How to Plan a Fun Social Event For Your Workmates

How to Plan a Fun Social Event For Your Workmates

When you’re used to seeing your coworkers inside of a traditional office setting, pre-planned social events are lively and exciting!

Whether it’s an autumn-inspired potluck at a local park or a holiday cookie decorating party, there are so many options for fun social events with your workmates. They’ll inspire team bonding and help you get to know each other on a more personal level. 

If you’re wondering how to plan a social event and have absolutely no idea where to begin, no need to fear! We’ve put together our top party-planning ideas and social event checklist and are here to help. 

Bring something to jot down notes, a good cup of coffee and let’s dive in!

Ask For Help

One of the most crucial parts of a social event checklist is to ask for help. Unless you have a vision of planning the event solo (which is a ton of work!) you’ll want to rally some of your work pals and get them involved in the event planning process. Collaboration is a great idea when it comes to events, as it makes the process run smoothly and makes the end result even sweeter. Chances are, in a work environment, you and your coworkers each have a unique skill set. The graphic designer will be good at making the email invite. The marketing manager will be good at spreading the word and sending it out. And the content manager will be organized and able to track the RSVPs. Whatever type of team you’re working with, divide the tasks and work together to create something beautiful. 

Find The Location

When you’re figuring out how to plan a social event or gathering, one of the most important parts is to nail down your venue. If you’re working within a budget, reach out to your workmates first. Perhaps they have a home where they’d be happy to host or a big backyard that would be perfect for a sunny outdoor event. They might know of a park down the street or a beach with access to bathrooms, fire pits, and barbecues. After you ask around, you can also reach out to local establishments. There might be restaurants or venues willing to work with other local businesses for a good price and the promise of promotion. See if your location allows food to be brought in or if you must work with a list of pre-approved catering companies. After your location is set, the fun part truly begins!

Plan The Food

Food is a central component of all parties, and it’s one of the first things to think about if you’re wondering how to plan a social event. Take out a piece of paper or jot notes on your phone and ask yourself what kind of event you’re eager to throw. Is it a more casual event where guests are up and mingling? Maybe tray passed appetizers and a buffet is the style you’re going for. If it’s a fancier event where guests are encouraged to dress in formal attire, a sit-down dinner might be your best bet. Once you fine-tune your theme, you can work to customize a menu that will make your guests swoon. Just remember — dessert is always a good idea.

Think of Activities 

Unless you’re hosting a mellow dinner party where activities might seem out of place, activities are a fun way to get guests involved and excited. They can be simple, like working together to build a bonfire at a summer barbecue — or more complex, like a pre-planned trivia night. A photo booth with props is always loved by guests and a craft table is a good option if coworkers have kids they’ll be bringing along. If you want to encourage games but more casually, you can go the route of leaving decks of cards at the tables for folks to pick up and play as they please. If you’re hosting a large corporate mixer where the staff doesn’t all know each other, an ice breaker game is a perfect way to warm things up and boost morale. Human bingo is an exceptionally good way to get the laughs flowing! Use characteristics of your coworkers in the bingo grid — things like sits closest to the coffee maker or sang Madonna at the Christmas party. You can use more personal characteristics, too, to help coworkers learn about one another — has a dog named Spot or is a landscape photographer. Activities offer the chance for a crowd to get engaged and to bond with each other as a group. 

Get a Little Creative

The main ingredients to include on your social event checklist are food, location, activities and building your team. But the real invigorating part comes when you find the freedom to get a little creative! Branching out of typical parties and into the realm of the more creative tends to be widely appreciated. If you’re looking to spice things up, consider going the extra mile and planning something a little more extravagant. This could be a cooking competition, a bar crawl, an escape room adventure or a breakfast party. Maybe you’re interested in throwing an annual holiday cookie decorating party or creating a virtual gift exchange. Social events give colleagues a reason to come together and celebrate outside of the work environment. It’s a chance to get to know one another and to look forward to fun events and activities throughout the year. Have fun with it! If you do, so will your work pals. 

If you’re still wondering how to plan a social event and need some additional help, contact us today. We’re a family-owned organic catering and event design team with a focus on all things seasonal.

Whether it’s fun Friday lunch catering for the office or an intimate private event, we’re excited to share the table with you. We’ll work together to customize your menu and fine-tune your already amazing creative vision!

From all of us at Eco Caters, thanks for reading. We look forward to working together soon!

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