The office party is a delicate format.
On one hand, it needs to be relaxed enough for people to feel at ease. On the other, structured enough to avoid awkwardness. Most office parties try to be something they aren't.
Five mistakes everyone makes:
Mistake 1: Trying to create a "nightclub in the office." The music is loud. The lights are dimmed. Everyone stands awkwardly against the wall, drink in hand, waiting for it to end. An office is an office. Don't pretend it's anything else.
Mistake 2: Mandatory attendance. "We expect everyone there" is the death knell for any party. People who attend out of obligation bring an energy that others can sense.
Mistake 3: Food as an afterthought. Chips and cookies are laid out on a table. People look at the food, then at their watches. Food provides the framework around which conversations happen.
Mistake 4: No standout moment. Good parties have a specific moment that gets talked about later—a surprise, an act of recognition, something unexpected. Without it, it’s just "another Friday at the office with wine."
Mistake 5: Dragging it out too long. Two hours is ideal. Three hours is one hour too many. People should want to stay, not be looking for a polite way to leave.
What a party people talk about on Monday looks like:
It starts right on time. There is food—something beyond the usual fare—that gets people talking. There is a moment of recognition or surprise. It ends before it gets boring.
It’s that simple. And it happens so rarely.
As for the food: forget about catering with plastic plates. People are standing, chatting, and moving around. The food format should complement that movement, not halt it. It needs to be something you can pick up, hold in your hand, and keep the conversation going.
Cakeaway does exactly that—fresh, handmade cake in a can, with a personalized message for everyone. We deliver to your office. You just enjoy the moment.
Corporate order inquiries: cake-away.eu