While it may be tempting to organise an end of year celebration that is just about drinking and dancing the night away, that approach may disconnect rather than engage your people.
End of year events are definitely about celebration and letting one’s hair down, but a well-crafted event that connects staff to company culture, values and achievements makes the event experience more meaningful and can improve staff morale significantly.
So how do you transform an end of year celebration from a run of the mill, fuzzy feel good event to an immersive experience that creates emotional and impactful connections for your people and your company?
1. MATCH THE COMPANY CULTURE TO THE PARTY EXPERIENCE
End of year events are about thanking people in a meaningful way and giving them the opportunity to relax and feel appreciated. Demonstrating this through an event that reflects the company culture and demographics of the staff will make that appreciation more meaningful and have lasting impact.
If your company ethos is about agility and energy, a busy and tactile experience with lots of activities and action will engage. Creative companies love being surprised with unusual venues or left-field entertainment choices. Or a more traditional, corporate culture would connect beautifully with a five-star sit down meal and impressive after-dinner entertainment.
2. CONNECTING PEOPLE THROUGH FUN
It’s amazing to see people’s personalities transform when they feel carefree and connect with their inner child. We are seeing a huge trend towards event experiences that make partygoers feel like they are a kid again! Think ball pits and oversized retro games. Or feasting on ice creams and fairy floss surrounded by giant ice blocks and rock candy! Humanising the event experience is the key to connecting with your people. It’s all very Insta-worthy too!
3. FOLLOW THE 80-20 RULE
The best thing about organisations is they are made up of a diverse group of people with varying interests, backgrounds and skills. Because of that, you should never take a cookie-cutter approach to events. Work off the 80-20 rule. There will always be 20% of people that may not love all the things you have created and organised, so cater for the masses – the remaining 80% – but then also create some chill out zones or other areas and activities that allows that 20% to still feel valued and appreciated, just in a different or more subtle way.
The key is connection. By connecting the event experience to the company culture, you’ll connect your people to their emotions, which in turn connects an increase in staff morale to overall improved business performance.
Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?
We use immersive experiences to affect meaningful change in the hearts and minds of your audience. Our role is to architect an atmosphere that transforms your message into a movement. See what we have done for some of our clients.
