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Holiday parties can be a great way to celebrate an organization’s wins, thank employees for their work, and create general “good vibes” ahead of a new year. It can be a fun and relatively easy way to build morale and belonging amongst staff at all levels, and it’s also a great way to make progress on your organization’s DEI goals. To ensure that everyone at your organization can enjoy the festivities, it’s important to approach the planning process with intentionality and an inclusion mindset. 

“It’s so important to be intentional in planning parties and events,” says Tina Nguyen, Operations Senior Manager at YW Boston. Tina is responsible for organizing details for many of YW Boston’s internal staff events. “The main crux of it is being in community together with everyone who’s been working at the organization, celebrating the hard work that people have been putting in, and making sure that [the event] does really feel like a celebration that everyone can participate in,” she adds. 

As Tina emphasizes, intentional planning goes beyond just logistics; it’s about fostering a sense of community and shared celebration. With this mindset, organizations can take actionable steps to ensure that the event is enjoyable for everyone.

Be Flexible

Avoid making the party mandatory or holding it during religious or cultural holidays and respect different schedules and obligations. One way to approach this is to hold an event at the beginning of the year after some of the pressures of the holiday busy season have died down, which has the added benefit of being a more secular celebration. “The new year feels a bit more secular and not tied into all the religions and all the holidays that happen at the end of the year. An event in the new year allows the opportunity to reflect and celebrate all the hard work from the previous year AND a chance to look forward to the new year and setting new goals” Tina says. 

Focus on Togetherness

If you are considering a party theme, consider going neutral (“winter”) or multi-holiday themed, using non-denominational decorations and emphasizing community over specific activities or traditions, including gift-giving, which is particularly tied to Christmas. “I think a best practice should be making gift-giving optional so that if people want to participate, they can.” If you do opt to plan an optional gift exchange, Tina recommends setting a spending limit, encouraging homemade items, and making it into a game such as a “white elephant” exchange or Yankee swap. You may even opt to forgo material items and encourage staff to give each other handwritten appreciation cards, which is something she has seen success with at YW Boston. 

And don’t overlook the value of the gift of time. “Block out all if not most of the day for this party, end the workday early so folks don’t feel like they need to return back to work once the party ends.”

Provide Dietary Options 

Food is an important element of many celebrations; it brings people together and gives them a chance to learn and share about their different cultures. When planning for food at your party, it’s important to not only accommodate dietary restrictions (vegan, gluten-free, allergy friendly, etc.), but also to recognize that food preferences and cultural significance vary widely, including the way it is prepared and where it can be eaten (ex: Halal, Kosher). “Check in with individual staff ahead of time,” Tina recommends. “Find out which ways you can accommodate them.” This could include circulating the catering menu ahead of the event to see if there are any concerns. Tina also recommends alternating food-centered events with other types of gatherings, such as outings and community service activities.

Prioritize Accessibility

No matter where your event is taking place, it is essential to prioritize accessibility early in the planning process. Is the space accessible to people with physical limitations? Is it within reasonable travel distance for everyone? Is there a private area for people who are nursing or wish to pray, meditate, or decompress? Is everyone able to participate in games and activities? For example, you may opt not to serve alcoholic beverages. “Being around alcohol may be uncomfortable for some people, whether it is experience with substance use or due to religious beliefs,” Tina shares. “By making [your event] a dry event, people don’t have to feel like they can’t come because alcohol is being served.” 

If you opt to hold your celebration at an external site, Tina says that “partnership with the venue is important to ensure accessibility. Be proactive with a checklist of questions to ask.” 

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Approaching your holiday planning intentionally and with diversity, equity, and inclusion in mind is a relatively simple way to make progress on your DEI goals while building genuine trust within your organization. Also, it’s an approach you shouldn’t isolate to the holiday season. “Sometimes at organizations, there’s a lot of focus that goes into one event at the end of the year,” Tina says. “But spreading it out can create multiple touch points throughout the year…Building trust through events should be a process and a journey. There should always be more ways to be in community with staff, whether in person or virtual.”  

Whether it’s winter or summer, holidays or not, offering fun, engaging, and thoughtful events at your organization can go a long way towards galvanizing that sense of belonging amongst staff, fostering a more inclusive, motivated, and dedicated workforce. 

 

Are you ready to take the next step toward advancing your organization’s DEI goals and building a more inclusive, resilient, and successful workforce? YW Boston can help you discover insights, develop an action plan, and put your plan into practice through our customizable Consulting & Training Services. No matter where you are on your DEI journey, we’re ready to help. Contact Sheera Bornstein at sheera@ywboston.org for more information.