BY Fast Company 2 MINUTE READ
Year-end functions, while fun, can bring about a lot of stress. There is so much pressure to get it right, to please everyone and to make sure that everyone invited feels celebrated. No one wants a boring run-of-the-mill year-end lunch that doesn’t have any unique element of fun to it. So, the stress in making it all happen can often feel overwhelming.
Below are five tips from Dominique Van Wezop, Food & Beverage Operations Manager at the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront on how best to ensure that your upcoming year-end party is an event to remember for all the right reasons.
The venue needs to be carefully considered
Probably one of the most important decisions to be taken is where to host your year-end bash. When the designated planner is considering venues, they should consider the fact that the venue should ideally be desirable and employees need to feel as though they are being spoilt. Also, consider a venue that offers up something pretty, unique or interesting to look at. Our hotel, for example, offers the best location in Cape Town with breath-taking views of the ocean and offers so many Instagrammable moments.
Make it different to the usual events
Almost every business in the country will be doing a year-end and, let’s be honest, we all discuss what our company arranged to see who had the best event. Make the event memorable by adding something unique to the day. At Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, we love looking into different ways to make special events truly memorable. We have a canapé class that can take between eight and 16 guests. During this class guests learn how to plate delicious canapes by our chef in a competition with their peers. Canapés are then served along with drinks at the end. We can also create a bespoke event with cocktail mixology stations or spa treatments amongst other options we can tailor. Do some research and find out about things such as interactive stations, live demonstrations and the like to help you find inspiration that works for your business, your team and overall company culture.
Have a fun theme
Most people love themed parties. The opportunity to dress up as something or someone completely out of character is just very appealing to most. If you can, choose a fun theme for the day to get people talking and excited about the event ahead of time. Then, try to fashion some of the food, drinks and decor into this theme ask us how we can help
Plan some engaging entertainment or activity 
Entertainment or an activity can make an event, make it memorable for them and thank them for a year of hard work.. Get the team to engage with each other, to interact and unwind.  Keep in mind the type of vibe that you want the event to have, be it a swing band at a formal dinner, the sound of the ocean for lunch, interactive team build or relaxing spa days.
Give some thought to the gifts
If you are doing party favours or year-end gifts from the company, then this is one that needs some careful thought. Think of something that most people will find value in, or something that people really like, but will seldom ever buy for themselves.