We’ve all heard — or maybe lived — the stories of the company Christmas party gone wrong … the groping under the mistletoe, the reproducing of a naked butt on the office copier and, not so funny, the car crash or drunken driving citation on the way home.
Does the potential for these unsavory scenarios mean smart managers drop company-sponsored holiday celebrations altogether? It shouldn’t. There are plenty of fun and safe ways to thank the crew for a job well done throughout the year and wish them happy holidays, and there’s still time to pull it off before 2008 rolls in.
Unlike department stores and toy stores, the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day are generally not the busy season for portable sanitation companies. This provides a great opportunity for you to do something beyond just a basic party and really get into the spirit of the season. A well-executed holiday event can boost employee morale or benefit both the company and the community. Whether it’s holiday fun, seasonal marketing or both, here are some ideas you might want to try this year, or file away for a Christmas yet to come. The good will you build internally or in the community will last throughout the year.
Something different
To avoid the traditional office party where someone ends up wearing a lampshade on his head or spends the whole night annoyingly trying to get everyone with a pulse under the mistletoe, try one of these alternatives:
• Pile the gang onto a chartered bus, serve snacks-on-the-go and tour your city’s holiday light displays. Singing is optional.
• Another “on-the-go” option for a small group: a progressive dinner where the chartered bus or limo stops at one place for cocktails, another for an appetizer … a different place for each course of a meal.
• Everyone is extra busy after work this time of year, so consider having a lunch-time party rather than adding to employees’ jam-packed evening schedules. Go out to lunch or have it catered in. Either way it costs less than dinner, and the likelihood of uncontrolled drunkenness is diminished.
• Spruce up a truck and participate in your town’s holiday parade. Who wouldn’t get a kick out of an elf exiting a portable restroom? It’s great exposure (pardon the pun).
• Give your employees the opportunity to serve as bell-ringers for The Salvation Army or serve a meal at a homeless shelter (on company time, of course). Have them wear clean company uniforms or jackets.
• Make it a family affair. Decorate the office, plan games, put together some goodie bags, have someone dress up as Santa and invite employees and clients to bring their kids. Make it a weekend morning and have a “breakfast with Santa” party.
• Direct efforts toward giving, not partying. Many people give to charities during the holiday season. Make it a group effort by setting up an area in the office where they can donate food items for a local pantry or toys for the local “Toys for Tots” drive. Many communities have “adopt-a-family” opportunities you might consider. Deliver the presents as a group so everyone can get that “peace on earth, good will to all” feeling.
• Consider having a winter party in January when people have more time and rates may be cheaper. A family outing at an indoor water park may bring your crew out of the winter doldrums.
• If you have a small workforce with similar interest in a particular sports team or activity, buy a block of tickets at a sporting event, dinner theater or comedy club. Make it an active outing at a ski resort or bowling center, or wait until spring and have a golf outing or leisurely party cruise on a local waterway.
• Include customers as well as employees in the fun by having a holiday “open house” with snacks, music, holiday decorations and a raffle.
Improving the traditional
If you do plan on having a traditional holiday party, keep these “don’ts” in mind:
• Don’t charge employees to come to the company party; and don’t make it a job requirement. Forced fun is no fun.
• Don’t hold the party 100 miles in the opposite direction from where most employees live just to save a few bucks on the food.
• Don’t have the party after hours, unless spouses are invited too, and be considerate of those who have to find childcare in order to attend.
• Provide alcohol only if you also provide safe transportation home. And make sure non-alcoholic drinks are available too. Remember, if an employee causes a crash while driving home intoxicated from the company party, you could be held liable. Limit alcohol consumption, provide employees with a ride home or set up a designated-driver car pool.
Ban the mistletoe
If you’re not sure what to do this year, solicit opinions from several staff members when planning a holiday gathering in order to avoid an uncomfortable event that no one enjoys. They might come up with great ideas you never considered. And don’t be angry if they dismiss an idea of yours, or confess that last year’s party was a dud. Ask why and shoot for a better party this year.
And for safety sake, ban all mistletoe and lock up the copier.
