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Office Holiday Party Planning Checklist

Medium 24 items · 6 weeks
testuser's avatar
testuser Published 14 hours ago
Lifestyle

If you have been handed the end-of-year party at work, start in October. Restaurants and event rooms take December bookings months ahead, and the evenings in the middle of the month go first.

Most of the work is in the details people notice when they are missing: a dish for the colleague who eats halal or keeps kosher, a drink that is not alcohol and not just water, a way home after the last train, a step-free entrance. Ask about dietary needs when you send the save-the-date, not a week before.

Consider a lunch during working hours. Parents, carers and people with long commutes can come to that, and it usually costs less than an evening at a venue.

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  1. Agree the budget and who signs off on spending
  2. Decide on a lunch or an evening, on site or at a venue — A daytime party lets people with caring duties or long commutes come.
  3. Pick a date that avoids the religious holidays your team observes — Also avoid the last few days before the break, when many people are already on leave.
  4. Decide whether partners and plus-ones are invited
  5. Book the venue or caterer
  6. Check the venue has step-free access and an accessible restroom
  7. Ask what the venue's cancellation terms and final-numbers deadline are
  8. Send a save-the-date with a short form for dietary needs
  9. Plan how remote staff can take part — Give them a stipend to meet up locally, send them a snack box, or hold a short video call before the main event.
  10. Order food that covers every diet on the form — Label each dish for nuts, gluten and meat.
  11. Order non-alcoholic drinks as good as the alcoholic ones
  12. Set a limit on the bar — Drink tickets, or a bar that closes an hour before the party ends, are common ways to do it.
  13. Arrange a way home for everyone — Taxi or rideshare codes, or a list of the last trains and buses near the venue.
  14. Plan one optional activity, such as a quiz or a gift swap
  15. Set a price cap for the gift swap
  16. Ask a leader to give a thank-you speech of five minutes or less
  17. Remind everyone that the usual workplace conduct policy applies — A work party is still a work event. One friendly line in the invite is enough.
  18. Arrange cover for anyone who has to keep working that day
  19. Send the final details a week before — Time, address, dress code and how people get home.
  20. Confirm final numbers with the venue or caterer
  21. Ask one or two people to greet guests and keep the timings
  22. Ask before posting photos of colleagues online
  23. Send a thank-you and a two-question feedback form the next day
  24. Pay the invoices and write down what it actually cost, for next year
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