By Phoenix Porcelli, Vice President of Sales, Convene
Since the pandemic struck in 2020, corporate holiday parties have been small, fragmented affairs, glorified Zoom calls with colleagues awkwardly sipping a drink in front of their laptops, or cancelled altogether due to health or budgetary concerns. These limitations were prudent during the height of Covid, but this year is poised to see a return to the large, festive gatherings for companies to celebrate the end of a successful year.
While parties will return, they will look different. Just as employees’ expectations for their workplaces have been altered by the pandemic- only premium amenities and design can lure them back to the office now- so too has the bar been raised for a truly memorable holiday party worth the trip into the city.
At Convene, a hospitality-oriented corporate meeting and event provider, we anticipate that this trend, dubbed the “flight to quality,” will lead to a sizeable increase in companies’ spending on end-of-year festivities this winter. The pressure is on to create an extraordinary and memorable event, if only to make up for the past several years of lacklustre or cancelled gatherings.
How that will manifest depends on the company. Across our offerings in the UK, we see executives prizing different selling points for traditional meetings and events that will mirror the diversity of amenities for holiday parties. Companies can choose between avant-garde design, lush biophilia, jaw-dropping skyline views, and top-notch catering and drink service to elevate their first real holiday party in three years.
Whichever they select, the calendar will be their friend. Christmas falls on a Monday this year, giving employers a full three weeks of workdays in December before the break- plenty of chances to find the right locale for a corporate event that will banish the ghost of the pandemic once and for all.
