Winter is fast approaching, and with it comes the annual tradition of the office holiday party. This is the time of year when you can honor your team's accomplishments, and your team, for their part, can cut loose with coworkers after a long year.
But getting to that point can be pretty nerve-racking. You have to find an appropriate space, set up an entertaining activity, and, perhaps most importantly, set the menu for the evening. It's a lot to do in typically a short amount of time.
Thankfully, with these five tips and a little help from DoorDash for Business, you can make planning a holiday party just as joyous as attending one.
Why should you throw an office holiday party?
The benefits of encouraging team bonding and feeding your employees can't be understated. Your employees feel the benefits, and the company does, too. Even seemingly small activities like a book club or trivia night can increase company morale.
For one, you give your employees a much-needed escape from their emails, Slack, and other day-to-day work. That downtime lets your team recharge, so when they return to work, they're bringing more energy.
Team events also help your team build relationships with each other. When coworkers can get to know each other outside of work, everyone tends to trust each other and find mutual respect. And this trust and respect carry back to their desks. Coworkers who trust each other are more productive, more creative, and generally happier at work.
When you throw food into the mix, these benefits compound. Our recent survey found that 85% of working Americans said regular food delivery would make them happier, and almost 78% said food benefits would positively impact the company culture.
But do these benefits carry over to an office holiday party? The short answer is yes!
A survey from career network Nexxt, formerly Beyond, found that 74% of workers believed a company holiday party boosts employee morale. The main reason why: employees feel appreciated and valued at a holiday party.
5 tips for hosting a festive holiday party
1. Arrange team-building activities
Most people associate holiday parties with free food and drink. And sure, those aren't bad ingredients for a successful party. But your party can turn sour if food and drinks are the only things on the menu. Keep your team entertained with common activities like holiday movie trivia, team karaoke, or even a group scavenger hunt.
2. Host a unique gift exchange
Small tokens of appreciation go a long way in making your team feel valued. A recent study found that 75% of employees feel happier about work after receiving a holiday gift. Almost 50% went as far as to say that a gift can boost their satisfaction for a year or more. And you don't have to give a new car to reap these benefits, either. You can see the same upside with a DoorDash for Business gift card, gift of the month subscription, or coffee cup warmer, to name a few ideas.
3. Set a menu that feeds all tastes
Everyone knows a party isn't really a party without food! It's what your team remembers and talks about well after the party ends, so at the very least, you want to get the food right. That means ordering a variety of food that meets everyone's tastes and preferences. Some will want spicy food, while others may prefer a vegan option. And some may not mind what you put in front of them. Whether you're catering or ordering individual meals with DoorDash for Business, getting something for everyone is a good idea.
4. Recognize your hard-working team
After a long year of working hard, your team could use a bit of appreciation. Expressing gratitude can come in a number of ways. You can use the office holiday party as a public forum to recognize employees' achievements or say thank you for their hard work. Or, if you prefer a more low-key display, try pulling people aside to say thank you.
5. Ask your team for input
A lot goes into planning a successful holiday party, and it can be overwhelming if you arrange everything yourself. Fortunately, you can always lean on your team for help. Ask them what they want to eat at the holiday party, or what activity would excite them. Doing this is a great way to solicit feedback and takes the second-guessing out of the planning process.
Bring your party to life with DoorDash for Business
These tips can help you deliver a successful holiday party, but to make the process easier, use DoorDash for Business. DoorDash for Business can meet all your dining needs and even some of your gift-giving ones, so your holiday party leaves your employees happy.
Here's how DoorDash for Business can help:
Place a Group Order
Depending on the size of your holiday party, you can order individual meals instead of large catering trays. That way, everyone can eat what they want, and you don't have to worry about allergies, spice levels, or a host of other considerations. Doing this is easy with Group Orders on DoorDash for Business. Just give your team a budget for DoorDash, and when it comes time to place an order, let your team add what they want to a shared cart up to the budget you set.
For large groups where you want to order days in advance, DoorDash Catering may be a better fit. It allows you to order large catering trays, buffet stations, and other large orders directly from the DoorDash app.
Give the gift of DoorDash
DoorDash is not just for feeding your holiday party guests! It can also be a great gift that your team can enjoy at work or home. We currently offer two types of gifts: DashPass for Employees and Gift Cards.
DashPass for Employees is a subscription that lets users order DoorDash with free delivery and reduced fees. After just two orders, the membership pays for itself. If you frequently give your team meal budgets, DashPass is a must-have.
Contact us to learn more about DoorDash for Business' offerings.
