End-of-year party planning is already well underway. At Mana, we've got lots of events planned for the end of the year, including simultaneous events in Montpellier and our beautiful capital, Paris. We're working on cloning the teams, so we'll keep you posted on social networks on how it goes ;)
As for you, whether you've chosen to work with an event management agency to organize your end-of-year event, we've decided to give you a helping hand by offering you our 3 tips to make your event a success.
1/ Organize a participative & inclusive event
Your event shouldn't be organized to please the organizer, but to suit the tastes of your employees. And you're in the best position to do this, because you know your employees better than anyone. You see them on a daily basis, you've already experienced events, so you know what they like, what they don't like, whether they prefer "show" events or fun, participative events, and so on...
If you're not sure, don't hesitate to ask them. You can organize a survey within your company. You'll then be able to find out more about your audience's expectations for this end-of-year event, or on the contrary, what they don't want. It can also be a great idea if you've only recently joined the company, to get to know the employees a little better, better respond to their wishes and, above all, find out more about what has already been achieved at past events.
We're betting that by asking for their opinions, you'll increase their commitment and enthusiasm, and therefore the attendance rate at your event. We often underestimate the importance of employee empowerment (here's a great article on the subject). You're putting your employees in the driving seat for their end-of-year event.
This can be applied to all your other event formats, and even to generate new ideas for your internal communications, thanks to an idea box (tangible or intangible, via an intranet or a private Facebook group).
2/ Plan your theme and implement it with a complete set design
The advantage of having a theme for your event is that it brings people together even before the alcohol comes into play.
We've organized events with a wide variety of themes, and every time we've seen it: an evening theme brings people together!
The theme can be linked to an era (30s Gatsby, 90s, etc...), a geographical area (jungle party, round-the-world party, Creole party, etc...), a color (white party, fluorescent party, etc...), etc....
In all cases, it's important to fully express the theme, so that every detail and every element of your event reflects it. This will enable your staff to grasp the theme at a glance and create an impactful, memorable event.
From experience, we can tell you that we're still hearing about the most successful theme parties in the corridors of our customers' homes nearly 10 years after they were organized!
Let's take a look at the list of things we can do for your event, which can be adapted to suit your theme: decoration of course, choice of venue, musical entertainment, catered buffet, staff outfits, guest dress code, accessories, etc...
If your event is already well underway, and you haven't been able to do everything, there's still time to add a few small accessories or communication aids, such as a Welcome sign or menus with graphics that reflect your theme.
3/ Create a bond between your employees
You're organizing this end-of-year event with a specific aim in mind: to create a bond, to strengthen team cohesion, and to make employees feel closer to one another. We have this objective in mind when we plan the event, but sometimes we forget it as we go along.
So let's give it a try. Even if you're only 7 days away from your event, there's still time to take a step back. This is your chance to take stock of your day or evening (depending on the event format you've chosen). Ask yourself the right questions: have I left enough room for free exchange between participants? An overloaded schedule and an overabundance of proposed activities can sometimes get in the way and prevent exchanges.
On the other hand, have I planned events or highlights to create pretexts for exchanges? Particularly in the case of employees who have recently joined the company, events are necessary to provoke conversation and forge links.
For example, if you have a high staff turnover or many new employees at the end of the year, it may be a good idea to organize an ice-breaking event.
Also known as Ice Breaking, this activity enables employees to get to know each other better and quickly puts participants at ease to ensure a more festive moment.
We hope you've enjoyed these tips, and that they'll prove useful to you. And if you need any help in organizing future events, we'll be happy to assist you.
We also offer free diagnostic appointments to help you take stock of the events component of your external and internal communications strategy.
To make an appointment, send us a short email with your contact details so that we can arrange a time to meet.
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