We all love celebrating the festive season. However the annual Christmas office party can be fairly expensive. You can end up paying as much as £50 per head for some celebration evenings and that doesn't include drinks. With so many businesses feeling the pinch at the moment, how can you celebrate with colleagues and employees without breaking the bank? Let's look at some of the best work Christmas party ideas on a budget.
Christmas Markets
There is lots of fun to be had at the Christmas market. You don't have to spend too much cash either. Simply wandering around the festive markets as a team can be great fun. Getting to know one another out of the office, sharing stories over a glass of mulled wine. There is very little cost in this and the tab could be picked up by management for the first glass of Gluhwein each. This is great for businesses that operate in the city as Christmas markets pop up all over the country, usually in city squares. Plan to finish work an hour early that day and then walk to the market together. Some may stay for a short time, others may enjoy the festivities for longer.
Drinks Night
Next on our list of the best work Christmas party ideas on a budget is a drinks night. During the festive time of year there are lots of businesses, departments and groups of colleagues who meet for a Christmas drink after work at the local pub. Management could put a small amount of cash behind the bar or pick up the bill for the first round of drinks. People can stay for a long or as little as they wish, depending on their home commitments. However there might be some sore heads the morning after! It'll likely be less busy during the week and you could even order some bacon sandwiches to be delivered to the office the next day!
Pizza For All
Celebrating the festive season in the office cuts back on the price even further. Order some pizzas to arrive an hour or so before the usual end of the working day and get everybody off their laptops. Take over the meeting room or lay the pizzas out across the kitchen tables and get everyone to dig in. A relaxed atmosphere for everyone and no one needs to take the later train or miss out on family time either.
Teambuilding Activities
Uniting the team after a tough year in the office is a great idea. Top teambuilding ideas include an tree top adventure away day, sushi making workshop or an escape room. These ideas will cost a little bit but the boost in morale and the unity of the team afterwards will be a great payoff. Take plenty of photographs for the company social media accounts too!
Bowling Tournament
Next on our list of the best work Christmas party ideas on a budget is bowling. Book a couple of lanes at the local alley and see who the best bowler in the company is. There are often some great deals to be had at bowling alleys, check out when they have their cheap nights and book for then to stick to your budget. You could even get a little trophy for the overall winner.
How to make money for Christmas
A Long Brunch
Put family first and celebrate as a business during the work day. Everyone loves a tasty brunch, so switch off your laptops at half past ten and head to a local café. Chat over sausages, bacon, eggs and pastries. Keep the coffee and conversation flowing. If you're feeling fancy maybe have a toast with some Bucks Fizz too. Be sure to book a table!
Holiday Wellness
Last on our list of the best work Christmas party ideas is to promote wellness of your employees. How about treating them all to a massage? Rather than alcohol, promote healthy drinks and snacks instead. You could enjoy a yoga session together, or a Zumba class. Promote wellbeing and make sure your staff are looked after during the hustle and bustle of the season.
You don't have to spend a lot of money on Christmas celebrations to have a good time. Thinking outside of the box and doing something different can be much more beneficial and appreciated than throwing money at an expensive three course meal and dancefloor event. Use some of our best work Christmas party ideas on a budget and you'll have a great time without putting extra financial pressure on the business.
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