“Tis the season to spend money…” is what goes through most people’s heads when they realize December is right around the corner.
Every employee will be making plans to either travel or figure out how to hide from their Aunt Linda when she comes to town. They’ll be hoping they can get some holiday relief from trying to track down the latest Paw Patrol toy and do something fun for themselves.
Although it might seem easier to have an hour-long meeting in the team room to thank everyone for their hard work, odds are your employees won’t feel the holiday spirit. Do something fun and unforgettable this year to show your employees that you appreciate all the hard work they’ve done.
A holiday party is the perfect way to get everyone together, from the senior executives to the interns. It gives people a chance to interact in a non-work setting and get to know each other better than just small talk in the office. It can be considered a team-building event without your employees even knowing it. A team works best when all the players know each other well and can effectively work together. Putting everyone in a stress-free environment like having a great holiday party, aids in creating great relationships among co-workers so they work better together.
Holiday parties are also the perfect setting to reflect on the past year and let everyone know the milestones reached. Maybe the sales numbers were higher than they’ve ever been, or the company has received the most positive reviews in a year. Whatever the case may be, these big accomplishments deserve to be announced in a relaxed setting with a celebratory toast… or a few!
Publicly acknowledging each employee with a small gift or award goes a long way in making them feel like their work is actually valued. It’s a great opportunity to say, “thank you for being a part of our team” and raises morale. Employees are more likely to work harder when they love being a part of the company.
Lastly, planning a holiday party isn’t as hard as you’d think! The first, and most important step is finding a venue that is fun and unique – like your local wildlife park! Here at Tanganyika, we have 3 indoor rooms that can accommodate all your employees. We are also introducing the first annual Safari of Lights this year, so your employees have something to talk about!
So, rent out a room with us – or an entire night of Safari of Lights – and give your employees the gift of happiness this year.
About the Author: Connie Sarinana is the Events Coordinator at TWP. Born and raised in Iowa, she studied Animal Ecology, Spanish, and Event Management at Iowa State University. Her passion for helping wildlife starting out young, as she would always ask to go to the zoo as soon as learned what the word meant. When she’s not planning a wedding or a corporate event, she enjoys cuddling with her dog and trying to convince her fiancé to let her get a pet snake.
