideas

Office parties sometimes have a bad rep... the stale environment, awkwardly hanging out with people you see for eight hours each day, and bad catered food. Don’t let this happen at your next office party! Follow these tips below to make your next office get-together one that you’ll be talking about for months to come.

Office party ideas - Office Olympics
Looking for some fun events to incorporate into your next office party? Take some inspiration from the TV show The Office and create your own “Office Olympics.” The company I work for, Affordable Style, sells fashionable items like scarves, sunglasses, and handbags, so we made games out of them. We created the “Over-Under Handbag Toss,” where the team over-under passed a handbag to see who could complete the line-up the quickest, and “Dizzy Dress-Up,” where a team member was spun in a chair, then had to dress up a lucky team member in our products. The games were fun and had a team-building exercise built in.

Don’t forget your winners, as the pic above shows, they love medals! Or alternatively...there are even sites online where you can purchase a custom koozie or other products with your company logo or picture so that everyone can enjoy a nice prize!

Office party ideas - Pitch-in Dinner
Rather than have boring catered food that will set you back a pretty penny, get your office involved for a pitch-in. You’d be surprised by how many chefs are in your office, and people love bonding over food. Create a sign-up sheet two weeks before your event, and set a certain amount of entrees, side dishes, drinks, and desserts to keep your party balanced. Make it interesting by awarding a prize to the best dessert. For some added flair, create a theme. Decorate and have your employees bring in foods from certain nationalities, food types (vegetarian vs. meat-eaters), and such.

Office party ideas - Have a Picnic
If you’re looking for a change of scenery, take the party outside! Many outdoor parks have shelters you can rent for a low cost, or even free, and they make the perfect party location. Bring back the pitch-in dinner, or bring a grill for a barbecue, and let your employees act like kids again on the playground equipment and horseshoe games.

Office party ideas - Provide a Photobooth
Photobooth photos at parties, weddings, and other get-togethers are definitely popular right now! If your budget doesn’t allow renting a photobooth, set up a computer with a webcam and an automatic timer for a cheap option. Provide a box of props and a blank background, and you’re all set! Host the images on a website like Flickr, and give your employees the option to print off their photos. They will love it!

Take these tips in consideration when you’re planning your next office get-together. Office parties can be fun if they’re planned accordingly.

Some things to keep in mind:

• Handicap Accessible: If you’re choosing an off-site location for your party, make sure it’s handicap accessible. Look for ramps vs. stairs and places that have elevators.
  
• Food preferences: Be nice to your vegetarian party goers and have plenty of meat-free options.
  
• Time: For employees with children, give them enough notice to find a babysitter. Also, keep the time of day in mind. Parties can go on into the night, but don’t let them start too late.
  

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