Why should you throw an office party?
Office parties are an essential aspect of building a positive work environment and fostering team spirit amongst distributed employees. They provide the opportunity for employees to bond over shared experiences outside of the typical office environment. Whether it's a holiday party, a team building activity, or a company celebration for a major milestone, office parties are a great way to show appreciation for your employees and boost morale.
Here are unique office party ideas to level up your next company event:
1. Office party themes 🎈
Here's a fun office party idea: give your event a theme! One of the simplest ways to do this is to invite everyone to dress up. Whether it's a Halloween party, a nostalgic throwback, or an office holiday party, encouraging your colleagues to dress up can make the event feel more special.
Another way to add a theme is by using virtual backgrounds. Spice up your Zoom background with a photo that matches the theme, such as a beach scene, a winter wonderland, or a glitzy ballroom. You can also create custom backgrounds that feature your company logo to make the event more personalized.
Why is this a creative idea for your work party? Giving your work party a theme has several benefits, especially for remote teams. Unifying the event with a theme and dress-up element encourages participation, creates a memorable shared experience, and enhances the party atmosphere past the at-home desk setup we see every day!
How to get started 👉 Create some invitations that demonstrate the office party's theme and encourage employees to dress up!
2. Live entertainment 🎭
Live entertainment at your virtual office party is a fun way to add energy and excitement to the event that doesn't rely on your colleagues' participation. With the right entertainer, you can create a memorable experience that your colleagues will talk about for weeks to come. Here are some ideas:
- Hire a live musician to give your company a private concert for a relaxed, intimate experience 🎸
- Invite a DJ to mix an upbeat playlist for a lively holiday party 🎧
- Bring in a comedian to perform stand-up comedy at your next company kick-off 🎤
One of Confetti's favorite events that we've held with our own employees is our Magic & Mentalism Show. In this event, a professional magician will impress your employees with an interactive virtual performance full of mind-blowing illusions, sleight of hand, and mind-reading tricks. There are plenty of opportunities for audience participation, which adds even more laughs!
Why is this a creative idea for your work party? It's not every day that you get to see an up-close magic show. Magic shows are perfect for breaking the ice and creating a fun and relaxed atmosphere at your party. Plus, it gives your employees something to talk about long after the event is over.
How to get started 👉 Wow your employees with a live Magic & Mentalism Show!
3. Virtual DIY photo booth 🖼️
No great office party is complete without a photo booth! Here's how to set one up at your next corporate event:
- Choose Your Platform: There are several platforms you can use to create a virtual DIY photo booth (Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams). Make sure your platform of choice and settings allow you to take photos or screenshots during the call 🧑💻
- Set the Backdrop: Before your party, set the scene photos using your themed virtual background, or streamers, balloons, and other decorations 🎊
- Add Props: Get creative and make your own props using materials you have laying around the house. Make silly mustaches, hats, and speech bubbles out of construction paper, or repurpose items from your closet, like hats, scarves, or sunglasses. 🥸
- Take Photos: Encourage your team to take photos together! Have some laughs with different poses and props! 📸
Why is this a creative idea for your work party? Virtual DIY photo booths are a great office party idea to promote connection across your employee's many locations. Plus, everyone will have some mementos to enjoy after the party is over.
After the party 👉 Create a shared album on your company's file-sharing platform of choice so everyone can save their pictures. You could even create a slideshow of the photos to share with your team before your next virtual meeting!
4. Matching refreshments 🍹
Every good party needs some libations. Make the party prep easier for your guests by sending everyone a cocktail box. Confetti's Cocktail Box comes with all of the ingredients needed to make a classic or seasonal cocktail, along with an easy-to-follow recipe sheet.
Ensuring that your guests have refreshments before the party starts is a great way to boost engagement and attendance. People are more likely to participate if they've been shown that extra level of care and have something to drink or snack on during the event.
Why is this a creative idea for your work party? Sending a cocktail box is a great way to create a unified experience for your distributed team, without the larger commitment of taking a mixology class. For bonus creativity points, create a name for your cocktail that ties back to your theme!
How to get started 👉 Treat your team to a Cocktail Box!
5. Immersive team building games 🧩
The run-of-the-mill corporate office party games can get a little boring after a while. What work as fun in-person activities, like board games or office Olympics, can be difficult to translate to a remote or hybrid setting. However, now that virtual events are at our fingertips and better than ever, there are so many creative options that we can use to connect with our remote coworkers.
Confetti has plenty of cooperative murder mystery and escape room games to choose from in our Virtual Team Building collection. Collective experiences like Escape Quests and Murder Mystery Games add theatrical elements to your office party, such as immersive soundscapes, appearances from professional actors, and more!
Why is this a creative idea for your work party? While your team is having a blast, cooperative team building activities also promote collaboration and teamwork, which are essential for a successful work environment. Solving clues, puzzles, and mysteries together helps to improve communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills among teams.
How to get started 👉 Get to the bottom of ‘whodunnit?’ in a Murder Mystery Party!
Plan creative company parties with Confetti 🎊
When planning your next office party, up the ante for your guests and boost employee engagement with themes, live entertainment, shared refreshments, immersive experiences, and more!
Need help planning your next company celebration? Reach out to us at [email protected] to get help booking your special event in just a few clicks!
