Someone has to organize the work Christmas party, and if you’re reading this, that may be you. You may feel it is a thankless job, but if you get it right most people will say ‘that was good’ and leave it at that. If you get it wrong, people will talk about it for months.

Fortunately, you don’t actually have to put in the hard work to make a party a success; you just have to make a few sensible decisions at the beginning.

Decide who it’s for

Before you even think about venues, consider who is going to be there. Is it going to be the same team of 20- somethings in a central city location, or is it going to be a more mixed team across several locations and including part timers and people with kids?

It’s only natural to want to plan the party you would want yourself, but the good party planner will consider what kind of party most people will enjoy.

Ask (don’t guess)

If you need to decide on a format or activity and are getting nowhere, try asking people to complete a simple survey. You will get far more useful information than you will from idle office chit chat. Ask for the things people prefer, but also the things people would hate. The second question is usually more revealing.

Response rates can be slow, but there’s enough feedback to give you some helpful guidance. People like to feel that they’ve had their say, and this helps when the time comes round for them to vote again.

Set your budget

Look into how much the company is prepared to spend, and whether this is a total or a figure per head. Make your expectations clear if there’ll be any costs passed on to the staff, i.e. a bar tab or transport costs. Staff like to know upfront if they’ll be billed at the end of the night.

It’s also good to know the tax threshold. Each year, HMRC states that an event, open to all staff, with a cost capped at 150 pounds per person, is permitted without incurring a benefit in kind to the staff member. Check the policies with your finance team, but this can serve as a good baseline when making your plans.

Pick the right date

These events are typically scheduled in the 2nd and 3rd weeks of December. These are popular, and therefore expensive and hard to find availabilities for. You might consider the 1st week of December or November. January is also a good month as venues are less busy, and staff could use a pick-me-up after the holidays.

Consider your schedule for the week

A Friday might give you the best availability, but consider the cost for the company on the following Monday.

Make it inclusive

When planning a work function, think of the people who are least likely to attend. Chances are, they’re the people who will be most influenced by inclusivity. Try:

Don’t just provide soft drinks. Offer some interesting non-alcoholic beverages.

Make certain the location is easily accessible. Don’t just assume. Check.

Give remote employees the same opportunities to attend functions as in office employees. Help them cover the costs of travel or provide them a location more convenient to them.

If possible, make it so people can attend if they wish. Many people will be influenced by your invitation.

Use music to create an ambiance that helps people talk. Keep the volume low enough that people can comfortably converse. Have food delivered hot. Keep the coat check situated where people can use it.

Make sure at least one person is fully in charge. It can be you.

Easily the most important thing is to have the taxis and/or coaches ready to go.

Look after people

It’s still a work event, so expect the usual standards. A friendly reminder about sensibility isn’t a bad idea, especially if there’s a free bar. Make sure food comes out early to soak up first drinks, and think about using drinks tokens instead of an open bar.

Also plan how people get home. Setting a finish time to make the last trains or booking transport can really help.

Say thank you

A short message the next working day to thank people for coming and to help plan the next event covers thank you notes. If you sent a survey before, a two-question follow-up will make next year’s planning a lot easier.

Organizing the Christmas party takes a lot of listening to your team. Knowing the basics can really help as well. It’s not hard to plan these events, but little things can really help.