It’s the Friday before Halloween, ladies and gentlemen. Do you know where your employees are?
Sitting here eyeballing the giant candy-filled pumpkin on the corner of my desk (and debating the wisdom of eating another Starburst for breakfast) I can’t help but wonder. How does your office celebrate Halloween? Do you go all out, or would someone walking into your office be hard-pressed to tell Halloween was even here?
And what’s all that holiday spirit doing for your employees?
Costumes, Contests and Things that Go Bump in the Night
Are costumed guests a regular part of your office Halloween?
The best part of Halloween for most of us is the chance to dress up. Sporting a pirate hat and hauling around the loot I plundered for Halloween from ye olde Target candy shop, Halloween at the office is officially in full swing here at East Ridge Printing. What’s going on at your office? And who kicked their everyday work clothes to the curb for the chance to show up in full costume?
Consider kicking off Halloween in your office by having your employees show up in full ensemble. Costumes are a fun, easy and (from an employer’s point of view) relatively cheap way to celebrate the holiday!
Now, obviously you’re going to want to lay down a couple of rules. An elementary school teacher with a disembodied head is a bad idea. And you probably want them to leave the sexy nurse at home, so figure out where you want to draw the line and make sure everyone knows well in advance what they can wear and what they can’t.
You could also consider asking your employees to stick to a theme or having an office-wide costume; I just suggested that Target have their employees come in dressed as Where’s Waldo? this morning, since it sticks with their basic uniform colors (thereby maintaining their brand). Think Renaissance Faire here. Toss out a theme and let your team run with it. You’re almost guaranteed to be pleasantly surprised by what they come up with.
If your employees are extremely creative, and therefore guaranteed to create something really, really cool, grab a camera and host a costume contest! Pick up gift certificates to a local restaurant, movie theatre or bowling alley for the winners (Funland was a favorite at my old job for years). Then sit back and enjoy the fun! Not only will a good time be had by all, but you’ll have some great pictures for your next office newsletter.
Why Bother with an Office Halloween?
Employee morale is the bread and butter of your company’s success. If they’re having fun at work, your customers are going to have fun coming to see them. And what’s more fun than an office party?
Then there’s the obvious fact that Halloween brings out the best in creativity for all of us. You might be surprised to discover how deep your employees’ creative streak actually runs-and find a new source for ideas for your next product or marketing campaign.
And if nothing else about an office Halloween appeals to you, imagine the smile that’s going to split your face when you walk in and see your staid accounts manager you’ve never seen without a suit and tie walking around dressed like a giant gorilla. Tell me that’s not the best way to start your day.