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8 End of Year office party ideas

Work is such a big part of our lives, and employee engagement is the key to successful, happy workplaces. So how do we thank our people in ways that are motivating, rewarding and different from the generic dinner or themed party venue? We’ve put together a list of 8 end of year office party ideas to help inspire you and give you ample time to arrange the ultimate party for your team!

  1. Family Fun Days

One of our most popular end of year requests. Family Fun Days are a great way to not only boost staff morale but celebrate family and work life through a positive get together.

So, what is a Family Fun Day?

The clue is in the name, the event is designed to be suitable for all forms of family, young and old, big or small. Great venues we’ve used in the past are Tarongo Zoo and Luna Park.

Staff are given the chance to bring their family along for the day and they can enjoy delicious food, inflatable activities and games, roving entertainers, tailored activities, socialising and a break from the everyday grind.

It might not be initially obvious what the benefits are, especially if there are no training or educational sessions involved, but there are many;

  • Portraying a great company philosophy. Booking a Family Fun Day for your staff speaks volumes about you as an employer. It shows that you see your staff as more than just a number and sends a clear message that you’re willing to invest time and money to ensure that they are happy and grateful for the time they give you.
  • Staff incentive. No matter how big or small the incentive, just having one speaks a thousand words. Holding a Family Fun Day lets your staff know that all their effort, hard work and time away from their families hasn’t gone unnoticed. It’s the perfect way of saying thank you to them and their families!
  • Recognising achievement. Family Fun Days are the ideal opportunity to recognise employees achievements during the year not only in front of their colleagues, but their loved ones too.
  • Morale booster. Our clients consistent feedback is that the days and even weeks following the event that their teams return to the work re-energised, happy and raring to go!
  1. Escape room

Time to lock up your staff! The concept goes like this – you and your colleagues are trapped in a room. You have an hour to get out, and the only way out is by solving a series of cryptic puzzles and clues.

Escape Rooms aren’t only tons of fun, they also encourage team building and problem solving – because if you ever hope to see the outside world again, you’d better start working together!

These fun and thrilling rooms are popping up all over the place and can be found in most major cities. You can even have a tailored mobile Escape Room come to you or get your team up and running with Amazing Race-style scavenger hunts!

  1. Food Truck Festival

Create a memorable festival-like experience for your staff and bring in a variety of food trucks to either your office carpark or a local park (with council permission of course!). Add to the party with casual seating, interactive games and live music.

This is a unique and easy way to bring a variety of experiences to your team and they will have fun discovering each element of the festival.

  1. Pizza and Pasta making class

This one is for the foodies – there’s a whole lot of natural allure and genuine bonding to any day spent rolling out dough and sipping on gorgeous wines during an Italian cooking class. Throw in a little healthy competition between you and your colleagues and this is a sure-fire way to get the team grinning this festive season.

After your class, sit down and relax as the pizza and pasta you’ve made is served alongside homemade sauces. Bellissimo!

  1. Pop up experiences

Take advantage of the summer season with the plethora of pop up experiences and bars around iconic destinations. The MCA, Royal Botanic Gardens and many CBD roof tops will normally have pop up food and drink spots. Stay up to date on the latest experiences with media such as Broadsheet, Time Out and the Urban List.

If it’s casual and affordable that you’re after, here’s another three end of year office party ideas that get the team outdoors to enjoy an afternoon of socialising and relaxing.

  1. Garden Party

Set up a picnic themed lunch complete with rugs, giant picnic baskets filled with delicious lunches and fun games such as giant Jenga. Set up a drinks station with jugs of Pimm’s and refreshing ciders along with a yummy dessert station complete with cupcakes and lolly bags!

  1. Barefoot Bowls

Eat, drink, bowl and be merry! Create a bit of competition among your staff with a few rounds of barefoot bowls. Put on a BBQ, or canapes on the green, along with a bar tab and the team will be bowled away!

  1. BBQ

Be it at the local park or beach, bring along the camping chairs, tarp, tunes and eskies. Get the team playing some backyard cricket or BYO inflatable pool toys and to float the afternoon away!

Venues and entertainment activities book up fast, so now’s the perfect time to start planning how you’re going to celebrate. We’ve got plenty more end of year office party ideas so throw us a brief at [email protected]