Miss partying with your office friends because of the COVID-19 pandemic? From virtual weddings, book launches, parties to virtual work calls, everything is now happening online. Digital events have become the new normal.
If you want to throw a successful office party online, there’s a lot more you need to do than just plug in your device to a stable internet connection.
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Few among the many digital platforms that offer video calls across multiple channels are Zoom, Skype, and Google Meets. But before you plan your office party, you must remember to check the number of people allowed, and the duration of one meeting on these applications to schedule your event accordingly.
While hosting a virtual office party may seem easier than hosting a non-virtual one, it can certainly get tricky. Here are a few tips that may help you host a stellar office party online.
So, what are you waiting for? All you need to do is sip on some Black Velvet Whiskey while hosting the party and keep the following points in mind.
1. Selecting The Right Time
The first thing to keep in mind while planning a virtual office party is selecting the correct date and time. Check whether your chosen date collides with any other holiday or festival or whether your co-workers would be preoccupied with other things during that time.
If your colleagues work in different time zones, you must also consider the clock difference while finalizing the time. Select a time that would be suitable for everyone attending the party. You must take suggestions from the guests/call participants regarding what time would suit them if you want more people to attend the virtual party. If the number of people attending the party is less, you can personally ask for their preference, but you might want to consider a poll if there are too many people.
2. Prior Planning For Technical Glitches
You definitely wouldn’t want technical glitches to be the buzzkill while having a great office party. Here’s a tip that will always come handy. You must check your internet connection because it is the primary thing that can keep your online party going. Also, check supporting devices like speakers, earphones, and microphones.
Ask those attending the party to do the same because a glitch from anyone’s end can ruin the party. Prepare an easy “how-to guide” that will assist your non-tech-savvy colleagues in participating in the online party. Provide them with your phone number in case of any technical problem.
3. Send Invites and Reminders
Just like how you send an invitation to your colleagues to come over for a non-virtual party, do the same for the virtual ones. Create e-invites that are attractive and give the necessary details of the online party.
Once you have created the invites, send them to your colleagues via email ids, WhatsApp, and other instant messaging applications. Sending invites on various platforms would make sure that nobody misses the party. Increase the excitement about your party’s excitement by sending reminders to your colleagues as and when the date comes closer.
4. Plan Activities & A Theme
Juniors find it hard to mingle with seniors during most of the office parties. To prevent awkward silence, you can start the virtual party with an ice-breaking session. Prepare a list of questions and activities in advance. Begin by asking everyone what kind of music would everyone prefer, etc.
You can also set a dress code for the party where everyone dresses up in a specific color and sips on similar drinks. You can also ask everybody to prepare similar food for themselves so that everyone attending the party is on the same page and feels the party vibe, just as they would during a non-virtual party.
Do not forget to play some fun games and engage in some singing so that everyone is entertained and nobody feels the distance.
5. Take Feedback
Feedback gives you a clear picture of the whole event, such as whether everyone enjoyed the party or not. You can create e-feedback forms that will help you enhance any party/event you conduct in the future. After all, office parties are held with a purpose. At times, this purpose is to engage and make employees feel comfortable, especially since recruitment has been happening online amid the pandemic. At other times, the goal is to engage with subordinates and conduct brief chat sessions, given that nobody can meet because of the pandemic.
Conclusion
If you’ve been missing your colleagues, then you know exactly what to do. You must conduct a virtual party, and while you are at it, make sure that you follow the tips above.
Consider it as a team-building exercise, and at the same time, do not forget to have fun, just like you would like to during a non-virtual party. Building relationships, creating official and healthy bonds, and strengthening work relationships is possible online too.
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