Eddy’s HR Mavericks Encyclopedia
The world's largest free encyclopedia of HR, with 700+ HR articles and podcasts.
Created by Eddy and our HR Mavericks community.
Easter Company Party
Hosting religious holidays in the workplace can feel like a way to derail any inclusion initiatives your organization may have started. Is there a way to celebrate Easter and keep it appropriate and comfortable for all employees? Read on to see how this particular holiday can be celebrated in the workplace to include all of your employees in the fun!
What Is an Easter Company Party?
An Easter company party is an excuse to celebrate springtime in the office and engage with your employees. Your organization should focus on the non-religious traditions of Easter, including the Easter bunny, eggs, all the chocolate and Easter candy, baskets, plants, etc., and avoid any religious aspect when celebrating this in the workplace. Think of it as a wonderful segue into all the summer fun your organization can have, and leave it at that.
Should Companies Host an Easter Party?
Parties of any nature are great to bring your organization together, but the Easter party specifically can raise a few red flags. Let’s look at some negatives and positives for hosting an Easter party at your organization and see what conclusions you can draw for your company.
Disadvantages of a Company Easter Party
- Expensive. This pertains to most company parties, not only to Easter; but at times it can be difficult to justify throwing a party while employees are being laid off or perhaps your organization isn’t able to pay as highly as another. Throwing a party may seem that you are trying to be flashy on one day instead of supporting your employees daily.
- Criticism. As with most events in the workplace, criticism is inevitable. Some employees may feel your organization should support the religious aspect of the holiday and do not appreciate that you didn’t; others may feel just the opposite. This could create divisiveness.
- Employee perception. While you may have done everything possible to focus on only the non-religious aspects of Easter, some employees' perceptions may be different. You could create a disconnect between those that typically celebrate Easter (religious or not) and those that do by throwing an Easter party, however non-religious it may be.
Benefits of a Company Easter Party
- Employee appreciation. Any time you can show your employees you care is a great way to keep productivity moving forward. Appreciating your employees frequently encourages them to keep valuing their job just as much as you value them.
- Celebrate spring. Winter brings its own set of joys, but there is just something about that springtime feeling. You’ll notice the change in your employees' attitudes almost instantly, so embrace it and use it as a reason to celebrate.
- Boost morale. Showing gratitude to employees and letting them enjoy some workplace fun is modeling work/life balance. The results are more focus, less burnout, and more enthusiasm inside and outside of work, providing a better all-around employee. Yes, a simple Easter party can truly do all that.
Fun Easter Company Party Ideas
Now that we have evaluated the pros and cons of an Easter party, let’s dive into some fun ideas that could make your Easter party quite the celebration.
Easter Egg Hunt
Is it really Easter if there is not some version of an Easter egg hunt? This is doable for both large and small organizations. If your organization is on the larger side, feel free to break this up within departments and enlist the help of your managers. For smaller organizations, utilize the office to the fullest and hide eggs everywhere. You could leave the eggs empty and instead create prizes for employees that find the most eggs, or you could do the traditional and fill each egg with a small candy or a workplace-related “get out of dress code free” card. You can’t go wrong with an Easter egg hunt to celebrate Easter. It’s not just for kids. Have fun with it in the workplace!
Easter Crafts
Get your employees together to work on something for the office or for their home. Some fun Easter craft ideas could be painting Easter baskets, decorating spring wreaths, dying eggs, potting new plants, etc. You could provide your employees with options or pick one and allow them to really make it their own. You can allow your employees to take the projects home or contribute them to the office space. Either way, taking some time out to do a fun spring-themed craft is a great way to continue your Easter party celebration in the office.
Employee Appreciation Gifts
Embrace spring! Provide your employees with Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies, sunscreen, and other spring goodies, or go the green route and give them some plants they can use to brighten up their office or take home to do the same. You can utilize the crafts they have been working on during the party for the gift and add some Easter candy to go with it, or you could keep those separate and provide some company-branded gifts. Either way, it’s just a little something to show your employees that you appreciate their hard work and are just as excited for spring is a great way to celebrate.
Spring Cleaning
Around this time every year, spring cleaning comes to mind, so why not incorporate that into your Easter party? Take the opportunity to help a local organization that is trying to fix up a local park, or plant a flower bed in a community garden. If there isn't something already organized that your company can participate in, why not contact your local city government and see how you can create one? Taking the time to spread some Easter joy outside your organization is always a good idea.
Tips for Hosting an Easter Company Party
Although Easter is commonly recognized as a religious holiday, when you’re throwing your Easter Company party you need to stay inclusive and non-offensive to all.
Tip 1: Do Not Require Attendance
Make it voluntary. Do not require employees to participate in any portion of the party no matter what. While you may have done everything possible to remove religious aspects from your Easter workplace party, you may still have employees who do not celebrate any version of Easter and do not wish to participate, and that should be completely acceptable. Be sure to make the party desirable for employees to attend, but not exclusive if they decide not to in the end.
Tip 2: Incorporate Food
Food is always a good idea for a party, and your Easter celebration is no exception. You could go potluck style and ask employees planning to attend to bring their favorite Easter dish and let everyone dig in. Or you could cater some delicious food for your celebration. Either way, you cannot go wrong with providing employees a free meal. Whatever route you decide, perhaps finish it off with some fun bunny-shaped sugar cookies for everyone to enjoy, embrace all the good food, and continue enjoying the celebration.
Tip 3: Make It Carefree
The workplace can be stressful for some employees, so the thought of a party to celebrate seems impossible. Do your best to make it simple and carefree by taking all the stress off the employees. Ensure you’re allowing them to truly come and enjoy themselves at the celebration without the pressure they may feel while on the job. While the celebration may be happening all around them as they are working, the goal would be to allow the party to lift the stress that may surround a regular day in the office.
Tip 4: Accept Feedback and Adapt
As with any celebration, there will be positives and negatives; with an office Easter celebration, there may be more than you’re used to. Be sure to listen to any feedback your employees provide on how to make the Easter celebration more inclusive in the future. Allow HR to be a safe place for them to share any issues they may have felt from the celebration. Clearly communicate the intentions of the organization about your Easter party and that you will accept the feedback and adapt future Easter parties.
Topics
Shalie Reich
Shalie has over 4 years of experience working in a variety of HR positions and organizations including: working as an HR department "of one", working with a start-up based in Europe, to working in a fully established robust USA based HR department. Shalie has experience in multiple states and countries with all aspects of the HR spectrum. She has a passion to share her knowledge and experience to benefit the HR profession!
Frequently asked questions
Other Related Terms
Eddy’s HR Mavericks Encyclopedia
Easter Company Party
Hosting religious holidays in the workplace can feel like a way to derail any inclusion initiatives your organization may have started. Is there a way to celebrate Easter and keep it appropriate and comfortable for all employees? Read on to see how this particular holiday can be celebrated in the workplace to include all of your employees in the fun!
What Is an Easter Company Party?
An Easter company party is an excuse to celebrate springtime in the office and engage with your employees. Your organization should focus on the non-religious traditions of Easter, including the Easter bunny, eggs, all the chocolate and Easter candy, baskets, plants, etc., and avoid any religious aspect when celebrating this in the workplace. Think of it as a wonderful segue into all the summer fun your organization can have, and leave it at that.
Should Companies Host an Easter Party?
Parties of any nature are great to bring your organization together, but the Easter party specifically can raise a few red flags. Let’s look at some negatives and positives for hosting an Easter party at your organization and see what conclusions you can draw for your company.
Disadvantages of a Company Easter Party
- Expensive. This pertains to most company parties, not only to Easter; but at times it can be difficult to justify throwing a party while employees are being laid off or perhaps your organization isn’t able to pay as highly as another. Throwing a party may seem that you are trying to be flashy on one day instead of supporting your employees daily.
- Criticism. As with most events in the workplace, criticism is inevitable. Some employees may feel your organization should support the religious aspect of the holiday and do not appreciate that you didn’t; others may feel just the opposite. This could create divisiveness.
- Employee perception. While you may have done everything possible to focus on only the non-religious aspects of Easter, some employees' perceptions may be different. You could create a disconnect between those that typically celebrate Easter (religious or not) and those that do by throwing an Easter party, however non-religious it may be.
Benefits of a Company Easter Party
- Employee appreciation. Any time you can show your employees you care is a great way to keep productivity moving forward. Appreciating your employees frequently encourages them to keep valuing their job just as much as you value them.
- Celebrate spring. Winter brings its own set of joys, but there is just something about that springtime feeling. You’ll notice the change in your employees' attitudes almost instantly, so embrace it and use it as a reason to celebrate.
- Boost morale. Showing gratitude to employees and letting them enjoy some workplace fun is modeling work/life balance. The results are more focus, less burnout, and more enthusiasm inside and outside of work, providing a better all-around employee. Yes, a simple Easter party can truly do all that.
Fun Easter Company Party Ideas
Now that we have evaluated the pros and cons of an Easter party, let’s dive into some fun ideas that could make your Easter party quite the celebration.
Easter Egg Hunt
Is it really Easter if there is not some version of an Easter egg hunt? This is doable for both large and small organizations. If your organization is on the larger side, feel free to break this up within departments and enlist the help of your managers. For smaller organizations, utilize the office to the fullest and hide eggs everywhere. You could leave the eggs empty and instead create prizes for employees that find the most eggs, or you could do the traditional and fill each egg with a small candy or a workplace-related “get out of dress code free” card. You can’t go wrong with an Easter egg hunt to celebrate Easter. It’s not just for kids. Have fun with it in the workplace!
Easter Crafts
Get your employees together to work on something for the office or for their home. Some fun Easter craft ideas could be painting Easter baskets, decorating spring wreaths, dying eggs, potting new plants, etc. You could provide your employees with options or pick one and allow them to really make it their own. You can allow your employees to take the projects home or contribute them to the office space. Either way, taking some time out to do a fun spring-themed craft is a great way to continue your Easter party celebration in the office.
Employee Appreciation Gifts
Embrace spring! Provide your employees with Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies, sunscreen, and other spring goodies, or go the green route and give them some plants they can use to brighten up their office or take home to do the same. You can utilize the crafts they have been working on during the party for the gift and add some Easter candy to go with it, or you could keep those separate and provide some company-branded gifts. Either way, it’s just a little something to show your employees that you appreciate their hard work and are just as excited for spring is a great way to celebrate.
Spring Cleaning
Around this time every year, spring cleaning comes to mind, so why not incorporate that into your Easter party? Take the opportunity to help a local organization that is trying to fix up a local park, or plant a flower bed in a community garden. If there isn't something already organized that your company can participate in, why not contact your local city government and see how you can create one? Taking the time to spread some Easter joy outside your organization is always a good idea.
Tips for Hosting an Easter Company Party
Although Easter is commonly recognized as a religious holiday, when you’re throwing your Easter Company party you need to stay inclusive and non-offensive to all.
Tip 1: Do Not Require Attendance
Make it voluntary. Do not require employees to participate in any portion of the party no matter what. While you may have done everything possible to remove religious aspects from your Easter workplace party, you may still have employees who do not celebrate any version of Easter and do not wish to participate, and that should be completely acceptable. Be sure to make the party desirable for employees to attend, but not exclusive if they decide not to in the end.
Tip 2: Incorporate Food
Food is always a good idea for a party, and your Easter celebration is no exception. You could go potluck style and ask employees planning to attend to bring their favorite Easter dish and let everyone dig in. Or you could cater some delicious food for your celebration. Either way, you cannot go wrong with providing employees a free meal. Whatever route you decide, perhaps finish it off with some fun bunny-shaped sugar cookies for everyone to enjoy, embrace all the good food, and continue enjoying the celebration.
Tip 3: Make It Carefree
The workplace can be stressful for some employees, so the thought of a party to celebrate seems impossible. Do your best to make it simple and carefree by taking all the stress off the employees. Ensure you’re allowing them to truly come and enjoy themselves at the celebration without the pressure they may feel while on the job. While the celebration may be happening all around them as they are working, the goal would be to allow the party to lift the stress that may surround a regular day in the office.
Tip 4: Accept Feedback and Adapt
As with any celebration, there will be positives and negatives; with an office Easter celebration, there may be more than you’re used to. Be sure to listen to any feedback your employees provide on how to make the Easter celebration more inclusive in the future. Allow HR to be a safe place for them to share any issues they may have felt from the celebration. Clearly communicate the intentions of the organization about your Easter party and that you will accept the feedback and adapt future Easter parties.
Topics
Shalie Reich
Shalie has over 4 years of experience working in a variety of HR positions and organizations including: working as an HR department "of one", working with a start-up based in Europe, to working in a fully established robust USA based HR department. Shalie has experience in multiple states and countries with all aspects of the HR spectrum. She has a passion to share her knowledge and experience to benefit the HR profession!
Frequently asked questions
Other Related Terms
Eddy's HR Newsletter
Sign up for our email newsletter for helpful HR advice and ideas.
