Ah, the office holiday party. Some employees love the opportunity to celebrate—or view it as a chance to gather intel from coworkers and debrief on office politics. But for some workers, the year-end celebration can be a dreaded annual requirement. Perhaps you’re a remote employee who would rather get a gift card in lieu of an awkward virtual gathering, or maybe you’re just confused about how to dress for the occasion.
Holiday parties have slowly made a comeback since they were put on hold at the height of the pandemic, but they’ve also transformed in that time. Gone are the days of lavish, multimillion-dollar parties, especially amid ongoing layoffs in industries like tech. Many companies now have to navigate ringing in the holidays with far-flung employees—while those with strict return-to-office policies might be looking to curry favor with disgruntled employees.
Whatever you have planned, here are a few things to keep in mind as you put the final touches on your company’s holiday party this year:
Don’t treat the office holiday party like forced fun
Holiday parties and other social events in the workplace can be a valuable way to foster relationships or connect with coworkers you wouldn’t ordinarily encounter. “In an era of remote work when many workers are not getting as much face time, the holiday party can serve as a chance for teams to talk about life instead of work, find common ground, and build friendships,” writes workplace culture strategist Jennifer Moss.
But forced fun can also have the opposite effect, especially if morale is already low. Moss suggests that companies get a sense of how their workforce is feeling about year-end celebrations—or, at a minimum, make it clear that any holiday festivities are optional. “Issues arise when having fun with colleagues after work is implied or overtly expected,” she says. It can also be helpful to loop in employee resource groups to better accommodate neurodivergent employees in a holiday party setting, according to Moss.
Take employee morale into account
If your company is still reeling from layoffs or employees are concerned about economic uncertainty, you might feel inclined to forgo an office holiday party—or at least scale back your celebrations to meet the moment. But executive coach Alisa Cohn points out that even when times are hard, it’s important to recognize your employees and avoid ending the year on a depressing note.
“I believe you shouldn’t let the year end with a sentiment of doom and gloom, because if you do, you’ll likely return from the holidays to find your employees still burned out and questioning the prospects of the company and their own desire to be there,” she writes.
Instead of a traditional holiday party, you could opt for a volunteer day or another activity oriented around social impact. Either way, don’t forget to acknowledge how employees have contributed to the company over the last year, despite the circumstances. “Even in the roughest of years, if you’ve made it to the other side, it’s because of the individuals at your company,” Cohn says.
Try to be inclusive of remote workers
Since many companies are now distributed or have a significant remote workforce, it can be even harder to create a holiday party experience that feels inclusive of all your employees. Even as in-person holiday parties have resumed, employers can choose to keep part of their celebrations virtual. “You can invite everyone to wear an ugly holiday sweater or dress festively, and provide fun holiday virtual backgrounds in advance,” writes diversity and inclusion leader Mita Mallick. An activity can also be a good way to bring people together virtually, whether that means crafting or hosting a tasting.
It’s also important to send your remote employees any gifts or swag that you’re planning to distribute at a holiday party, or give them something comparable. “Go a step further by knowing what your employees like and don’t like, and remember that not everyone drinks alcohol,” Mallick says.
