The Dos and Don'ts of Holiday Parties and Greetings for Business

Holiday Parties

We all have a story of the holiday party that went completely wrong.  Most times the cause of the 'holiday party incident' was due to excessive alcohol.  Too many intoxicated employees can do more than ruin a party, it can break down the company culture, relationships, and  lead to lawsuits and liabilities for the owner.

Parties should be celebratory.  Well-planned parties can more likely keep things under control.  You know your employees;  if you fear over-indulgence, make sure to have a car service ready or make a quick call to Uber or a Taxi.

Alcohol does not need to be the center of your company party.  Some of my favorite holiday parties were celebrations over lunch with the bonus of a few extra hours off.  A nice lunch with colleagues was preferential to needing to find a babysitter and drag my husband along to a company party with a few people he may only casually know. 

Employee Gifts and Exchanges

My favorite work gift exchange was one where we all drew names and then bought a book for the person whose name we had drawn.  It seems mundane, but it turned out to be very interesting.  People gave everything from novels, to biographies, business books to cookbooks.  At the time, my daughter had just turned two and I received the book 'Fancy Nancy'.  It seemed fitting coming from a mom who had daughters a few years older than my own.  She commiserated in that reading was a luxury that moms of toddlers rarely get. The best thing about this exchange is that it was personal without being too personal.  We all learned a little more about each other both the gift giver and the receiver.

Employers often give their employees gifts.  It works if it is fitting of the business and if it is done in a personal way.  Just sending a turkey from an unknown source to your vegan employee is not going to do the trick.

One year I gave all my employees a branded tote bag.  It was fitting of my business since my employees carried around a lot of supplies. 

Sending Greetings to Clients

As a marketer I am always looking for ways to make another connection.  Holiday greetings is a great way to say hello and make an additional client 'touch'.  At my previous art business, I sent holiday  cards featuring  a student's art work.  I knew the card would be displayed and would be eye catching. Last year, rather than a card I had branded notebooks, pens, and chocolates delivered to the office staff the first week of January.  If done right, an early January greeting can help you break from the clutter of a busy time of year.

A small gift is always a nice gesture and is a great way to stay top of mind.  Think about items that will either be displayed, used or appreciated.  Stay away from preprinted  business holiday cards left blank with only the business name.  A personal note, if only a sentence, will make a much greater impact.

The summer heat has barely left the area and it may be hard to begin thinking about the holidays.  However, this is the time to begin putting your plans in order.  Think like a marketer and determine what will help you build a better relationship with your employees and clients.

Just because you have always done things one way, change it up.  Send a New Year gift rather than a generic holiday card that may get lost in the mix. Drop that expensive holiday party and pay for a nice lunch and a few hours of paid time off.  Whatever you do, make sure it has some positive impact, otherwise you are just wasting your money.