An end of year function is a great way to celebrate with your employees and acknowledge the work they have completed throughout the year. In saying that, it’s important to make sure your function is enjoyable for you and your staff.
5 Tips for Organising a Successful End of Year Function
The key to a perfect end of year function comes down to the preparation you put into it; this includes planning ahead of time, food and drinks, location and venue space selection, setting a budget and considering accommodation options.
1. Plan Ahead
We recommend that you start your planning well in advance of your function as many popular venues and locations start to fill with bookings as early as July. Start by brainstorming various ideas and mark out a couple of possible dates in your work calendar; this will give you the flexibility if there is unavailability or cancellations.
2. Food & Drinks
Food is always one of the most memorable parts of a function or event. You’ll need to decide if you would like a cocktail style experience with canapes and grazing tables, a formal style of dining with multiple courses or perhaps even something that incorporates both and moves your guests around.
There are various ways of ensuring all of your guests will be satisfied. Don’t forget to check for any dietary requirements and ensure that caterers are well-informed.
As well as considering food options, you need to outline a drink allocation policy; this may involve selecting from a variety of drink packages with different inclusions or simply running a bar tab. It may also be a good idea to nominate someone who can approve more drinks, keeping in mind responsible serving of alcohol.
3. Location & Venue Space Selection
Picking your location and venue space will depend on a variety of different factors including the number of people attending, if you wish to do other activities, and the transport options to and from the venue.
It’s important that when selecting your venue, you pick a space that can comfortably fit your group. You may even want to inspect the venue before booking as nothing beats walking through the space yourself.
Some questions you might want to ask a venue when considering them are;
- How late is the venue open?
- Are there private dining areas?
- Does the venue have a bar or is it licensed for BYO?
4. Set a Budget
A budget is always important when planning a function; this ensures that you don’t go overboard and spend a lot more than your business can afford.
As obvious as it may seem, you need to stick to your budget; this may mean outlining how much you want to pay for different aspects of the function, i.e. the venue, food, drinks etc.
You may need to seek different alternatives when it comes to venue space, menus and drink packages to meet your budget. Your contact at the venue should be able to provide you with options.
5. Consider Accommodation Options
Sometimes it may be convenient to include accommodation as an option for your employees. Whether you are looking for on-site accommodation or somewhere close-by, there are benefits for having accommodation as an option for attendees.
One of the more important benefits of having a place to stay after your function is that you can rest assured that everyone gets ‘home’ safely. If you choose on-site accommodation, this will also mean that you don’t have to worry about transportation expenses.
Another benefit is that it allows you extra time to include various activities that are close by in the area. Activities such as cooking classes could become a team building activity.
Make an End of Year Work Function Enquiry
Here, at Waurn Ponds Estate, we strive to ensure that your end of year function fits the needs of your team. If you would like to enquire about an end of year function, please contact us. Alternatively, you can call us on 03 5227 3000 during business hours to discuss your requirements.
