The Corporate Event Survival Guide: December Edition

It’s that time of year again! The time for corporate events in December! You for sure know how this goes: The Christmas Party, and then the Christmas/end of year awards, client appreciation events, team socials, team building, then the mandatory Christmas Party, and then the Christmas Christmas Party. It’s overwhelming, especially at this time of year. It’s no wonder the team is exhausted with Christmas right around the corner.

None of these events are bad, but we have to make sure we plan to avoid people feeling completely overwhelmed.

Planning With the Hard Deadline

We all know Christmas is the most important Hard Deadline in December. The 1st of December, we can all agree to count down for the 1st week of planning, just, in your mind, Christmas is on the 1st of December. Looking to your team, most people mentally check out around the 20th, and it’s very hard to cram in events right before the 20th. Looking at the Christmas countdown, that gives you 3 weeks to cram the events and other do’s in before the staff Christmas break.

To beat this feeling of overwhelm, start with your map out for the December calendar, and start planning it for October. Inevitably, the other companies are doing the same thing, which is why it is crucial to map it out for October, so you can avoid all the other companies and book the Christmas party that is the most appropriate for your company and employees.

The Christmas Party Strategy

Ideal Christmas parties occur from Friday afternoon into early evening. Starting at 3pm gives people a chance to their gather their people and get to the venue and allows everyone to be able to at least stay for a bit. 7pm or 8pm is the cutoff for the business part of the evening and everyone can choose to head to the pub or venture home. This lets people choose their own adventure and is also a kind way to appreciate everyone’s attendance without taking their whole weekend.

Even though people appreciate the deliberate effort put into something like a themed party, it is not worth the time. It’s fun but also exhausting, and half the party won’t care at the end of the day. Simplicity is good here. Some good food, drinks, and maybe some entertainment or a photo booth is really all that’s needed.

End-of-Year Awards Need Their Own Space

Awards and Christmas parties very rarely fit together, so it is important to give awards their own space. Recognition of people and their achievements does not get the air time it needs if it is pressed in between the mince pies and the Secret Santa.

Aim for awards to be in early December. 1st or 2nd week is a good target if it is possible. A nice place to put the awards is a morning sitting and lunch at the mid point. Here it’s important to keep the sitting tight so make it no longer than 30 to 40 minutes of formal speech to get it all out, and let everyone attend to a nice lunch and relax.

Getting Audio Visual Right

Nothing kills the vibe of awards and presentations like technical problems. It’s really uncomfortable for everyone involved.

December is often a busy month for events, which is why audio visual hire becomes even more ugent. Depending on the company, a standard AV hire include a projector or screens, microphones, a sound system, lights, and, most importantly, an AV professional to set everything up and manage it throughout the day.

When renting for an awards ceremony, it is important to request the biggest screens available to ensure that there is a clear view for everyone at the back of the room. Providing speakers with a wireless microphones is always a good idea to prevent them from being tethered to the podium, and basic lighting is a great addition to set an overall professional tone for the ceremony.

Other events, such as client presentations, are even more reliant on great equipment. The last thing that a professional AV hire wants is for there to be technical issues, as is always a huge risk when trying to impress important clients. With professional equipment and technical support, they can take on the tech stress so that you can focus on your clients.

Even holiday parties can benefit from renting a sound system, especially if you have a live band or want to play background music that is of good quality. Most venues come with basic sound systems, but they may not be sufficient depending on the size of the room. In any case, it is always a good idea to book a sound system to avoid issues.## December AV Bookings

If you’re planning to present powerpoints to your team, make sure you book AV equipment in December because everyone is trying to get kit at the same time. Book suppliers well in advance, and make sure you communicate the size of the room, how many participants will attend, and what you’re planning to present, as this will help them help you determine which pieces of equipment will best help you deliver your presentation.

Finding the Balance: Client Appreciation Events

Your clients also have chaotic schedules in December. If you’re planning to have an event with them, consider hosting a 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM breakfast. This time block won’t cut into anyone’s work day and is usually best practice. If breakfast is not an option, consider lunchtime events instead. They’re typically easier to plan and have a clear endpoint.

If you’re hosting events with clients in December, the first week is best. By week 3 they’ll have too many other events conflicting.

Parting Team Expectations and Obligations

If you’re planning team building in December, try to make it feel like a break instead of another obligation. Team building shouldn’t feel like school either, and instead can have a more laid-back, festive feel. This can look like Christmas Market visits, cooking classes for festive treats, or lunching at a nice restaurant to catch up.

Schedule this for mid-morning to early afternoon. Evening team building in December when people have shopping and family commitments is asking too much.

The Scheduling Sweet Spot

Our recommended schedule is award appreciation for clients in the first week. Team-building alongside smaller celebrations in the second week. The Christmas party in the 3rd week on or before the 15th. The fourth week should be left clear for actual work.

Do not attempt to fit this entire schedule into one week. It does not work and winds up looking like celebrations on Monday with awards, Team building on Wednesday, and finally the Christmas party on Friday. People end up so burned out that they can’t enjoy any of the events that you just put so much time and effort into.

Your events in December should strengthen relationships and energise the team. Avoid cramming events. Stress levels should be manageable or almost nonexistent. Less is more with these events in December. Aim to finish the planning early in order to set up for a successful and simple December.

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