How to approach Christmas parties as a remote-first company

It would be fair to say that the world of work has been turned on its head over the last few years. Remote working was a phenomenon that was supposedly only available to the elite, or at least to those in highly specialist industries. Now, things have changed, which means that the whole dynamics of companies have had to adapt too – and this involves Christmas parties.

Again, if we were to roll back the years, there tended to be a huge build-up to the classic office Christmas party. With more companies now taking the remote plunge – it means that such hype doesn’t exist in the same form.

Bearing this in mind, today is all about approaching your company’s Christmas party if you are remote-first. Let’s not remind ourselves that this will be a ‘different’ type of festive celebration, but ‘different’ doesn’t always have to be negative.

It needs to be worth getting out of the house for

Let’s not forget that most people work for a remote-based company because they like it that way. They’re not the ones who appreciate the water cooler chats or are craving a way back to that pre-Covid world of office chit-chat.

As such, you need to make your Christmas event stand out. It has to be good enough for them to leave the house. This can, of course, come in all shapes and forms, whether it is one of the unique, hidden bars of Covent Garden or another similar experience that falls outside the realms of ‘standard’.

In short, it’s time to get creative.

It’s not just about the big party itself

While the big Christmas party will probably receive the bulk of the attention, also think about all of the smaller activities you can engage in during the build-up. This might be something as simple as a weekly quiz, or a daily Secret Santa.

The key is making people feel like they are part of something – even if they’re not physically in the office.

Get everyone’s input

When it comes to the big day itself, you must get everyone’s input on what they would like. After all, it is their party too.

One of the great things about a remote-based company is that you have a workforce which is spread out across the country (or even the world). This means that you can tap into a much wider range of ideas, and you’re not just limited to those based close to you.

Get the timing right

Finally, it is essential to get the timing right. We all know that the festive period is hectic, and you don’t want to be left scrambling to try and organize something at the last minute.

Instead, start planning early, and give people plenty of notice. That way, they can clear their diary and ensure they’re available for the big day.