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3 Reasons to throw a summer employee appreciation party

Rob Teitelman

Summer employee parties often take a back seat to their more popular cousin, the winter holiday party. Capitalizing on a communal sense of good cheer and mirth, and to counteract the cold weather, December holiday parties have become a staple in the modern business. But that doesn’t mean you should overlook the importance of a summer party.

With the summer in full swing here, consider giving your employees a memorable customer appreciation party. It could be something as simple as a picnic and BBQ in the park, or, for something a little more “out there”, you could stop by BATL to do some axe throwing (BATL stands for Backyard Axe Throwing League). But before you choose, take a look at these three reasons why you should throw a summer employee appreciation party.

A Year Is Too Long

First and foremost is the fact that having a party every twelve months is just too infrequent. Stress levels build throughout a year, and it’s important to strategically place some “releases of the vent”, so to speak, throughout that time. Having both a summer and a winter party ensures that you earn enough goodwill and morale to last you throughout the whole year.

Ideally, a business should show its appreciation in small, frequent gestures to its employees, but you still can’t discount the immense emotional importance of convening as a team and having fun without the stresses of work dynamics and figures. A party is as much a team building exercise as an appreciation event, so it actually helps the business function better overall.

You Can Make It Tax Deductible

You can make a staff party entirely tax deductible, within reason (i.e. if you’re not like Goldman Sachs, flying employees to their party in a gold airplane full of champagne). By choosing a modestly priced activity, like the aforementioned axe throwing, which is a lot of fun without breaking the bank, you don’t have to worry about cutting into your bottom line. By removing any financial barrier, the only thing a party would use up is employee time, but as the last point here established the time off is matched by a boost in morale (and, consequently, a boost in productivity).

The Summer Is Less Hectic

The winter holidays are busy. People have family flying in – or they themselves are flying elsewhere – as well as dinners to prepare, gifts to buy and decorations to put up. This is in addition to all the regular work they do for your company. Asking an employee to spare some of this time can mean asking them to stretch themselves a little too thin, and when all is said and done, not everyone will be able to make the holiday party. Summer, on the other hand, is more flexible. It lasts longer, for one, so it’s easier to plan a day that works for everyone, and people tend to have fewer obligations weighing them down.

To conclude, there isn’t much of a reason for not having a summer employee party. You can deduct it from your taxes, and any productivity lost will be regained through added morale. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.