6 Ways to Throw a Company Party Without Exceeding Your Budget

Everyone loves a great company party. Often, these bashes help create a sense of team spirit and let co-workers get to know each other a little better. Since the goal is to reward your staff without breaking the bank, take a look at these six tips for throwing a memorable party within your budget.

Rethink Food

Food is one of the biggest line items in the office party budget. Instead of hiring an expensive catering company, ask employees to bring one dish to share for a potluck. Perhaps the company can provide the meat and staff members can bring either a side dish or dessert. This way, there’s a nice ‘treat’ (the meat!), but it’s far more affordable for the company than buying an entire meal.

Another option is to provide light finger food. Rather than buying an entire meal, the company springs for hors d’oeuvres and desserts in sample sizes. This is another good way to contain the cost of food.

Reimagine the Venue

While it’s nice to have an event off-site, consider having the party at the office after business hours. This saves you the cost of renting a facility. Invest a small amount in nice decorations, lower the lights, and you can set a nice mood in the office. This also makes it easier for more people to attend because the party can begin shortly after the work day wraps up.

Rework the Drink Menu

At some companies, the holiday party is synonymous with free flowing liquor at the open bar. The tab for booze runs up quickly with this kind of set-up, easily totaling thousands of dollars, depending on the size of your staff. Doing away with alcohol altogether can be a good way to save money. If you do have the party on site and serve alcohol, check with your legal team about liability and regulations about who and where you can serve drinks.

If you do offer adult beverages, save a few bucks by serving only one or two kinds of wine that you can buy in bulk. Be sure to keep an eye on how much alcohol people consume, and watch for illegal drug use at the party. Because there’s a link between conformity and drugs, it’s possible one or more of your employees will indulge in illegal drugs in this kind of social situation. Anyone who becomes impaired needs a ride home, and you may want to factor that consideration into your budget as well.

Tighten the Guest List

While it’s great to invite spouses and significant others, that extra bit of generosity essentially doubles the number of people you’re entertaining and feeding. There’s nothing wrong with a guest list that exclusively includes employees, but timing is key. If you’re planning a Saturday night gathering, it’s hard to justify excluding spouses and guests. Aim to have the party during business hours or immediately after closing if you want to include just the staff. Be sure to invite interns and part-time employees because they’re important members of your team, too.

Creative Entertainment

Think you need a 70’s tribute band to create a rocking party? Opt instead for a DJ who can spin fun tunes during the party. Or, hire some student from a local college to draw caricatures. Recruit a local drama troupe to dress in costume and mingle at the party to promote an upcoming production. Set up a photo booth with fun disguises employees can use before taking some digital photos of themselves. Have them printed off and ready to hand out at work the next day.

Turn it Upside Down

Throw convention out the window. If you have a holiday party, move it to January when renting venues will be more affordable and people aren’t so busy. Or, forget having a party altogether and give the staff an afternoon off with pay so they can go holiday shopping. This option may prove even more popular than having a party, especially if you take the money you would’ve spent on it and give everyone a $20 Visa gift card for shopping.

Celebrating an occasion? Share some of the ways you plan to make your company’s next party thrifty but nifty.

Images via Flickr by mor gnar… Flickr by jonanamary and Image via Flickr by Clintus McGintus