Making Your Office Halloween Party a Treat – No Trick!
Halloween is highly anticipated not only by kids these days, but also those of us who embrace our inner child. When it lands on a weekday, many workplaces celebrate by providing candy and decorations, allowing their employees to dress up in costume, and throwing an office party. It’s a small price to pay for improved employee morale, allowing busy staff a much-needed break from the daily grind and an opportunity socialize with coworkers. This camaraderie allows employees to have fun and leads to long-term improvements in performance and productivity while fostering a more positive outlook toward the workplace. We’ve got some tips to help you ensure your office Halloween celebration is a success, no matter how big or little.
Halloween’s Increasing Popularity
Allowing employees to dress up in costumes for Halloween is a growing trend among American businesses. A recent Human Resource Management Benefits survey indicates more than one-third of employers offer Halloween celebrations and festivities in the workplace. The majority believe the small expenditure is well worth the increase in employee morale.
In order to make your office Halloween festivities a success, consider implementing the following strategies:
- Come up with a theme. It can be spooky, playful, or pop culture-related. Think Disney characters, movie stars, the Wild West, etc.
- Let your employees take part in the planning.
- Send out a company-wide reminder letting employees know what time the party will be held and how to prepare beforehand.
- Let staff know whether they need to bring in treats, or whether the company will provide food, candy, and beverages.
- Have a few extra costumes or masks available in case somebody forgets to dress up or shows up wearing inappropriate attire. Speaking of…
- Establish costume guidelines so nobody shows up wearing inappropriate attire.
- Hold the event during office hours so everybody can participate, and nobody feels obligated to stay later than normal. Otherwise, any morale boost the party provides may be offset by disgruntlement overstaying beyond normal working hours.
There is a chance that some employees might object to Halloween celebrations based on religious or personal reasons. Respect these people’s beliefs and offer then an alternative, perhaps a chance to work from home for the day of an offsite lunch celebration in order to keep them included.